How was The Cure's "Killing an Arab" perceived by the Arabian world (as well as globally) when the song was released in 1978/79 amongst the ongoing conflicts in the region?

by Subs-man

I understand that "Killing an Arab" is Robert's homage to Albert Camus's "The Stranger" (1942): ...I'm alive, I'm dead. I'm the stranger, killing an Arab....

However when the single was released in the UK in 1978/79 and later as apart of the US version of their debut album in 1980 it was a tumultuous time for the Arab world:

  • The creation of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
  • Saddam Hussein becomes leader of Iraq
  • Iran-Iraq War

So some backlash is to be expected, was there any?

Lion_And_Sun

While you wait for answers, it should be noted that the vast majority of Iranians are not Arabs, and Iran is thus not a part of the Arab world.