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Sunday, September 4, 2011
Syriana
A politically-charged epic about the state of the oil industry in the hands of those personally involved and affected by it, starring George Clooney.
Syriana presents the audience with four storylines. The storyline that interested me the most, because of the behavior of its protagonist, involved migrant workers from Pakistan. Several Pakistani migrant workers were ready to resume their normal work schedule one morning, when they were told that a Chinese company outbid their current employer for the oil rights. The movie focuses on two of these migrant workers, Saleem and his son, Wasim. Wasim desperately searches for work, because if he cannot find anything, he and his father could be deported because of their unemployed status. Wasim, unfortunately, is rejected from all of his possible job opportunities because he does not speak Arabic. As the movie progresses, we see Wasim and his friend studying at a school to learn Arabic. They meet a powerful, charming Islamic man, who takes the boys under his wing. However, this powerful Islamic man leads Wasim and his friend on a suicide mission to destroy an oil tanker. Wasim should be praised for essentially trying to keep himself and his father in the country by looking for work and going to school just to meet the requirements for a job. However, by engaging on a suicide-mission, Wasim throws out all hope for himself and his father by ending his life for a man that Wasim hardly even knew. Perhaps Wasim felt very strongly about this particular suicide mission, but in the prior clip he was so dead-set on finding a job, clearly he must have had a strong change of heart, and the only possibility of what caused it was his new Islamic friend. Also, Wasim guarantees deportation for his father, because from what we saw in the movie, the father was very reliant on his father. Maybe the mission was worth it for Wasim, but he should have given some more time to his decision, and if he was not completely ready for something like this, he should not have gone through with it.
Syriana presents the audience with four storylines. The storyline that interested me the most, because of the behavior of its protagonist, involved migrant workers from Pakistan. Several Pakistani migrant workers were ready to resume their normal work schedule one morning, when they were told that a Chinese company outbid their current employer for the oil rights. The movie focuses on two of these migrant workers, Saleem and his son, Wasim. Wasim desperately searches for work, because if he cannot find anything, he and his father could be deported because of their unemployed status. Wasim, unfortunately, is rejected from all of his possible job opportunities because he does not speak Arabic. As the movie progresses, we see Wasim and his friend studying at a school to learn Arabic. They meet a powerful, charming Islamic man, who takes the boys under his wing. However, this powerful Islamic man leads Wasim and his friend on a suicide mission to destroy an oil tanker. Wasim should be praised for essentially trying to keep himself and his father in the country by looking for work and going to school just to meet the requirements for a job. However, by engaging on a suicide-mission, Wasim throws out all hope for himself and his father by ending his life for a man that Wasim hardly even knew. Perhaps Wasim felt very strongly about this particular suicide mission, but in the prior clip he was so dead-set on finding a job, clearly he must have had a strong change of heart, and the only possibility of what caused it was his new Islamic friend. Also, Wasim guarantees deportation for his father, because from what we saw in the movie, the father was very reliant on his father. Maybe the mission was worth it for Wasim, but he should have given some more time to his decision, and if he was not completely ready for something like this, he should not have gone through with it.
Prince Nasir Al-Dubai, first born son of the Emir, plans to inherit his father’s oil empire and, from its profits, intends to restructure his homeland as a more democratic nation. After selling rights to his nation’s oil fields, Prince Nasir aspires to give women equal rights, establish an independent judicial system, create a parliament, and begin a petroleum exchange in the Middle East. In order to attain the largest profit, however, the Prince desires to place all available crude oil up for competitive bidding. Prince Nasir enlists Bryan Woodman, an energy analyst, as his economic advisor to assist him in generating the most profit from his energy supply. The Prince’s ideals are not only admirable, but contagious, since after speaking with military generals and other advisors, the Prince forms a military coup to take over his brother’s throne. The Prince is also a reasonable man, he realizes that in time the oil will run out and he will have nothing to barter with the world’s most powerful nations, inevitably falling out of their favor. With the world at his fingertips, since the Emir possesses ninety percent of the world’s remaining oil, the Prince does not wish to squander away his liquid gold. A rebel, an intellect, and an idealist, Prince Nasir is the modern day George Washington fighting to liberate his country from the oppression placed upon it due to its most important commodity, oil. It is almost impossible to muddy the illustrious image of this knight in shining armour, but unpleasantries must be addressed, however subtle. This man is willing to jeopardize his country to civil war as a result from a military coup. Surely the Prince’s brother will not simply hand over the throne? Plunging into civil war would only subject the country as easy prey for foreign predators such as America, China, Russia, and the United Kingdom.
