In the autobiography that inspired the blockbuster film, “American Sniper,” Kyle wrote that his work on Iraqi battlefields earned him the nickname, “Legend.”
That’s what those fighting with Kyle called him. His enemies used another nickname. They dubbed him “al-Shaitan Ramad,” or the Devil of Ramadi, indicating the fear a man can instill in his foes when he’s capable of taking out a target from a distance of almost 1.2 miles.
Of course, he wasn’t the only sniper engaged in those epic battles of the Iraq War, but the legend of Chris Kyle resonates with a wide American audience.
Not only did his autobiography spend weeks on various bestseller lists, but the eponymous Clint Eastwood-directed film, which has earned six Oscar nominations, including best picture, has already shattered the box-office record for a war movie, previously held by “Saving Private Ryan.”
Man behind legend
Despite all the talk of war’s complications, Kyle’s view of the Iraq War was unapologetically simplistic.
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While he was working to launch a security company — Craft International, whose motto is, “Despite what your momma told you, violence does solve problems” — Kyle dedicated much time to helping fellow veterans with mental health issues transition back to normal life after the battlefield.
The struggle consumed him in many ways.
“War one day; peace the next,” Kyle wrote in his book.
It’s also the work that led to his February 2, 2013, death. Kyle had taken veterans Chad Littlefield and Eddie Ray Routh to the firing range that day. A hunting guide would later find Kyle and Littlefield dead. Routh was charged in their deaths, and opening arguments in his capital murder trial are slated to begin this week.
For many elite soldiers, the decision to leave the battlefield is an excruciating one. The sense of duty to protect fellow soldiers is a feeling that Kyle struggled to let go. There’s also a sense of glory and power that snipers find hard to walk away from.
“We’re trained to go out and kill people,” Chris Kyle wrote in his autobiography. “And then at the same time, we’re also being taught to think of ourselves as invincible bad asses. That’s a pretty potent combination.”
