Thoughts for the Day, February 19, 2026: What happened to the isolationist Trump?
Did we forget about the lessons of Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan?
Whatever happened to the isolationist Trump?
To quote Marvin Gaye, “What’s going on? What’s going on?”
In June Trump said he obliterated Iran’s nuclear capability. Yet now he is threatening to attack Iran within 10 days (from February 12) if they do not make a nuclear deal with the U.S. Trump said, “bad things will happen”.
I share excerpts from an article by Dan Rather who has covered more wars than one can imagine.
Trump could deplete his isolationist MAGA base, which tolerated the Maduro capture and the one-and-done strike on Iran. An unprovoked and prolonged campaign in Iran would not go over well with folks who backed Trump because he promised not to get involved in foreign wars.
This is the largest military buildup in the region since the 2003 invasion of Iraq. It could sustain a prolonged air war, unlike the one-and-done attack on Iran’s nuclear facility in June. “The number of fighter planes, aerial refuelers and surveillance planes that have arrived over the past three to four days is immense… It’s staggering,” Politico’s Paul McLeary wrote.
Unlike the one-day strike on Iran’s nuclear facility in June or the quick capture of former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro, a war with Iran could escalate into a protracted regional conflict. Russia and China are allied with Iran and militia groups throughout the Middle East have long been financed by Tehran. Think Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and Hamas in Gaza.
War would mean a high likelihood of American casualties and the capture of U.S. service members. Faced with those realities, how long would Americans stomach a conflict with an unexplained purpose?
If an American strike results in the killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, what is the plan? Who would replace him? It could leave a power vacuum that potentially would be worse than Khamenei.
Before a shot is fired, markets are already jittery at the prospect of war in the oil-rich region, with crude oil prices spiking. A rise in gasoline prices won’t be far behind.
Trump’s massive naval buildup could result in one particularly worrisome unintended consequence. The fleet is so large and the possibility of catastrophic damage so great, the Iranians could decide they have nothing to lose. A desperate opponent has little incentive to show restraint.
Iran, of course, is not Venezuela. The country has a strategic and sizable arsenal of small and medium-range missiles that could cause serious damage to US bases, ships, and allies.
Khamenei took to social media to saber-rattle himself. “The US President constantly says that the US has sent a warship toward Iran. Of course, a warship is a dangerous piece of military hardware. However, more dangerous than that warship is the weapon that can send that warship to the bottom of the sea.” This post was accompanied by an AI-generated image of the USS Gerald R. Ford in an ocean grave.
Iran could also close the Strait of Hormuz, which would cripple the movement of oil in the Persian Gulf. Additionally, it could activate proxy terrorist cells across the globe.
“Iran’s military would likely shift into a form of suicidal aggression, launching whatever capabilities remain at its disposal before they are destroyed,” wrote Ali Bakir, a professor of international affairs at Qatar University.
Trump’s opaque approach to war may protect him in the short run from having to explain himself. In the long run, what he does about Iran and how he does it will weigh heavily on his legacy… and on our future.
This leads to my Question of the Day. Have we not learned from the mistakes of Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan about waging war in a country’s homeland? Don’t 1.2 million dead Russian soldiers from the war in Ukraine hit home?
Again, I ask, what’s going on? Attacking Iran makes no sense to me. The leaders of Iran have hated the U.S. since 1980 when the Shah was overturned. Nothing Trump does will change that.
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Let’s not forget the effort to marginalize voter turnout.
From Mary Geddry: The war over elections is heating up just in time for midterms. House Republicans have already pushed through a strict proof-of-citizenship bill. Next up is what one member is calling the Save America Act “on steroids,” banning universal vote-by-mail, prohibiting the counting of ballots received after Election Day, outlawing ranked-choice voting, tightening voter ID requirements, and expanding DHS access to voter rolls. Representative Tim Burchett was unusually blunt about the stakes: “If we don’t, we lose the midterms and we lose the country.” Bryan Steil insists that “elections should end on Election Day,” echoing Trump’s post-2020 fixation on ballots counted after the fact. And Speaker Mike Johnson has made clear this isn’t a passing concern but a permanent drumbeat: “That is something that’s going to be a continuing theme here; it’s something we’ll continue to push.” All of it is justified by the evergreen claim of widespread noncitizen voting, a problem Democrats note is “almost nonexistent.” The strategy is not subtle. If you fear losses, reshape the electorate. If you can’t reshape it enough, question its legitimacy.
