History does not repeat itself, but it often rhymes. And right now, the West is humming a familiar, discordant tune. Qatar, that perfumed principality of gas and good intentions, has confirmed what many suspected: the US-Iran talks have stalled.
The usual suspects blame Tehran's intransigence, but let us be honest. The Grand Bargain was always a fantasy, a fever dream of diplomats who believe a signature can erase centuries of Persian ambition. Now, what do we see?
British diplomats, ever eager for relevance, push for an 'alternative route'. What route? Perhaps the one paved with Neville Chamberlain's umbrella.
This is not negotiation. This is the slow, gentlemanly dance of decline. The irony is rich.
We fret over Iranian centrifuges while our own intellectual reactors have gone critical. The West has lost the plot, confusing process with progress. Every delay, every new proposal is a victory for the mullahs.
They do not negotiate in good faith; they negotiate in time. Meanwhile, London flatters itself as a mediator. But a mediator without power is a court jester.
We are watching the fall of Rome in slow motion, but instead of barbarians at the gates, we have bureaucrats with briefcases.
