That's just not what he said though.

You are misrepresenting Cruz’s beliefs as the Trump administration’s actions.

“In terms of the deal, I believe there is no deal to be had in terms of the nuclear program, the Ayatollah has shown that he’s a liar he wants to lie he wants to delay, his regime is in tatters he…

— ruminations (@amphib0ly) February 22, 2026

Different account but many of these 'open source intelligence' guys are just barely-hidden clowns.

Checks out https://t.co/QlYY1y7Ub3 pic.twitter.com/E3XLtdVwxE

— Docquistador (@Docquistador) February 20, 2026

This represents 40-50% of the deployable US air power in the world. Think air power on the order of the 1991 and 2003 Iraq war. And growing. Never has the US deployed this much force against a potential enemy and not launched strikes. pic.twitter.com/NLPIOEyeUs

— Robert A. Pape (@ProfessorPape) February 21, 2026

nortex97 said:

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That's just not what he said though.

You are misrepresenting Cruz’s beliefs as the Trump administration’s actions.

“In terms of the deal, I believe there is no deal to be had in terms of the nuclear program, the Ayatollah has shown that he’s a liar he wants to lie he wants to delay, his regime is in tatters he…

— ruminations (@amphib0ly) February 22, 2026

Different account but many of these 'open source intelligence' guys are just barely-hidden clowns.

Checks out https://t.co/QlYY1y7Ub3 pic.twitter.com/E3XLtdVwxE

— Docquistador (@Docquistador) February 20, 2026

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Yeah I said there was going to "fog of war" tweets earlier in this thread.

We are going to hit Iran again, though. Our entire posture has changed since last year.

edit: it does make me lol that OSINT is run by a fat nerd

Olympic closing ceremony ends at 4PM CT / 2AM Iran, does the offensive start within hours?

Wearer of the Ring said:

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Bad idea. Who would want their kid killed there? Better to find a way to help Iranians to do it themselves.

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What an absurd response. Many Americans have been killed due to this Iranian regime over the years. Any chance to neuter Hamas, Hezbollah and other terrorist organizations is to eliminate the current Iranian leadership.

I know guys caught up in this. And let me say, this is post 9/11 level build up. The question i keep asking is why? Why are we so vested in this?

The boots in the ground and the wings in the air dont know. But theyre getting jerked into this game of chicken for what purpose?

Texas12&0 said:

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Wearer of the Ring said:

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Bad idea. Who would want their kid killed there? Better to find a way to help Iranians to do it themselves.

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What an absurd response. Many Americans have been killed due to this Iranian regime over the years. Any chance to neuter Hamas, Hezbollah and other terrorist organizations is to eliminate the current Iranian leadership.

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its absurd people dont want their kids to die in another war in the ME for God knows what? No sir, with all due respect you are the absurd one and have lost touch with reality.

hamean02 said:

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I know guys caught up in this. And let me say, this is post 9/11 level build up. The question i keep asking is why? Why are we so vested in this?

The boots in the ground and the wings in the air dont know. But theyre getting jerked into this game of chicken for what purpose?

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Because the IRGC has said thousands of times that if they obtain a nuclear weapon, they will use it on the USA. I'd think self preservation isn't exactly a game.

You've never had to face a bully knowing that you could be injured from the confrontation? That's what wars are on a much bigger scale. Unfortunately, the real world doesn't always give you good choices. Take them out now or deal with nuclear power Iran. Or let our children deal with it.

As we continue to have this debate over what to do with Iran (which has great points on both sides) just remember who the people were telling you and echoing others last year that thousands and thousands of Americans were going to die during airstrikes, that Iran doesn't really want nukes or to harm its
neighbors, that Hamas is just political and not a terrorist group, that Israel is the bad guy in all of this etc etc

Ah yes. The nuclear boogeyman. We spent 23 years in Iraq looking for him. Guess he's been in Iran this whole time. Who knew

Need to finish off Iran NOW. The regime must change. An Iran with this regime must never have a nuclear weapon. Period.

Well everyone warning about mission creep was correct, like me. Less than 12 months and here we are. Largest build up since 9/11.

And for what? More regime change in the sand half way around the world? America has been hollowed out and is dilapidated. 1000s of vets have killed themselves, 1000s mangled, trillions in debt, million plus Middle easterns dead. But ya lets jump right into the next because "Its a GrEat OpPorTunIty" sickos the lot of you.

This is going to be Iraq 2.0

1. Its a war for Israel (Iran is no threat to us)
2. The casus belli is the same (fake wmds)
3. It does not benefit the US whatsoever and in fact hurts us.

The sad thing is that TRUMP himself made his bones criticizing Jeb Bush in 2015 saying "we should have never gone in".

