In a powerful and unfiltered interview, renowned economist and global affairs expert Professor Jeffrey Sachs lays bare the stark reality behind the recent U.S. escalation toward war with Iran. Speaking with urgency and clarity, Sachs warns that the current military buildup and strategic strikes are not isolated decisions—they are part of a long-standing pattern driven by an entrenched U.S. security state. From airstrikes to naval deployments, he describes a dangerous “drumbeat of war” that is growing louder by the day. In this interview, Sachs pulls no punches as he exposes the institutional forces steering U.S. foreign policy and urges the American public to act before it’s too late.

Opening Warning: “Drumbeat of War”

Professor Sachs immediately sets the tone: the United States is advancing toward war with Iran via calculated increases in military pressure—airstrikes, naval posturing, sanctions—all forming what he calls “a drumbeat of war.”

Imperial Mindset & Institutional Momentum

He argues this aggressive posture stems not from presidential whim but from ingrained institutional forces. “[T]hat’s part of the imperial construct of U.S. foreign policy,” he says, with the CIA, Pentagon, and national security apparatus pushing toward escalation regardless of who sits in the White House.

U.S. Security State at Work

Sachs highlights the entwined interests of the military-industrial complex, the intelligence community, and the national security state. These powerful players have a vested interest in confrontation and profit from persistent global conflict dynamics.

Risks of Escalation without Strategy

He cautions that incremental moves—like airstrikes—can rapidly spiral into deeper conflict:

“But once you start with navies, you’re talking about a war… And then you don’t know how to get out.”

Despite public opposition, once these moves begin, they take on a momentum of their own.

Repeating a Familiar Cycle

Sachs contends the current escalation is nothing new—it's a recurrence of patterns seen in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, and Syria.

The U.S. enters via calculated escalation.

Public oversight is weak, allowing “national security” forces to set an aggressive agenda.

Call for Democratic Oversight

He emphasizes the critical role of public voice:

“If the American people don’t want this war… then they need to speak up right now.”

Without democratic engagement, checks on the war machine falter and inevitable escalation continues unchecked.

Final Plea: Hit the Brakes

Sachs ends with a plea for pause and reflection:

Question the escalation.

Push for public debate.

Rein in unchecked institutional power.

His urgent message: Don’t let U.S. engagement with Iran become another automatic chapter in a history of war.

Bottom line:

Professor Sachs argues that this is not a random drift toward war but a deliberate, institutionally driven campaign of escalation. Without democratic intervention, the “national security” apparatus will continue marching toward conflict—possibly full-scale war—regardless of public sentiment.

Dr. Jeffrey D. Sachs is a world-renowned economist, author, and global affairs expert. He serves as Director of the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University and has advised multiple UN Secretaries-General. Sachs is known for his outspoken advocacy on peace, justice, and ethical foreign policy, offering clear-eyed analysis of global conflicts including the U.S.–Iran–Israel crisis.