Defensive Motives for Pursuing Nuclear Weapons

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Countries like Iran may seek nuclear weapons for defensive reasons, as they see it necessary for protection against other nuclear-armed nations. The attribution bias leads to viewing the intentions of enemies as purely offensive, while allies' actions are often seen as constrained by external factors. This bias influences how we perceive and interpret the actions of different countries in the international arena.

Journalist and author Robert Wright invited EconTalk's Russ Roberts to his podcast, NonZero, to discuss the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, knowing that there would be plenty to disagree about. The two then agreed to release their back-and-forth on their respective podcasts. The result is a lively but respectful discussion that is more debate than the usual EconTalk episode. We hope there will still be much to learn from this slightly more combative than usual episode.