I usually mock celebrities self-indulgent and frequently tin-eared dedication to causes (no matter how well-intentioned their efforts and how important the cause may be), but this is pretty cool (h/t):

The story of the Gurkha Regiments is extraordinary, and to this day, Gurkhas continue to serve in the British Army with considerable distinction.  I’m surprised it hasn’t been made into a film.  Kudos to Joanna Lumley (of Ab-Fab fame) and those who worked with her.

That said, the unspoken part of the story is that Gurkhas want to leave Nepal rather than stay.  The reality is that even before the civil war, Nepal was a mess.  The war’s end has done little to resolve the fundamental challenges facing the country — most notably its continued desperate poverty.  That the country’s heroes would rather live elsewhere is a sad commentary on their impoverished homeland.

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