Features
THE NEXT US CIVIL WAR
Film Review
By Jayantha Somasundaram
CIVIL WAR, written and directed by Alex Garland, staring Kirsten Dunst as Lee Smith, Wagner Moura as Joel, Cailee Spaeny as Jessie Cullen, Stephen McKinley Henderson as Sammy.
The film plot is fairly simple. A civil war has broken out in the United States of America, when the incumbent president continues into a third term in office. Consequently, the country disintegrates into four camps along state lines, one group remaining loyal to the authoritarian president. But the President, played by Nick Offerman, and Washington DC, are beleaguered and about to be overrun by the Western Forces made up of Texas and California. The film follows four American journalists who are bent on driving to Washington to interview the President. They are attacked along the way by different armed factions and arrive in the capital as it is being overrun.
American reviewers have not been kind to the movie. Stephanie Zacharek in Time, writes “Do we really need a movie to invent, and rub our noses in, the possibility of a bleaker future?” It is hard, however, to ignore the feeling that Americans themselves, particularly those who identify with the South which lost the Civil War, a hundred and sixty years ago, appear to be very preoccupied with the memory of the Civil War.
In fact while the actual Civil War was in progress in the 19th Century, many in the US were desperate for the endorsement of those across the Atlantic. In her book A World on Fire: An Epic History of Two Nations Divided, historian Amanda Foreman writes how at that time the English MP John Roebuck publicly declared, in Manchester, that “The North (the Unionists) will never be our friends. Of the South (Confederates) you can make friends, they are Englishmen, not the scum and refuse of Europe!”
Jill Filipovic, writing in New Statesman, of 03 April, says that raised in Washington State, which didn’t even exist as such during the Civil War, she learned and understood the Civil War as when “southern states wanted to continue the practice of chattel slavery, which was often discussed in terms of “the economy” (the southern economy being powered by forced, unpaid, lifelong labour) and “states’ rights” (to refuse to bow to federal authority, specifically any laws that sought to regulate or end slavery).”
She points out that the Southern narrative and some textbooks that their school children learn from “portray enslaved people as well treated and happy with their lives…that the war was nobly fought over “freedom” and “states’ rights”, upon which the north was infringing.” Or, as Dinesh D’Souza explains, “the American slave was treated like property, which is to say, pretty well!”
Author and critic Jill Filipovic sees a dystopian message in the film. That the passions and prejudices of the original Civil War remain with us even if they are latent. She quotes Matthew C MacWilliams ,who wrote in Politico, in 2020, that “The single factor that predicted whether a Republican primary voter supported Trump over his rivals was an inclination to authoritarianism.” And the writer-director of the film, Alex Garland, has pointed out that US politics in recent years make it abundantly clear “exactly what the fault lines and pressures are.”
In its review of Civil War, the London Economist is explicit. “Perhaps Alex Garland sees no need to point out the country’s bitter polarisation, the loss of faith in the organs of government or the threat posed by a former president who thinks democratic norms are for other people. In the wake of the attacks of January 6th 2021—when a mob of Donald Trump’s supporters stormed the Capitol in an attempt to block the transfer of power—the threat of insurrection has felt uncomfortably real.”
The Economist was as explicit as are some politicians. Georgia Congresswoman Taylor Greene is quite frank: “We need to separate by red states and blue states.” Or as the anonymous comment that appeared under the YouTube trailer of the motion picture says “This isn’t just a film. It’s a premonition.”
The next civil war is, in fact, very much the subject of both fiction and political commentary. There have been novels like Omar El Akkad’s American War in 2017 and Douglas Kennedy’s Flyover in 2023 and a TV series DMZ (2022). Also in 2022 Political Scientist Barbara Walter, a Professor at University of California, San Diego, and a world authority on civil wars, published How Civil Wars Start, and Stephen Marche, the Canadian essayist and commentator, wrote The Next Civil War: Dispatches from the American Future. The latter cautions: “The United States is a textbook example of a country headed towards civil war.”
