President Donald Trump has issued a stark warning, stating the world has "probably 10 days" to see if a deal with Iran can be reached before potential military action. At the inaugural Board of Peace meeting in Washington, Trump emphasized the urgency, warning of consequences if a meaningful agreement isn't secured.

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Negotiations between US and Iranian officials have recently shown progress in Switzerland. Special Envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law, reportedly had productive discussions. However, Trump acknowledged the difficulties in dealing with Iran's nuclear program, reiterating his hope for a diplomatic resolution.

The White House's increased military presence in the Middle East includes the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier. Despite this buildup, the UK has not permitted the US to use its bases for potential strikes on Iran.

Iran has bolstered its military defenses, with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamanei issuing warnings to US forces via social media. US intelligence has observed Iran reinforcing its military sites, heightening tensions.

Congressional opposition to potential military action is growing. Democrat Ro Khanna and Republican Thomas Massie plan to invoke the 1973 War Powers Act to force a vote, aiming to curtail presidential powers in committing to armed conflict. Past attempts to limit such powers have faced resistance, as seen with Senate Republicans blocking a similar resolution regarding Venezuela.

Khanna cautioned against catastrophe, pointing out Iran's complex society and military capabilities. The idea is to prevent unnecessary risks to US troops in the region.

The Board of Peace, originally aimed at resolving the Israel-Hamas conflict, now appears to extend beyond, possibly sidelining the UN. As the deadline approaches, global attention focuses on whether diplomacy will prevail or if the region could face further instability.

Key Takeaways

• Trump sets 10-day deadline for deal with Iran.

• Military tensions rise, UK withholding base support.

• Congress seeks to limit executive military action.

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  Adapted by ASEAN Now · Source · 19 Feb 2026

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"Bad Things".....55555

There he is again, The Walking Dictionary!

I tend to believe the stories now how he only got through University by paying / cheating / daddy making "arrangements" don't you?

5555555555555555

The files have had no effect. His base keeps him feeling assured.

Only his War would change any of that, really.

We were told that the recent strikes completely obliterated iran's nuclear facililties....so was that another trump porkie ? More likely all the huffing and puffing are designed to try and change the subject from epstein so he can be sure to "protect his billionaire buddies". Next up invade Cuba.

These deadlines work as leverage tools. They don't guarantee a perfect outcome, but they consistently shift the dynamic and make the other side sweat.

Iran is now on the clock, and the hardware is already in place, or will be very soon.

We'll see if they blink or call the bluff.

If Trump wants a fight he might actually get it, not with Iran, but with the U.S. Congress courtesy of the War Powers Act of 1973.

Media outlets like Reuters and AP News have reported that most Americans remain deeply cautious about military action against Iran. Polling cited by Reuters/Ipsos shows nearly four out of five Americans worry about escalation if strikes occur, while NPR and PBS surveys found similar levels of concern about retaliation.

In short, while Trump talks tough, the media consistently highlight that the U.S. public mood leans toward diplomacy and restraint rather than another Middle East war.

if he say's 10 days... that probably means 3-4 days

let's puy it into video mode for all of you

i think he has come to his senses and blinked again. even a dullard like Trump realized that Israel would be eviscerated within 24 hours.

4 minutes ago, malibukid said:

i think he has come to his senses and blinked again. even a dullard like Trump realized that Israel would be eviscerated within 24 hours.

serving TACO

What security clearance has Jared Kushner?

1 hour ago, FritsSikkink said:

What security clearance has Jared Kushner?

Jared was deemed a security risk but father-in-law rammed through the system and have him given a permanent security clearance but not the most Sensitive Compartmented information (SCI). BTW, there are no explicit confirmation that Steve Witkoff holds formal security clearance. His lack of traditional diplomatic experience raised questions about his suitability. Yet both of them are in sensitive negotiation to end 3 conflicts. What a amazing administration. Not exactly getting the best people for the job.

7 hours ago, Jim Waldron said:

If Trump wants a fight he might actually get it, not with Iran, but with the U.S. Congress courtesy of the War Powers Act of 1973.

Media outlets like Reuters and AP News have reported that most Americans remain deeply cautious about military action against Iran. Polling cited by Reuters/Ipsos shows nearly four out of five Americans worry about escalation if strikes occur, while NPR and PBS surveys found similar levels of concern about retaliation.

