There is a contradiction in the film.

Sheesh. The film IS a contradiction.

 I think what we're seeing is a convenient edit of history (for script purposes) to avoid stepping on sensitive toes. We supplied stingers, and the military and civilian aviation world immediately shit bricks. We did it again, several times.
We're still trying to track them all down, I've been told.
When Reagan and Ollie North, in their madness wanted to make the same mistake with the Contras, cooler heads prevailed---and British "Blowpipe" missiles were obtained instead. Basically very similar, except the blowpipe was more robust and less prone to field damage. Now, -- aint that a better idea?  Jesus.

FPS Doug:

---the miserable failure of tired old men like Chalmers Johnson---

Chalmers Johnson, that senile old fud, knows more about the American Empire than any man alive, is a hero of mine, and the bone you throw him at the end is pretty facile.
Some of us crumbling old men paid for our knowledge dodging lead and hate, and we're still here. Say that again (or something equally as useful) when YOU 're over 70. If you can still talk.

The point here, Frank, is the film is crap history, and a pander piece to boot. You need to know the history - the real history of the time and place- to know that, which needs some real digging.. That's why it's so dangerous.

Sorry, but there it is.

Capitalism searches out the darkest corners of human potential, and mainlines them.