Syriana Two things struck me about Syriana more than anything. The first of which is how much the global economy is dependant on oil, and the ease of bypassing federal investigations and regulations in corporate mergers, in this case with Connex-Killan. When Nasir plans on expanding his countries economy outside of the oil trade and reforming into a more democratic nation, his family and his American supporters warn him that he cannot ruin the system that is in place, heavily suppressing his people and their standard of living. Even though Nasir clearly has a better plan for running a nation, he cannot get the support of people in power, and is passed over as the heir for the country. When he plans on overthrowing his brother to take control, which would benefit the nation as a whole, the American government has him killed by a guided missile. The lengths that America took to protect its own interests, regardless of the oppression that it causes, really struck me. The other aspect of Syriana that was surprising to me was the storyline involving the oil-merger, and the corruption of the companies themselves, and the Department of Justice. What I found to be the most disturbing is when the companies compromise with the DOJ investigator to give him some “bodies” to make sure the DOJ brings in some big names under their investigation, and they would allow the obviously corrupt merger to take place. The merger aspect is disturbing because the rules and regulations do not even seem to factor in to the investigation, as long as the government seems like it uncovered something.
No person or entity in the film are free of shady dealings. Perhaps the worst actions, however, were committed by the CIA. Under the guise of acting “in the best interest of America” the CIA spits upon the ideals of freedom on which this nation was founded. One of the first things that struck me was the disregard for transparency that the CIA showed. For example, when Barnes informs them of the loss of one of the missile launchers, they inform him not to write memos anymore, which would serve as a history of their actions. While some may argue that this is necessary for national security, I feel that when a group is working in the name of the United States, there must be a record of what they have done, so that the American people may know what those who represent them are doing. Should the CIA’s actions lead to a nation declaring war on the US, it would me the lives of innocent Americans, and they deserve to know why such events occurred. Furthermore the CIA acted more as a corporation, with an economic stake in the oil rather than a group designed to find threats to American national security. When they recognize that Prince Nasir poses a threat to American oil interests, they choose to assassinate him. This, however, came at the cost of the life of a true Arab visionary, who desired for his kingdom a very progressive way of life. One very similar to that of America, where people were educated and women were no longer a second class citizen. But money proved to be more powerful again, as this hope was destroyed with the push of a joystick button.
The fictional movie Syriana explores the world oil economy from three different angles that are more interconnected than they themselves realize. The part of the movie I’d like to explore is the concept of American Interventionism in sovereign nations for the purpose of forwarding U.S. Corporate interests. This real life concept is present in this fictional tale as the CIA orchestrates the assassination of a left leaning leader in favor of his right wing, business friendly brother. The often disastrous history of the United States toiling in the succession crisis of foreign nations and installing pro-west leaders at the expense of the people and the countries future is brought to life in this film. Food Inc
It’s easy to vilify the food producers and meat packing corporations as ruthless corporate number crunchers seeking nothing more than lower expenses and higher profits, however this view overlooks the fundamental truth. Corporations are responding to consumer demands for cheaper, better tasting, products that don’t spoil and always taste and look the same. It’s because of these consumer demands that all chicken meat is white, chips are cheaper than carrots, and government subsidized corn is the base of most products. With that said, companies have a moral and ethical obligation to protect the consumer, the worker, the dignity of the animal as a living creature, and the environment. The movie does illustrate numerous instances where companies have broken this obligation and this is where it is the duty of the federal government to step in and regulate. Consumers will never outright demand higher food prices even if it means increased quality and safety, thus new regulations are needed to protect the consumer and the worker from these harmful industry practices.
“Syriana” This film really portrayed how powerful ownership of oil in the Middle East is. This movie showed that desperate companies who are losing their control of an area, such as Connex, will do anything in their power to regain their original control or to even exceed it. I did not like how shady Connex and its leaders were while they tried to complete their merger with Killen. There are other, more legal ways for companies like Connex to go about and do business as, yet they chose to use things such as monetary bribes to gain what they wanted. I really did like when Prince Nasir Al-Dubai announced his plans to make his homeland a more democratic nation, allowing women to vote, creating a Parliament, and to try and start a petroleum exchange in the Middle East. However, some people did not approve of Prince Nasir’s ideas and he along with his family was killed in cold blood by a government that did not appreciate his good will. That scene in the movie really shows how if a leader wants to make changes, he must first go through a laundry list of people before implementing those ideas, or else he or she will be killed. All of these actions taken against the Prince just show how greed basically runs how people operate some of their countries, which is an unfortunate truth in our world today.
“Syriana” depicts a country whose resources are running out and has no formal way of keeping itself aloft economically, and politically. The unhealthy relationship between the United States and Emir Hamad Al-Subaai is the American favor, due to the fact that it was more profitable for the Americans. The Emir is offered more money by the Chinese to mine oil in their country but in trying to appease the United States refuses this better offer. The U.S continues to ignore the political structure of the Emir and continues to collect oil, the Emir just wants to continue to live in luxury and does not wish to better his country. Although there is hope, his intelligent and promising son Prince Nasir, who plans to create a parliament and create an oil exchange in the Middle East. All of this would be possible if not for the U.S government’s conflict of interest on the matter, for if the Emir gained actual power the oil industry would fail in the U.S. The United States gets to continue drilling for oil by providing the second born son Prince Meshal the position of Emir when his father dies. Nasir makes one last shot to help his country, but after winning over the generals he was quickly blown up by an American missile, securing their rights in Syria. This U.S Government intrusion on the natural growth of a new power, prevented a self-sustaining economy, oppressed the equality of woman and prevented and serious change. The radical group depicted in this movie considers it to be a war because the businesses and the government work so closely not for commerce but to keep the Middle East unstable. In this movie to protect the rights to a depleting natural resource bribery and hits are ordered to give oil companies the lowest price, leaving no separation between the government and the free market.