How far we've come

Yukon Cornelius said:

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Texas12&0 said:

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Wearer of the Ring said:

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Bad idea. Who would want their kid killed there? Better to find a way to help Iranians to do it themselves.

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What an absurd response. Many Americans have been killed due to this Iranian regime over the years. Any chance to neuter Hamas, Hezbollah and other terrorist organizations is to eliminate the current Iranian leadership.

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its absurd people dont want their kids to die in another war in the ME for God knows what? No sir, with all due respect you are the absurd one and have lost touch with reality.

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So keep the status quo? They'll just keep killing a few Americans here and a few Americans there…..on and on. Good plan.

You guys that are convinced that this is Iraq 2.0. I do not even think there is an MEU over there, much less any armor and infantry divisions. Where are the boots on the ground going to come from to fulfill your prophecy?????

hamean02 said:

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I know guys caught up in this. And let me say, this is post 9/11 level build up. The question i keep asking is why? Why are we so vested in this?

The boots in the ground and the wings in the air dont know. But theyre getting jerked into this game of chicken for what purpose?

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Seriously?

Im not saying the status quo needs to be maintained. There are multitude of levers that can be pulled if status quo needs to be adjusted.Out of curiosity who are the latest Americans killed by Iran?

JB!98 said:

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You guys that are convinced that this is Iraq 2.0. I do not even think there is an MEU over there, much less any armor and infantry divisions. Where are the boots on the ground going to come from to fulfill your prophecy?????

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We are probably going to the Syria model (endless airstrikes and arming Al Qaeda). Or we might try the Venezuela model (send in Delta Force to abduct the Ayatollah). Either way, if our goal is regime change, its eventually going to take boots on the ground. Either American troops or American backed "insurgents"

Yukon Cornelius said:

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Im not saying the status quo needs to be maintained. There are multitude of levers that can be pulled if status quo needs to be adjusted.Out of curiosity who are the latest Americans killed by Iran?

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Probably this guy:

Army SPC David Emanuel Hickman, 23, of Greensboro, North Carolina, was the last American soldier killed in the Iraq War before the initial withdrawal, dying on November 14, 2011, from an improvised explosive device (IED) in Baghdad.

Keyno said:

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JB!98 said:

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You guys that are convinced that this is Iraq 2.0. I do not even think there is an MEU over there, much less any armor and infantry divisions. Where are the boots on the ground going to come from to fulfill your prophecy?????

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We are probably going to the Syria model (endless airstrikes and arming Al Qaeda). Or we might try the Venezuela model (send in Delta Force to abduct the Ayatollah). Either way, if our goal is regime change, its eventually going to take boots on the ground. Either American troops or American backed "insurgents"

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If that is your definition of "boots on the ground" then we have probably been "boots on the ground" for a number of months in Iran. Not to mention the 10 random countries that nobody knows about or cares about.

damn.

JB!98 said:

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Keyno said:

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JB!98 said:

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You guys that are convinced that this is Iraq 2.0. I do not even think there is an MEU over there, much less any armor and infantry divisions. Where are the boots on the ground going to come from to fulfill your prophecy?????

---

We are probably going to the Syria model (endless airstrikes and arming Al Qaeda). Or we might try the Venezuela model (send in Delta Force to abduct the Ayatollah). Either way, if our goal is regime change, its eventually going to take boots on the ground. Either American troops or American backed "insurgents"

---

If that is your definition of "boots on the ground" then we have probably been "boots on the ground" for a number of months in Iran. Not to mention the 10 random countries that nobody knows about or cares about.

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Forever War

Yukon Cornelius said:

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Im not saying the status quo needs to be maintained. There are multitude of levers that can be pulled if status quo needs to be adjusted.Out of curiosity who are the latest Americans killed by Iran?

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There were some Americans killed on October 7 in Israel by Hamas.
This is going to be an air campaign, I see it going much like Venezuela except we'll just kill the Mullahs and get arms to the "right" Iranians. Whichever of their military leaders still alive will play ball with us knowing death is the alternative. I don't see us losing any personnel except by maybe our own screw-ups.

Quote:

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Its a war for Israel

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Clown's red nose always pops right out. They can't hide it for long, no matter how hard they try.

Keyno said:

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JB!98 said:

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Keyno said:

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JB!98 said:

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You guys that are convinced that this is Iraq 2.0. I do not even think there is an MEU over there, much less any armor and infantry divisions. Where are the boots on the ground going to come from to fulfill your prophecy?????

---

We are probably going to the Syria model (endless airstrikes and arming Al Qaeda). Or we might try the Venezuela model (send in Delta Force to abduct the Ayatollah). Either way, if our goal is regime change, its eventually going to take boots on the ground. Either American troops or American backed "insurgents"

---

If that is your definition of "boots on the ground" then we have probably been "boots on the ground" for a number of months in Iran. Not to mention the 10 random countries that nobody knows about or cares about.

