Wag The Camel

Wag The Camel - Proposed script as a sequel to the Movie , Wag The
Dog

Wag The Camel has the opportunity to be one or more sequels to the
original Barry Levinson movie, Wag The Dog, described as, "A movie
about truth, justice and other special effects". (For full details,
including the movie plot, see www.wag-the-dog.com).

Wag The Camel Plot:

As the method in which a superpower 'elected' its current leader and
surrounding key military and political figure comes under question by
some of the general populace, a plot has to be devised to distract
those questioning the events. Especially as it is beginning to emerge
that all the key figures have one thing in common - a past history in
acquiring great wealth, power and influence in a certain 'commodities
market'.

One journalist, who is unable to expose the manipulations and
shenanigans, flees to another country where the newspapers and
principal TV news channel there, happily disclose the facts and figures
as to how the election counts were rigged.

So now the story is out in the open in most other countries, except for
the Superpower itself!

Fortunately, the Superpower counts on the fact that its populace is not
too well informed as to what happens outside their own borders, but
becomes increasingly anxious that the populace is becoming aware of the
ever increasing huge budget deficit and increasing unemployment.

With perfect timing, a monumental attack is launched at the heart of
the Superpower, leaving the populace (and the world at large) stunned
and reeling. The leadership, immediately vowing revenge for its people,
quickly identifies a global terrorist organisation and its
sinister-looking leader responsible for the attack.
Although the leader, and those involved in the attack originate almost
exclusively from one of the Superpower's key economic allies, it turns
out that they are located in another country where the Superpower has a
long history of military and economic ties, but events hadn't panned
out too well for them there.

Promising its populace that the evil leader and organisation will be
found and destroyed, a relentless invasion and bombardment of that
country is undertaken. As weeks drag into months, and the terrorist
leader outsmarts the Superpower, hopping from cave to cave on a camel
called Gert, the Superpower leadership needs to find another
distraction from its failure to deliver its promise. However, the
Superpower has at least been reasonably successful at distracting its
populace from questioning the first and second problems (the 'election'
and the budget and unemployment figures).

A second country is quickly identified as a target for the Superpower,
and, with some marvelous manipulation and PR, manages to persuade at
least 50\% of its populace that this second country's evil despotic
leader somehow has connections to the terrorist leader's previous
attack. This, in spite of the fact that the despot and terrorist are
arch enemies!

The Superpower has a number of obstacles to overcome, including
distracting its population from the fact that the despot had previously
been funded and armed by them - a key ally in other previous wars, as
was the case with the terrorist leader and his organisation, and the
governing regime in the country in which the terrorist leader is
hiding, along with Gert the camel.

Initially, the Superpower attempts to persuade the rest of the world to
team up with them and invade the despot's country, on the grounds that
1) The despot has failed to comply with some international laws, and 2)
is a threat to the rest of the world. The vast majority of the other
countries refuse to go along with this, not least because a number of
other countries have also failed to comply with international laws -
and this would open up a can of worms, indeed!

The Superpower does not see this as a problem, knowing it can twist,
spin and distract its populace from these facts with ease. Not
surprisingly, the Superpower's staunchest life-long supporter and ally
agrees to join the proposed invasion, under the guise of a third reason
to invade the despots country. Namely that the populace of that country
needs to be liberated from the despot's regime.

This third reason offers some relief to the Superpower when, after
launching the attack on the despot's country, the first and second
reasons for invading them becomes highly questionable - namely that the
despot probably was complying with the international laws they stood
accused of breaking, plus their inability to resist or defeat the
invasion demonstrated they were of no threat to the world after
all.

In keeping with the turn of events where the terrorist leader behind
the attacking of the Superpower eluded capture, the despot and his
ministers also manage to elude capture.
Rumours are rife, including the terrorist leader finally having some
sympathy with the despot, so he smuggles Gert the camel from his
location to the despot's country to assist his escape along with his
arsenal of weaponry which stood to threaten the world.

As the invasion for liberation develops from days into weeks into
months, many more twists and turns will unfold, including revelations
of sub-plots. The main theme to Wag The Camel will be, "You can fool
most of the people most of the time?" Other developments could include
introducing Egbert the Eagle, swooping into the despot's country, and
planting weaponry to further discredit the despot, although further
sub-plots would then have to be developed as to why the despot never
used them on his invading enemies or attacked the rest of the world
with them. Ideally the "Hurrah, Hooray, we overthrew the despot.."
scenario will be overwhelming enough that the viewers forget the first
two reasons for the invasion, hence making such a development
redundant.

The intrigue, complexities and black humour will outweigh the Orwellian
1984 and Alice-In-Wonderland undertones, sufficiently enough that the
audience will come back begging for one or more sequels to Wag the Dog,
and Wag the Camel. Future sequel titles could include, Wag The Monkey,
Wag the Llama, Wag the Elephant and Wag The Panda.

Copyright David Taub, 2003
UKpoet@aol.com