This movie depicts the United States' unhealthy dependence on foreign oil, especially in the Middle East. To protect their oil, the U.S. went as far as preventing peace and a new order in a Middle East country just so that they can continue to profit and have access to the oil. This movie seems to mirror criticism of the current war in the Middle East, which some say is to protect American access to oil in that region. If that is true, the plot of the movie and the war go hand in hand. The U.S. government is sacrificing lives and peace in order to profit from oil and continue to breed a toxic dependence on it.
Prince Nasir Al-Dubai seems to be a man that could have changed politics and the ways in the Middle East with his democratic ways. A man who wanted to fight for the rights of women in a region of the world where they lack the same civil rights of men. Although he was fighting for all the right things without the backing of the people he was passed over in receiving the throne. However, when he tried to get the throne from his brother he was killed by the CIA and the United States. This action by the United States was based on their dependence for oil from the region and Nasir's brother's regime had more favorable policies. This radical action prevented Prince Nasir from rising to power and instilling democracy in the Middle East, something our country and soldiers are currently fighting for over seas. These actions by the CIA do not strike or surprise me too much however because of studies I had in my Spanish class the past year where it showed multiple times of the United States intervening in Latin American affairs for their own self-interest not for the interest of the countries. The measures they took just to prevent Prince Nasir from the crown show just the disturbing nature of need they have for cheap foreign oil. Syriana seems like a great film to analyze US-Middle Eastern affairs with oil.
The two most influential characters in the movie Syriana are the sons of Emir Hamad Al-Subaai, Prince Nasir Al-Subaai and Prince Meshal Al-Subaai. The Emir is planning to step down and he has to decide which son to put in control of his country. The conflict is that the Emir is very close with the United States and he wants whichever son has the throne to continue the countries relationship with America so they will have them as an ally. Prince Meshal Al-Subaai has the same opinion as his father therefore he is going to take the throne even though he is not the right fit for the job. The prince was mocking in my opinion the will of the people, the prince knew what to do for the betterment of the people but he went against any of his view points to gain control of the throne. Meanwhile Prince Nasir Al-Subaai has differing ideals and goals for the benefit of his people. Instead of being like his father and brother Nasir wants to cut ties with the Americans for oil and start shipping oil straight across the peninsula so that they could increase efficiency and the amount of money the country would make. The ideas the Nasir had for his country were far greater that those the Meshal could have provided although even if one does not agree with the decision Meshal was granted the throne. Nasir had visions to fix his country economically and culturally but even beyond that he had ideas to unite the middle east and it was all ruined the protect the American oil trade.
This movie is a depiction of the lengths that the U.S. is willing to go to gain its own peace, while leaving behind destroyed nations. The movie follows a prince who leads a coup to gain control of his country and create a democracy. The problem presented by the movie is that large countries like the U.S. will stop at nothing to gain the resources they want, and that they do not care about a small country in the Middle East. It would be hoped that democracy would be respected by foreigners, but in reality money is king, and oil is money.
Because this movie was a bit difficult to follow, with all the side stories going on, I am going to focus on one specific story and that is Prince Emir's story. Prince Emir has high hopes. He wanted to liberate his country. He wanted women to have the right to vote...he wanted a respectable government...he wished to stop other countries from exploiting them because of the oil they possessed. Obviously his intentions were pure, however the United States didn't like his plan for oil, and because of that Emir's father decided to hand over the country to Emir's brother who was ready to roll over for the United States. Within this movie the United States was protrayed as a country who got what they wanted at the expense of others. It was almost as if Americans feared other countries attaining what they have.
I can no doubt bet that the motif of all the movies I watched, being unchecked greed and corruption, is rampant in this movie as well. The fact that the American government played a part in this scheme, even if it was to protect their own assets, is still seen as wrong and could have been dealt with in a completely different manner.
In presenting the interconnected calamity that is foreign oil, Syrianna demonstrates the circle of corruption and double-crossing existing between high government officials, business tycoons, investigation agencies, and similar, foreign entities. Of note, however, is the “light at the end of the tunnel” that was the man set to investigate the merger of the two major oil companies, Bennett Holiday. His character went with the tides, for the most part, in that he decided to call the shots, many times against instructions from his superiors. Though a mostly silent character, his observative skills came in handy in deciphering the presence of dirty land purchases in the Connex-Killen oil merger. To protect the companies from being discovered by the Department of Justice, Holiday was forced to come up with two scapegoats to somewhat distract the prosecutors. Through certain seemingly treacherous acts, Holiday surprised his very partner, Sydney Hewitt, and revealed an illegal move preformed by Hewitt in the merger. This I find typical of many of the persona’s presented by the business world embracing corruption and greed as healthy and proper. His actions embellish a two-faced, lying nature. His original assignment was to dig up dirt on the merger, but he ended up protecting the very scoundrels. For a prime example of “if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em,” waste no time in turning to Bennett Holiday. He lost his morals and was unable to faithfully serve the public for it was his responsibility to uphold the law in all circumstances and while he turned over a few small fries, he missed the big fish that is Connex-Killen.
