In his book, Occidentalism, Ian Buruma shows that the dehumanising picture of the West painted by its enemies is not a new phenomenon, though it cannot be attributed solely to either the right or left, nor to an Islamic source.

Buruma discussed with authors Ziauddin Sardar and Jon Ronson how these longstanding stereotypes fuel the hatred at the heart of movements such as Al Qaeda. They also explored the links between anti-American, anti- Western and antisemitic ideas.

Lawrence Freedman who is an authority on war and warfare, past and present, and consultant to governments on conflict, is joined by the BBC World Affairs editor and foreign correspondent, John Simpson, to investigate how past conflicts inform the present and future of war, weapons, security and strategy. In conversation with former Guardian security and defence editor, Richard Norton-Taylor.

In 1979, Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was overthrown. His replacement, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini declared the birth of the Islamic republic of Iran. Today, ordinary Iranians live with an economy exhausted by sanctions and corruption, the media strictly controlled, and a hardline regime seeking to maintain its power by demonising outsiders. 40 years after the Revolution, our panellists discuss Iran’s place in the world, its deep distrust of the West and demonization of Israel and ...