Rambol

Talking of films, we also watched one of the Rambos at the weekend. It was surprisingly thought-provoking (don't choke! :D), because it was set in '80s Afghanistan, and "we" were on the side of the mujahedin against the Soviets. So it wasn't the film as such, but more atrigger for thinking about the history of Afghanistan and the involvement of the US and UK over there.

Mousa: This is Afghanistan... Alexander the Great try to conquer this country... then Genghis Khan, then the British. Now Russia. But Afghan people fight hard, they never be defeated. Ancient enemy make prayer about these people... you wish to hear?
Rambo: Um-hum.
Mousa: Very good. It says, 'May God deliver us from the venom of the Cobra, teeth of the tiger, and the vengeance of the Afghan.' Understand what this means?
Rambo: That you guys don't take any shit?
Mousa: Yes... something like this.

I guess if Sly was to come back to his Rambo role as he has returned to Rocky, he'd be kicking Mousa's arse instead of shoulder-to-shoulder exchanging moody looks, these days.

I was recently reading Francis Wheen's How Mumbo-Jumbo Conquered the World, and his chapter "Us and Them" discusses our involvement and the blowback.