Humanitarian Intervention 101

The question that has most plagued the minds of all those people who have a conscience and a deep desire to see justice and the fruits of liberty for all the oppressed peoples of the world is: what is the most effective form of humanitarian intervention? How does one go about freeing the globe's dispossessed of the inequities under which they must labour?

Here is an interesting and informative video, consisting mostly of highlights from a feature-length film which will be out later this year, which delves deeply into these questions. As you can see it contrasts two alternative views of humanitarian intervention. One is patently ineffective , crippled by outmoded and unrealistic ideologies and therefore bound to play into the hands of the very people who benefit from the oppression and exploitation of the weak. The other approach clearly seems to be a far more effective and efficient form of interventionism, based on a pragmatic appraisal of matters and a serious engagement with all the parties involved.

The video also engages with the heart-rending and difficult process of deciding whether to pursue interventionist as opposed to isolationist policies. Clearly and succinctly, the point is made that as tempting as isolationism may be in an increasingly disordered and chaotic world, those values and principles that we hold most dear compel us to intervene to improve matters as best we can.

A poignant and informative look at where the west is today, as well as a powerful vision of the way forward. As the padre in the video prays "it is in giving we receive."


IZ

Art that takes on the 300!

Interestingly enough, artists of Persian descent who are not impressed with the way 300 depicts Persians have set up an online gallery with their own depictions of Persia and Persians. There are some nice paintings here and some nice photographs too. Here's an article about the site that includes an interview with its creator.

Whats interesting is that they are hoping to 'google-bomb' 300, trying to get enough people to link to the site so that people who search for 300 end up at this site, and, hopefully, get a slightly different view of history!

IZ

300

With a $70 million launch, the movie 300 is being heralded as the first blockbuster of the season. And what better movie could there be to attain such an accolade? Its an... ahem... creative re-imagining of the battle of Thermopylae in which a variety of ancient peoples fought each other on two sides that have loosely been termed 'Greeks' and 'Persians'. Here is Slate's review which i must say, I whole heartedly agree with.

Of course a quick read of the real history of the battle of Thermopylae would lead one to expect that a slightly more historically accurate movie might also have been named 300+700+5000+1000 since the battle was fought on the Greek side not just by 300 Spartans but also 700 Thespians, 5000 Greek allies and 1000 Helots - who were slaves of the Spartans. Now the story of the Helots is particularly interesting. It was death for a Helot to touch a weapon according to Spartan law but Leonidas, the Greek king armed them for battle and promised them freedom after the war. Throughout the war, Helots were armed and fought alongside the Spartans. When the war was over, the Spartans held a ceremony in Sparta where all the Helots who had fought in the war had a parade and then were massacred to a man. That was Sparta and I think those people who watch this movie and get all excited about the Spartan warriors saving civilization should keep it in mind.

Obviously the movie, like the graphic novel, is written very consciously with the Spartans identified with America, the other Greeks with other European nations and the Persians with non-westerners (post 9-11, read: Muslims). Sadly, and rather frighteningly, this attempt to shove history into a shoebox and identify with and glorify the militaristic ethos of classical civilization smacks all too much of fascism.

IZ

Edit: Yes, and just in case anyone who reads this thinks I'm too much of an alarmist and always nattering on about fascism etc. Well, here is a quote from a response to the review on Slate that I linked above:

This critic seems to miss the FACT that throughout history, this is the way mankind, specifically MEN are. Only in the last 40 years have those with a different sexual orientation emerged as leaders (sure it happened in real history in the past..as those civilizations fell..look it up!). Here is why. In times of reletive peace, many changes in society occur. During those times the weak tend to prosper for obvious reasons. Once they get power and start running things by their warped views, the strong tend to wake up and give the weak a literal bloodbath...and they strong will always win in this sort of contest. So it is today with the emergence of liberals (anti-war, anti-gun, anti-American, anti-free speech (except their own)), one day I assume they will get power and start an oppressive regime the likes of which America has NEVER seen. The strong will wake up and crush these limp wristed maggots easily at that time...its rather humorous to think these folks can see it coming. they are after all...the weak.

Yeah, all the fascists are gathering to defend the historical accuracy and artistic expression of 300...

IZ

Robin Hood and his Merry Insurgents

Call it a sign of the times. With all that's happening in Iraq and with the resurgence in Imperial nostalgia its inevitable that tales of rag-tag bands of men fighting the rich and mighty may not get as welcome a reception as they once did. Here's an article on a film named 'Nottingham' that will be gracing the silver screen soon enough. The courageous and wise Sherrif of Nottingham (to be played by Russell Crowe) embarks on an investigation of murders of rich men somewhere in the vicinity of Sherwood Forest. He falls in love with the Maid Marian, and uncovers the vile plot of the villain Robin Hood and his band of terrorists.

Russell Crowe obviously enjoys playing the mailed fist of Militaristic, Imperialist hegemonies... err... I mean, the cuddly, lovable generalissimo of enlightened proto-democratic communities to whom we are indebted for all the wonders of modernity (see 'Master and Commander' and 'Gladiator'). So he should do a great job here once again.

I thought the article's sarcastic reference to a follow-up movie about the tragic, villainous destruction of the death star was great!

IZ