Myth as Geo-Politics
Judge Napolitano interview with Alastair Crooke, 25 Aug 2025
Alastair Crooke:
Societies have found -- and continue to find -- meaning in life through war. James Hillman in his book, A Terrible Love of War, attempted to address blood-lust: an impulse so terrible, yet one that ignites a Mars-like fury that bonds men in battle. “I felt like a god”, says General Patton (in the eponymous film). The General walks the field after a battle. Churned earth, burned tanks, dead men. He takes up a dying officer, kisses him, surveys the havoc, and says: “I love it. God help me, I do love it so. I love it more than my life”.
Israel is doing this now -- seeking to find ‘meaning’ from its Biblical roots in the churned desolation it has visited on Gaza. Blood lust in Gaza has been awakened out from the ancient myths in the Torah by Messianic Nationalists. It is an impulse that is profoundly dangerous.
These dark psychic impulses, once awakened, easily replicate: Washington today enthuses over de-capitation strikes (Lebanon, Syria and Iran). Assassinations today find liberal justification. Model gold exploding pagers and cell phones are thought to be cool gifts for a President.
Other deep psychic impulses seem dangerously close to awakening too: One prominent member of Trump’s circle, Peter Thiel, is due to give a series of four lectures next month on the role of the Katechon as a somehow a bulwark against something far worse: the Antichrist. This no doubt will be a Biblical exploration, but clearly the ancient, but still potent, image of the Antichrist is in the air.
“Putin has been a constant de-stabilising force”, says Macron. “Russia has become a threat to many -- including us. It has to eat to survive. So, he’s a predator: a cannibal at our doorstep. I’m not saying that France will be attacked tomorrow, but this is a threat to Europeans. Let’s not be naïve”.
Well, there it is: the imagery evoked of ‘the beast’ at the door, the ‘cannibal needing to eat’, is very clear.
At Anchorage, Putin seemingly paid due attention to the psychology underlying Trump’s sudden request to meet. The Russians treated Trump in a very respectful, courteous and friendly fashion. Less noticed perhaps -- but psychologically crucial -- is that Trump seemed to recognise in Putin a fellow from the pantheon of putative ‘mythic leaders’. Apollonian perhaps, rather than Dionysus. Yet how striking unlike it was to Trump’s disdainful treatment of the Euros.
An awakening of these ancient Manichaean depths can be more potent, more dangerous -- even -- than the cold possession of nuclear weapons. Moscow perhaps understands this better than many might think.
Another brilliant analysis by Mr Crooke. I find the discourse on Mythic aspects as very interesting since I did not get the breadth of "humanities" in college while I attended that he, obviously did. There is much in his background and experience that most of us lack. Having said that, doesn't mean I take everything he says without the usual grain of salt. It is hard to accept that the western society has slowly but steadily moved towards "blood lust or liable" but when it is brought to our attention, it is hard to not see.
I would like to remake a comment I made before regarding Iran and Israel. "True Promise" was a response to the assassination of the Hamas leader in Tehran, if memory serves. "True Promise 2" was a response to the Israeli bombing of the Iranian consulate in Beirut. Israel then started an attack on Iran that was terminated when the F-35 pilots reported being "illuminated" by a strange radar, thus they were actually being targeted. To this abortive attack, Iran promised "True Promise 3."
When Israel used sabotage and attacked Iran to start the 12 day war, Iran responded to that attack with the basic "True Promise 3" that they had promised for the aborted attack, thus the 12 day war has not been retaliated for as yet. There is no reason that Iran, when it is ready, need wait for Israel to "fire the first shot." They are already "one retaliation behind."
It would be appropriate that Iran launch "True Promise 4," then, as a response to the acts of sabotage and the first strike of the war. Just make it massive. I heard mentioned elsewhere that Iran has a Missile that launches 80 separate, individual targeted warheads. If so, imagine the defensive load that would require to eliminate it. But if they decide to launch "True Promise 4," it should be a massive one day salvo. One capable of deciding the war before it begins.