RELUCTANT FUNDAMENTALIST

So many Americans see the Middle East/Western conflict in black and white terms and often focus on what makes people different than what there is in common. But the reality is far more complex, especially on the personal level. Indian-born film director Mira Nair's The Reluctant Fundamentalist (2012) follows the career of the ambitious, intelligent, Princeton-educated Pakistani Changez (played very ably by Riz Ahmed) as he storms the halls of Wall Street as an up-and-coming analyst for a hedge fund, whose world spirals out of control following 9-11 and the unraveling of a love affair with a New York photographer that forces him to return to Pakistan. Caught up in the political turmoil of his region and campus, a reporter (played by Liev Schreiber) seeks him out to find important information, but Changez is determined to tell his story. There are so many ways to view this movie, one as an instructive tale of American ignorance and arrogance and the driving away of potentially sympathetic allies. Of simple-minded racism and prejudice in a changing world at home and abroad. One might say that culture never really leaves an individual and that people will always return to their roots. One might see how injustice, mistreatment, and emotional pain can wreck an individual. I know that one scene where Changez's girlfriend (played by Kate Hudson) does something that cuts him to the core affected me deeply: I could imagine myself walking into a situation where my personal life is displayed to others and being mortified, angry, and even retaliatory. Kiefer Sutherland is also good as Riz's Ameican mentor and boss. I think the hedge fund chopping up failing companies and heartlessly puting workers on the street is a stand-in for how some feel about drone strikes or Western incursions and such in the Middle East. A sense of impotance. Still, this is ultimately about the fact that some people, despite homegrown pressures, refuse to simply follow paths chosen for them, though the price can be high. It is a human story, well told.

THE BAND'S VISIT

A small Egyptian police band, lead by a stern but likeable conductor with a dark secret, arrives in Israel to play a concert for an Arab Culture center and gets lost in the shuffle, landing in a quiet desert town by accident. Craziness ensues, right? No, in fact, what happens in Eran Kolirin's The Band's Visit (2007) is a heartwarming and lightly comedic look at the interplay of culturally different people with common human problems. This is a wonderful little film. Sasson Gabai (an Iraqi-born actor) is absolutely wonderful as Tawfiq Zacharya (often called The General), leader of the group and determined to preserve the finances, dignity, and tradition of his band. The darkly beautiful Ronit Elkabetz is Dina, a lonely yet vibrant restaurant worker in the almost deserted town who takes the lost musicians under her wing. She is kind of the whore with the heart of gold. Saleh Bakri is the youngest and newest member of the band, and the cad. There are several other smaller parts, all well played, each contributing small bits to the overall picture. The pacing is wonderful and the director does not try to force comedy by creating farcical mischief. The interplay is often melancholy, as the characters often glimpse the personal side of their counterparts, and the commentary is done with a light hand, as when one band member sitting in a cafe covers a photograph celebrating some Israel defeat of their Egyptian foes. To me the film spoke to the commonality of people, that our differences do not mean connections cannot be forged, kindnesses offered and accepted.

MIDDLE EAST MOVIE TOUR

With the boys off on a one-night camping trip with the Scouts, Dad decided to catch a few movies, as well as sneak off for a nice dinner (and ice cream, don't tell anyone). I don't get these opportunities often, so it was a nice diversion. I decided to spend some of it on the CIA Rehabilitation and Restoration of Respect Tour. Yes, I went to see Argo and Zero Dark Thirty. And I found both films pretty entertaining, with good acting and compelling stories, though not totally accurate. And my first thought, especially in the latter movie, is that there probably was a lot going on that they have not (and likely won't) reveal for many years, if ever, to protect individuals and the agency. But the essential stories seemed true. Furthermore, I hope people realize the very hard work, long hours, terror, stress, and effort a whole range of government officals and employees, from politicians to intelligence officers to foreign service officers to the military give to protect this country. They are only human, often make mistakes, may even fail, but they also carry off spectacular feats (among the thousands of lesser achievements every day) that are usually hidden from attention or praise. In the Iranian situation, embassy guards could have fought back with deadly force, killing hundreds and possibly sparking a war, but they held back and suffered a 444 day captivity. And many people came to the aid of Americans.

