Iran, Israel, and The Middle East: Stopping The Slide Into All-Out War

How will Israel respond to Iran's attack? What is Joe Biden's long term plan for Ukraine? What has Liz Truss' new book revealed about her short spell in Downing Street.
Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more on today's episode of The Rest Is Politics.
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00:00 Intro
01:17 The history of the relationship between Iran & Israel
06:30 Iran, Israel and US response since the drone attack
14:28 Joe Biden's growing to-do list
15:37 Why doesn't Ukraine get Israel's level of support from its allies?
17:14 How the drone attack can grow into something more serious
19:25 Impact on Ukraine and the hierarchy of alliance
23:56 Why we need to talk about the South China Sea
26:55 US naval power (and decline?)
33:49 South Korean Elections
43:47 Has Liz Truss done a deal with Elon Musk?
45:18 Liz Truss experience and management style
59:17 Outro

[@frankwitte1022]

I very much enjoy listening to a podcast where I can disagree with things in the knowledge that the folks I disagree with give their arguments a lot of thought and so it is absolutely worth listening to them.

[@bobsingh7949]

I really appreciate the global roundup and insight you chaps provide. Greetings from Alberta Canada

[@philipmulville8218]

Rory's explainers are the stuff of legend. I tip mon chapeau.

[@simonpriest4345]

Yeah I love the way he misses out all the unhelpful bits on how we got ourselves into this pickle to begin with

[@howmanybeansmakefive]

10:05 (Freudian?) Slip there Rory. Think you meant Mahsa Amini by Iran. Not Shireen (Abu Akleh) by Israel

[@adamjackson6887]

Come on guys...how would we know about the "disgrace" of UK Pork Markets without Mrs Truss...

[@jimb9063]

You would have thought she'd have suggested a bigger bazooka for those prison drones...

[@adamjackson6887]

@jimb9063 I don't know if you've read "politics on the edge" but she'd apparently suggested Dogs had been brought in to bark at the drones to which she was told "you're barking". Rory came up with the remarkable idea of...fixing the windows so drones couldn't be flown in. For some reason key decision makers in the prison administration suggested was impossible.

[@Joe90V]

Well unless her comic mentions cheese imports I won't be reading it.

[@philipmulville8218]

Oink, oink 🐽

[@Bekamorphosis]

Yeah when they were talking about her odd way of communicating, I was visualising her facial expressions in that speech 🤣🤣

[@dmt472]

12:35 oh please the Iranian response was "so extreme" that they sent a majority of crappy drones, a few missiles, in waves, with 2 days warning, and aimed entirely at military bases 😂That is as mild as you get for killing 16 people without warning, and on foreign territory

[@onebeanyboi9204]

I agree with you it was clearly not an attack meant to cause anarchy. However, comparatively, it is extreme compared to previous responses like the military manoeuvres mentioned by Alistair and is extreme in the context of Israel believing there would be no response or very little.

[@DuanRussel]

I agree. in my opinion its like this: Israel hits Iran breaching a serious international convention of not attacking embassy, kills 16 people. Iran strikes back with what appears to be fair warning to Israel and the US. These strikes appear to be mainly to save face at home. If Israel was on the side of regional peace (a joke i know) they would leave it at that. instead they are attacking Iran back and continuing the escalation safe in the knowledge they will drag several western nations into a war if wider war breaks out. Israel is the rogue state. and the future will not look kindly on them if large scale war breaks out.

[@simonpriest4345]

Rory + Al C both prove here how establishment they really are. All the moral moral high ground with Ukraine but completely incapable of applying the same moral equivalence with Gaza.

[@Bevan1988]

​@@onebeanyboi9204 No country should expect no response to attacking another nations diplomatic missions.

[@thomasburkhart5078]

​@@simonpriest4345sorry but you seem have to missed their discussions on Gaza over the last half a year. And Gaza wasn't even the topic today

[@samueljeffries8671]

Hi guys, I have a question for Rory. Will your lectures at Yale be uploaded onto the university's KZbin channel? I hope you see this message and thank you for the great program ?

[@paulheydarian1281]

Does he have anything worth saying? I mainly listen to this podcasts becuz I enjoy their clever put-downs of Liz Truss and BoJo.

[@goosex3644]

@@paulheydarian1281lol

[@UKRYKERRIDER]

Have to say these two guys are clearly very knowledgeable and well read. I like listening to their conversations, easy to listen too…

[@JelMain]

Better than well-read, experienced. As am I.