“Syriana” After reading the reviews on “Syriana,” I realized that the best way for the prince to maximize his oil profits in the short-term is for him to put up all of his oil for competitive bidding. I really do not think that this would be a smart idea, not because of the threat of him running out of oil, but rather because of the fact that, if the prince were to hold on to his oil for a longer time, selling it at a slower pace, he would most likely end up making more money, as the price of oil will only rise as time goes on. However, I realize that the prince needed to raise funds fast, to improve democracy in his society, before civil war would break out. So, if I were the prince, I would try to figure out how much time I had before civil war would break out, and if civil war was imminent, I would settle for the profits that putting my oil up for competitive bidding would provide.
Syriana Syriana is about a situation in a Middle Eastern country were an oil company merger will have large effects, a prince wants to reform his country, and back in the US the merger is being investigated and an agent goes the next best thing to rogue. In Syriana Bryan Woodman makes many hard decisions throughout the film, some I approve of and some I disapprove of. I approve of several of his decisions which have large impact on the movie. His decision to advise the prince rather than take his money and run is something I approve of. He could have easily walked away after getting the deals for 175 million, but instead he stops and tells the prince how to improve the economic situation for his country and eventually becomes the prince’s economic advisor. He doesn’t seem to act out of outright greed but instead just to help. He even goes as far as to support the prince in his planned coup d’état. Despite the fact I largely agree with Woodman’s decisions, there are some I disagree with. When his wife decides to go home to Sweden he raises no objection instead focusing on the prince. His wife accuses him of profiting off of his son’s death such was his cold attitude. I disagree with his decision to let them go without showing at least that he loved them. That is one of the very few decision that he makes that I can find fault with. Bryan makes some very difficult decisions in Syriana and was lucky for it to turn out as it did.
Syriana delves into the perspectives of four different people who all have ties to the oil industry in some way. Bryan Woodman is a energy analyst who is tasked with making oil deals, Bob Barnes is a CIA Officer trying to stop illegal arms trafficking, Saleem Ahmed Khan is a migrant worker trying to find work in the refineries, and Bennett Holiday is a lawyer who is trying to uncover corruption in two of the oil companies. Bob Barnes on one of his assignments discovers that an Anti-tank missile has found its way into the wrong hands and posses some serious threat. He warns his superiors of the events but they do not want to believe him and reassign him to desk work. Bob is a man who is not treated very well, his son hates him for the job he has and his bosses do not believe in the work he is doing. He is quickly sent back on assignment after making the wrong people inside the CIA mad and is sent to kill Prince Nasir, the man who paid for the missile to land into Egyptian hands. Even though he is tasked with killing someone I had to support him in this job because it was for the greater good and the safety of all. In order to capture and kill Nasir he hires a mercenary who unbeknownst to Barnes is an Iranian agent who turns the tables and tortures Barnes. Watching Barnes get tortured was really tough to watch because he was already down on his luck and it seemed that his life was going to end on that note. The CIA portrays Barnes as a rogue agent and opens an investigation on him when the plot of the assassination attempted is threatened to be made public. Barnes again feels like he has been betrayed by the people he depended on. In a last ditch effort to save the Prince, Barnes cases down his convoy to try and warn him of the incoming predator drone, unfortunately he does not have enough time and Nacir and himself are killed in the blast. This just seemed to add to the string of failures in Barnes’ life which made me really feel for his character as a whole, I thought he tried to make as many good decisions as possible except they seemed to backfire on him at every turn.
Syriana This movie Syriana deals with issues centered around oil in the Middle East. There are two main characters the first is Bryan Woodman, a energy analyst who works for a firm to close on oil deals. Bryan begins by establishing a relationship with Prince Nasar. The prince begins to trust Bryan and makes him his new economic advisor. Bryan is advising the prince to move his country in a new direction by installing a parliament and regulating the oil industry. While the other main character Bob Barnes who is a CIA agent is investigating the selling of illegal weapons. Bob is sent on one of his missions to assassinate the Prince who funded the illegal weapons. Bob continues to be betrayed by the CIA and he attempts to save the Princes life however is too late to do anything. Barnes overall tried his best to follow his moral guidelines while falling short at times in the end was focused in on the true and right goals.
Syriana sounds like a very heavliy layered movie. I find it interesting that Bryan would be so willing to help the prince and neglect his family as you say. It would seem that a man who would be willing to turn down money and provide assistance would treat his family with respect. I don't, however, understand exactly what it is that is at stake. There is a coup de etat? and who would be affected directly by the merger?
Syriana presents the audience with four storylines. The storyline that interested me the most, because of the behavior of its protagonist, involved migrant workers from Pakistan. Several Pakistani migrant workers were ready to resume their normal work schedule one morning, when they were told that a Chinese company outbid their current employer for the oil rights. The movie focuses on two of these migrant workers, Saleem and his son, Wasim.
