In the May 17 discussion at 2:01:37, Clarke offers the interpretation that earlier US restraint after attacks on drones may have encouraged Iranian leaders to expect further actions to go unanswered. He contrasts the military damage he attributes to the subsequent campaign with the difficulty of imposing a political settlement without a ground war. In that account, both sides have reached positions that make ending the conflict harder. He also alleges that testing weapons and expending ordnance are among the American purposes, but supplies no supporting evidence for that claim in the exchange. These statements describe his interpretation of the conflict at the time of the broadcast.
Notable Point · 2:01:37-2:03:11
An interpretation of US-Iran deterrence signals
The exchange considers earlier restraint, subsequent military action, and the difficulty of reaching a political settlement without establishing campaign motives.