8/13/26 Robert Pape on How His Escalation Trap Model Stands Up to Recent History



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Scott brings Robert Pape back on the show. They discuss the difficult situation Trump is in as he tries to find a face-saving way out of his war with Iran. But first, Scott and Pape look back at Pape’s career and previous conflicts like Iraq War I and Bosnia to assess how reliable the model he’s using to analyze this current war is.

Discussed on the show:

• Bombing to Win: Air Power and Coercion in War by Robert A. Pape
• The Escalation Trap

Robert A. Pape is Professor of Political Science and Director of the University of Chicago Project on Security and Threats and the author of Bombing to Win: Air Power and Coercion in War. Follow him on Twitter @ProfessorPape 

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