what i'm blogging about is the bit when the author reprints an excerpt of an email from brandon friedman:
Instead of fighting organized theocratic government forces and their foreign terrorist guests, we're now arrayed against a Tatooine-esque combination actual foreign terrorists, actual Taliban fighters from two different countries, narco-warlords jockeying for regional power and influence, regular warlords jockeying for regional power and influence, angry Afghan citizens who've grown weary of civilian casualties, angry Afghan civilians who've grown weary of foreign forces and their broken promises, regular Afghan citizens who side with the Taliban out of sheer necessity for survival, angry opium farmers, Pakistani agents, and, finally, the invisible blight of government corruption.(emphasis added) what exactly does "tatooine-esque" mean? is it because of the desert? i don't think afghanistan is as deserty as luke skywalker's home planet. is it because there's a hodge-podge of characters like in that cantina scene? then why did he make the comparison with the whole planet and not just the relevant bar? maybe it's because it's a wretched hive of scum and villainy? but again, that's mos eisley spaceport, not the planet as a whole.
it's also complicated by the fact that there is an actual tatooine in the muslim world. okay, it's spelled tataouine. but that's where george lucas got the name for the planet. he filmed the desert scenes up the road in matmata. (this is as good a time as any to foist my holiday photos of matmata on you. consider yourself foisted-upon)
i realize it's a minor point, but this stuff really bugs a traveling star wars geek like me.
