Washington Today Weekend Edition: US-Iran Nuclear Talks, Tax Fling System, and Senator Bernie Sanders' Political Life
8 snips
Feb 28, 2026 
Dan Chiasson, Wellesley College English professor and author, discusses Bernie Sanders' early political life in Burlington. Nina Olson, former National Taxpayer Advocate, breaks down this tax-filing season and recent law changes. Danielle Pletka, AEI foreign policy expert, and Rose Kalanick, Defense Priorities analyst, debate U.S. goals, risks, and verification challenges in U.S.-Iran nuclear talks and regional security.
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Avoid War By Focusing Talks On Nuclear Verification
- Primary U.S. objective should be to avoid war while securing a verifiable nuclear deal that prevents Iranian weaponization.
- Rose Kalanick argues insisting on IAEA monitoring and limiting talks to nuclear issues reduces war risk and keeps focus actionable.
Regional Proxies Complicate But Don’t Necessarily Justify War
- Iran's regional activities and human rights abuses complicate diplomacy but may not justify U.S. war.
- Danielle Pletka stresses Hamas, Hezbollah, Houthis and Iranian drone support for Russia widen stakes beyond nuclear issues.
Treat Buildup As Leverage Not A Sign War Is Inevitable
- Use military buildup as signaling not inevitability; diplomacy should continue alongside credible deterrence.
- Danielle Pletka explains the U.S. deployment aims to persuade Iran seriousness without making war inevitable.
