MovieChat Forums > Charlie Wilson's War (2007) Discussion > Is Charlie Wilson a hero? Educate me, pl...

Is Charlie Wilson a hero? Educate me, please

posted 17 years ago by dgioia-1
69 replies | jump to latest

I have yet to see the movie, but I’m not sure that I want to.

It is my understanding that Chalie Wilson pushed Congress to support the CIA in a secret operation that included supplying the Afghan Mujahideen with weapons to help them defeat the Soviets during the war in Afghanistan.

This is what the movie is about, correct? Doesn’t it make Mr. Wilson out to be a sympathetic character?

With my limited political knowledge, it is my understanding that the Mujahideen evolved into the Taliban. So wouldn’t that make Charlie a bad guy, and the USA partly responsible in the rise of the Taliban? (I know we didn’t deserve it. That isn’t what I am saying at all, BTW.)

Please note that I am not pro Democrat or Republican and don’t want to argue about which party is most responsible. I’m just surprised that Hollywood would glorify a person who, in some capacity, helped make 911 possible.

I haven’t seen the actual movie, so I can’t comment on how anything is handled.

But is my basic understanding of Charlie Wilson correct?

I welcome your comments.

[–] caster_troy_uk 14 years ago

We should research into the rise of Talibaan before making comments.

The Soviet Union invaded other countries and ruled them USA didnt help out, when it came to Afghanistan things changed it was Allah who made the Mujahideen get victory. Yes US supplied the weapens but the Soviets had much more weapens then the Muhajideen, the Mujahideens didnt have any planes.

After USA left, they didnt build schools or give any fundings they just left the place as it was with no order. the orphan imigrants came back into Afghanistan, some Mujahideen left. warlords rised up and started controlling areas and oppressing the people. The Taliban actually fought these warlords and did bring peace and security to the Afghans but some of them lacked compassion because they were mainly orphans.

and Now USA are trying to do things differently they are trying to build schools but some US troops have commited war crimes they have killed innocent civillians just like the soviets but they don't get prosecuted. And the Afghan government is corupt that USA put in power.

[–] chas437 13 years ago

Agreed, to make the leap that the Muj evolved into the Taliban, is simplistic and essentially incorrect. The US presense in Saudi Araria during the first Gulf War had a radicalizing effect among the Muj. That laid the ground work for Al Qaida, and OBL, and their crusade agiannst US interests.

I still think Gust's fable about the Zen Master is really spot on.

[–] 13 years ago

[deleted]

[–] jrmellem 13 years ago

Well first of all, Charlie didn't know the future so I don't see how you lay blame on him for that. But more importantly, who is to say the Taliban is responsible for what you claim? The propaganda machine? Keep looking, I'm sure you can see past the smoke and mirrors if you try.

[–] solidsnakeckw 12 years ago

Well, hindsight is 20/20. So it would be unfair if you blame Charlie Wilson for arming the mujahedin in Afghanistan who would later become taliban.

The Russians are only in Afghanistan to support the Afghan communist party that overturn the government of the Republic of Afghanistan. The Russian did it because they want more allies in the Middle East, since the Soviet Union itself is failing. And America don't want Soviets in Afghanistan, so it's only natural if they help armed the local insurgents to fight their fight.

[–] baeksu 12 years ago

Well, hindsight is 20/20. So it would be unfair if you blame Charlie Wilson for arming the mujahedin in Afghanistan who would later become taliban.

Yeah, Hindsight is 20/20. So you really can't blame Charlie Wilson. So maybe we should go ahead and sell long-range nuke technology to the North Koreans, because it might actually make them warm up to us. If they use the nukes against us, then you know we couldn't have foreseen it.

Give me a break. People in control of that much power, money, and weaponry should do a better job of seeing potential problems down the road when you arm and train religious fanatics.

[–] solidsnakeckw 12 years ago

You're not seeing from the right political point of view.

Look at the world map, Afghanistan is right next to Iran and Iran is not exactly friendly with the US, if the Soviet took Afghanistan, they can easily work with Iran to get Iraq then Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. And these country have so much oil. If the Soviet get access to these much oil, they would have outspend the US and won the Cold War. And for the rest of the free world, that is unacceptable.

[–] baeksu 12 years ago

You're not seeing from the right political point of view.

Look at the world map, Afghanistan is right next to Iran and Iran is not exactly friendly with the US, if the Soviet took Afghanistan, they can easily work with Iran to get Iraq then Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. And these country have so much oil. If the Soviet get access to these much oil, they would have outspend the US and won the Cold War. And for the rest of the free world, that is unacceptable.

Iraq was very friendly with the U.S. at the time of these events.

And saying that the USSR taking over Afghanistan would lead to them taking over Iran is HUGE speculation. Iran is a completely different story from Afghanistan.

You're acting like Afghanistan was the only thing keeping the USSR from controlling the entire Middle East.

[–] solidsnakeckw 12 years ago

Iran during 1980 was socially unstable due to the 1979 Islamic revolution, a country like that couldn't stand a chance against the mighty Soviet Union.

Also, look at the Iran-Iraq war, if Iraq couldn't even defeat the Iranian with US help, what makes you think they can win in a fight with the Soviets?

So yeah, the ragtag groups of Afghan mujahideen armed with Stinger missiles and Toyota pickup trucks are actually Middle East's last line of defense against Soviet occupation.

[–] ribby45 12 years ago

dgioia-!

Correctamundo!
You don't need educating.

I did need educating, I'm afraid
I didn't know that Charlie Wilson existed until I watched this film

Your assessment is bang-on.
That's why we're in the mess we're in now.

(I'm not taking a pop at Americans - Charlie Wilson didn't have a crystal ball.)

But, in the UK, Tony Blair et al are considered war criminals (I'm Jewish, so I'm not crazy about the term war criminal being thrown around like confetti. Did they commit genocide? No.) for getting into something they didn't start & couldn't control.

I think this is a good film.
But it's also an ironic film.

That works in Europe.
Not so well in US, am I right?

Charlie Wilson meant well, but good intentions can take you to places you don't want to go.

Hope you saw the film, eventually.

[–] Zuider_Zee 11 years ago

I find him to be and idiot and a dolt. If the Russians wanted to play in Afghanistan, it should have been none of our (America's) concern.