The Submission

Mo laughs at how Claire manipulated her audience by bringing the MACC leaders on board, but he realizes his initial view of Claire as a principled woman has collapsed. He had intended to bring Easterners and Westerners together, but they have come together to work against him. Malik’s speech makes Mo wonder where the line between his own principles and ambitions lay. His lawyer assures him that he has a strong case, that the battle can yet be won, but this is not Mo’s primary concern. At work, Mo is not allowed to associate with clients or contractors.

Mo makes a trip to Kabul. Armed with a 30-year-old guidebook, he explores the city. He’s amazed at the poverty and how little remains of the beautiful capital city described in the guidebook. While walking along, Mo is struck by the desperate need to defecate. He stops an old man to ask where to find a restroom and ends up pantomiming the process by sitting on his haunches and patting himself. Mo walks through a slum, seeing the filth and the Kabul River nearly dried up, used now only for washing clothes. He finally reaches a beautiful garden called Bag-e-Babur, built in 1526 by a pre-Muslim Moghul.