What in heaven's name...?

[hypatia_66]

Some assassinations in history set in train a sequence of unintended consequences — like the completely pointless murder of Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo in 1914 which lit the touchpaper that led to the conflagration of World War. Assassination never achieves the absurd short-term aims the perpetrators hope for.

The murder of a charismatic Iranian general is the equivalent of killing someone regarded as an icon in our own society — like Abraham Lincoln or Martin Luther King. The UK hasn't had many high-profile assassinations, but here it would be someone like Winston Churchill or Queen Elizabeth. The anger in Iran must be immense.

The Middle East is like Australia's forests, tinder dry, heating up and liable to burst into flame. If this is an attempt to distract attention from the impeachment trial, it's quite likely to work, but will there be enough water to put out the blaze if it spreads?