In the aftermath of the Persian Gulf War, four soldiers set out to steal gold that was stolen from Kuwait, but they discover people who desperately need their help.
A small group of adventurous American soldiers in Iraq at the end of the Gulf War are determined to steal a huge cache of gold reputed to be hidden somewhere near their desert base. Finding a map they believe will take them to the gold, they embark on a journey that leads to unexpected discoveries, enabling them to rise to a heroic challenge that drastically changes their lives.—imran
In the days immediately after the Gulf War, a group of American soldiers come across a secret Iraqi map, which discloses the whereabouts of a bunker where Iraq is storing stolen gold and treasure from Kuwait. The soldiers hope to take the gold and keep it for themselves. However, when they arrive at the site, they discover that the Iraqi army is more concerned about persecuting its civilians than stopping them from stealing the gold. They learn that the civilians have been encouraged by the U.S. government to rise up and fight Sadaam Hussein, but are facing certain execution because the U.S. military refuses to help them. This incident creates a crisis of conscience for the American soldiers. Do they take the money and run, leaving the civilians to face certain death at the hands of the Iraqi army? Or do they risk losing the gold in order to escort them to safety across the border into Iran?—<[email protected]>
March 1991, the first Gulf war has just ended. Army Reserve Sergeant First Class Troy Barlow (Mark Wahlberg) shoots an Iraqi Regular Army soldier pointing his weapon at Troy after seemingly trying to surrender following the end of the Gulf War.The American fighting forces are in a jubilant mood, with soldiers in various states of drunkenness, treating the war as a frat party back in college.With Private First Class Conrad Vig (Spike Jonze), Troy disarms and searches the surrendering Iraqi soldiers, and while forcibly subduing a resisting Iraqi officer they find a document between his buttock cheeks. The document appears to be a map, and Troy decides not to notify his commanding officer, instead taking the "Iraqi "ASS" map" to Staff Sergeant Chief Elgin (Ice Cube), a friend of his. While the trio discuss the implications of their discovery, they leave Specialist Walter Wogeman (Jamie Kennedy) to stand guard outside the tent.Chief Elgin is on a 4-month paid vacation from Detroit.
Meanwhile, Major Archie Gates (George Clooney), a Special Forces soldier in the same camp, is trading sex for stories with a journalist, Cathy Daitch (Judy Greer), when he is interrupted by Adriana Cruz (Nora Dunn), the television reporter assigned to Archie. Archie is due to retire from the army in 2 weeks. Adriana is a 5 times Emmy runner up and needs a story that gets her across the line to the elusive Emmy.Cathy tells Archie of the rumors of a secret map, which depicts the location of a bunker containing the Kuwaiti Sovereign Gold.
Meanwhile Archie is ordered to work with Adriana to find her a story on base. They interview many soldiers based on a rumor that a map has been found hidden in the behind of an Iraqi solider.Archie avoids Adriana and finds the tent of Troy, Conrad, and Chief. Archie finds the trio hunkered over a table with a paper map, matching locations and landmarks with the actual map of the land.Archie convinces the three soldiers that the document is a map of Saddam's bunkers, containing gold bullion stolen from Kuwait. Archie says that Saddam probably split the gold into various stashes and even one of those stashes would be enough to fund their retirements. They decide to steal the gold and set off from base.
Conrad is trigger happy and wants to see some action. But Archie has seen war and wants no part of it. He wants the gold to be acquired without firing a single shot.Walter was left behind at base to drive Adriana around and keep her way from the gold story.
Using the cease-fire orders from President Bush, the Americans are able to raid and secure the bunkers without any bloodshed. The bunkers are held by Iraqi forces, who were waiting for a rescue by the US army and were against Saddam. The villagers also feel free to come out as they feel that the Americans have come to rescue them against Saddam's forces. Not a single shot was fired on the 4 US soldiers.In fact, they mistakenly blow up a milk truck, thinking it was an oil tanker driving towards them to blow them up. The condition of the villages is deplorable and it is clear that Saddam is slaughtering his own people, who chose not to rise up against the invading US forces.There, among other goods plundered from Kuwait, they find the gold. The Iraqi Republican Guard guards the bunkers, but due to the ceasefire, neither sides fires on each other or interferes in each other's work. The Iraqi's in-fact help Archie to load the gold into their Humvee.
They stumble on the interrogation of Amir Abdullah (Cliff Curtis). As they leave, Amir's wife pleads with them not to abandon the anti-Saddam dissidents. Still, she is executed by the Iraqi Republican Guard. The group decides to free the Iraqi prisoners, triggering a firefight. They pull out just as Iraqi reinforcements arrive. The Iraqi forces know that Saddam will eliminate their entire families for letting go of the gold, and now they have an excuse as the Americans broke the ceasefire.As the Americans try to evade a CS gas attack, they blunder into a minefield and get separated. Iraqi soldiers capture Troy while a group of rebels rescue the other Americans and take them to their underground hideout. There, Conrad, Chief, and Archie agree to help the rebels and their families reach the Iranian border after they rescue Troy. The rebels argue that they will be slaughtered in Iraq and Saddam's soldiers will never let them cross the border. So, their only hope is if the American soldiers help them cross the border.Adriana is told by Walter that Archie is near a bunker in Karbala searching for the Gold. Adriana and Walter come under heavy fire from Iraqi forces attacking the local villages. But they are turned back unharmed, after being robbed.
Meanwhile, Troy has been taken to an underground bunker. Placed in a room full of Kuwaiti cell phones, he manages to call his wife and tells her to report his location to his local Army Reserve unit. His call is cut short when he is dragged to an interrogation room. Electrical wires are placed around his ears, and an Iraqi intelligence officer, Captain Said (Said Taghmaoui), berates him about the hypocrisy of American involvement in the region. Troy is subjected to several electric shocks and is finally forced to drink motor oil by Said, who lost his family during the American bombing of Baghdad.
The group meet up with a band of Iraqi Army deserters who are willing to help them by selling them a fleet of luxury cars stolen from Kuwait. With these cars they go to the bunker to save Troy and scare away most of its defenders by spreading the rumor that an enraged Saddam is coming to kill them. After storming the bunker they free Troy, who spares the life of his torturer, as well as more Shi'Ites held in a dungeon.Leaving the complex, they are attacked by an armed Iraqi helicopter, which Chief destroys by throwing a Nerf ball rigged with explosives at it. During a shootout with a couple of returning Republican Guards, Troy and Conrad are shot. Conrad dies, and Troy, suffering from a punctured lung, has a flutter valve placed in his chest to allow air to escape.
Archie radios Walter and Adriana and arranges transport while the hapless officers in the camp try to locate the trio after getting the message from Troy's wife. Archie offers the drivers $100,000 each. He then orders that each of the Shi'Ites be given a bar of gold and the rest buried. Planning to help the Shi'Ites escape, they make their way to the Iranian border, heavily guarded by government forces. After reaching the border they are stopped by the American soldiers and arrested. Archie offers the rest of the gold to the other Americans in exchange for letting the refugees through.
The film closes stating that all of the soldiers were cleared of their charges thanks to Adriana Cruz's reporting. Archie and Chief now work as military advisers to action films, and Troy is the owner of a carpet store. The closing epilogue states that the stolen gold was returned to Kuwait, although the Kuwaitis reported some was missing.
