Roger Higginson | On War in Iran and the Middle East — Why the West Doesn’t Understand Its Enemies

Roger Higginson | On War in Iran and the Middle East — Why the West Doesn’t Understand Its Enemies

In a candid and open conversation, Dr. Roger Higginson challenges some of the most deeply held assumptions in Western policy and thinking.

From Iran to Russia, he argues that what the West sees as aggression is often perceived on the other side as defense — shaped by history, invasion, and long-term insecurity.

He explains why de-escalation has become so difficult, pointing to entrenched political narratives, institutional inertia, and a system that increasingly defaults to confrontation.

We discuss:

– why Western policymakers misunderstand Iran
– how historical interventions still shape today’s conflicts
– the role of Israel in escalating tensions with Tehran
– whether the UK is still an independent actor — or aligned by default
– how double standards on Ukraine and the Middle East are eroding Western credibility
– why soft power has always depended on hard power
– and whether Europe’s fear of Russia reflects reality — or perception

Dr. Higginson also raises uncomfortable questions:

Is the West capable of de-escalation — or structurally locked into conflict?
Is credibility already lost — or still recoverable?
And what happens when perception replaces understanding in global politics?

This is not a conversation about headlines.
It is about how wars start — and why they become so difficult to end.

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Jaksot(59)

Jeremy Shapiro | Europe Can No Longer Count on America

Jeremy Shapiro | Europe Can No Longer Count on America

Just days before the 2026 NATO Summit in Ankara, Dr. Jeremy Shapiro joins Frontlines & Backrooms to discuss the future of the transatlantic alliance.As Washington shifts its strategic focus toward the...

5 Heinä 1h 1min

Nathalie Tocci | America's Great Betrayal: Can Europe Defend Itself?

Nathalie Tocci | America's Great Betrayal: Can Europe Defend Itself?

For nearly eighty years, Europe's security rested on one assumption: that the United States would always be there.Today, that assumption is being tested like never before.In this episode, Dr. Nathalie...

1 Heinä 59min

Benny Morris | Israel and Palestine: 140 Years of Conflict — And Why There Will Be No Peace in Our Lifetime

Benny Morris | Israel and Palestine: 140 Years of Conflict — And Why There Will Be No Peace in Our Lifetime

Six months after its original release, we are publishing our complete conversation with historian Benny Morris as a standalone episode for the first time.From the Nakba and 1948 to Oslo, October 7, Ga...

26 Kesä 1h

Mark Fitzpatrick | Iran, the Versailles Memorandum, and How the US Lost Its Leverage

Mark Fitzpatrick | Iran, the Versailles Memorandum, and How the US Lost Its Leverage

The war may be over, but the debate has only begun.Drawing on 26 years in US diplomacy and decades of work on non-proliferation, Mark Fitzpatrick joins Frontlines & Backrooms to examine the strategic ...

24 Kesä 48min

Joe Cirincione | Inside the Collapse of Trump's Iran Nuclear Memorandum

Joe Cirincione | Inside the Collapse of Trump's Iran Nuclear Memorandum

Less than 48 hours after the signing of Trump's Iran Memorandum of Understanding, the agreement was already facing its first major test. As fighting continued in southern Lebanon and Tehran suspended ...

20 Kesä 58min

Timothy Lynch | Trump and the Illusion of US Policy Change

Timothy Lynch | Trump and the Illusion of US Policy Change

Donald Trump promised a different America. Less intervention. Fewer wars. A new approach to the world.But how much actually changes when administrations change?In this episode of Frontlines & Backroom...

14 Kesä 54min

Elijah Magnier | Iran's Red Lines, Hezbollah's 44,000 Men, and Netanyahu's Failure

Elijah Magnier | Iran's Red Lines, Hezbollah's 44,000 Men, and Netanyahu's Failure

Billions in US military aid and unmatched air superiority have failed to produce decisive outcomes across the Middle East. Why?In this episode, veteran war correspondent and political analyst Elijah M...

10 Kesä 45min

DR. BILJANA VANKOVSKA | THE BALKANS — EU HOSTAGES WITH STOCKHOLM SYNDROME

DR. BILJANA VANKOVSKA | THE BALKANS — EU HOSTAGES WITH STOCKHOLM SYNDROME

For decades, the Balkans were promised a future inside the European Union. Instead, much of the region remains trapped between endless conditions, political dependency, and constantly shifting rules.I...

3 Kesä 1h 8min

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