MSNBC Focuses on Afghanistan in 'Tip of the Spear'

Coinciding with the 8th anniversary of the launch of the war in Afghanistan and amidst a growing policy debate, MSNBC will premiere “Tip of the Spear,” a one-hour special documentary on Sunday, October 11th at 8 PM ET.

MSNBC’s “Tip of the Spear” documentary offers a powerful yet intimate look at the lives of soldiers at the front lines responsible for carrying out US policy. The documentary is based on Richard Engel’s NBC Nightly News series of the same name, which received an Emmy Award for Outstanding Continuing Coverage of a News Story in a Regularly Scheduled Newscast and for Best Story in a Regularly Scheduled Newscast, a Peabody Award and an Edward R. Murrow Award for Best Continuing Coverage.

For more than a year, Engel and his team followed the soldiers of Viper Company on a treacherous journey through the most dangerous and remote regions of Afghanistan. The team witnessed the intense firefights that Viper Company engaged in with the Taliban on a daily basis, and joined the weary soldiers on back-breaking patrols through treacherous terrain. Engel also brings viewers up close to a devastating friendly fire incident, which leaves a highly respected member of the unit dead and others injured. The loss cuts deeply for the troops in Afghanistan, and the family back home.

The one-hour documentary for MSNBC significantly expands on the NBC Nightly News series “Tip of the Spear,” with never-before-seen footage of firefights, an interview with a Taliban commander, and special behind-the-scenes material.

Richard Engel’s last documentary for MSNBC, “War Zone Diary,” chronicled his 5 years of reporting in Iraq, for which Engel received the Alfred I. Dupont award and the Medill Medal of Courage-the first one to ever be awarded to a broadcast journalist.

“Tip of the Spear” is produced by Madeleine Haeringer. The cameraman is Bredun Edwards. Michael Rubin is Vice President, Long Form Programming for MSNBC. Scott Hooker is Senior Executive Producer, Documentary Production and Development, MSNBC. Judith Greenberg is Senior Producer, MSNBC. Grainne Byrne is Associate Producer, MSNBC.