[@LouisMenotti]

😅 ​@@JelMain

[@JelMain]

@@LouisMenotti Rory knows me, personally. Dana's chum, who laid the groundwork for his time in Afghanistan.

[@gmw3083]

Also, biased.

[@JelMain]

@@gmw3083 So? It's called knowledge. If you've never done anything, it's a poor foundation to critique at this level. I have, and so know what I'm talking about.

[@_arshadm]

I think the game changer is that cheap drones can overwhelm missile defense shields, if you can send thousands of drones interspersed with hyper sonic missiles.

[@simonpriest4345]

Not just drones. You still need some air defence to deter fighter jets

[@chrisjordan4210]

Does anyone not remember the banner headline in the Daily Telegraph the day after the Truss / Kwarteng mini budget...Allister Heath's "The greatest budget I've ever heard", never heard him again?

[@wayneburchell6346]

Liz Truss as the Queen in Blackadder.... now I can't unseen that!

[@djakorla]

Best sign off ever!! “Join your local anti-raids. Goodnight!”

[@richardfinlayson1524]

America is always having a go at China but it is always " Chinese aggression" if China doesn't want US ships sailing right off their borders. I'm not pro China but I'm not pro America either, the Americans are just as aggressive and have a history of undermining other countries governments,and what about all the stuff they don't tell us.

[@paulok2153]

Thanks guys love how you come out the trenches to boot the ball about

[@plebius]

Iron shield not iron dome. Iron shield is what the Israelis call the multilayered defence provided by allies aircraft with iron dome backing it up. The Iron dome is the missile defense system. They gave the impression, that this was a long held prepared contingency for an attack from Iran. Also what I have heard no one mention, Israel has struck facilities in Iran numerous times in my lifetime. (Does everyone forget the attack on Iran's Nuclear facilities.) edit : the airstrike not stuxnet.

[@StephenYuan]

They've also assassinated Iranians. Meanwhile Iran has been supporting Hamas and Hezbollah and the Houthis. They've been going back and forth for decades.

[@paulheydarian1281]

Is any of it made in China? 🤔

[@MeganLeibovici]

Fwiw, it was not the embassy that was struck in Demascus. But rather the consulate? Why the consulate would be right next to the embassy, I don't understand. It was most definitely an attack on Iran, I was just surprised Rory was not more specific.

[@chrisp4170]

These two are brilliant together

[@tariqmanchester]

Iran gets slapped with restrictions and negative comments, whereas the bombing of a consulate/ embassy in Damascus gets no condenmation at all. How quickly we have lost our moral high ground is shocking. But telling.

[@mtb5778]

I thought exactly the same.

[@twelvecatsinatrenchcoat]

Iran is literally launching missiles at all global commercial shipping in the Red Sea. What are you talking about? They have no immunity ANYWHERE. This country has declared war on the world.

[@newogame1]

This

[@twelvecatsinatrenchcoat]

Iran is an openly genocidal regime that has attacked global shipping and oppresses their own people. What were three generals doing in a consulate in Syria? Do you think they were having a tea party?

[@MyFluXx]

@@twelvecatsinatrenchcoat Don't use your brain! Repeat after me, West Bad!

[@johnduffy79]

love this. rory should get back into politics. he is a caring decent man. my dad was a miner and rory was his type of man, honest and bright. he seems to care and listen

[@Ozahmed]

Gloss over 1953, gloss over oppressive regime of the Shah, gloss over our support of Saddam in war against Iran. Iran is a product of disastrous foreign policy over 70 years.

[@waltermcphee3787]

On hierarchy of support, you miss the fact that UK and America signed the Budapest Memorandum to support Ukraine for them giving up their nuclear arms with which Russia would never have invaded. We have a duty to support Ukraine in any way to uphold their independence which we do not have with Israel.

[@bjrnhjjakobsen2174]

Steve Coll have written “The Achilles Trap” Saddam Hussein, the United States and the Middle East, 1979-2003 - very nice👌

[@ALuckyDonkey]

9 dash line feels like a joke. Like when you haggle, you go for the most outrageous number you can think of first.

[@paulheydarian1281]

Are you any good at bargaining? 🤔

[@farhaddizadji4063]

Hope countries have learnt a lesson not to gang up against Iran/ Iranians.

[@JohnCox-ut3cv]

Rory didnt mention Mossadegh in his history of Iran. A massive oversight.

[@isaaner7761]

In his history of Israel Rory "oversaw" the King David Hotel bombing, the murder of the UN mediator and the Deir Yassin massacre. More prejudice than oversight methinks.

