Carlos (2010)

Edgar Ramírez: Ilich Ramírez Sánchez 'Carlos'

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Quotes 

• Ilich Ramírez Sánchez, aka 'Carlos' : Know why Carlos is my nom de guerre?

  Dr. Valentín Hernández : No, I don't.

  Ilich Ramírez Sánchez, aka 'Carlos' : For President Carlos Andres Perez. He nationalized the oil industry as well as the mines. He redistributed wealth to the needy. Considered education the 3rd world's main weapon. He's a revolutionary.

  Dr. Valentín Hernández : His methods are rather different from yours.

  Ilich Ramírez Sánchez, aka 'Carlos' : Perhaps. I joined the internationalist struggle. But our convictions are the same.

  Dr. Valentín Hernández : He's a man of peace, with great respect for human life.

  Ilich Ramírez Sánchez, aka 'Carlos' : So am I. Men of honour have nothing to fear. Only traitors need be afraid.

  Dr. Valentín Hernández : What traitors?

  Ilich Ramírez Sánchez, aka 'Carlos' : You know full well. Venezuela's role in OPEC is very clear. The role of the organization is to help 3rd-world countries in their development. Not to support imperialists in maintaining oppression. Relax. Only Amouzegar for Iran and Yamani for Saudi Arabia will have to pay. The others will be spared.

• Dr. Valentín Hernández : Excuse me. I'm not Muslim and I'm famished. Don't you think what the revolution needs is money and not corpses?

  Ilich Ramírez Sánchez, aka 'Carlos' : What are you saying?

  Dr. Valentín Hernández : Your hostages are more valuable alive than dead.

  Ilich Ramírez Sánchez, aka 'Carlos' : Know what, Dr. Hernandez? Let me be clear. I'm very well paid. I have nothing to gain by sparing these dogs. Understood? Enjoy your sandwich.

• Amie de Carlos : You skipped the demonstration against Pinochet's coup.

  Ilich Ramírez Sánchez, aka 'Carlos' : They bore me shitless and serve no purpose. Demonstrations never change a thing.

  Amie de Carlos : Chileans need to know we're behind them.

  Ilich Ramírez Sánchez, aka 'Carlos' : The Chilean generals and the CIA don't care. Where did picketing the coup in Uruguay get us? They're still killing the Tupamaros. It's war. It can't be won by picketing.

  Amie de Carlos : How then?

  Ilich Ramírez Sánchez, aka 'Carlos' : There are other methods. Words get us nowhere. It's time for action.

  Amie de Carlos : What kind of action?

  Ilich Ramírez Sánchez, aka 'Carlos' : We have to commit.

  Amie de Carlos : Commit to what?

  Ilich Ramírez Sánchez, aka 'Carlos' : To the revolution.

  Amie de Carlos : How do you mean? By covert actions?

  Ilich Ramírez Sánchez, aka 'Carlos' : By resistance. I've formed a group. I want you to join us.

  Amie de Carlos : What kind of group?

  Ilich Ramírez Sánchez, aka 'Carlos' : I can't tell you yet. But we're not nihilists. We want to do good.

  Amie de Carlos : Ilich, fighting capitalism with guerrilla means is romantic, but doomed to failure. No more desperate causes. They lead nowhere.

  Ilich Ramírez Sánchez, aka 'Carlos' : So we do nothing?

  Amie de Carlos : Is that what I do?

  Ilich Ramírez Sánchez, aka 'Carlos' : You talk politics in London cafes. Is that the answer? While they kill our comrades in Chile and Jordan. I told you what I saw.

  Amie de Carlos : The balance of power is against us.

  Ilich Ramírez Sánchez, aka 'Carlos' : A myth.

  Amie de Carlos : Not true. Look at Che! He ended up dead. Despite his experience!

  Ilich Ramírez Sánchez, aka 'Carlos' : Why fight the right in Latin America? You think Latin American dictators operate alone? Gringos pull the strings. Overthrow them and imperialism still wins! I'm advocating an internationalist struggle uniting revolutionaries the world over. Look how the Vietcong disgraced the gringos. Squashed them like shit. The balance of power isn't against us. The fight I propose will lead us to glory.

  Amie de Carlos : Glory? That's what you want. To be admired! That's what drives you. Bourgeois arrogance hidden behind revolutionary rhetoric! Just another selfish, two-bit petit-bourgeois!

  Ilich Ramírez Sánchez, aka 'Carlos' : I'm talking about true glory. Not what the Zionist media drones on about. But the pleasure of doing one's duty in silence. Behind every bullet we fire, there will be an idea. Because we act in harmony with our conscience. You say I'm arrogant? I guess I am. For defending the innocent. You know what? You'll be hearing my name a lot. What's more, it's no longer Ilich. My name is Carlos.

• Ilich Ramírez Sánchez, aka 'Carlos' : My name is Carlos. You may have heard of me.

• Ilich Ramírez Sánchez, aka 'Carlos' : Andre disappeared.

  Amie de Carlos : Is he in Lebanon?

  Ilich Ramírez Sánchez, aka 'Carlos' : He panicked.

  Amie de Carlos : Maybe he's hiding.

