The Indicator from Planet Money
The Indicator from Planet Money
NPR
What Iran teaches us about why wars start
10 minutes Posted Jun 30, 2026 at 7:00 am.
0:00
10:09
Download MP3
Show notes
If war is so costly, why do we keep fighting them? We dig into the wars in Iran, Ukraine and Gaza to understand the incentives that lead countries into violence. Today on the show, the five factors that lead to war. 

Chris Blattman’s book is Why We Fight: The Roots of War and the Paths to Peace.

Fact checking by Sierra Juarez

Your Next Listen 
The new economic arms race

Connect with The Indicator
— Sign up for The Indicator’s brand new newsletter 
— Buy the Planet Money book 
— Find our socials, YouTube and more!
— For sponsor-free episodes, subscribe to NPR+ 


See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

NPR Privacy Policy