Attack on Polish envoy and halt in production of "The Kite Runner"

Two recent bits of news from Iraq and Afghanistan.

First, A.P. reported that at 10 a.m. Wednesday morning a Polish envoy was attacked in Baghdad. While Polish ambassador Gen. Edward Pietrzyk survived with minor burns, three other people were killed.
The attack took place in one Baghdad’s most secure neighborhoods, the Shi’ite controlled Karradah district. The bombs exploded near the convoy, after which attackers shot at the ambassador’s security. Pietrzyk was pinned down in the burning vehicle until members of the security firm Backwater USA pulled him to safety and airlifted the group in a rescue mission administered by the U.S. Embassy. It is reporters that at least ten were wounded.
Some suspect that the attack is in response to Poland’s contributions to war in Iraq. Poland, an ally of the U.S., began contributing combats troops to the war in 2003. Currently, AP reported that Poland has 900 troops in Northwest Iraq training Iraqi personnel. No formal decision has been made regarding whether Polish troops will remain in Iraq in 2008.
Reading the news today, it is easy to turn a deaf ear to the frequent acts of violence in the Middle East. Still, I think it is important to stay aware, even if the news we hear can be overwhelming and discouraging.

Read the Seattle Times full story here

My second piece of news relates to the production of “The Kite Runner,” a film based on Khaled Hosseini’s best selling novel. Until recently the upcoming movie was being filmed in Kabul, Afghanistan, where much of Hosseini’s novel takes place. However, the film’s child stars were recently removed from Kabul to protect them against attack.
Afghan and American officials both showed concern for the child stars regarding a controversial rape scene which could outrage Afghans. It is also feared that the filming could incite violence between two ethnic groups featured in the film: Pushtuns and Hazaras.
According to the New York Times, the child stars and their families have accused filmmakers of “The Kite Runner” of poor treatment, although I could not find any more specific details.
As someone who read and loved Hosseini’s novel, I am somewhat discouraged that the film’s production has been halted. However, the rape scene in the story would be very difficult to recreate without causing harm, especially in a hostile climate. With the book readily available to share this story, I am not sure that finishing the film in Kabul, at the risk of inciting violence, is a good idea.

Read the New York Times full story here

And you catch watch a trailor for "The Kite Runner" below: