War-Gaming Iran

The pressure cranks higher and higher around Iran, with allegations that it is rolling forward on nuclear weapons development.
The White House is talking high-pressure diplomacy — sanctions. But others are talking war.
Israel’s defense minister speaks of a “finger close to the trigger.” Newspapers report that preparations for an Israeli strike are clear.
There’s a lot of theater here. But there’s a real threat, too. And strategists all over are war-gaming how a strike on Iran would play out. It’s not pretty. Today, we’re listening.
This hour, On Point: war-gaming Iran.

Guests:

Joining us from Washington is Kenneth Pollack, director of the Saban Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution and author of “A Path Out of the Desert: A Grand Strategy for America in the Middle East.” He was a member of the "control team" in the war game organized by the Saban Center last December.

Also from Washington is Suzanne Maloney, Iran expert at the Saban Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution and author of "Iran's Long Reach."  She was a member of the "Iran team" in the center's December war game.

And from Tel Aviv, we're joined by Giora Eiland, retired major general in the Israeli Army and former National Security Advisor focusing on, among other things, the Iranian nuclear program. He is now senior research fellow at Israel’s Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv.  He took part in a “war game” at Tel Aviv University last October.