The Intelligence from The Economist Spars and strikes: Who backs Iran war?
34 snips
Mar 5, 2026 
Shira Avi-Yonah, a business writer on consumer markets, on MAGA-branded products and why they rarely catch on. Sophie Pedder, Paris bureau chief, on France’s carrier deployment and Macron’s shift in nuclear posture. Adam Roberts, foreign editor, on US policy shifts, Senate war-powers dynamics and regional risks as the conflict with Iran widens.
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Trump’s Shift From Peace Candidate To War President
- Donald Trump has shifted from a 2016 anti-forever-wars posture to an interventionist ‘war president’ willing to bomb Iran and send forces abroad.
- Adam Roberts contrasts the 2016 Trump promise with recent strikes, calling this a disturbing turn for his original base who opposed long entanglements.
Weak Rallying Around The Iran War
- Public support for the Iran strikes shows only a small rally for Trump, far lower than typical early-war spikes like 2001.
- Adam Roberts notes polls at roughly 30–40% approval now, risking quicker decline if casualties or a longer war follow.
Allies Hesitant Then Gradually Drawn In
- Many US allies were initially reluctant to back strikes on Iran, offering limited immediate support beyond Israel.
- Roberts describes European caution, Gulf unease, and later deployments like France's carrier and British ships as defensive escalation.