Video - Jake Tapper's Interview with Lone Survivor Vet Marcus Luttrell: 'They Died for Nothing?'

Video - Jake Tapper's Interview with Lone Survivor Vet Marcus Luttrell: 'They Died for Nothing?'HT: Heritage.

Movie critics have called “Lone Survivor” the best war-time movie since “Saving Private Ryan.” The film — based on the true story of Navy SEALs on a mission in Afghanistan — caused CNN’s Jake Tapper to question the operation that took the lives of 19 men. 

The Navy SEALs were tasked to capture or kill Taliban leader Ahmad Shah when an unexpected event forced them into a deadly situation.

During a tense interview with former Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell and Mark Wahlberg, who plays Luttrell in the movie, Tapper questioned if the lives of the 19 men were lost “senselessly.” Luttrell responded with an answer you’ll want to watch beginning at 1:15 in the clip.

Tapper said that he was struck by the loss of life and the sense of "hopelessness" he felt while watching the film adaptation of that mission. "And I was torn about the message of the film" he said, "in the same way that I think I am about the war in Afghanistan itself."

"I don't want any more senseless American death," Tapper added.

"I don't know what part of the film you were watching but hopelessness really ever came into it," Luttrell replied. "Where did you see that? We never felt like we were hopelessly lost or anything like that."

"Just the sense of all these wonderful people who died," Tapper added. "It seemed senseless. I don't mean to disrespect in any way, but it seemed senseless — all of these wonderful people who were killed for an op that went wrong."

"We spend our whole lives training to defending this country and then we were sent over there by this country, so you're telling me because we were over there doing what we were told by our country that it was senseless?" Luttrell asked. "And my guys, what? They died for nothing?

"No," Tapper replied.

"That's what you said," Luttrell shot back.

Tapper concluded by critiquing the "decision making at the command level that led to the operation" and noted that many question whether the target of this operation was "worth the effort" and the lives lost. He added that no one has been held accountable for that poor planning.

"May they rest in peace and may their families, and Marcus Luttrell, find peace here on earth," Tapper concluded.