Quote of the Day
The swift expansion of US military forces in the Middle East has reached a stage where President Trump could authorize military strikes against Iran as early as this weekend, according to administration and Pentagon officials, The New York Times reported. The development presents the White House with critical decisions about whether to move forward with diplomatic efforts or shift toward armed conflict. There is no “confirmation” from Trump about how to proceed, but efforts to build a military force able to target Iran’s nuclear facilities, ballistic missile arsenal, and related launch sites have continued this week, even as second round of negotiations took place on Tuesday. During those talks, Iran requested two weeks to return with more detailed proposals aimed at reaching a diplomatic solution.
Express Global Desk
February 19, 2026
US-Iran Tensions Live Updates: Geneva Nuclear Talks, USA-Iran Tensions Trump & Khamenei Statements February 18 Latest News
Translation: Iran requested two weeks to prepare for the attack and a counter strike against the U.S. I could also see them using the time attempting to get commitments from Russia for assistance. After all, Iran has been supplying Russia with war materials for several years now. Isn’t it time for Russia to help them?
I’m glad my underground bunker in Idaho is habitable. It is not finished and it needs to be stocked, but it is a far better place to be than in the Puget Sound area in the case of things getting really spicy.
Look, I don;’t know what will happen after 2/19. I’m no more skilled at predicting the future than the next person.
It does strike me, though, that we keep hearing predictions about Trump’s next actions… from people who, by all appearances, have still not read his book.
The Art of the Deal. He published it forty years ago. And he spells it out, his multiple negotiating techniques, and why they work for him.
I think he is trying, if not to strike a deal with Iran, to LOOK like he is trying. I think he wants to be able to say afterward — “Hey, I tried to work things out with them peacefully. I showed them that things would not go well for them if they didn’t talk to me. I showed them the iron fist, so that they’re not under any illusions that we are equals here; the United States is a superpower, and Iran is not. But I’m trying to talk to them. If they refuse to talk, well, that’s on them, and I tried, didn’t I?”
For Trump it’s a win-win, and he likes those. If Iran settles, then armed conflict is avoided. If Iran refuses to work it out, then there will be conflict, but it will clearly be Iran’s fault.
As for the conflict itself, well, I don’t expect it will be long. Israel showed, in 2025, that Iranian air defenses are a joke. And if they’re a joke to Israel, they are certainly a joke to the United States.
The United States recently showed that it can move in to a country, take its illegitimate leader captive, and leave, with minimal bloodshed. Will the US do it again? Frankly, I hope so; the mullahs have been in power for decades too long.
Re getting spicy: it doesn’t seem likely that Putin will want to help; what would be in it for him? That’s all he cares about. And even if he did help somewhat, clearly that help would not go so far as to attack the USA. There’s an old saying about the US not wanting to risk nukes landing on New York for the sake of defending Rome; the same, only much more so, applies to Putin. Risk his life and Moscow to help some towelhead maniacs in Tehran? Not a chance.
They could have a couple of years and not be any more ready than they are now – they’ve been preparing for this for decades. For all the good it is likely to do them.
And Russia is the one *getting* aid in their mad quest to conquer some land that isn’t remotely worth what they’ve already put into it. Giving aid seems… unlikely.