Robert Patman: Otago University Professor for International Relations on Donald Trump discussing joining Israel's attacks on Iran

To strike or not to strike. 

The US President has had talks with officials on joining Israel's attacks on Iranian nuclear sites.

Since the initial attack on Friday, strikes have killed at least 224 Iranians and 24 Israelis.

Otago University International Relations Professor Robert Patman says the split in Trump's supporter base will make things difficult. 

Patman says many MAGA supporters want to stay out of foreign wars. 

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Sounds like the US is considering getting involved in bombing Iran.
US media are reporting that Donald Trump's emergency meeting in
the White House was held to discuss whether the US
should join Israel in the attack. Robert Patman is Otago
University's professor of international relations, and with US Now, Hey, Robert,
good evening, how do you rate the chances that they
get involved?

Speaker 2 (00:20):
Well, he's the Republicans are split on this issue, and
he's obviously taking not only advice from colleagues, but soundings
from his party and the mega people who his bedrock
support are very much against it, with people like Steve
Bannon saying that, you know, the president must stick to
his promise to be a peaceful president and keep out

(00:42):
America out of forever war was particularly wars in the
Middle East. On the other hand, no conservative Republicans, they
tend to take the view that the United States should
respond to neshia Who's official request for the United States
to enter the war alongside Israel. Remember this follows an

(01:03):
illegal and somewhat reckless attacked by Nessinya Who about five
days ago. So it's a difficult decision. I suppose for
the President to weigh and he's going to have to
take a very close account I think of you know,
whether Nisi Nya, who's claim that Iran's very close to
nuclear bomb is credible or not.

Speaker 1 (01:25):
It sounds like the US is the only one that
has a bomb big enough to take out that nuclear
site that Iran has underground. So if they want to
take out correct Iran's nuclear capability altogether, they really do
have to get involved, don't they.

Speaker 2 (01:37):
Yes, But you know, you have to think this thing through.
If America goes ahead, that will only further incentivize Iran
in the future to develop the nuclear bomb. And the
knowledge that Iran has built up over many years now
Iran is quite explicitly said repeatedly it wants nuclear any

(02:00):
but it does not want a nuclear weapon. And indeed,
the chief negotiator who was killed in the recent Israeli attacks,
was televised in an interview saying two weeks ago that
Iran was quite willing to give an absolute category assurance
that it will not develop nuclear weapons and will accept

(02:20):
on site inspection to make that happen. But it wanted
the right to develop nuclear energy. But the Trump administration
has moved away from that position. They now take the
view that Iran can't have any nuclear capability, whether peaceful
or weaponized, and that's causing some concern amongst many countries

(02:41):
because obviously Israel has a nuclear capability, and there are
a number of countries in the world that have nuclear
energy that don't have nuclear weapons, such as Japan and Germany.

Speaker 1 (02:53):
Robert, thanks for talking as story to really appreciate your expertise.
It's Robert Patman, Professor of International Relations.

Speaker 2 (02:58):
For more from Hither Du and Drive, listen live to
News Talks at b from four pm weekdays, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.