Perseverance in trepidation.
The theme is analogous with the spirit of the Iraqi rebels fighting against the troops of Saddam Hussein. The rebels are beaten, tortured, and starved. Yet they choose to stand up again and again. They want to rid their country of the evil of Saddam Hussain. They want to make a better life for themselves and their children.
The most glaring example of their perseverance is shown when the rebels, along with Major Archie and his men, are hiding within a cave and waiting for the effect of the gas bombs to subside. There, the Iraqi rebels sit down together and pray collectively. The American soldiers witness this undying optimism pouring out of the rebels. This little prayer signifies that the resolution of these men can be bent, but not broken.
Absurdity of war
The film accentuates the fact that war always leads to a waste of human life. The consequences of war are etched on the lives of those who have to suffer these atrocities. Their future generations are also weighed down by the impact of war. Throughout the film, the audiences are presented with various instances of the absurdity of war. The most notable instance has to be the one when Troy Barlow is being tortured by a member of Saddam's troops.
He shares with Troy the fact that he volunteered to work for Saddam in order to support his family. However, the bombing carried out in Iraq by the United States shattered his entire world. His wife had her legs blown off and his son died in the explosion. This revelation hits Barlow hard. The film establishes the fact that war does not make the distinction between the corrupt and the innocent.
Humanity transcends avarice.
The initial plot of the film deals with the hunt for the Kuwaiti gold stolen by Saddam Hussain. The team of Archie, Troy, Elgin, and Vig are able to locate the bunker where all the gold is hidden. They are assisted by Saddam's troops in loading up the gold in their truck. It is established that Saddam is more concerned with the rebels than gold.
However, after witnessing the treatment of the rebels by Saddam's troops, Major Archie decides to act. He, along with his team, decides to help the rebels in crossing the Iraqi border in order to reach Iran. The driving force for the four Americans, which was the Kuwaiti gold, transcends into the virtue of humanity. They exchange 23 million dollars worth of gold for the safe passage of the Iraqi rebels into Iran. This signifies that no amount of greed can ever trump man's innate kindness.
