Israel Strikes Iran. Is Escalation Inevitable?
This week, editors Peter Suderman, Katherine Mangu-Ward, and Matt Welch are joined by Reason reporter Matthew Petti to break down the fallout from Israel’s strike on Iran, the likelihood of escalation, and what role the U.S. is already playing in the conflict.
They also cover the Minnesota assassinations and the growing fears of political violence, and offer a firsthand account from one of the nationwide No Kings protests. Finally, they answer a listener’s question about libertarian reactions to anti-ICE demonstrations and examine the broader implications of President Donald Trump’s shifting immigration enforcement policies.
0:00 – Political violence in America
8:17 – What role does America play in the Israel and Iran conflict?
17:56 – The risk of escalation and expansion in the Middle East
25:26 – How Trump differs from Bush on foreign policy
28:41 – What have we learned from this Middle East conflict?
33:09 – Listener question: Why are libertarians critical of the anti-ICE protests?
38:59 – Observations on the No Kings protests
46:29 – Trump’s shifting stance on the ICE raids
51:27 – Is Trump policy driven by personal enrichment?
54:31 – Weekly cultural recommendations
Mentioned in this Podcast:
“Israel Attacks Iran—and Burns Down the Off-Ramp With America,” by Matthew Petti
“Are We Going to War With Iran or Not?” by Matthew Petti
“Cutting Off Israel,” by Matt Welch
“Prediction: 2024 Will See Deadly Political Violence in the Streets,” by Matt Welch
“The Tom Cotton Do-Over,” by Matt Welch
“More Than 1,800 ‘No Kings’ Protests Aim for Nonviolent Pushback Against Trump Policies,” by Nancy Rommelmann
“ICE on Ice,” by Eric Boehm
“California Immigration Raids Are Hurting American Citizens Too,” by Autumn Billings
“Los Angeles Is Not Burning,” by Nancy Rommelmann
“Brian Wilson Was an Exemplary American,” by Brian Doherty
- Reason Versus debate: Jacob Sullum and Billy Binion vs. Charles Fain Lehman and Rafael Mangual, June 24
- Reason Speakeasy: Nick Gillespie and Elizabeth Nolan Brown on the MAHA Movement, June 25
- The Reason Roundtable Live in NYC! July 15
Today’s sponsors:
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- Future of Freedom: If you’re tired of cable news debates and Twitter shouting matches, and you’re looking for serious, good-faith conversations between people who actually care about liberty then it’s time to check out the Future of Freedom podcast. Each episode dives deep into a single topic—tariffs, campus speech, the Department of Government Efficiency—and brings together two guests who disagree on the best path forward. But here’s the twist: This isn’t a debate show. No interrupting. No dunking. If you believe the future of freedom depends on more than just winning arguments and you’re ready for something deeper than the usual echo chambers, check out the Future of Freedom podcast. Real disagreement. Real ideas. Real conversations. Subscribe to Future of Freedom wherever you get your podcasts.
- Video Editor: Ian Keyser
- Producer: Paul Alexander
The post Israel Strikes Iran. Is Escalation Inevitable? appeared first on Reason.com.
Source: https://reason.com/podcast/2025/06/16/israel-strikes-iran-is-escalation-inevitable/
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