Smokin' Aces and operations
Watched Smokin' Aces today.
Spoilers ahead!
I urge all who want to make sense out of what I am about to write to watch the movie first. And, erm, try to follow the story which is told in a rather convoluted manner. I really think it was great story telling. And it mirrors modern warfare and intel collection efforts quite well.
Read the plot first. Here
Some parallels.....
Reel Life:
Let's start with the top....FBI surveillance efforts picks up some information. But because it was misinterpreted, they thought that the magician named Buddy "Aces" Israel was to be shot and his heart taken out for a princely sum of USD1,000,000 by a Swede hitman. But instead, it was actually to have a Swede heart surgeon to remove his heart for a transplant to a mafia boss - Primo. So in this case, the FBI, thinking that they had the aim and objective of the mafia went all out to protect Buddy Israel so that Buddy can snitch on the mafia and ensure the imprisonment of Primo.
Real Life:
Military operations usually have a huge intel network in support. And interpretations are sometimes misguided....military intel thinks they have got it sorted but usually they don't. Giving them complete information still will not guarantee complete understanding. One of the agents don't even know that the word "broad" was a slang for woman.... basically, you not only need to know the lingo, you need to understand the culture, the dynamics and nuances....not easy.... just like trying to nail piracy in the region. Alot of the effort to build Batam and Bintan up is because of the need to reduce piracy. Development does that. Providing people with jobs does that. Education too. Giving them a stake leaves them to think twice before risking their lives to smuggle, pirate and terrorise.
Reel Life:
Even before investigation was complete, the FBI agents were sent to protect Buddy Israel. But because it was later discovered that Buddy's heart was to be transplated to Primo - who was belatedly discovered to be an ex-FBI mole who turned to the dark side but whose information was alot more valuable than Buddy's, it was decided that Buddy should not be protected. By then, one of the FBI agent was already killed.
Real Life:
Military operations never happen with full appreciation of the situation. Even if militants have complete information, things change. And there is the danger of "not knowing what they do not know" or the "unknown unknowns". But nobody is going to sit around and wait until everybody got everything figured out. Action will still have to be carried out despite the lack of full knowledge. And when the intention is changed halfway, sacrifices may already have been made. But people higher up is not as concerned about the sacrifices but to ensure that the sacrifices are for a greater cause. 2 important side lessons here. "War is young men dying, old men talking" and "History remembers kings, not soldiers." Old men and kings refer to the FBI boss. Young men and soldiers refer to the FBI agents who were killed.
Reel Life:
When one half of the female hit(wo)man duo lost communication links with the other, she thought she was killed. Through her monocular telescopic sight, she saw a woman lying slumped and lifeless. The sight of a woman dead and that she had loss communications with her partner led her to conclude that her partner was dead. So she later made a series of rash moves that led to her being spotted by FBI agents and was killed.
Real Life:
Communications is vital in all military operations. Never make emotional choices in war. Control control control.
Reel Life:
The first group of people to die were the amateur hitmen led by Ben Affleck. Ok, maybe one of them did survive and got his revenge towards the end.... In fact, the only people who were alive (some barely) when they were out of the casino/hotel (it's an Integrated Resort) were the professional hitmen.
Real Life:
Always be on top of the game. Keep your skill set sharp. Amateurs die early in the game. Professionals come out of an ordeal alive.
There are other similarities but....damn, I'm tired....
Spoilers ahead!
I urge all who want to make sense out of what I am about to write to watch the movie first. And, erm, try to follow the story which is told in a rather convoluted manner. I really think it was great story telling. And it mirrors modern warfare and intel collection efforts quite well.
Read the plot first. Here
Some parallels.....
Reel Life:
Let's start with the top....FBI surveillance efforts picks up some information. But because it was misinterpreted, they thought that the magician named Buddy "Aces" Israel was to be shot and his heart taken out for a princely sum of USD1,000,000 by a Swede hitman. But instead, it was actually to have a Swede heart surgeon to remove his heart for a transplant to a mafia boss - Primo. So in this case, the FBI, thinking that they had the aim and objective of the mafia went all out to protect Buddy Israel so that Buddy can snitch on the mafia and ensure the imprisonment of Primo.
Real Life:
Military operations usually have a huge intel network in support. And interpretations are sometimes misguided....military intel thinks they have got it sorted but usually they don't. Giving them complete information still will not guarantee complete understanding. One of the agents don't even know that the word "broad" was a slang for woman.... basically, you not only need to know the lingo, you need to understand the culture, the dynamics and nuances....not easy.... just like trying to nail piracy in the region. Alot of the effort to build Batam and Bintan up is because of the need to reduce piracy. Development does that. Providing people with jobs does that. Education too. Giving them a stake leaves them to think twice before risking their lives to smuggle, pirate and terrorise.
Reel Life:
Even before investigation was complete, the FBI agents were sent to protect Buddy Israel. But because it was later discovered that Buddy's heart was to be transplated to Primo - who was belatedly discovered to be an ex-FBI mole who turned to the dark side but whose information was alot more valuable than Buddy's, it was decided that Buddy should not be protected. By then, one of the FBI agent was already killed.
Real Life:
Military operations never happen with full appreciation of the situation. Even if militants have complete information, things change. And there is the danger of "not knowing what they do not know" or the "unknown unknowns". But nobody is going to sit around and wait until everybody got everything figured out. Action will still have to be carried out despite the lack of full knowledge. And when the intention is changed halfway, sacrifices may already have been made. But people higher up is not as concerned about the sacrifices but to ensure that the sacrifices are for a greater cause. 2 important side lessons here. "War is young men dying, old men talking" and "History remembers kings, not soldiers." Old men and kings refer to the FBI boss. Young men and soldiers refer to the FBI agents who were killed.
Reel Life:
When one half of the female hit(wo)man duo lost communication links with the other, she thought she was killed. Through her monocular telescopic sight, she saw a woman lying slumped and lifeless. The sight of a woman dead and that she had loss communications with her partner led her to conclude that her partner was dead. So she later made a series of rash moves that led to her being spotted by FBI agents and was killed.
Real Life:
Communications is vital in all military operations. Never make emotional choices in war. Control control control.
Reel Life:
The first group of people to die were the amateur hitmen led by Ben Affleck. Ok, maybe one of them did survive and got his revenge towards the end.... In fact, the only people who were alive (some barely) when they were out of the casino/hotel (it's an Integrated Resort) were the professional hitmen.
Real Life:
Always be on top of the game. Keep your skill set sharp. Amateurs die early in the game. Professionals come out of an ordeal alive.
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