Adding Rambo

Just in case the atmosphere wasn’t tense enough in Beirut, Lebanese film distributors have decided that we could use a little Rambo in our lives.

This giant homage to Stallone is located in the Bir Hassan neighborhood, just off Martyrs Avenue. A few blocks down the road, streets are covered with images of deceased men from the Hezbollah-allied Amal movement who were killed in the 2006 war with Israel.

Beirut has witnessed 5 high profile assassinations since that devastating 34 day summer confict as well as an attack on a US embassy convoy and many a late night street clash often involving machine guns and sometimes grenades. But some people in the advertising/distribution business, along with politicians and bureaucrats that approved the massive billboard campaign, seem to think we haven’t had enough yet.