PBS Washington Week with The Atlantic - Full Show Washington Week with The Atlantic full episode, 3/27/26
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Mar 28, 2026 
Missy Ryan, Pentagon correspondent at The Atlantic, explains operational military details and threats like mines and drones. Susan Glasser, New Yorker staff writer, discusses alliance strains and political risks. Peter Baker, NYT White House correspondent, examines presidential behavior and decision-making. David Ignatius, Washington Post columnist, analyzes U.S. strategy and historical parallels. They focus on military limits, Strait of Hormuz threats, and coalition challenges.
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Two Parallel Iran Wars
- The war with Iran shows two simultaneous campaigns: methodical U.S.-Israeli strikes and an unpredictable policy shaped by President Trump’s shifting aims.
- Trump alternates goals—from destroying energy infrastructure to opening the Strait of Hormuz—creating strategic incoherence that hampers clear victory metrics.
Degrading Iran Without Decisive Regime Change
- Tactical strikes have degraded Iranian military capabilities but haven't produced regime change or permanent strategic victory.
- David Ignatius compares the situation to Gaza: heavy force can fail to remove control or alter political outcomes long term.
Military Damage Alters But Does Not End Threats
- The U.S. and Israel have significantly reduced Iranian missile, defense industrial, and naval capacities through sustained strikes.
- Peter Baker notes these losses alter Iran's regional projection but don't eliminate future threats or the need for political solutions.