Interestingly, the foregoing politics is ignored by the film. There is no such context provided or assumed. It is left to each viewer to formulate his or her own sequence of how the US would have gone from where it is now to political disintegration and military civil war.
Instead, the movie focuses totally on the human drama played out by the four journalists. The cautious Joel, the self confident Lee Smith, the tired and disillusioned Sammy and the young and eager Jessie Cullen. It follows how they deal with a crisis and threat that they have little control over, how they are singularly driven by their quest for a scoop, how they clash and bicker at the outset but as the pace gets quicker and riskier they mellow, bond and have compassion for each other.
Despite the political cloud hanging over this narrative it is still a very human story that we can all relate to.
The abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by US special forces on January 3rd and his coercive conveying to the US to stand trial over a number of allegations leveled against him by the Trump administration marks a dangerous degeneration of prevailing ‘world disorder’. While some cardinal principles in International Law have been blatantly violated by the US in the course of the operation the fallout for the world from the exceptionally sensational VVIP abduction could be grave.
Although controversial US military interventions the world over are not ‘news’ any longer, the abduction and hustling away of a head of government, seen as an enemy of the US, to stand trial on the latter soil amounts to a heavy-handed and arrogant rejection of the foundational principles of international law and order. It would seem, for instance, that the concept of national sovereignty is no longer applicable to the way in which the world’s foremost powers relate to the rest of the international community. Might is indeed right for the likes of the US and the Trump administration in particular is adamant in driving this point home to the world.
Chief spokesmen for the Trump administration have been at pains to point out that the abduction is not at variance with national security related provisions of the US Constitution. These provisions apparently bestow on the US President wide powers to protect US security and stability through courses of action that are seen as essential to further these ends but the fact is that International Law has been brazenly violated in the process in the Venezuelan case.
To be sure, this is not the first occasion on which a head of government has been abducted by US special forces in post-World War Two times and made to stand trial in the US, since such a development occurred in Panama in 1989, but the consequences for the world could be doubly grave as a result of such actions, considering the mounting ‘disorder’ confronting the world community.
Those sections opposed to the Maduro abduction in the US would do well to from now on seek ways of reconciling national security-related provisions in the US Constitution with the country’s wider international commitment to uphold international peace and law and order. No ambiguities could be permitted on this score.
While the arbitrary military action undertaken by the US to further its narrow interests at whatever cost calls for criticism, it would be only fair to point out that the US is not the only big power which has thus dangerously eroded the authority of International Law in recent times. Russia, for example, did just that when it violated the sovereignty of Ukraine by invading it two or more years ago on some nebulous, unconvincing grounds. Consequently, the Ukraine crisis too poses a grave threat to international peace.
It is relevant to mention in this connection that authoritarian rulers who hope to rule their countries in perpetuity as it were, usually end up, sooner rather than later, being a blight on their people. This is on account of the fact that they prove a major obstacle to the implementation of the democratic process which alone holds out the promise of the progressive empowerment of the people, whereas authoritarian rulers prefer to rule with an iron fist with a fixation about self-empowerment.
Nevertheless, regime-change, wherever it may occur, is a matter for the public concerned. In a functional democracy, it is the people, and the people only, who ‘make or break’ governments. From this viewpoint, Russia and Venezuela are most lacking. But externally induced, militarily mediated change is a gross abnormality in the world of democracy, which deserves decrying.
By way of damage control, the US could take the initiative to ensure that the democratic process, read as the full empowerment of ordinary people, takes hold in Venezuela. In this manner the US could help in stemming some of the destructive fallout from its abduction operation. Any attempts by the US to take possession of the national wealth of Venezuela at this juncture are bound to earn for it the condemnation of democratic opinion the world over.
Likewise, the US needs to exert all its influence to ensure that the rights of ordinary Ukrainians are protected. It will need to ensure this while exploring ways of stopping further incursions into Ukrainian territory by Russia’s invading forces. It will need to do this in collaboration with the EU which is putting its best foot forward to end the Ukraine blood-letting.
