Just finished the book, its actually more extreme than the film. The truth being even stranger than the adjustments of it the director made to fit his story. You wouldn't get Michael Winterbottom doing that- but I enjoyed the film too so I won't gripe. I was ribbing my Texan republican blogger pals about their tax dollars financing this jihad, reading the details of the story is mind boggling. I couldn't put it down and would recommend it to anyone of any political persuasion.
Doing a bit of background I found an interesting doco from Kandahar, which starts pre-Soviet invasion and an interview with a Russian Helicopter pilot.
The book is quite painful. Some incredibly funny and crazy things happen whilst you are constantly aware of how many people are suffering and dying. I read the book wondering whether the connections between right wing fundamentalist Texans and Afghan fundies could be reignited toward some sort of solution, but it looks like Charlie Wilson kept to his "minds eye view" of the jihad rather than getting to know any Jihadi's, except Zia of course. Charles Schnabel "The Other Charlie" is the only real hopeful and I can't find a lot of reference to him online.
I really, really don't get war. I think I've been very lucky in my life. I thank whatever forces created me every day. I am trying to make out what Jihadi's would think about an Infidel who pickled his heart in alcohol financing their Jihad.
7 comments:
I may have suggested this, but you might consider watching The Beast http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094716/ a dramatization of Soviet soldiers in Afghanistan.
Hey dude we did speak about this film. It is fantastic. I can't make head or tail of this war business. Do you remember Jihadis in Texan hospitals?
Seriously though its up to you guys. If you can make war with these people you can make peace with them.
yeah, the beast is one of our favourite films.
i think that photo's from the big (like really big, they're stacked on top of each other in rows) tank graveyard near the kabul-mazar highway maybe an hour north from kabul near bagram somewhere. i wanted to go for a walk there but the people i was with were worried about mines or UXOs or something. maybe depleted uranium, come to think of it.
i told them not to worry cause they've towed the tanks there somehow and drove all over that field in heavy vehicles and if there ever were any mines they would have gone already but they wouldn't stop anyway.
I don't recall reading or hearing anything about jihadis in Texas hospitals. Then again, I don't live in Texas so I don't pay that much attenton.
As for making peace: Reasonable people can always come to a reasonable accomodation. jihadis are unreasonable, thus THEY make it impossible to be reasonable with them.
"Peace is not the absence of conflict, it is the ability to handle conflict by peaceful means." - Ronald Reagan
We have been slow to recognize their threat and slower in actually doing something about it. Our forebearance was interpreted by these terrorist barbarians as weakness and it encouraged more attacks.
"Our forbearance should never be misunderstood. Our reluctance for conflict should not be misjudged as a failure of will. When action is required to preserve our national security, we will act." - Ronald Reagan
Peace is the absence of Ronald Regan.
You aren't a Texan? I thought you were all Texan's for some reason. More attacks, less attacks, unreasonable people, yes.
Definately. On both sides of all this.
But I still have the nagging feeling that these sort of Texans could reestablish their connections and deal again, negating the open wound of funding blatant dictatorships, adding fuel to the fire of those who would plan these attacks.
I think right wing Texans would stand more of a chance than I would- They have done it before.
In all peacemaking the biggest factor is whether people want to do it.
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