I was a correspondent for AFP living in Iran from 2016 to 2019. Iranian nationalism runs deep and goes beyond the usual narratives of rallying around the flag etc. There is a huge part of the population for whom the emotions of the revolution and its links to a long civilisational history with its roots in myths around Hussein and Siyavosh are the very essence of how they see themselves and their place in the world and do not translate easily, if at all, to the question of whether they agree or not, with a US invasion. Often overlooked as well is the extent to which the defining event of the past 50 years is not the revolution, but the war with Iraq in the 1980s.
I have a new substack looking back at my experiences in the country at ericwrandolph.substack.com which I hope will offer some different perspectives and context.
What do you think the effects of this would be on the Sahel, if this drags out? I imagine a global economic crisis would severely impact efforts to contain already out of control insurgencies, no?
good observations.
I was a correspondent for AFP living in Iran from 2016 to 2019. Iranian nationalism runs deep and goes beyond the usual narratives of rallying around the flag etc. There is a huge part of the population for whom the emotions of the revolution and its links to a long civilisational history with its roots in myths around Hussein and Siyavosh are the very essence of how they see themselves and their place in the world and do not translate easily, if at all, to the question of whether they agree or not, with a US invasion. Often overlooked as well is the extent to which the defining event of the past 50 years is not the revolution, but the war with Iraq in the 1980s.
I have a new substack looking back at my experiences in the country at ericwrandolph.substack.com which I hope will offer some different perspectives and context.
What do you think the effects of this would be on the Sahel, if this drags out? I imagine a global economic crisis would severely impact efforts to contain already out of control insurgencies, no?
The PR was sloppy, cliched and half-hearted because the decision to attack had already been made.