I must admit the MAGA crowd is consistent. No matter what the facts they continue to send the message that elections are filled with fraud, and it is important that they make it harder to vote. This is a message that Trump continues to push because of his loss in 2020, even though it was not mentioned in 2024 when he won.
I am confident the informed public is not buying the MAGA lies. As a reminder MAGA lost 62 of 63 court cases when they challenged election results in 2020. Trump’s closest advisors kept reminding him that he lost the election in 2020, which is why they are not part of his team in 2026.
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MSU and U of M men’s hockey.
Heading into the final weeks of the NCAA college hockey season the MSU team is ranked number one, and the U of M team is ranked number two. In the B1G U of M holds a one game lead on MSU but the Spartans can win the B1G regular season championship by winning their last six games. The Spartans hold the tiebreaker over U of M.
I do not recall, MSU and Michigan ever being ranked one and two this late in the season.
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Contact your election official
Presidents do not get to dictate the rules in our elections. But to ensure this election is free and fair, it appears that state election officials, along with federal judges, will have to keep the president in check. They will have to keep him for usurping power that is not properly his, as he has done on so many other occasions. Do you know who your secretary of state (they have different titles in some states) is?
Here is a list of election officials in every state. If you aren’t already, get familiar with yours. And make sure they know you’ll be watching how they handle the meeting on February 25. Call them or send them a letter in the next day or two, letting them know that you know Donald Trump isn’t entitled to “nationalize” our elections and you expect them to uphold the law.
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Contact your Congressperson
Contact your congressman by following these easy steps
This can be done in a few easy steps.
Step 1: find your congressman by clicking on this link, Find Your Representative | house.gov
Step 2: Put your zip code in the proper space.
Step 3: Click the button “find your representative”
Step 4: In the new page that comes up you will see a picture of your congressman. Click on your congressman’s name under the picture.
Step 5: In the new page that comes up, Click on Contact Me at the top of the page and then click on Email me.
Step 6: Fill out the information as required.
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Quote of the Day: “The number of fighter planes, aerial refuelers and surveillance planes that have arrived over the past three to four days is immense… It’s staggering,” Politico’s Paul McLeary wrote.
Orchid of the Day: The United States Women’s Hockey Team for their 2-1 overtime win in the gold medal game against Canada. The U.S. was trailing 1-0 when they pulled their goalie for a sixth attacker and scored to tie it up 1-1 with just over two minutes left in regulation. The winning goal was scored by Meagan Keller of Farmington, MI. See my Video of the Day
Onion of the Day: The isolationist MAGA congressman who allowing Trump attack foreign countries with no known plan or no known justification. The Bush administration spent days making the case in front of congress before attacking Iraq. What’s changed?
Question of the Day: Have we not learned from the mistakes of Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan about waging war in a country’s homeland? Don’t 1.2 million dead Russian soldiers from the war in Ukraine hit home?
Lyrics of the Day: Father, father
We don’t need to escalate
You see, war is not the answer
For only love can conquer hate
You know we’ve got to find a way
To bring some lovin’ here today.
Hint. One of Motown’s first protest song.
If you know the answer, please feel free to use the comment section of the blog to respond.
Lyrics of the Day for February 1, 2026. Everyday People by Sly and the Family Stone
Video of the Day: A gold medal winning goal.
I write reflective, opinionated essays on leadership, politics, sports, and life—grounded in experience rather than ideology. If this perspective resonates with you, you can subscribe here for free.
Nice foreshadowing at the beginning of today's blog! "What's Going On? Marvin Gaye.
What’s Going On by Marvin Gaye