There were some extreme rogue attitudes back then, likely leftover from the 'All In" mentality needed for WW-II, and enabled by a relative lack of transparency.

Media, and the likes of Frank Church, put most of that to bed in the decades since. Watergate, Iran-Contra and the Biden coverup all blew up in the faces of the perps.

It's even harder in the era of internet, leaks, and now Alt Media


I can't really nail down a single logical motive. So I tend to think you're right, that multiple factors all played into this. Off the top of my head, in no particular order....

Distraction (ICE? JE?)

Subversive political pressure via Mossad?

Payback for decades of murdering American soldiers who were not involved with Iran?

Golden Opportunity, the A-Hole-Atollahs all in the same room together?

Israeli Ultimatum (they can always use their own nukes, and it's a good argument that a conventional war is better than letting IL get backed into what they consider a corner).

Sincere desire to improve ME stability and global economy? It will objectively be better once the dust settles, going to take IR a long time to rebuild. Maybe he views this as his legacy?

Payback for insultingly refusing to negotiate? Assassination plots?

Trump is objectively a narcissist (along with many other pols). But IMO he does not, after careful and lengthy observation, appear to actually be crazy... he just plays a crazy guy on TV.

But again, it doesn't really matter how we got here...