Oh good, another Middle Eastern intervention!

I regularly cycle past the Iranian embassy in London. For the last few months, there has been a constant, noisy vigil outside, with people waving Israeli flags and the banner of pre-revolutionary Iran.

Each time I cycle past, I think to myself, “oh f**k off”. Not particularly because I feel passionately about maintaining the theocracy in Tehran, but because I am sick of seeing foreign politics played out on our streets. As far as I am concerned, they are a nuisance. The same applies to all the other foreigners on our streets ranting about any other part of the world: if you’re that bothered, sod back off to that chosen geography. Integrating means leaving your petty political prattlings behind.

As such, I find myself unable to get excited about killing Iran’s leadership. The hyperbolically titled ‘Operation Epic Fury’ (why not ‘Operation Puppy Licks’ or ‘Operation Belly Rub’?) is yet another great venture into destabilising a part of the world whose politics we (being the Collective West) have meddled in enough already.

Of course, this time will be different, I’m sure.

I am not glad about the Ayatollah being killed. Should I be? The gloating of the right, broadly speaking, about his downfall seems so myopic and historically ignorant. It's as if we are not spoiled for choice when it comes to examples of Western ‘intervention’ into countries which were also ostensibly on the cusp of various destructive weapons. As we know, our actions resulted in civil wars, migrant catastrophes, and the ongoing suffering of millions. The switch from loving Trump for being the ‘Peace President’ to supporting his various wars has been quite extraordinary to behold.

Who knows what will happen in Iran. I certainly don’t. Will a country of 93 million people fall apart into civil strife, flooding Europe with yet more migrants? Who would care? The Israelis certainly wouldn’t, nor the Yanks. The hope, no doubt, is for Persia to cast off its shackles and emerge as a liberal democracy – as if we haven’t heard this tired refrain before. Well, maybe that will happen, but maybe it will drag the whole Middle East further into a quagmire.

Speaking of the Yanks, their new favoured tactic appears to be engaging in negotiations while simultaneously trying to kill their interlocutors. It is not a good look. It is inconceivable that anyone would negotiate in good faith with this administration. The world must look on and conclude that the US is a wildly dangerous neoconservative behemoth. The only protection against it is to develop your own nukes, or to fully embrace the Sino-Russian hug. And on that note: why would Putin negotiate with the US when it is Washington’s habit to murder those it engages with diplomatically?

We have too many problems at home. Our country slips away before our eyes every day. We are being distracted by foreign wars. Sure, this time will be different – it always is. Just like when we got rid of Hussein and Gaddafi, or embroiled ourselves in Afghanistan. And now, we appear to be falling dutifully into line behind Washington, as we always do.

All of this is being conducted in someone’s interest. I am convinced that it’s not mine. The old ruse is to tell me that it is, and that I am a sucker for thinking otherwise. It is, however, a line I’ve heard too many times before.