--- title: Michael Moore Slams 'Coward' Snipers as 'American Sniper' Opens description: Michael Moore slams the use of military snipers in warfare to mark the release of the Oscar-nominated movie 'American Sniper' canonical: https://time.com/3673233/michael-moore-amercian-sniper-chris-kyle/ author: Kevin McSpadden article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-01-19T07:19:33.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T08:00:03.456Z article:section: Entertainment og:title: Michael Moore Hates Snipers og:description: The liberal filmmaker dubs military snipers "cowards." og:url: https://time.com/3673233/michael-moore-amercian-sniper-chris-kyle/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd300c0362ee06cae/69877aa6f887dc699fe89997/ap37481833883.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2133 og:image:height: 1200 og:image:alt: Oscar Nominations og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Michael Moore Hates Snipers twitter:description: The liberal filmmaker dubs military snipers "cowards." twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd300c0362ee06cae/69877aa6f887dc699fe89997/ap37481833883.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Michael Moore Slams 'Coward' Snipers as _American Sniper_ Opens in Theaters > Sponsored content. 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Terms and conditions apply. * Savings buckets are a feature of Ally Bank's Savings Account. * No ATM fees from Ally Bank at Allpoint and Moneypass ATMs plus we reimburse for fees charged by other ATM owners nationwide up to $10 per statement cycle. * Early direct deposit offers eligible direct deposits up to two days sooner. * Spending buckets are a feature of Ally Bank's Spending Account. ## Video: 10 Questions with American Sniper Chris Kyle [Watch (HLS stream): 10 Questions with American Sniper Chris Kyle](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/PpZTJML8.m3u8) (6:10)  _Published 2012-01-05. Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, who earned two Silver Stars in Iraq, explains the sniper's point of view_ by [Kevin McSpadden](https://time.com/author/kevin-mcspadden/) ## Kevin McSpadden Jan 19, 2015 7:19 AM UTC  Bradley Cooper appears in a scene from American Sniper. The film was nominated for an Oscar Award for best feature on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2015 Bradley Cooper appears in a scene from American Sniper. The film was nominated for an Oscar Award for best feature on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2015 Warner Bros. Pictures—AP by [Kevin McSpadden](https://time.com/author/kevin-mcspadden/) ## Kevin McSpadden Jan 19, 2015 7:19 AM UTC Liberal filmmaker Michael Moore launched a broadside [attack](http://deadline.com/2015/01/michael-moore-american-sniper-oscars-clint-eastwood-selma-1201353007/) on the use of military snipers in warfare to mark the release of the Oscar-nominated movie _American Sniper._ Directed by Clint Eastwood, the movie is based on the life of Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, and received Academy Award nominations for Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Adapted Screenplay. It is projected to take[ $105.2 million](http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/box-office-shocker-american-sniper-764330) over the Martin Luther King holiday weekend. Yet Moore remains far from impressed. A few hours later, however, the _Fahrenheit 9/11_ director qualified his outburst somewhat. ## Transcript Hi, I'm Belinda Luscombe. I'm an editor- at- large at Time Magazine. Chris Kyle, the former Navy Seal. He's also quite possibly the most lethal sniper in American military history. And he's here today to face a little smattering of friendly fire with ten questions at Time magazine. Mr. Kyle, thanks for coming. Thanks for having me. So, you've got this new book, American Sniper. Isn't it kind of not done amongst you special operations guys to talk about your, your, your stuff? Yes, it is kind of frowned upon. So why did you decide to do the book? I wanted to be able to get it out about not the sacrifices that the military members make. But the sacrifices that their families have to go through. About the, the single mothers now, raising the children and doing all the day to day house chores. But then also stories about my guys who deserve to be out there. They didn't get the Medal of Honor, so you don't know about' em. But they died heroes and people should know about' em. I believe that number is 160 is the sort of number of confirmed [ CROSSTALK ] Yes, ma'am. [ CROSSTALK ] sniper kill? Can you tell me what, explain what it is to have a confirmed sniper kill? Alright, well while you're on your sniper rifle, you take a shot and the guy goes down and you have to have witnesses verify that he is dead. And does it get recorded as part of the battle damage assessment or? Every time we come back we have to fill out an assessment of what happened throughout the day. The time, the place, the caliber used, the distance he was. What exactly he was doing, where he was standing, what he was wearing. It's all in the detail. So and there's that somewhere we can't get more than 80 but somewhere there's 160 of those forms with your name on them. Yes, Ma'am. What goes through your mind when you're shooting a, a, a guy, it's usually a guy? The first time of killing someone it You're not even sure you can do it. I mean, you think you can but you never know until you're actually put in that position and you do it. And then you double think in yourself, my God will I do this? Am I gonna be okay? And then you're asking your leadership am I cleared hot to be able to do this? Am I gonna be in trouble? You know this guys really bad. And then you're worried when you get home All the politicians are gonna hang you out to dry and put you on trial for murder. But the first kill that you write about in the book, you actually kill a woman. And she has in one hand, uh, the hand of her toddler and in the other hand she has a grenade. Was that the hardest? For all the kills you had to do? Yeah, I had to do it to protect the marines. So, do you wanna lose your own guys or would you rather take one of them out? You have two sets of kind of heads in that you have your I'm back in America head and your I'm at war head. Your two different people. You turn it on and turn it off. You're a little more aggressive when you're at work and when you come home. You relax and try to be the different person. And my wife always said that when I came home from work I'd take my cape off and put on the dork cuz I stub my toe or break my toe or something at home. But at work I was fine. Does your wife still have to say your name before she gets back into bed? [ LAUGH ] It's not as bad. But that was even before I was in the military. I've always been, extremely jumpy, when I'm asleep. And the reason your wife has to say your name before she gets back into bed? I will come up swinging. So, [ LAUGH ] depends on how tired. If I'm out cold, then You can ring the doorbell and I will be asleep. I have to ask this question but, are there any kills you regret.? No! Not at all. Because they you feel like it was either you killed them or they killed other Americans? Yes m'am. You know, you in your book actually that most I think I'm quoting that most American's can't handle the reality of war. And the reports they, they sent back. The reports being the journalists, didn't help us at all. Which actually sounds a lot like Jack Nicholson in A Few Good Men. Did you realize that? You can't handle the truth. [ LAUGH ]. Is that, is that how you feel that Americans just can't? Yes ma'am. So we should just, you're on Jack's side in this one. Yes ma'am. You, you do not think. For the most part, the public, very soft. You live in a dream world. You have no idea what goes on, on the other side of the world. That, the harsh realities that these people are doing to themselves, and then to our guys. And there are certain things that need to be done to take care of em. Now if people, if people did start out with the impression, before they have read your book that you were that a person who have killed upwards of 150 other people was a violent person. Maybe a bloodthirsty person. I, I'm not sure that the book would free them of that feeling. I really don't care what they think of me. I mean, I've got my family. I've got my friends. I'm not trying to make new friends. And the people who, if you actually spend time with me, you'll find out. I'm just fun loving guy. Now I, yes, I have been trying to be a little more aggressive if I need to be, but I don't go around dumping people. If you never ha, got to kill another person again, would you be okay with that? I'm fine. I don't have to kill to live. But you were good at it. I was decent at it. What if killing people turns out to be the thing you were better at than anything? I know it's not true. I'm a better husband and father [ LAUGH ] than I was a killer. I mean, I've got a job now I'm good at. I'm pretty comfortable with not having to kill anyone. Now, don't take deer hunting away from me. [ LAUGH ] Chris Kyle, thanks so much. Thank you. 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