[@legringogordo]

Should James Daly be prosecuted for wasting police time if his second politically motivated request for a police investigation also proves without merit ?

[@izikbiton147]

You forgot ballistic missiles in your in the title.

[@adr12346]

Great discussion. I would very much like to hear your thoughts on possible ways the war might end in Ukraine. It seems to me that the only guarantee Russia wouldn't try gaining even more of Ukraine several years after it's end, would either be to join NATO or to have some sort of constant, neutral peacekeeping force along a carved out border. Both of these would be unacceptable outcomes for the parties involved. So, while I agree this war appears unwinnable for Ukraine, especially given material Western support is waning, and I don't want more unnecessary bloodshed, how could the war realistically end?

[@michaelshanahan4042]

I think that was more than a minute though 😅

[@ariadne.thread]

The State of Israel came into existence a couple of decades ago, NOT thousands of years 😂😂😂

[@fghezelbash8731]

these two were in intelligence services. this level of incompetency is really dangerous.

[@richierich7609]

Stuxnet virus (actually called Olympic Games by the US and Israel) was a splashy media event, but if you look at the graph of enriched material produced by the country, it's a parabolic arc going upward and where the virus was used is a tiny, insignificant squiggle you need magnification to see. It was a television event. It didn't meaningfully interrupt the enrichment.

[@ishubaba4202]

and how long will it be before you’re at The Hague

[@ricesnot]

Alister Campbell opinions on the middle east, how useful

[@FireflyOnTheMoon]

yes

[@jamie_ar]

Bit odd to see footage on this of Alistair messing about on his phone while Rory is talking about his experiences with Liz Truss - not sure if he's actually being rude or whether it's a bit of an editing mistake as, when he does chime in, the lighting in his room looks different suggesting the footage is from different times of day...

[@FireflyOnTheMoon]

He often does fact checking on points brought up on the podcast while someone else is talking. He will say he found a stat / book etc relevant to the conversation

[@4as856]

Interesting observation. You tube states there is 12 coment but actually there are so many.

[@bell1095]

Not an "embassy" was attacked in Damascus !

[@elizabethhancock9333]

Very interesting about the South China Sea. Have you read professor Anthony Carey’s ‘The history and sovereignty of the South Chins Sea’?

[@HKrules]

I don't think that the English version has been published yet, Chinese only. I for one will try to read a copy when it is available.

[@mtb5778]

ukraine is a massive country to defend. Israel is tiny in comparison. much easier to defend a small country against missiles and drones.

[@josheves6436]

Is anyone acknowledging the sole aim of the Iranian nuclear missile programme? It has one goal and one goal only and Rory failed to mention it..

[@kutlumzrak2689]

There;s one omission. ISrael's air defense didnt shoot the majority of those 300 missiles. US navy from the supercarrier in mediterrenean and US air force presence did.

[@IanDoesMagic]

Speaking as an American lefty, it's hard to want to spend money on global policing when we're failing our own citizens. I don't buy that we've made things worse, I think the global west has hugely benefitted from American military power, but our European allies have been coasting under that aegis. We have big problems at home and it's time to turn our eye inward.

[@16252]

Abandoning Ukraine is not going to get universal health insurance or lower medication for people in the United States.

[@IanDoesMagic]

@@16252 no one said it would. In the video they implied the left's issues with the American military machine is that it causes more problems than it solves, but the issue is significantly more nuanced than that. Frankly it's an outdated political take.

[@olliegrant205]

Should've mentioned the map men video about the South China Sea!

[@richardoldfield6714]

Not relevant to this particular video, but here's a suggested future topic to cover: anti-democratic revolutionaries who disguise themselves in conservative clothes and are increasingly replacing genuine conservatives. In this context the political philosopher Dr. Vexler has spoken about “… conservative politicians who cease to be conservative but continue to wear conservative clothes. They pretend to play the political game as we all accept it should be played with respect for democratic process, for counter-majoritarian institutions, for checks and balances … but in fact they are authoritarian. They want to break the democratic game.” kzbin.info/www/bejne/hKWpoHRmocucaMk He also refers to other ‘conservative’ politicians who don’t necessarily want to break the democratic game but are open to that happening - or even participating in that happening - if becomes helpful to their political career advancement. Such politicians are, at the very least, reckless in their attacks on the institutions that help to sustain democracy.

[@prasadrao2895]

When historians look back into American history in a hundred or two hundred years, they will say the start of the end of the American empire began with American intervention in Afghanistan.