ReplyDeleteWasim desperately searches for work, because if he cannot find anything, he and his father could be deported because of their unemployed status. Wasim, unfortunately, is rejected from all of his possible job opportunities because he does not speak Arabic.
As the movie progresses, we see Wasim and his friend studying at a school to learn Arabic. They meet a powerful, charming Islamic man, who takes the boys under his wing. However, this powerful Islamic man leads Wasim and his friend on a suicide mission to destroy an oil tanker.
Wasim should be praised for essentially trying to keep himself and his father in the country by looking for work and going to school just to meet the requirements for a job. However, by engaging on a suicide-mission, Wasim throws out all hope for himself and his father by ending his life for a man that Wasim hardly even knew. Perhaps Wasim felt very strongly about this particular suicide mission, but in the prior clip he was so dead-set on finding a job, clearly he must have had a strong change of heart, and the only possibility of what caused it was his new Islamic friend. Also, Wasim guarantees deportation for his father, because from what we saw in the movie, the father was very reliant on his father. Maybe the mission was worth it for Wasim, but he should have given some more time to his decision, and if he was not completely ready for something like this, he should not have gone through with it.
--Patrick Walsh
Syriana presents the audience with four storylines. The storyline that interested me the most, because of the behavior of its protagonist, involved migrant workers from Pakistan. Several Pakistani migrant workers were ready to resume their normal work schedule one morning, when they were told that a Chinese company outbid their current employer for the oil rights. The movie focuses on two of these migrant workers, Saleem and his son, Wasim.
ReplyDeleteWasim desperately searches for work, because if he cannot find anything, he and his father could be deported because of their unemployed status. Wasim, unfortunately, is rejected from all of his possible job opportunities because he does not speak Arabic.
As the movie progresses, we see Wasim and his friend studying at a school to learn Arabic. They meet a powerful, charming Islamic man, who takes the boys under his wing. However, this powerful Islamic man leads Wasim and his friend on a suicide mission to destroy an oil tanker.
Wasim should be praised for essentially trying to keep himself and his father in the country by looking for work and going to school just to meet the requirements for a job. However, by engaging on a suicide-mission, Wasim throws out all hope for himself and his father by ending his life for a man that Wasim hardly even knew. Perhaps Wasim felt very strongly about this particular suicide mission, but in the prior clip he was so dead-set on finding a job, clearly he must have had a strong change of heart, and the only possibility of what caused it was his new Islamic friend. Also, Wasim guarantees deportation for his father, because from what we saw in the movie, the father was very reliant on his father. Maybe the mission was worth it for Wasim, but he should have given some more time to his decision, and if he was not completely ready for something like this, he should not have gone through with it.
Prince Nasir Al-Dubai, first born son of the Emir, plans to inherit his father’s oil empire and, from its profits, intends to restructure his homeland as a more democratic nation. After selling rights to his nation’s oil fields, Prince Nasir aspires to give women equal rights, establish an independent judicial system, create a parliament, and begin a petroleum exchange in the Middle East. In order to attain the largest profit, however, the Prince desires to place all available crude oil up for competitive bidding. Prince Nasir enlists Bryan Woodman, an energy analyst, as his economic advisor to assist him in generating the most profit from his energy supply. The Prince’s ideals are not only admirable, but contagious, since after speaking with military generals and other advisors, the Prince forms a military coup to take over his brother’s throne. The Prince is also a reasonable man, he realizes that in time the oil will run out and he will have nothing to barter with the world’s most powerful nations, inevitably falling out of their favor. With the world at his fingertips, since the Emir possesses ninety percent of the world’s remaining oil, the Prince does not wish to squander away his liquid gold. A rebel, an intellect, and an idealist, Prince Nasir is the modern day George Washington fighting to liberate his country from the oppression placed upon it due to its most important commodity, oil.
ReplyDeleteIt is almost impossible to muddy the illustrious image of this knight in shining armour, but unpleasantries must be addressed, however subtle. This man is willing to jeopardize his country to civil war as a result from a military coup. Surely the Prince’s brother will not simply hand over the throne? Plunging into civil war would only subject the country as easy prey for foreign predators such as America, China, Russia, and the United Kingdom.
Syriana
ReplyDeleteTwo things struck me about Syriana more than anything. The first of which is how much the global economy is dependant on oil, and the ease of bypassing federal investigations and regulations in corporate mergers, in this case with Connex-Killan.
When Nasir plans on expanding his countries economy outside of the oil trade and reforming into a more democratic nation, his family and his American supporters warn him that he cannot ruin the system that is in place, heavily suppressing his people and their standard of living. Even though Nasir clearly has a better plan for running a nation, he cannot get the support of people in power, and is passed over as the heir for the country. When he plans on overthrowing his brother to take control, which would benefit the nation as a whole, the American government has him killed by a guided missile. The lengths that America took to protect its own interests, regardless of the oppression that it causes, really struck me.