Meanwhile, the repercussions that the Maduro abduction could have on the global South would need to be watched with some concern by the international community. Here too the EU could prove a positive influence since it is doubtful whether the UN would be enabled by the big powers to carry out the responsibilities that devolve on it with the required effectiveness.
What needs to be specifically watched is the ‘copycat effect’ that could manifest among those less democratically inclined Southern rulers who would be inspired by the Trump administration to take the law into their hands, so to speak, and act with callous disregard for the sovereign rights of their smaller and more vulnerable neighbours.
Democratic opinion the world over would need to think of systems of checks and balances that could contain such power abuse by Southern autocratic rulers in particular. The UN and democracy-supportive organizations, such as the EU, could prove suitable partners in these efforts.
All in all it is international lawlessness that needs managing effectively from now on. If President Trump carries out his threat to over-run other countries as well in the manner in which he ran rough-shod over Venezuela, there is unlikely to remain even a semblance of international order, considering that anarchy would be receiving a strong fillip from the US, ‘The World’s Mightiest Democracy’.
What is also of note is that identity politics in particularly the South would be unprecedentedly energized. The narrative that ‘the Great Satan’ is running amok would win considerable validity among the theocracies of the Middle East and set the stage for a resurgence of religious fanaticism and invigorated armed resistance to the US. The Trump administration needs to stop in its tracks and weigh the pros and cons of its current foreign policy initiatives.
The British School in Colombo (BSC) hosted its Annual Christmas Carnival 2025, ‘Gingerbread Wonderland’, which was a huge success, with the students themseles in the spotlight, managing stalls and volunteering.
The event, organised by the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA), featured a variety of activities, including: Games and rides for all ages, Food stalls offering delicious treats, Drinks and refreshments, Trade booths showcasing local products, and Live music and entertainment.
The carnival was held at the school premises, providing a fun and festive atmosphere for students, parents, and the community to enjoy.
The halls of the BSC were filled with pure Christmas magic and joy with the students and the staff putting on a tremendous display.
Among the highlights was the dazzling fashion show with the students doing the needful, and they were very impressive.
The students themselves were eagerly looking forward to displaying their modelling technique and, I’m told, they enjoyed the moment they had to step on the ramp.
The event supported communities affected by the recent floods, with surplus proceeds going to flood-relief efforts.
Hi! This week I’m giving you some beauty tips so that you could look forward to enjoying 2026 with a glowing younger looking skin.
Face wash for natural beauty
* Avocado:
Take the pulp, make a paste of it and apply on your face. Leave it on for five minutes and then wash it with normal water.
* Cucumber:
Just rub some cucumber slices on your face for 02-03 minutes to cleanse the oil naturally. Wash off with plain water.
* Buttermilk:
Apply all over your face and leave it to dry, then wash it with normal water (works for mixed to oily skin).
Face scrub for natural beauty
Take 01-02 strawberries, 02 pieces of kiwis or 02 cubes of watermelons. Mash any single fruit and apply on your face. Then massage or scrub it slowly for at least 3-5 minutes in circular motions. Then wash it thoroughly with normal or cold water. You can make use of different fruits during different seasons, and see what suits you best! Follow with a natural face mask.
Face Masks
* Papaya and Honey:
Take two pieces of papaya (peeled) and mash them to make a paste. Apply evenly on your face and leave it for 30 minutes and then wash it with cold water.
Papaya is just not a fruit but one of the best natural remedies for good health and glowing younger looking skin. It also helps in reducing pimples and scars. You can also add honey (optional) to the mixture which helps massage and makes your skin glow.
* Banana:
Put a few slices of banana, 01 teaspoon of honey (optional), in a bowl, and mash them nicely. Apply on your face, and massage it gently all over the face for at least 05 minutes. Then wash it off with normal water. For an instant glow on your face, this facemask is a great idea to try!
* Carrot:
Make a paste using 01 carrot (steamed) by mixing it with milk or honey and apply on your face and neck evenly. Let it dry for 15-20 minutes and then wash it with cold water. Carrots work really well for your skin as they have many vitamins and minerals, which give instant shine and younger-looking skin.
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