American Rhetoric: Movie Speech

"Syriana" (2005)

Prince Nasir Al-Subaai Discusses Progressive Reform

Al-Subaai: For centuries Arabs have been ruled by people with no respect for law,  monopolies handed out for the things that people want, commerce stifled, young people unable to find jobs. Anyone who criticizes is thrown in jail, or put to death. And women are treated as second class citizens. 

Council Member: The coronation is tomorrow, and your brother has the support of the Americans. And 10,000 of their troops are stationed in our country.

Al-Subaai: True. My father is ill and weak, and unable to oppose the Americans. But others are willing. When a country has five percent of the world's population, but does fifty percent of its military spending, then the persuasive powers of that country are on the decline.