The other aspect of Syriana that was surprising to me was the storyline involving the oil-merger, and the corruption of the companies themselves, and the Department of Justice. What I found to be the most disturbing is when the companies compromise with the DOJ investigator to give him some “bodies” to make sure the DOJ brings in some big names under their investigation, and they would allow the obviously corrupt merger to take place. The merger aspect is disturbing because the rules and regulations do not even seem to factor in to the investigation, as long as the government seems like it uncovered something.
No person or entity in the film are free of shady dealings. Perhaps the worst actions, however, were committed by the CIA. Under the guise of acting “in the best interest of America” the CIA spits upon the ideals of freedom on which this nation was founded.
ReplyDeleteOne of the first things that struck me was the disregard for transparency that the CIA showed. For example, when Barnes informs them of the loss of one of the missile launchers, they inform him not to write memos anymore, which would serve as a history of their actions. While some may argue that this is necessary for national security, I feel that when a group is working in the name of the United States, there must be a record of what they have done, so that the American people may know what those who represent them are doing. Should the CIA’s actions lead to a nation declaring war on the US, it would me the lives of innocent Americans, and they deserve to know why such events occurred.
Furthermore the CIA acted more as a corporation, with an economic stake in the oil rather than a group designed to find threats to American national security. When they recognize that Prince Nasir poses a threat to American oil interests, they choose to assassinate him. This, however, came at the cost of the life of a true Arab visionary, who desired for his kingdom a very progressive way of life. One very similar to that of America, where people were educated and women were no longer a second class citizen. But money proved to be more powerful again, as this hope was destroyed with the push of a joystick button.
The fictional movie Syriana explores the world oil economy from three different angles that are more interconnected than they themselves realize. The part of the movie I’d like to explore is the concept of American Interventionism in sovereign nations for the purpose of forwarding U.S. Corporate interests. This real life concept is present in this fictional tale as the CIA orchestrates the assassination of a left leaning leader in favor of his right wing, business friendly brother. The often disastrous history of the United States toiling in the succession crisis of foreign nations and installing pro-west leaders at the expense of the people and the countries future is brought to life in this film.
ReplyDeleteFood Inc
It’s easy to vilify the food producers and meat packing corporations as ruthless corporate number crunchers seeking nothing more than lower expenses and higher profits, however this view overlooks the fundamental truth. Corporations are responding to consumer demands for cheaper, better tasting, products that don’t spoil and always taste and look the same. It’s because of these consumer demands that all chicken meat is white, chips are cheaper than carrots, and government subsidized corn is the base of most products.
With that said, companies have a moral and ethical obligation to protect the consumer, the worker, the dignity of the animal as a living creature, and the environment. The movie does illustrate numerous instances where companies have broken this obligation and this is where it is the duty of the federal government to step in and regulate. Consumers will never outright demand higher food prices even if it means increased quality and safety, thus new regulations are needed to protect the consumer and the worker from these harmful industry practices.
“Syriana”
ReplyDeleteThis film really portrayed how powerful ownership of oil in the Middle East is. This movie showed that desperate companies who are losing their control of an area, such as Connex, will do anything in their power to regain their original control or to even exceed it. I did not like how shady Connex and its leaders were while they tried to complete their merger with Killen. There are other, more legal ways for companies like Connex to go about and do business as, yet they chose to use things such as monetary bribes to gain what they wanted. I really did like when Prince Nasir Al-Dubai announced his plans to make his homeland a more democratic nation, allowing women to vote, creating a Parliament, and to try and start a petroleum exchange in the Middle East. However, some people did not approve of Prince Nasir’s ideas and he along with his family was killed in cold blood by a government that did not appreciate his good will. That scene in the movie really shows how if a leader wants to make changes, he must first go through a laundry list of people before implementing those ideas, or else he or she will be killed. All of these actions taken against the Prince just show how greed basically runs how people operate some of their countries, which is an unfortunate truth in our world today.
“Syriana” depicts a country whose resources are running out and has no formal way of keeping itself aloft economically, and politically. The unhealthy relationship between the United States and Emir Hamad Al-Subaai is the American favor, due to the fact that it was more profitable for the Americans. The Emir is offered more money by the Chinese to mine oil in their country but in trying to appease the United States refuses this better offer. The U.S continues to ignore the political structure of the Emir and continues to collect oil, the Emir just wants to continue to live in luxury and does not wish to better his country. Although there is hope, his intelligent and promising son Prince Nasir, who plans to create a parliament and create an oil exchange in the Middle East. All of this would be possible if not for the U.S government’s conflict of interest on the matter, for if the Emir gained actual power the oil industry would fail in the U.S. The United States gets to continue drilling for oil by providing the second born son Prince Meshal the position of Emir when his father dies. Nasir makes one last shot to help his country, but after winning over the generals he was quickly blown up by an American missile, securing their rights in Syria. This U.S Government intrusion on the natural growth of a new power, prevented a self-sustaining economy, oppressed the equality of woman and prevented and serious change. The radical group depicted in this movie considers it to be a war because the businesses and the government work so closely not for commerce but to keep the Middle East unstable. In this movie to protect the rights to a depleting natural resource bribery and hits are ordered to give oil companies the lowest price, leaving no separation between the government and the free market.
