Radio Atlantic A War Begun on Instinct
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Mar 5, 2026 
Jeanne Shaheen, a U.S. senator and Foreign Relations leader, and Missy Ryan, a national-security reporter with years in the Middle East. They discuss sudden strikes on Iran, shifting public rationales, limited congressional briefings, military buildups and readiness, and who is steering U.S. policy as war powers and oversight falter.
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Trump Chose To Strike When He Felt He Could
- The Trump administration acted when political and military conditions aligned and Trump felt emboldened to use force.
- Missy Ryan links Trump’s second-term confidence, recent military actions, and a reduced set of internal restrainers as the mechanism behind the timing.
Israel Helped Persuade But Trump Had His Own Motive
- Israel influenced the decision but did not fully drive it; Trump had his own motives.
- Ryan notes a close U.S.-Israel relationship plus Trump's desire to be the leader who 'did what others were too afraid to do' as the decisive mechanism.
Multiple Conflicting Rationales Created Confusion
- Public explanations for the strike have been many and shifting, creating confusion about the immediate threat.
- Ryan highlights competing rationales — imminent Israeli action, ballistic-missile buildup, nuclear concerns — and notes U.S. intelligence is the only source for precise calculus.