Am-Munich-tion...
So we saw Munich last night. It was a powerful film to say the least, but more importantly, it resonates well in light of Osama's recent audio tape transcript.
For those that have not seen the film (you should) the plot revolves around a Mossad (Israeli CIA) agent asked to go rogue by his agency for the purpose of taking revenge upon the perpetrators of the Munich Olympic Hostage crisis of 1972. The moral of the movie is that when you deal in either terrorism or the alternate, governmentally sanctioned assasination, you are really not accomplishing anything as "6 more will pop up in the place of the person assasinated". This is explored from both sides in the film and the futility of it all becomes the final statement of the film.
Having read the transcript of Osama's recent broadcast, it seems that he may have seen the movie, or at least maintains much of Spielberg's philosophy.
Aside: As a marketing/branding guy, I wonder what would have happened had Osama mentioned the movie, Munich, in his broadcast. Note to endorsement agents; have you ever considered this sort of tactic? If not, how long until you do? In the world of graffiti campaigns and spam e-mail, is this far begind: Unabomber messages sponsored by Mead paper, BTK Killer rope sponsored by REI, Laci Peterson's death boat curtesy of Johnson...I strongly hope that in the search for advertising space, depraved individuals seeking notoreity never become acceptable marketing opportunities.
Back to the discussion...There is a quote in Osama's transcript that is particularily in tune with the message of the film regarding the death of one person results in an increase in the number of enemies you face:
Without getting into the larger discussion of patriotism, or left/right/wrong, one simply needs to look at history (Osama even asks us to at one point) to get a more thorough perspective on the current events we face now. The events that take place in the movie Munich, though they are only 30 years old, are representative of thousands of years of assasination and guerrila warfare tactics. Ultimately, the result of these tactics is always the same, you kill someone, someone else appears to fill the void.
Therefore at some point it becomes important to take a look at this while planning a military action against idealists.
Ayn Rand once points out through her character, Ellsworth Touhy that there is weapon far more powerful than a tank, and that is a germ. While a tank can push through a house, a germ can sneak through the cracks and infect everyone inside. Where a tank will run out of gas, the germ never will.
We are a tank fighting germs. It is a losing propostion. Even if we adapt our strategies faster, which we will never do, we will always be using a tank to fight extremeism. No bullet can penetrate it. And frankly, the swords that we used during Crusades didn't penetrate it either. You cannot fight an idealist's battle with an army from any era. Shock and Awe? Really? Are those the terms we really used? Can't you see Cornwallis saying that to the King George over tea while discussing the british invasion? "Oh yes, your Majesty, the colonists are quite shocked and awed by our brilliant red jackets. They'll give up quite readily once we invade." We won the war because for every soldier that fell to a british ball, had a brother or cousin that wanted vengence. They filled the void. Eventually, the void was filled so fast that it outstripped the ability of the British to resupply their expensive "Shock and Awesome red finery", and we won.
This is but one trite example of a tank getting destroyed by the germ-like infection that is idealism/extremism. For those that are too media saturated to hear anything from Osama's message beyond, "He has Threatened us again!", I implore you to read the transcript, then take a moment to actually reflect on our history, and if possible the history of our species, and establish your own viewpoint.
As a marketing guy, I know how much BS is out there. Perhaps this is why I love History as much as I do. There is no marketing in History. Granted, it's written by the victor, so it has a slant, but ultimately History has no master. We have fooled ourselves in every stage of History into thinking that we are right, that we are modern, that the mistakes of the past have been overcome by our great minds. History has shown that we are always wrong in this.
Munich, the film, is a palatable excursion into this discussion. Aside from being a wonderful addition to the Spielberg portfolio, it is worth seeing for the timely message it relates. However, it must be looked at with an eye to the now, as well as then, to truly understand the relevance.
For those that have not seen the film (you should) the plot revolves around a Mossad (Israeli CIA) agent asked to go rogue by his agency for the purpose of taking revenge upon the perpetrators of the Munich Olympic Hostage crisis of 1972. The moral of the movie is that when you deal in either terrorism or the alternate, governmentally sanctioned assasination, you are really not accomplishing anything as "6 more will pop up in the place of the person assasinated". This is explored from both sides in the film and the futility of it all becomes the final statement of the film.
Having read the transcript of Osama's recent broadcast, it seems that he may have seen the movie, or at least maintains much of Spielberg's philosophy.
Aside: As a marketing/branding guy, I wonder what would have happened had Osama mentioned the movie, Munich, in his broadcast. Note to endorsement agents; have you ever considered this sort of tactic? If not, how long until you do? In the world of graffiti campaigns and spam e-mail, is this far begind: Unabomber messages sponsored by Mead paper, BTK Killer rope sponsored by REI, Laci Peterson's death boat curtesy of Johnson...I strongly hope that in the search for advertising space, depraved individuals seeking notoreity never become acceptable marketing opportunities.
Back to the discussion...There is a quote in Osama's transcript that is particularily in tune with the message of the film regarding the death of one person results in an increase in the number of enemies you face:
The mujahideen, thank God, are increasing in number and strength - so much so that reports point to the ultimate failure and defeat of the unlucky quartet of Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz...The reality shows that the war against America and its allies has not been limited to Iraq as he (Bush) claims. Iraq has become a point of attraction and restorer of (our) energies.
Without getting into the larger discussion of patriotism, or left/right/wrong, one simply needs to look at history (Osama even asks us to at one point) to get a more thorough perspective on the current events we face now. The events that take place in the movie Munich, though they are only 30 years old, are representative of thousands of years of assasination and guerrila warfare tactics. Ultimately, the result of these tactics is always the same, you kill someone, someone else appears to fill the void.
Therefore at some point it becomes important to take a look at this while planning a military action against idealists.
Ayn Rand once points out through her character, Ellsworth Touhy that there is weapon far more powerful than a tank, and that is a germ. While a tank can push through a house, a germ can sneak through the cracks and infect everyone inside. Where a tank will run out of gas, the germ never will.
We are a tank fighting germs. It is a losing propostion. Even if we adapt our strategies faster, which we will never do, we will always be using a tank to fight extremeism. No bullet can penetrate it. And frankly, the swords that we used during Crusades didn't penetrate it either. You cannot fight an idealist's battle with an army from any era. Shock and Awe? Really? Are those the terms we really used? Can't you see Cornwallis saying that to the King George over tea while discussing the british invasion? "Oh yes, your Majesty, the colonists are quite shocked and awed by our brilliant red jackets. They'll give up quite readily once we invade." We won the war because for every soldier that fell to a british ball, had a brother or cousin that wanted vengence. They filled the void. Eventually, the void was filled so fast that it outstripped the ability of the British to resupply their expensive "Shock and Awesome red finery", and we won.
This is but one trite example of a tank getting destroyed by the germ-like infection that is idealism/extremism. For those that are too media saturated to hear anything from Osama's message beyond, "He has Threatened us again!", I implore you to read the transcript, then take a moment to actually reflect on our history, and if possible the history of our species, and establish your own viewpoint.
As a marketing guy, I know how much BS is out there. Perhaps this is why I love History as much as I do. There is no marketing in History. Granted, it's written by the victor, so it has a slant, but ultimately History has no master. We have fooled ourselves in every stage of History into thinking that we are right, that we are modern, that the mistakes of the past have been overcome by our great minds. History has shown that we are always wrong in this.
Munich, the film, is a palatable excursion into this discussion. Aside from being a wonderful addition to the Spielberg portfolio, it is worth seeing for the timely message it relates. However, it must be looked at with an eye to the now, as well as then, to truly understand the relevance.
posted by Ace Emery at
10:58 AM
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