Middle East conflict and whether Western blame oversimplifies its causes

[Ihatetomatoes]

I read a number of theads that I don't contribute on and wasn't sure where to pop this. There are many misconceptions about how 'The West' are at fault for much/many/all of the problems in the middle east. I came across this and thought I'd share it. The first suicide bomber - not due to any conflict with a Western power but arose from the conflict of Iran/Iraq.

Something that I thought might be useful for those in the West who like to blame all the ills of the world on the west and spread the myth that the middle east would be utopia if The West hadn't have etc etc etc. Issues and problems are mostly multi factorial and nuanced and the problems have built up over many, many years and it seems ridiculous to read or hear the 'the west/British/colonisers etc etc' are the fault of the problems in the middle east. Not so. Many reasons for conflicts and problems, many, many reasons.

"The modern Middle-Eastern suicide bomber, the archetypal face of 21st-century terrorism, did not first emerge from the rubble of 9/11 nor the insurgencies in Iraq and Syria. Rather, the modern architecture of martyrdom was born earlier, in a different war and under a different banner: that of the Islamic Republic of Iran during its brutal conflict with Saddam Hussein’s Iraq in the 1980s."

from here: https://aoav.org.uk/2025/the-martyrs-logic-why-provoking-iran-risks-a-global-spiral-of-violence/

Your example of Poland only serves to highlight your confusion by the way. I know nothing whatever about Slovakia so I couldn't say.

I wonder if you know any Russians or Poles? I've known quite a few and they all had quite a strong sense of the 'otherness' of 'The West'. They may feel European now (I don't think those I knew in the Soviet Union did - it was so obvious it was not something we talked about), but 'The West' is not the same thing.

Being "'western" is a cultural as much as geographical thing and Russia is certainly not considered to be part of the West culturally.

Its completely a cultural and political thing. Australia has a stronger claim to be part of The West than Russia.

Was just going to say if no one has (havent read the whole thread) that there is a good Triggernometry with him which Ive just started (2 + hours so watching in stages!). He is very knowledgeable and talks without notes. I already know more about the Ottoman Empire, Muslim BH etc. His book looks great.