[@paulhicks3595]

Iran ( singular) IS playing the long game.

[@moonmonkey303]

Made me laugh about Truss's weird body language. Like a few recent conservatives she also wields the weak fist waggle first started by Boris.

[@A_kiwis_view]

Rory did not go back to the installation of the Shah by the CIA, after the assassination of the democratically elected prime minister as part of the Cold War. Since then Israel, Britain and France have become proxies for the USA., destabilising the Middle East. The region will be in a forever mess between Jews, Muslims and Christians until the West leaves the neighbours to sort out their differences.

[@roseblue3368]

Iran knows russia is on their corner

[@StHat20]

Yes, Iran has joined BRICS this January. To save the Israelis from themselves, America and Europe need to say to Netanyahu, enough is enough. You are going to self destruct with your provocative attacks on neighbours and the horrendous ethnic cleansing and occupation of the Palestinians. Either Israel ends its occupation and alters its racist position toward the indigenous people there and give up this zionism, or we will no longer support your society. The world can't tolerate you anymore.

[@jamesjamey8596]

If you read a few lines of Iran's historical interactions with Russia you'll understand that isn't true. Historical facts aside, the Russians do control Syrian air space. So the Israeli strike was willfully ignored by the Russians

[@4as856]

So they think!

[@fghezelbash8731]

12:35 -> response was EXTREM 13:58 -> i am surprised that the response was not more violent Two contradictory statements within 2 minutes.

[@den264]

America's friends are called "allies" Iran's friends are called "proxies " Goebles speek !

[@460mas]

Rory that’s an understatement Cyrus the great is called the messiah in the Hebrew bible. The Iran Israel war is one of the stupidest things in history.

[@Ravengagepvl]

Modern Iran and Israel also have virtually nothing to do with events that transpired thousands of years ago.

[@GibsonFender]

Morning chaps

[@requiem1723]

"The problem about these regimes is that you can cherrypick people who make very extreme statements about the others": so unlike our own dear nation, or our cousins across the pond.

[@SN-sz7kw]

Don’t think that was the point. I think the idea is to recognize that rhetoric, whatever the source, does not necessarily equate to policy.

[@newogame1]

This

[@twelvecatsinatrenchcoat]

Someone pointed this out to me the other day: Why is Marjory Taylor Green one of the most powerful congress people in America right now? She's only been in office three years. She represents a nobody district. She doesn't understand ANYTHING about congressional procedure or how to whip. She can barely even manage the etiquette and language she's supposed to use while speaking on the House floor. She's been embarrassed multiple times trying to push bill she didn't have the support for. So how did this really quite unskilled congress person become a household name who sets fundraising records for the GOP? It's because left wing media puts on her on TV every day.

[@simonjones4855]

​@@twelvecatsinatrenchcoatShe is nowhere near the most powerful. Far, far from it.

[@twelvecatsinatrenchcoat]

​@@simonjones4855 Good thing I didn't say that then. Arguing is so much easier if you just make up what your opponent says instead of reading. MTG raised $3.2 million in the first three months of 2021. For comparison, AOC raised $728 thousand.

[@purplemonkeydishwasher5269]

16:00 disagree. I think we stepped in here to stop a 3rd party escalating a conflict. Interesting idea that Iran basically said we expect you to stop all of these missles and this was just a way to cause Isreal a bit of a headache logistically.

[@dexstewart2450]

Er - Israel's strike on an Iranian Consulate ?

[@chrisjames1924]

2+2=5

[@heritagehomesJapan]

Such an excellent programme this

[@suhailmu]

Your discussion left out Mojahedin-e-Khalq and Baluch dissidents that have carried out numerous terrorist acts in Iran, apparbrtly paid by Israel. Iranian regime is repressive-but we need to cover more of the details of what they experience, too

[@carpeddiem6042]

Iran response to consulate is extreme, Israeli response to hamas is well measured? Propaganda propaganda propaganda

[@richardthingsilike9562]

Rory just tell it like it is about Liz shes mad as a box of frogs and lives in a world of her own!

[@petedennis5694]

Will Ukraine be our Czechoslavakia ? Why wouldn’t we be just as dumb !?🐾🇩🇰

[@lucysteiner4556]

You treating us as fools to think we don’t know how the Shah came to power in Iran. Don’t erase history dude.

[@supergroovy8346]

What is the difference between terrorist groups and resistance groups?

[@fragglet]

Stuxnet was by the US NSA, not Israel.

