It was at dinner in the garden
of a well-known analyst of Iran. He'd spent years writing prolifically
and astutely about the regime, its progress on nuclear technology,
dissidents, U.S. policy, Israeli policy, and the machinations of the
P5+1. "What's the latest on your blog?" we asked.
"Italian food," he replied. "There's nothing left to say about Iran."
That doesn't mean nothing is happening -- only that, like in Bill Murray's Groundhog Day, the things that are happening are largely repeat events, and what there is to say about them has largely been said1. Or perhaps it is recognition that writers and analysts, no matter how correct they are, do not have influence in the right quarters right now.
How many times over how many years have we heard that the unraveling of dictatorial regimes in the Middle East a) favor well-organized movements which are mainly Islamist, b) are not good for the United States, and c) are not good for Israel? Which writer will write the piece that makes the Muslim Brotherhood say, "Oh, right! It's better to have a country in which women are equal, dissenting voices important, and Christians and Jews good citizens who make our national mosaic better"? Who will write the one that makes President Obama say, "I've been wrong about the Brotherhood -- their election is not about democracy, it is about power"? Or "What I remember about Islam from my childhood was a child's view; now I am a grown-up and need to readjust"?
Give that writer a prize.
"Italian food," he replied. "There's nothing left to say about Iran."
That doesn't mean nothing is happening -- only that, like in Bill Murray's Groundhog Day, the things that are happening are largely repeat events, and what there is to say about them has largely been said1. Or perhaps it is recognition that writers and analysts, no matter how correct they are, do not have influence in the right quarters right now.
How many times over how many years have we heard that the unraveling of dictatorial regimes in the Middle East a) favor well-organized movements which are mainly Islamist, b) are not good for the United States, and c) are not good for Israel? Which writer will write the piece that makes the Muslim Brotherhood say, "Oh, right! It's better to have a country in which women are equal, dissenting voices important, and Christians and Jews good citizens who make our national mosaic better"? Who will write the one that makes President Obama say, "I've been wrong about the Brotherhood -- their election is not about democracy, it is about power"? Or "What I remember about Islam from my childhood was a child's view; now I am a grown-up and need to readjust"?
Give that writer a prize.
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