Argo, the story of how a CIA operative and specialist in secretly extracting individuals from countries (played by Ben Affleck, who also directed the movie) duped the Iranian authories and gained the freedom of six embassy personnel who escaped the initial takeover by the students. In some ways the early scenes struck a parallel with Bengahzi, where prepared agitators used the cloak of a street protest to gain access to a facility. I think they know the first inclination of American guards is NOT to shoot into crowds. This movie had a personal note, and interest, for me because I worked with about eight Iranians during the revolution and captivity, and I got many insights from them. I even risked my job standing up to a member who was verbally and racially abusing an Iranian employee (who, by the way, lived the rest of his life in the United States and is a contributing member of society). In fact, in an aside, I believe the vast majority of refugees and immigrants from the Middle East to this country have added to the diversity and strength of our nation, many sacrificed and offered their lives to defend us and have contributed mightily, especially Iranians who came here. Ok, let's get back to the movie. I have read about the escape, the creation of a dummy movie-productiuon company, and the film rightly applauds the contribution of the Canadians in hiding and protecting our citizens. The movie avoids a lot of saccharine and sappy aspects some films employ, and tried to be a straightfoward account, with levity being provided at the expense of Hollywood. Since the Academy nominated nine movies for Best Picture, I see how it made the list, but I thought Affleck was rather bland in the lead role (perhaps because he was expected to be, in which case he did a great job). But even in many places where I would have expected a higher measure of anxiety, I didn't feel it, at least to the extent I expected. Perhaps I expect too much. I thought the cast was good, and I loved the John Goodman/Alan Arkin parts (they could make a spinoff and just make a deliciously savage commentary on Hollywood). I loved Adrienne Barbeau's cameo. Although most people probably won't notice, but I thought the smaller roles of Iranians and crowd scenes were very well done, and quite believable, not over the top or exaggerated (such as when the bazari goes crazy when his picture is taken, which reflects the real fears and tumult ordinary Iranians were feeling). I know some Iranians will complain that the movie made some look silly or incompetent, but I thought the filmmakers tried to show just how smart and dedicated (even if fanatical) many revolutionaries were (and also the pain and violence experienced by the population as a whole). And sadly, I think most Iranians continue to suffer from fanatical oppression, and I hope one day they can shed their current clerical leadership. This movie sported a huge cast and must have been a nightmare for costumers and support staff, but I think they pulled it off. I enjoyed the film.

Zero Dark Thirty was a bit more troubling, though it was an exciting film. I thought Jessica Chastain and Jason Clark were very good (even as they glorified torture, which I oppose) as CIA operatives dedicated to destroying Al Qaida and killing its head, and the rest of the cast was good as well. I wondered a bit about the conservative outcry against the movie as a vehicle of adulation for Obama (which, frankly, I did not see). I was a bit surprised that (at least I can't recall hearing it) the SEAL team did not get more mention, because the movie seemed to indicate it was a CIA team. I bet CIA personnel were there, but it doesn't sinc with what I read in No Easy Day. I liked the fact that they showed the contributions of many Pakistanis (as well as Americans of Middle Eastern heritage) in helping kill Bin Laden. I think the film also correctly showed how smart, tenacious, and sneaky our terrorist oppoents can be (and maybe people will realize how difficult is the job to counter fanatics). What a gigantic and coordinated effort is needed to keep these jackals at bay. No doubt Americans will never know the sacrifices and effort made by thousands of public servants who have staved off attacks or killed and captured terrorists. Every terrorist attack is a failure of sorts, but I suspect many more potential disasters were avoided by good intelligence and timely interventions. Depending on the mood of the voters, I wouldn't be surprised if the Academy gives the Best Movie award. Possibly these two movies may cancel each other out and the award will go to a happier movie (though my vote goes to Lincoln). Many scenes are troubling, and I would highly encourage parents to heed the R rating.

