The Bunker – News without the nonsense Don't mention the war! – Start Your Week with Rafael Behr and Jacob Jarvis
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Mar 9, 2026 Rafael Behr, Guardian columnist and political commentator, breaks down why recent US/Israeli strikes amount to real war and what that means for UK involvement. He explores how legality shapes Starmer’s stance, the British right’s pro-war posturing, and whether force is overtaking diplomacy. Short, sharp takes on geopolitics and political strategy.
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US Actions In Iran Are Effectively A War
- The Iran strikes amount to an all-out war, not just a 'military operation'.
- Rafael Behr points to heavy aerial bombardments and multi-front military equipment as evidence that this is a war by any ordinary definition.
Legal Grounds For The Conflict Are Weak
- From an international law perspective, the operation lacks legal justification and reads as a war of choice against a sovereign Iran.
- Behr observes Western leaders are normalising realpolitik over legality, isolating Keir Starmer's legalist stance.
Trump Operates Without Institutional Restraint
- Trump shows little regard for institutional or constitutional limits, applying the same disregard internationally as he does domestically.
- Behr links this pattern to previous unilateral US foreign actions but notes Trump's temperament makes it more extreme.