  Ilich Ramírez Sánchez, aka 'Carlos' : Exactly. What crap. He's getting worse and worse.

  Amie de Carlos : Don't overdo it.

  Ilich Ramírez Sánchez, aka 'Carlos' : I'm not. He puts us at risk. Look what happened at Orly! He's irresponsible!

  Amie de Carlos : You never complained before.

  Ilich Ramírez Sánchez, aka 'Carlos' : I was dumb! But I warned them about him. This asshole's dangerous. I've said it for a while.

• Ryiadh el-Azzawi : [referring to Angie, who was injured]  He's in an ambulance. On his way to the airport.

  Ilich Ramírez Sánchez, aka 'Carlos' : We will not leave until he's on board. Understood?

  Anis Naccache 'Khalid' : Kreisky has kept his word.

  Ilich Ramírez Sánchez, aka 'Carlos' : Offcourse. If we'd asked for a belly-dance, he'd have done it.

• Ilich Ramírez Sánchez, aka 'Carlos' : Hasta la Victoria Siempre!

• Abdelaziz Bouteflika : I didn't expect to see you again so soon.

  Ilich Ramírez Sánchez, aka 'Carlos' : I'm sorry to get you out of bed so late.

  Abdelaziz Bouteflika : So things didn't go as planned in Tripoli.

  Ilich Ramírez Sánchez, aka 'Carlos' : The Libyans betrayed our cause.

  Abdelaziz Bouteflika : I don't think your cause is ours.

  Ilich Ramírez Sánchez, aka 'Carlos' : Our pilot is exhausted. And the plane cannot reach our destination. Give us a long-haul plane and we're out of your lives.

  Abdelaziz Bouteflika : The Saudis are our allies. The Iranians too. We cannot put their ministers' lives in danger.

  Ilich Ramírez Sánchez, aka 'Carlos' : You put them in danger by refusing our conditions.

  Abdelaziz Bouteflika : If things go wrong, your life and those of your men are at stake. Touch one hair on Yamani's head on our soil and you're all dead. Clear enough? Be realistic. The Saudis are too powerful. Not one country would risk helping you. You won't go to Bagdad. What has Tunisia offered? Nothing. What has Libya offered? Nothing. I offer an honourable way out that can even come off as victory. Yesterday I mentioned a certain sum. I'm sure the Saudis would double it. Can your cause, whatever it is, afford to spit on 20 million dollars?

  Ilich Ramírez Sánchez, aka 'Carlos' : What guarantee?

  Abdelaziz Bouteflika : Algeria's word.

  Ilich Ramírez Sánchez, aka 'Carlos' : You proved it worthless.

  Abdelaziz Bouteflika : Then that of the Bank of Algeria! If you agree, we'll open an account in the name of your group. The money will be wired within hours.

  Ilich Ramírez Sánchez, aka 'Carlos' : My group must not be named.

  Abdelaziz Bouteflika : In your name, then. Work it out with Mr. Haddad. We know him well. He's discreet, wary of needless publicity. But definitely not indifferent to money.

• Ilich Ramírez Sánchez, aka 'Carlos' : What are these dumb Japs up to?

  Galeriste : What's going on?

  Galeriste : Time's up. No one's dead.

  Galeriste : Isn't Furuya in Holland?

  Ilich Ramírez Sánchez, aka 'Carlos' : So what? There's no plane or crew! It's useless.

  Galeriste : What will you do?

  Ilich Ramírez Sánchez, aka 'Carlos' : Act for them. Algerian-style. Sudden bloody terror.

• Ilich Ramírez Sánchez, aka 'Carlos' : I'm going to kill you. Not yet. You're a smart man and you know the ins and outs of politics the same way I do. You know that in the end of the day we're just pawns in the game of history, aren't we? Me, I'm a soldier. I don't have a home, I live in a tent, my only mission is to lead my men to victory. Today, I have 40 commando groups around the world, ready to act as soon as I give the order. They're men with determination and they're ready to sacrifice themselves for the cause and for the final victory. That's who I am. As for you, you're a strategist and the chessboard you play at is as big as the planet and I totally respect that because, actually, you and I have found ourselves many times on the same side. The side of the anti-imperialist struggle and the Palestinian cause. But unfortunately today we're not on that same side, besause by lifting the oil embargo you betrayed our cause. You sided with Washington and there always comes a time for man to take responsibility for his acts and that time, Sheikh Yamani, has come for you today. You're going to have to pay for Saudi Arabia's political desicions. And you know what's the treatement reserved for the traitors. Death. Now you pray. You know what, I'm gonna be straight to you, because you and I are men of the same caliber. You and I know that if the Austrian government doesn't respect our ultimatum I will have no choise and with no hesitation I will execute you personally and throw your body out the window. But I also know that a man of your intelligence won't hold that against me. Because, after all, you know our struggle very well. You're aware of it's greatness and nobility.

  Cheikh Yamani : How can you just sit there coldly, telling me that you're going to execute me and expect me not to hold it against you? What game are you playing? What are you trying to obtain from me?

  Ilich Ramírez Sánchez, aka 'Carlos' : Why would I want to pressure you? At this very moment, why would I want to pressure you? I want to pressure the Austrian government to get away from here, not you!