[@alphasierramike2091]

When you talk about Israel you need to speak about Lebanon and the fact there is this political/military faction dominating the politics or is stalemate? Alasdair read the article in Le PoInt. How does the situation in Lebanon affect the Israeli story and Syria.

[@user-mb8op5hx7h]

James Bagge 🇬🇧 Independent for Norfolk. Why because we need Norfolk security Not insurcure acts of Trust .

[@martinfrances107]

That comment about David Cameron and Liz Truss... is superb

[@tomgraham6071]

Why should Israel expect Iran not react to its attack on their embassy and their rightful attempts to develop nuclear power? No, I don't want Iran with nuclear weapons, but if some hold them, others will want to acquire them.

[@andrewrobinson2565]

Iran IS playing the long game. Dumbing down has gone TOO FAR 😂🎉.

[@pakelly99]

re china reclaiming taiwan, to the best of my knowledge, the prc has never ruled, administered or had any say or presence in taiwan. just thought it was worth mention for any confused by the “reclaiming” term, habitually repeated without any interrogation of whether the term is used in any coherent sense.

[@jimb9063]

Well done chaps. I was shocked to learn that two thirds of our prisons are patrolled by eagles flying from eyries in the EU. This is a disgrace!

[@simonpriest4345]

😂 @rory you lost me saying “the shah and Israel had a close relationship”. Convenient of you to omit the fact that we put him there after getting rid of the democratically elected government.

[@Sai_Saracen]

Well, it seems that there was also a state of Israel 1000s of years ago !!!!

[@estherroman9292]

@@Sai_Saracen Yeah - funny how that little untruth gets slipped in - dang lmao

[@randscott4676]

Convenient for you to omit that what replaced the Shah was a dictatorship religious autocracy that is the biggest world wide sponsor of terror.

[@adaptiveaussie2216]

Uhm pretty sure the strike in Syria Israel did it wasn't actually an embassy and the was legally a legitimate target.

[@Dansinge81]

Why is the conversation on Iran? Israel attacked Iran first in this instance?? Why isn't the conversation about Israel? This is all vey strange. I don't understand.

[@user-ho4rv6kg8u]

Mayhar Tousi might be able to explain.

[@dmt472]

Because it doesn't fit the narrative. Even mainstream media has framed this correctly as a retaliatory attack, it's disappointing to see it in this podcast

[@LouisMenotti]

​@dmt472 Did you expect better from these two?

[@SN-sz7kw]

Um. You did listen to the history portion, right? And do understand who is behind the proxy attacks on Israel? 🤔

[@twelvecatsinatrenchcoat]

20,000 Iranian rockets have been launched into Iz. What do you mean Iz attacked first? Who do you think funds Ha, Hez and the Hou? Iz is SURROUNDED by Iranian aggression.

[@flamboyentpromotions3471]

The description of Hezbollah seems to have missed the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982, which was instrumental in the creation of Hezbollah. Surprised Rory missed that

[@JelMain]

Because you cannot impute a movement to a single event.

[@flamboyentpromotions3471]

@@JelMain lol, that was the biggest single event, and you can't properly contextualise Hezbollah without mentioning 1982

[@BarefootLorrie]

Interesting that Stewart uses “conservative” almost as a dirty word.

[@davidpearn5925]

How do you fail to even mention Mike Johnson and his being owned by Donald Trump with his refusal to sign anything that the vast majority in Congress approve of.......the hardware for Ukraine ???.

[@damienprevot2599]

Absurd theatrics? Was that a jab at me?

[@richardhartman490]

did the bomb actually drop on an embassy, or next door ?

[@nickj1968]

Splitting hairs?

[@FireflyOnTheMoon]

The podcast is just two blokes having a conversation - this is their person reflections, nothing more.

[@jamesjukebox2386]

The British army is a cub scout movement, the once largest Navy in the world, is now barely in control of it's own territorial waters, we are a side show in any conflict, so the more isolationist the Yanks become, we need to get real.

[@davesy6969]

And both sides have nuclear weapons.

[@jamesannetts4449]

🎉

[@hash062]

Israel has gone rogue.

[@5kribbles]

Isreal is "a Theocracy and is in the grip of conservative hard liners" Strange Rory only uses that language to describe Iran. The only reason this hasn't spiralled completely out of control is for the restraint and pragmatism of Iran

[@MyFluXx]

Israel is not a theocracy, come to your senses 😂

[@Caladonia]

Israel is doing nothing as America have stepped away from them.

[@hash062]

@@5kribbles We know about America, but here Government and opposition is bought and paid for by Friends of Israel lobby.

