Robert Wright's Nonzero Israel, America, and the Iran War (Robert Wright & Ron Kampeas)
Mar 24, 2026
Ron Kampeas, retired Washington bureau chief of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency and longtime reporter on U.S.-Israel affairs, discusses the aims and ambiguities of the Iran war. He explores Israeli strategy and domestic politics, comparisons with past conflicts, the MAGA split over Israel, and how criticism can blur into antisemitic tropes. He also reflects on speech policing, backlash, and his Substack coverage.
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Diaspora Safety Should Shape Israeli Strategy
- Israel's government should factor in how its military actions affect Jews in the diaspora because Israel defines itself as the Jewish state.
- Ron Kampeas cites Chief Rabbi Jakobovits' view: national actions can reverberate onto civilians abroad and must enter strategic calculus.
Unclear Strategic Value Of The Iran War
- Ron Kampeas questions the strategic purpose of the Iran war beyond Israeli aims to degrade Iran.
- He worries the conflict may produce prolonged insecurity for Israelis and more regional instability rather than clear benefits.
Living Through 1982 Shaped Skepticism About War
- Kampeas recounts being in Israel during the 1982 Lebanon war and initially supporting it as a young adult.
- He later recognized the war's unintended consequences: occupation, creation of Hezbollah, and long-term regional damage.