From Collider · Therese Lacson · · 1m 30s
Joel Kinnaman on Saddam Hussein and War of Choice
Joel Kinnaman says the U.S. cooperates with monsters in global politics.
In brief
Joel Kinnaman says the U.S. cooperates with monsters in global politics. Joel Kinnaman warns that America's involvement in wars of choice is avoidable due to special interests and false narratives. Originally reported by Collider.
Joel Kinnaman on John Nixon
Joel Kinnaman spent time with John Nixon to understand his character deeply.
“It was really important to spend time with John, to talk to him, to really get under the hood on him.”
Working with Waleed Zuaiter
Kinnaman worked closely with Waleed Zuaiter to portray Saddam Hussein accurately.
“I was like, 'Fuck, that's Saddam.'”
Challenging Cairo Shoots
Filming in Cairo faced power issues and trash problems that made shooting difficult.
“The hardest days were like one to 100.”
Saddam's Perspective
Kinnaman learned Saddam Hussein's viewpoint on U.S. actions and international conflicts.
“America has been cooperating with at least equal monsters in many other ways...”
War of Choice
Kinnaman warns that wars of choice are driven by special interests and false narratives.
“It's completely avoidable.”
The U.S. and Saddam
Kinnaman explains how the U.S. supported Saddam while claiming he had weapons.
“He gassed the Kurdish people in Halabja; he's murdered, and his sons are just sadistic murderers...”
9/11 and Saddam
Kinnaman describes Saddam's reaction to 9/11 as relieved about U.S. unity.
“When he's talking about his reaction to 9/11, that he was relieved because that, for him, signaled this is going to be the incident that finally is going to make the U.S. and Iraq come together...”
The Iran Deal
Kinnaman explains Saddam's justification for not cooperating with weapons inspectors.
“Well, if I proved without the shadow of a doubt that I don't have any weapons, then as soon as these inspectors leave, and the American gaze moves somewhere else, then Iran will invade, and I'm defenseless.”
American Foreign Policy
Kinnaman criticizes U.S. foreign policy for being dishonest and two-faced.
“The United States was very dishonest in the way that they dealt with Saddam.”
The Finale
John Nixon debriefs President Bush on the hunt for Saddam Hussein.
“Oh, he doesn't really care about the nuance of it all. He just wants black and white.”
War of Choice Impact
Kinnaman says wars of choice ruin economies and cause global instability.
“It's completely avoidable.”
Kinnaman's View
Kinnaman believes the U.S. should lead with moral principles in foreign policy.
“a country should lead with the morals they espouse.”
The one thing
Joel Kinnaman warns that America's involvement in wars of choice is avoidable due to special interests and false narratives.