As an aside, there will be some Americans who will feel superior and snigger at the Middle Eastern fanatics, but I say we have them too, in elements of the fanatical Christian fundametalists and Tea Party crackpots, and they are just a step away from becoming domestic terrorists, and that what keeps them from destroying this country is that they do not have the advantage of a homogenous (and often oppressed)population, but that we as a nation benefit from broad diversity of cultural heritages and political outlooks and multiplicity of religious and social belief. It's great to be an American, even if we make mistakes and can be wrong (my opinion) on many issues. We must stay vigilant, both at home and abroad, and remain engaged in world events (even when it costs us), and hopefully stay true to our higher ideals and avoid adopting tactics or measures that do not honor us.

MALALA

Pray for Malala Yousafzai, a fourteen-year-old Pakistani girl who since the age of eleven has written a blog advocating for education and freedom for girls and women in that blood-soaked and religiously reactionary corner of the world. Taliban members ambushed a van she and two other girls were riding to school in and sprayed them with machine-gun fire. She was hit in the neck and throat. Luckily she survived and has undergone several surgeries to repair the damage and remove the bullets (one, I think, is still lodged in the neck). No doubt the assholes will try again. Although Pakistan needs more females (and men) to stand up against advocates of darkness, intolerance, and anti-feminism, I hope someone in the United States can help get her out of that country, help her recover, enroll her into a great school, and then let her continue her fight. The world needs more brave people such as her. Especially in Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Yemen, Saudi Arabia. . .do I need to mention them all? Of course, we need advocates for progress and education and common sense throughout the world (even in the United States), but some areas need it far more than others. I grow sicker with every report of a girls' school attacked, schoolgirls doused with acid, minors forced into marriages (especially with aged men), women excluded from many courses of education (as is currently happening in Iran), women kept down economically and socially, women snatched and traded as slaves on the sex market, and a whole host of crimes carried out against women while officials and men turn blind eyes. It is time for these travesties to end. Sad to say that the world would be a much better place if the Talabani and their ilk simply disappeared, died off. Efforts must be made to protect the truthsayers (such as Yoani Sanchez in Cuba), the rabble rousers.

UPDATE: Apparently three of the Taliban attempted assassins have been detained and have revealed the individual who set up the hit. Malala seems to be doing better and was moved to a better facility. She still has a ways to go. And opinion in Pakistan has opened even more debate on the role of the Taliban in their country. I would love to see some violent push-back against these religious reactionaries.

UPDATE II: Little Malala has been airlifted to Britain and reports are she is responding well. I hope they keep her out of Taliban clutches and she gets to continue her education and crusade.

UPDATE III: Reports are she is standing and communicating, much very good news.

SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN

Watched tonight a truly delightful English romantic/satirical film, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen (2011), about a rather scientific-minded, stiff but decent fisheries official (played wonderfully by Ewan McGregor) who is at a crossroads in his life (largely as he is stuck in a peaceful but apparently boring marriage) when he is unexpectedly tapped by the English assistant (Emily Blunt) in the employ of an Anglophile Yemeni sheik (Amr Waked)---who loves to fish---to undertake the folly of introducing salmon to a dam-driven river in his desert country (which is also hampered by native resistance to modernization). What he discovers as he grudgingly undertakes the daunting task (fueled by the deep pockets of his benefactor) is a renewed personal passion and spark, a sense of daring, and love. Much of the comedic aspect of the film is provided by Kristin Scott Thomas as the smart-mouthed, driven, public-relations official representing the prime minister who seizes on effort to project improved Yemeni-British relations. Especially funny is the too-short interactions with her family. I think she could carry an entire movie based around her character. Her role is wonderful. Many tongue-in-cheek jabs at fishermen, government officials, and the media. Great photography and location shoots, good acting and strong screenplay, and it comes together rather well. I liked that they showed a forward-thinking, tolerant, visionary for his country in the sheik. Perhaps a tad bit of Horatio Alger thrown in for good measure, but it does not ruin the film. I encourage people to try this movie.

AMBASSADORS FOR CHANGE?

