In a time of rising oil prices and increasing involvement in the Middle East, the issues raised by politically-charged thriller “Syrianna” would seem to be extremely relevant. Written and directed by “Traffic” helmer Stephen Gaghan and starring and produced by “Good Night and Good Luck” helmer George Clooney, “Syrianna” follows the intertwining story lines through the turbulent oil industry, based loosely on former CIA agent Robert Baer’s memoirs, “See No Evil: The True Story of a Ground Soldier in the CIA’s War on Terrorism.”

Clooney fielded many questions concerning the movie’s themes from university newspapers across the country during a teleconference press junket held last weekend.

“I remember sitting there on a roof in Casablanca … and everyone would face Mecca and start praying in the middle of the street,” Clooney said. “It was a hundred people as far as the eye could see, and I remember watching [and] thinking anyone who thinks they have the religious hierarchy over anyone else should be standing here looking at these people and understanding that they have a very strong belief in what they do as well.”

– Facing the realities of the Middle Eastern world.

“I think the backlash has long since past. The point it will come down to is whether or not these films make money, because ultimately, in Hollywood, that’s the only answer. Hollywood ultimately responds to money, and it is still a corporation. It is built on business. If you make a lot of movies that don’t make any money, no one wants to see them, then, Hollywood changes its views and does something different. My feeling is Hollywood has a tougher time of it lately because they haven’t made very challenging films in a while. My view is, if you make some challenging films, maybe people will show up.”

– On whether the movie will face partisan backlash.

“You know, obviously its a political film, but we showed this film to a lot of Neo-Con’s who like it or agreed with it. I think the debate in general is what are we going to do when you are going to have a war with an idea, which is terror, then you have to understand the elements. You can’t just say they’re evil. You have to understand what makes them do evil things.”

– Regarding the political theme of the film.

“It was my own dumb fault. I was strapped to a chair, and a guy was pretending to hit me, and it was a fake punch, and I flipped myself over and cracked my head, tore what’s called my dora, which is wrapped around my spine, and it’s what they called a C.S. lea.”

– Regarding his injury on the set of the movie.