US troops to learn about Afghanistan through British theatre
In a bid to make their soldiers more culturally aware and historically clued up the US has organised a trip for hundreds of its military personnel - from top brass to frontline soldiers - to watch seven hours of British plays on the history of Afghanistan over the last 150 years.
"The Great Game" production is by North London-based Tricycle Theatre and Pentagon officials hope that the plays will help give soldiers greater empathy when dealing with Afghans in the conflict.
The Americans have been heavily criticised for trying to subdue rather than to understand Afghanistan in the nearly 10 years of conflict.
Many senior policy-makers will be present at one of the two-day showings at a Washington theatre, reports Sky News.
A copy of the play has also been sent to Afghanistan for General Petraeus - the commander in charge of Nato and US forces - to watch.
Director Nicholas Kent says that many British people do not realise that this is the third Anglo-Afghan war in the last 170 years - a fact which most Afghans are all too aware of.
Mr Kent told Sky News: "It is a chance to watch the story of foreign involvement in Afghanistan since the first Anglo-Afghan war in 1842, through to independence, through to the arming by the CIA, the Russian invasion, and through to the coming of the Taliban and right through to aid workers working there now helping in the reconstruction."
They plays are arranged chronologically and divided into three parts and they stay neither condemn or condone what has happened there.
Instead he hopes audiences will be able to make their minds up for themselves.
Still. It's seven hours worth of theatre…good luck!
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- tags:
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