The Taliban, buttressed as well by the general misogynistic attitude of a large percent of men in Afghanistan (not to mention most of the Islamic world), is highlighted recently (again) for the killing of a woman falsely accused of adultery because she had some sort of relationship with two rival Taliban commanders (who apparently were later killed by a third leader). A large number of men attended the slaying and were caught on camera laughing and jeering. President Karzai claims he wants to bring them to some sort of justice. It is an outrage the treatment of women in Afghanistan (and many other countries)---where they are made into little more than chattel slaves and objects, although strides have been made for many, in such groups as the Hazara. Afghani women now can vote and work, but they are frequently attacked (even schoolgirls have been poisoned and sprayed with acid) and harrassed. What I wish is that an American general would bravely get a couple of hundred female volunteers (and I stress, volunteers) and seed them generously amongst ground troops in the most Talabani regions and let them do foot patrols through the villages alongside their male colleagues. Maybe even a few female sergeants and higher officers could be included, who would have a visible leadership role. A message for the men? Yes. But even more so, a clear message for women and girls, who would see that they were capable of anything, even being soldiers carrying weapons and protecting themselves and serving their country. What a message that would be! Even better if the NATO troops from several countries did the same thing. I would wager hundreds, if not thousands, of female American soldiers would jump at the chance (even noting the resistance that they would probably face from males in our military) to show the flag and their strong femininity. I have three beautiful nieces (who I would never want to be endangered) who would be kickass soldiers and damn fine officers if they ever chose to join the military! In fact, I bet their mother, my sister (in law) Patty, would have made a great soldier too. They are all tough and smart, and I know there are many women just like them, willing and capable of serving in almost any role if given the chance. If I had a daughter I would want every door open to her, and I want every door open to all women of the world.

ARAB SPRING FOR WOMEN (HOPEFULLY)

"Name me an Arab country, and I'll recite a litany of abuses fueled by a toxic mix of culture and religion that few seem willing or able to disentangle lest they blaspheme or offend. When more than 90 percent of ever-married women in Egypt -- including my mother and all but one of her six sisters -- have had their genitals cut in the name of modesty, then surely we must all blaspheme. When Egyptian women are subjected to humiliating "virginity tests" merely for speaking out, it's no time for silence. When an article in the Egyptian criminal code says that if a woman has been beaten by her husband "with good intentions" no punitive damages can be obtained, then to hell with political correctness. And what, pray tell, are "good intentions"? They are legally deemed to include any beating that is "not severe" or "directed at the face." What all this means is that when it comes to the status of women in the Middle East, it's not better than you think. It's much, much worse. Even after these "revolutions," all is more or less considered well with the world as long as women are covered up, anchored to the home, denied the simple mobility of getting into their own cars, forced to get permission from men to travel, and unable to marry without a male guardian's blessing -- or divorce either."---Mona Eltahawy, "Why Do They Hate Us," in Foreign Policy (May 2012).

An important read, and a call for empowerment of women in Islamic countries (and, I hope, all countries), and a clear indictment of the mysogynistic attitude of Islamic males (and perhaps Americans can also see the emerging strain of this kind of thinking amongst its own radical right elements).

WANDERING FALCON

Life is truly cheap and difficult for tribal people, especially women, who live in the rough, mountainous areas along the border of Pakistan and Afghanistan. Although interest in and knowledge of this area has peaked with the war against radical Islamic elements, much of the culture of this region is lost on Americans. Into the breach comes a delightful collection of short stories from the pen of an eighty-year-old insider, Jamil Ahmad, whose tales are loosely tied together by the appearance, often peripherally, of Tor Baz, orphaned at a young age and handed from caretaker to caretaker until he becomes a roving presence on the margins of society. In The Wandering Falcon the reader gets a taste of the precarious nature of life, where one can easily be snuffed out for crimes of a long-lost relatives, or sold away (especially girls) in times of economic distress (which is just about always), or simply killed during frequent raids and feuds. People are kidnapped in an almost ritual manner, bringing money and status to the thieves. These are tough, proud people, steeped in their traditional ways, struggling against change and western incursions. There is humor too, and one also senses beauty. While the book is entertaining and educational, mostly it reminds me just how lucky I am to be born in America.