The Foreign Desk Iran: Are the US and Israel fighting the same war?
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Mar 14, 2026 
Nate Swanson, Iran policy expert and director of the Iran Strategy Project, and John Bolton, former UN ambassador and hawkish national security advisor, debate Iran strategy. They clash over goals and timelines. Short, tense takes on regime change, nuclear threats, misreadings of Iran’s responses, and whether US and Israel share the same endgame.
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US And Israel Are Not Necessarily Fighting The Same War
- The US and Israel may be fighting related but distinct wars against Iran.
- Israel pursues existential aims on nuclear and proxy threats while the US has shifting objectives like deterrence, degradation, and flexible exit plans.
John Bolton's Longstanding Case For Direct Action
- John Bolton has long advocated direct action against Iran and wrote a 2015 op-ed urging strikes to stop a nuclear program.
- He reiterates he wanted destruction of nuclear capability earlier and now pushes for regime change, criticizing current execution.
Negotiations Can Be A Time-Buying Strategy For Iran
- Bolton says negotiation with Iran is futile because Tehran uses talks to buy time while pursuing strategic goals.
- He compares endless diplomacy with the North Korea experience, warning delay enables nuclear progress.