In what way was it mind blowing?
That's a huge and complex question. Anything resembling a good answer would really need it's own thread. I was in many conversations, with a wide assortment of Middle Eastern people, from the very late 90's until around 2004. From the end of the Clinton administration, through 9/11, and well into the invasion of Iraq.
Mostly I listened, since I was there to learn. Once the Muslim folks came to realize that I wasn't a potential convert, but not an enemy either, they talked rather freely about events and history around me. They said things that I hadn't heard about from the media, and connected a bunch of dots for me.
Doing this subject justice would take a new thread and a lot of posting that's a bit arduous from my little phone. I've considered doing so, but I've just never felt that motivated to school American RF members, especially since I don't think many people would pay attention anyways. It would interfere with their pre-conceived ideas and warlike tendencies.
I'll just hit four highlights.
1)
The embassy in Teheran wasn't really an embassy. It was CIA central for years propping up the hated US puppet Shah Pahlavi. As the Pahlavi regime started to collapse it became a center for violent, foreign, anti government forces. Namely the Great Satan, the USA.
2)
Saddam Hussein couldn't have invaded Iran if the USA didn't instigate it and support it. We supplied financing, protection, materiel, intel, illegal weapons, etc., all in an attempt to crush the Iranian government.
3)
When Hussein failed, the USA instigated him to invade Kuwait. This gave Bush the pretext needed to get rid of Saddam and replace him with someone more able.
4)
When Bush's son assumed power one of the first things he did was declare war on Iran. In his first State of the Union address he named a hit list, called the Axis of Evil. It was composed of Iran, North Korea, and Iraq.
North Korea immediately produced a nuclear weapons program. Their regime is still in power today. Iraq had no such weapons, their leader was publicly executed by the USA along with his sons. Iran learned that lesson well. Get a nuclear deterrent or expect the USA to destroy you, as they have attempt to in the past.
And let me me make this point extremely clear! It doesn't matter whether or not you consider this an accurate account of events leading up to the current fiasco. The Iranians do. They plan to defend themselves by whatever means necessary. And nukes are their best bet.
Tom