Here’s what to watch as Iran’s nuclear facilities are attacked by the U.S
Why did President Trump Change his Approach to Iran? The Politics of the U.S. Strike on Iran’s Nuclear Facilities: Here’s What to Watch Next
Democrats’ message is that Trump is pushing his authority in all aspects of the presidency, at the same time as Trump’s action builds on that.
Republicans would paint Democrats as defending Iran regardless of the merits of their argument, which is why Democrats ran some risk making the legality of the strikes a central issue. If it’s clear the strikes weakened Iran’s nuclear capabilities, that would be a political advantage for Trump.
That debate is going to continue, but with Republicans largely rallying around Trump, it’s highly unlikely that requirement will pass through either chamber.
During both the Republican and Democrat presidencies, Sen. Tim Kaine has pushed for clearer language that requires pre-authorization from Congress. Bipartisan members of the House are doing the same.
There are members of Congress on both sides of the aisle who would like to see presidents go to Congress for authorization of serious, non-defensive military action.
So why did Trump change his approach to Iran? Was it because he had privately determined that talks about a new nuclear deal were going nowhere (after having backed out of the one struck by the Obama administration during his first term) — or was it that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu forced his hand?
The biggest deals, though, have eluded him — whether it’s trying to get a permanent ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, wanting to end the war between Russia and Ukraine and — until Saturday night — seeking a nuclear deal with Iran.
Trump has advocated for peace deals abroad, even though he pledged to take a less-interventionist approach.
The End of the War in the Middle East: Iran’s Security Concern After the Iraq War and the Trump/Israel War, as Revealed by NPR
If an attack on Americans anywhere in the world occurred, it would cause serious political ramifications as well as a loss of life.
The Trump administration will work to repel those possible attempts, but from the military on down to governors and local police departments, the country is — and will be — on a heightened level of security concern.
Iran will most likely respond now that it’s happened. Trump might have believed that the attack was worth the risk of being retaliated against.
Israel has long planned for an attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities, and Iran has been severely hampered in the last couple of years. The time was ripe for a strike because of the number of Iran’s allies in the region, which ranged from Hamas and Hezbollah to Russia and the Syrian regime.
But independent experts analyzing commercial satellite imagery told NPR’s Geoff Brumfiel that key components of Iran’s nuclear enterprise may have survived the attack.
After the intelligence failures leading up to the Iraq War, the country is rightfully more skeptical of what the government says. Plus, with about half the country distrustful of Trump regardless, the public will likely expect incontrovertible evidence of a severe setback to Iran’s nuclear capabilities.
Now, the test for Trump is whether the conflict will be contained. Politics of a single operation is only one thing. The politics of prolonging is not the only one.
Before the strike, polls showed Americans saw Iran as a fairly serious potential threat. But they were also largely against the U.S. joining Israel in its military campaign against Iran.
As expected, Republicans are rallying around Trump after the strike, but some influential figures in the MAGA base are not thrilled with the prospect of involvement in another conflict in the Middle East.
The 1504 Project: A New Experiment about Black History and the Iran/US Airstrikes Challenge: An Inside Look at the Harpersville Project
A new exhibit in a museum in a small town in Alabama is dedicated to Black history, which the Republican Party calls the reddest county in the U.S. It addresses what happened in Harpersville after enslaved people were emancipated, granted their freedom and not much else. NPR’s Picture Show spoke with Tyler Jones, who is part of 1504, the narrative studio behind the project. The studio has been working with the Wallace Center for Arts and Reconciliation to change the narratives of Black communities. Jones highlighted the significance of transforming a plantation from 1841 into a space dedicated to reparative history and healing. Check out this inside look at the project through photos and videos.
Tonight is a big night for more than 100 high school theater stars gathered in New York City for the National High School Musical Theatre Awards, also known as the Jimmy Awards. Nominees on Broadway get to put on a show in 10 days. The competition begins with around 150,000 students from various schools nationwide, who are ultimately narrowed down to a select group of finalists who will perform at the award ceremony held at the Minskoff Theatre. The best actor and actress are in a musical. Listen to the students who are vying for their chance to win a Jimmy, and read about the awards.
Iran is now considering how it wants to respond to the U.S. attack on its nuclear program, and how it might do that. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said in a video that the US will face consequences and that they will end the war.
Benjamin Netanyahu stated yesterday that Israel will not end the conflict until its goals are achieved, and that it will not be dragged into a war of attrition. Iran’s nuclear program and missiles should be degraded by Israel.
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