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Forever War

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Welcome to the United States of America (1776-????). The wheels on the bus go round and round.

JB!98 said:

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Keyno said:

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JB!98 said:

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Keyno said:

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JB!98 said:

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You guys that are convinced that this is Iraq 2.0. I do not even think there is an MEU over there, much less any armor and infantry divisions. Where are the boots on the ground going to come from to fulfill your prophecy?????

---

We are probably going to the Syria model (endless airstrikes and arming Al Qaeda). Or we might try the Venezuela model (send in Delta Force to abduct the Ayatollah). Either way, if our goal is regime change, its eventually going to take boots on the ground. Either American troops or American backed "insurgents"

---

If that is your definition of "boots on the ground" then we have probably been "boots on the ground" for a number of months in Iran. Not to mention the 10 random countries that nobody knows about or cares about.

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Forever War

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Welcome to the United States of America (1776-????). The wheels on the bus go round and round.

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The US was isolationist for most of its history. Our main Founding Father, George Washington, warned against getting involved in foreign wars. But OK.

The Left: we want a global government! How every other nation perceives us is important!

Also the left: Isolationism is the only answer! We aren't the world police!

Lol make up your mind.

The rest of us are busy getting things done.

I hope you are right

Keyno said:

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JB!98 said:

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Keyno said:

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JB!98 said:

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Keyno said:

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JB!98 said:

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You guys that are convinced that this is Iraq 2.0. I do not even think there is an MEU over there, much less any armor and infantry divisions. Where are the boots on the ground going to come from to fulfill your prophecy?????

---

We are probably going to the Syria model (endless airstrikes and arming Al Qaeda). Or we might try the Venezuela model (send in Delta Force to abduct the Ayatollah). Either way, if our goal is regime change, its eventually going to take boots on the ground. Either American troops or American backed "insurgents"

---

If that is your definition of "boots on the ground" then we have probably been "boots on the ground" for a number of months in Iran. Not to mention the 10 random countries that nobody knows about or cares about.

---

Forever War

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Welcome to the United States of America (1776-????). The wheels on the bus go round and round.

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The US was isolationist for most of its history. Our main Founding Father, George Washington, warned against getting involved in foreign wars. But OK.

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Isolationist. But OK:

Major Conflicts and Wars

• American Revolutionary War (1775-1783): Securing independence from Great Britain.
• Indian Wars (approx. 1775-1890): Numerous conflicts with Native American tribes during westward expansion.
• Quasi-War with France (1798-1800): Undeclared naval war.
• Barbary Wars (1801-1805, 1815): Fought against piracy in the Mediterranean.
• War of 1812 (1812-1815): Conflict with Great Britain over maritime rights.
• Mexican-American War (1846-1848): Expanded US territory to the Pacific.
• American Civil War (1861-1865): Deadliest conflict, preserving the Union and ending slavery.
• Spanish-American War (1898): Secured overseas territories including Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines.
• World War I (1917-1918): Joined Allied Powers against Central Powers.
• World War II (1941-1945): Global conflict against Axis powers.
• Korean War (1950-1953): Cold War-era conflict.
• Vietnam War (1964-1975): Prolonged anti-communist intervention.
• Persian Gulf War (1990-1991): Liberation of Kuwait.
• War in Afghanistan (2001-2021): Longest war, following 9/11 attacks.
• Iraq War (2003-2011): Invasion and subsequent stabilization efforts.
  

Other Significant Military Actions

• Panama (1989): Operation Just Cause.
• Somalia (1992-1995): Humanitarian intervention.
• Kosovo (1999): NATO bombing campaign.
• Syria/Iraq (2014Present): Operations against ISIS.
• Yemeni Civil War (2015Present): Support for coalition forces.

You can see a shift in the wars since the federal reserve act passed. Probably a coincidence but before it they were wars closer to home. After it alot of foreign wars.

BMX Bandit said:

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This represents 40-50% of the deployable US air power in the world. Think air power on the order of the 1991 and 2003 Iraq war. And growing. Never has the US deployed this much force against a potential enemy and not launched strikes. pic.twitter.com/NLPIOEyeUs

— Robert A. Pape (@ProfessorPape) February 21, 2026

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We deployed over 2000 aircraft for Desert Storm. That guy is FOS

RIP "no new wars," 2025-2025

Yeah our current build up is nowhere near Desert Storm or Iraqi Freedom. Right now it looks similar to last year.

The people cheering for war in this thread probably struggle to get out of their chairs. Thank god none of you guys are leading the country, or wed be at war with everyone right now