Green Zone

On March 19, 2003, amidst the chaos of the Baghdad bombardment, Iraqi General Mohammed Al-Rawi (Yigal Naor) hastily escapes from his residence. Before his departure, he hands over a notebook to his aide Seyyed, urging him to notify their officers to retreat to safe-houses and await his signal.

Fast forward four weeks, U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer Roy Miller (Matt Damon) is leading his platoon as they investigate a warehouse purportedly linked to Iraqi weapons of mass destruction. To his astonishment, the warehouse remains unsecured, filled with looters, while the soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division appear overwhelmed. After a tense exchange with a sniper results in yet another empty find, Miller expresses his frustration during a debriefing, highlighting the unreliability of the intel provided. However, his claims are swiftly dismissed by high-ranking officials. Later, CIA agent Martin Brown (Brendan Gleeson) informs him that his next target was already examined by a UN team two months prior and confirmed empty as well.

Amid these developments, U.S. Department of Defense official Clark Poundstone (Greg Kinnear) greets returning Iraqi politician Ahmed Zubaidi (Raad Rawi) at the airport. During this encounter, Lawrie Dayne (Amy Ryan), a journalist for the Wall Street Journal, attempts to discuss Magellan with Poundstone, who dismisses her. Poundstone has been instructed to appoint Zubaidi as the leader of the new Iraqi Government, while Brown argues against sidelining the Iraqi army, warning of looming civil war if they are removed from the process.

While investigating another seemingly unpromising site, Miller is approached by an Iraqi man known as Freddy (Khalid Abdalla). Freddy claims to have witnessed Ba’Ath Party officials, including Al-Rawi, gathering in a nearby house to deliberate on their future, indicating that Al-Rawi is waiting for the Americans to negotiate with him. As the meeting concludes, Miller and his team burst in, leading to Al-Rawi’s narrow escape, though Seyyed is captured. During further interrogation, Seyyed reveals under duress that they complied with the Americans, mentioning a meeting in Jordan.

Miller confronts Dayne regarding the misleading WMD reports, leading to a reluctant confirmation from her that Magellan was indeed in Jordan. Realizing that Al-Rawi holds crucial information, Miller sets out to secure a meeting with him. However, amid the chaos of military decisions to disband the Iraqi army, Al-Rawi runs the risk of becoming a vital liability.

The plot thickens when Poundstone’s team tracks down; Al-Rawi revealing his earlier communication stating that the WMD program had been dismantled since the First Persian Gulf War. As the military closes in on the general, he manages to flee but is confronted by Miller. In a tragic twist, Freddy ultimately shoots Al-Rawi, asserting that the power dynamics of Iraq are “not his to decide.” With his primary witness eliminated, Miller urges Freddy to escape before it’s too late.

In the aftermath, Miller produces a critical report detailing the situation. He confronts Poundstone, presenting his findings, only to be brushed aside as the official underplays the significance of the WMD revelations. While the meeting unravels, the factions in Iraq dismiss Zubaidi as a mere puppet of American interests. However, the impact of Miller’s report resonates globally as Dayne receives it via email, disseminating the urgent truths contained within to major news outlets worldwide.

Last Updated: November 08, 2024 at 02:19