I was initially heavily invested in the day-to-day goings-on in the Middle East following the United States and Israel's unprovoked and illegal airstrikes on Iran starting on Feb. 28, 2026. For three weeks, I was on edge — not because I thought this war would escalate and turn a regional conflict into a global one. I breathed a sigh of relief when America's traditional allies in Europe refused to join in what is turning out to be a Trumpian disaster. No, I was anxious because, for the first time in my life, I had no idea what was really going on out there.
It's a far cry from the news coverage of the 2003 invasion of Iraq. You know, the one where the US and its allies bombarded the country on the pretext that Saddam Hussein's regime was manufacturing and harboring weapons of mass destruction — which it was not. Back then, you knew you could trust what you were seeing on the news. I'm not so sure about this time around.
I can't even be sure if the footage I am watching was taken on the day the news agency says it was. I mean, have you seen some of the AI videos out there? Even I have to be careful when I watch certain personalities discuss certain topics on YouTube. I once wasted several minutes hanging on to every word of a global expert on the Middle East, only to realize the figure was AI. Or maybe it was real. Again, it's hard to tell them apart these days.
What raised my eyebrows was his voice. It sounded off. It was the way he spoke; the cadence was too precise and predictable. Instead of listening, I started to look for other details that should or shouldn't be in the video. Before long, I stopped watching. I had already lost interest. I may have been wrong — I'm not exactly an expert on AI imagery — but when doubt starts to creep in, the credibility bubble has already popped.
It doesn't help when the American president changes his mind about the developments of the war several times in one day. It's the bombastic way he delivers updates to the public that makes me scratch my head. Is the guy for real? He's the leader of the most powerful country in the world, yet he comes off like a stand-up comedian who isn't funny.
If you're wondering why I hardly write about the subject anymore, it's because I'm tired. I know many people are dying every day while this war rages, but there's nothing I can do about it. It's not only out of my hands, but it's out of most people's hands. Only the perpetrator — the world's self-confessed policeman — can put a stop to this madness. But it seems Uncle Sam has found himself stuck between a rock and a hard place.
I would like for life to return to normal. Wishful thinking, I know. But as a hopeless optimist, I am hoping and optimistic all at the same time. However, I am also not stupid; I happen to be a pragmatist. I guess I'm like almost everyone else who lives in the Global South. We all know that theories, dogmas, or ideals do not put food on the table, put clothes on our backs, or pay the bills.
We are forced to be practical. We have no choice but to deal with actual circumstances. We adapt. We act on the problem, only to realize that we are but a tiny piece of a ginormous puzzle. We cannot move on until all the pieces fit.
Until then, we go about our daily lives relying on muscle memory. Or maybe I'm just overthinking the entire situation. Or maybe it's the toothache that has been killing me for the last two days. That's a hell of a way to get your mind off any war. That and a gout attack—God forbid. Either way, I've already shelved some plans and even canceled a trip I had been looking forward to.
I just want to be prepared for any eventuality, whatever that is. But right now, I just want the pain to go away so I can sit down and enjoy a nice, hot meal.