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ReplyDeleteThis movie depicts the United States' unhealthy dependence on foreign oil, especially in the Middle East. To protect their oil, the U.S. went as far as preventing peace and a new order in a Middle East country just so that they can continue to profit and have access to the oil. This movie seems to mirror criticism of the current war in the Middle East, which some say is to protect American access to oil in that region. If that is true, the plot of the movie and the war go hand in hand. The U.S. government is sacrificing lives and peace in order to profit from oil and continue to breed a toxic dependence on it.
Student Response:
ReplyDeletePrince Nasir Al-Dubai seems to be a man that could have changed politics and the ways in the Middle East with his democratic ways. A man who wanted to fight for the rights of women in a region of the world where they lack the same civil rights of men. Although he was fighting for all the right things without the backing of the people he was passed over in receiving the throne. However, when he tried to get the throne from his brother he was killed by the CIA and the United States. This action by the United States was based on their dependence for oil from the region and Nasir's brother's regime had more favorable policies. This radical action prevented Prince Nasir from rising to power and instilling democracy in the Middle East, something our country and soldiers are currently fighting for over seas.
These actions by the CIA do not strike or surprise me too much however because of studies I had in my Spanish class the past year where it showed multiple times of the United States intervening in Latin American affairs for their own self-interest not for the interest of the countries. The measures they took just to prevent Prince Nasir from the crown show just the disturbing nature of need they have for cheap foreign oil. Syriana seems like a great film to analyze US-Middle Eastern affairs with oil.
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ReplyDeleteThe two most influential characters in the movie Syriana are the sons of Emir Hamad Al-Subaai, Prince Nasir Al-Subaai and Prince Meshal Al-Subaai. The Emir is planning to step down and he has to decide which son to put in control of his country. The conflict is that the Emir is very close with the United States and he wants whichever son has the throne to continue the countries relationship with America so they will have them as an ally. Prince Meshal Al-Subaai has the same opinion as his father therefore he is going to take the throne even though he is not the right fit for the job. The prince was mocking in my opinion the will of the people, the prince knew what to do for the betterment of the people but he went against any of his view points to gain control of the throne. Meanwhile Prince Nasir Al-Subaai has differing ideals and goals for the benefit of his people. Instead of being like his father and brother Nasir wants to cut ties with the Americans for oil and start shipping oil straight across the peninsula so that they could increase efficiency and the amount of money the country would make. The ideas the Nasir had for his country were far greater that those the Meshal could have provided although even if one does not agree with the decision Meshal was granted the throne. Nasir had visions to fix his country economically and culturally but even beyond that he had ideas to unite the middle east and it was all ruined the protect the American oil trade.
ReplyDeleteThis movie is a depiction of the lengths that the U.S. is willing to go to gain its own peace, while leaving behind destroyed nations. The movie follows a prince who leads a coup to gain control of his country and create a democracy. The problem presented by the movie is that large countries like the U.S. will stop at nothing to gain the resources they want, and that they do not care about a small country in the Middle East. It would be hoped that democracy would be respected by foreigners, but in reality money is king, and oil is money.
ReplyDeleteBecause this movie was a bit difficult to follow, with all the side stories going on, I am going to focus on one specific story and that is Prince Emir's story. Prince Emir has high hopes. He wanted to liberate his country. He wanted women to have the right to vote...he wanted a respectable government...he wished to stop other countries from exploiting them because of the oil they possessed. Obviously his intentions were pure, however the United States didn't like his plan for oil, and because of that Emir's father decided to hand over the country to Emir's brother who was ready to roll over for the United States. Within this movie the United States was protrayed as a country who got what they wanted at the expense of others. It was almost as if Americans feared other countries attaining what they have.
ReplyDeleteI can no doubt bet that the motif of all the movies I watched, being unchecked greed and corruption, is rampant in this movie as well. The fact that the American government played a part in this scheme, even if it was to protect their own assets, is still seen as wrong and could have been dealt with in a completely different manner.
ReplyDeleteSean Wilson
In presenting the interconnected calamity that is foreign oil, Syrianna demonstrates the circle of corruption and double-crossing existing between high government officials, business tycoons, investigation agencies, and similar, foreign entities. Of note, however, is the “light at the end of the tunnel” that was the man set to investigate the merger of the two major oil companies, Bennett Holiday. His character went with the tides, for the most part, in that he decided to call the shots, many times against instructions from his superiors. Though a mostly silent character, his observative skills came in handy in deciphering the presence of dirty land purchases in the Connex-Killen oil merger. To protect the companies from being discovered by the Department of Justice, Holiday was forced to come up with two scapegoats to somewhat distract the prosecutors.
