Charlie Wilson talks about the Red Army, Afghanistan and Tom Hanks
Charlie Wilson, the former Texas Congressman hailed in the 2007 hit film “Charlie Wilson’s War” was on campus today to talk to students and special guests about his background as the man credited with helping Afghanistan drive out the Russians in the late 80s (and, therefore, effectively mark the beginning of the end of the Cold War). I just returned from the lunchtime lecture and can tell you a few interesting things about this guy:
The man loves his country, his dog (whose death inspired his political career) and the movie based on his best selling memoir. And I can also tell you Wilson, who was known as “Good Time Charlie” for his party reputation while in Congress, also doesn’t dispute the facts of that reputation… but does “want everyone to know he was single at the time,” as he pointed out today with a smile.
Having seen the movie starring Tom Hanks a few months back, I wasn’t disappointed by the real deal. He’s as sharp and smart (and funny) as you might expect. He opened his lecture with the story of how he got into politics – to avenge the death of his dog who was killed by a neighbor and local politician. To avenge the death, Wilson (at the age of 13) went around town to tell people about how the neighbor poisoned his dog. As he said today, after seeing the guy lose the election by 16 votes, he “fell in love with America for the first time.”
He used that experience as a catalyst – first to serving his home state of Texas as a state representative and then as his district’s rep at the national level. Today he talked about all the figures he knew then and even offered us his take on the current situation in Alfghanistan, which he admitted to feeling was unwinnable in most respects and probably brought on by the lack of a US “end game” after helping expel the Russians over 20 years ago.
During the Q&A session I even squeezed in a question, asking how Wilson liked the movie. “I loved it,” he said. Seems he was often on the set and even offered some advice along the way – “which they never took” he said, laughing.
Interesting guy. I didn’t see this morning’s session with our students, but word is he was even more entertaining and enlightening there. Sorry I missed it.
If you haven’t seen the movie, check it out. See the trailer here. You won’t be disappointed!