[@5kribbles]

​@@MyFluXx you prefer Ethnoreligious aparthied state? Sure I suppose that is more technically accurate, but it's a distinction without a difference for people living under the boot of the regime. Which country has a greater population living under its control without any democratic voice.

[@den264]

There is a great interview with the Shah of Iran by a very well known American TV presenter. If you thought the Shah was totally pro America and pro Israeli, wrong ! He made many anti Zionist comments in that documentary. He was a highly intelligent and well informed diplomat, and ex president of Iran.

[@ioansamyris8637]

Alastair's analysis of Truss is bang on.

[@garyclark6727]

israel got a slap, they need to calm down!

[@ge3neva]

Unlike at the end of World War II the demographics are fully stacked against Russia. The numbers the lost were visible in the population pyramids but many of the young soldiers dying now will never have families. The long term impact on Russian Economy and society of 150000 deaths is almost incalculable

[@stephenderry9488]

Of course it is important to differentiate between Russian federal citizens from the distant rural oblasts and republics that make up the majority of those casualties, and ethnic Russians from the industrialised Moscow-St Petersburg axis that so far are largely untouched by the conscription drives.

[@jamesm5809]

No wonder US universities are so expensive they are literally flying Rory over every other week to teach. Also, great for the environment Rory!

[@markendicott6874]

Liz Truss.......the poundshop Farage that would be an insult to all good Poundshops (nothing can insult Farage.)

[@lorrainegregory908]

Interesting discussions as ever guys but OTT with personal remarks about Liz Truss. Not necessary.

[@nickyd922]

What is Russia's role in the middle east? They seem to be the agitators. Also wasn't the hamas attack flagged as a retaliation for the killing of Soleimani?

[@dannydetonator]

Idk about Soleimani (might be overreach), but there is certain evidence of Kremlin not only supporting, but sponsoring HAMAS and other Muslim Brotherhood factions. This Gaza-Israel war certainly played in their favour in more ways than one in the big picture. Mostly on info-war front it has divided the "western" unity, main goal of their hybrid-war right now. HAMAS uses every page from Russian black-propaganda book, to the point i'd believe Roskomnadzor psyop offices trained to make or helped to spread their messages. True along the fake ones, obfuscating the real situation and statistics just as they do on Russia-occupied territories. Confusion and polarisation of western public are some of their common goals.

[@brianatkinson4407]

all about the genocide in gaza

[@gavinharding9270]

is that a real basqiat in the background??

[@mtb5778]

what happened to the F16's which Ukraine were being given?

[@tisFrancesfault]

Its still happening.

[@mellowmarkable]

Some aircraft are currently in Romania and the Ukrainian pilots are being trained to use them. The RAF are/were also training pilots I think (saw a short clip at the end of the recent MOD Ukraine documentary on the Ministry of Defence KZbin channel about this, I think?)

[@clear-vision]

A lot of the WW2 losses you refer to, Rory, were Ukrainian.

[@jacquelinerafferty6071]

I wish these so called pundits would do their homework. The iron dome and other top defences of the Israeli airfields did not work. The 2 airfields from which the attack on the iranian consulate was atacked were successfully hit plus as I understand a major intelligence/radar complex in the golan heights was completely destroyed. Jacqueline Rafferty

[@AnonymousAlcoholic772]

The state of israel that didnt exist for 2000 years? They Iranians had strong relations with a non existent state for 2000 years? Has he lost his mind?

[@paulheydarian1281]

Never allow inconvenient facts interfere with the grand narrative, that's the Western Media's approach. Rory probably meant the Israelite tribes, since the idea of nationhood is a fairly modern concept.

[@deirdreseymour8927]

Yes, I noticed that. REALLY Rory!!

[@PublicEnema]

A lot of rewriting of Middle Eastern history from RS omitting the legacy of Jews living throughout the Middle East and western interference in self determination. All of their foreign policy interventions have led disastrous consequences

[@twelvecatsinatrenchcoat]

*All the ones you know about. I like to say the CIA are like eyelashes. You only notice them when they've failed.

[@paulgilliland2992]

Can you honestly explain Israel’s complicated historical narrative in 60 seconds? I think he did an ok summary.

[@FireflyOnTheMoon]

It's not "rewriting anything" - it's a five minute synopsis.

[@fplyerbs5251]

You say before the birth of Christ as if it actually happened

[@nickj1968]

Then some bright spark decided to write a 2nd book of fantasy, The New Testament.