ReplyDeleteThrough certain seemingly treacherous acts, Holiday surprised his very partner, Sydney Hewitt, and revealed an illegal move preformed by Hewitt in the merger. This I find typical of many of the persona’s presented by the business world embracing corruption and greed as healthy and proper. His actions embellish a two-faced, lying nature. His original assignment was to dig up dirt on the merger, but he ended up protecting the very scoundrels. For a prime example of “if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em,” waste no time in turning to Bennett Holiday. He lost his morals and was unable to faithfully serve the public for it was his responsibility to uphold the law in all circumstances and while he turned over a few small fries, he missed the big fish that is Connex-Killen.
response to classmates responses:
ReplyDelete“Syriana”
After reading the reviews on “Syriana,” I realized that the best way for the prince to maximize his oil profits in the short-term is for him to put up all of his oil for competitive bidding. I really do not think that this would be a smart idea, not because of the threat of him running out of oil, but rather because of the fact that, if the prince were to hold on to his oil for a longer time, selling it at a slower pace, he would most likely end up making more money, as the price of oil will only rise as time goes on. However, I realize that the prince needed to raise funds fast, to improve democracy in his society, before civil war would break out. So, if I were the prince, I would try to figure out how much time I had before civil war would break out, and if civil war was imminent, I would settle for the profits that putting my oil up for competitive bidding would provide.
Syriana
ReplyDeleteSyriana is about a situation in a Middle Eastern country were an oil company merger will have large effects, a prince wants to reform his country, and back in the US the merger is being investigated and an agent goes the next best thing to rogue. In Syriana Bryan Woodman makes many hard decisions throughout the film, some I approve of and some I disapprove of.
I approve of several of his decisions which have large impact on the movie. His decision to advise the prince rather than take his money and run is something I approve of. He could have easily walked away after getting the deals for 175 million, but instead he stops and tells the prince how to improve the economic situation for his country and eventually becomes the prince’s economic advisor. He doesn’t seem to act out of outright greed but instead just to help. He even goes as far as to support the prince in his planned coup d’état.
Despite the fact I largely agree with Woodman’s decisions, there are some I disagree with. When his wife decides to go home to Sweden he raises no objection instead focusing on the prince. His wife accuses him of profiting off of his son’s death such was his cold attitude. I disagree with his decision to let them go without showing at least that he loved them. That is one of the very few decision that he makes that I can find fault with.
Bryan makes some very difficult decisions in Syriana and was lucky for it to turn out as it did.
Syriana delves into the perspectives of four different people who all have ties to the oil industry in some way. Bryan Woodman is a energy analyst who is tasked with making oil deals, Bob Barnes is a CIA Officer trying to stop illegal arms trafficking, Saleem Ahmed Khan is a migrant worker trying to find work in the refineries, and Bennett Holiday is a lawyer who is trying to uncover corruption in two of the oil companies.
ReplyDeleteBob Barnes on one of his assignments discovers that an Anti-tank missile has found its way into the wrong hands and posses some serious threat. He warns his superiors of the events but they do not want to believe him and reassign him to desk work. Bob is a man who is not treated very well, his son hates him for the job he has and his bosses do not believe in the work he is doing. He is quickly sent back on assignment after making the wrong people inside the CIA mad and is sent to kill Prince Nasir, the man who paid for the missile to land into Egyptian hands. Even though he is tasked with killing someone I had to support him in this job because it was for the greater good and the safety of all. In order to capture and kill Nasir he hires a mercenary who unbeknownst to Barnes is an Iranian agent who turns the tables and tortures Barnes. Watching Barnes get tortured was really tough to watch because he was already down on his luck and it seemed that his life was going to end on that note. The CIA portrays Barnes as a rogue agent and opens an investigation on him when the plot of the assassination attempted is threatened to be made public. Barnes again feels like he has been betrayed by the people he depended on. In a last ditch effort to save the Prince, Barnes cases down his convoy to try and warn him of the incoming predator drone, unfortunately he does not have enough time and Nacir and himself are killed in the blast. This just seemed to add to the string of failures in Barnes’ life which made me really feel for his character as a whole, I thought he tried to make as many good decisions as possible except they seemed to backfire on him at every turn.
Syriana
ReplyDeleteThis movie Syriana deals with issues centered around oil in the Middle East. There are two main characters the first is Bryan Woodman, a energy analyst who works for a firm to close on oil deals. Bryan begins by establishing a relationship with Prince Nasar. The prince begins to trust Bryan and makes him his new economic advisor. Bryan is advising the prince to move his country in a new direction by installing a parliament and regulating the oil industry. While the other main character Bob Barnes who is a CIA agent is investigating the selling of illegal weapons. Bob is sent on one of his missions to assassinate the Prince who funded the illegal weapons. Bob continues to be betrayed by the CIA and he attempts to save the Princes life however is too late to do anything. Barnes overall tried his best to follow his moral guidelines while falling short at times in the end was focused in on the true and right goals.
Syriana sounds like a very heavliy layered movie. I find it interesting that Bryan would be so willing to help the prince and neglect his family as you say. It would seem that a man who would be willing to turn down money and provide assistance would treat his family with respect. I don't, however, understand exactly what it is that is at stake. There is a coup de etat? and who would be affected directly by the merger?
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