In short, while Trump talks tough, the media consistently highlight that the U.S. public mood leans toward diplomacy and restraint rather than another Middle East war.

not to mention that a war with Iran will no doubt stir up a hornets nest of terrorist attacks on american soil...there is more than one way to fight a war...yes the usa has more bombs more jets more of everything but a few well placed bombs or chemical attacks in major american cities, airports, malls, damns, etc by a handful of jihadists is not out of the question and the damage it could cause is major.

S**t or get off the pot! Carrier strike groups run about 11 million a day.

If he doesn’t, BB will release the real Epstein Files, Miriam will ask for her money back, and his popularity will continue to go down based on current performances. Historically wars give leaders a breathing space from current issues. He’s taking a leaf out of BB’s handbook. Big risk though. A carrier sunk will be another nail in his coffin.

"Deal" translated:

"Unconditionally surrender or else. Allow Israel to turn Tehran into Gaza or else. All Iranian leaders - immediately commit suicide or else."

That's a hell of a deal, 'eh? Then Russia and China - "You're next."

23 hours ago, pomchop said:

hornets nest of terrorist attacks on american soil.

Maybe they got their hands on the tech that pulverised the twin towers ..no wonder Trump wants to release the alien X files so he can explain the next unexplainable super weapon he'll use to obliterate Iran 👾

On 2/20/2026 at 2:38 AM, Smokey and the Bandit said:

These deadlines work as leverage tools. They don't guarantee a perfect outcome, but they consistently shift the dynamic and make the other side sweat.

Iran is now on the clock, and the hardware is already in place, or will be very soon.

We'll see if they blink or call the bluff.

Don't underestimate the potential for misunderstandings in a febrile atmosphere. Someone announcing an intent for "limited strikes" just days after a major ally made announcements that they cannot use bases to reduce range requirements, could be interpreted as conceding weakness. It might be the case that depending on extremely long range B52 flights from the US, with mid-refueling, the US can only effect limited strikes, reducing the "threat" and leverage, because the other side will be working out how much is an acceptable. The concern would be the Iranians thinking "is that all they got".

11 hours ago, johng said:

Maybe they got their hands on the tech that pulverised the twin towers ..no wonder Trump wants to release the alien X files so he can explain the next unexplainable super weapon he'll use to obliterate

12 hours ago, johng said:

Maybe they got their hands on the tech that pulverised the twin towers ..no wonder Trump wants to release the alien X files so he can explain the next unexplainable super weapon he'll use to obliterate Iran 👾

I can see the 'decombobulator' being dusted off for this one.

"Smart people don't like me"

--Convicted felon con man actually telling the truth for a change.

On 2/20/2026 at 6:05 PM, pomchop said:

not to mention that a war with Iran will no doubt stir up a hornets nest of terrorist attacks on american soil...there is more than one way to fight a war...yes the usa has more bombs more jets more of everything but a few well placed bombs or chemical attacks in major american cities, airports, malls, damns, etc by a handful of jihadists is not out of the question and the damage it could cause is major.

You make a salient point.

Asymmetric terrorist attacks (or inspired lone-actor violence) on U.S. soil are a real risk in a war scenario — more so than direct conventional attacks on the homeland. A few well-placed incidents could cause outsized damage (fear, economic disruption, civilian deaths) without matching U.S. military might.

U.S. counter terrorism (FBI, DHS, fusion centers) is geared to detect/prevent these, and Iran knows escalation to homeland attacks would trigger overwhelming U.S. response.

The "hornets' nest" is real, but the U.S. has tools to mitigate it — and the buildup is partly to deter Iran from trying.

Iran prefers proxies and indirect pressure to avoid direct war.

If they cross the homeland line, do they lose far more than they gain?

I think some pretty good advice is do not kick a hornets nest. There are many in the middle east and elsewhere who have little to lose and do not care if Iran is bombed to the stone age as long as they can create havoc in the USA and be rewarded as a martyr and get a bunch of virgins as a bonus.

Since trump himself absoluted assured the world that the last strikes on Iran completely and totally obliterated their nuke program I (along with congress) is waiting to hear exactly why we are on the verge of kicking the nest even harder? There are 90 million Iranians that no doubt might create massive immigration problems fleeing their home country into other middle eastern countries and that alone could and likely would result in a massive additional set of chaos and wars.

I would not want to be living in Trump Tower in NYC when the hornets start to swarm.

Trump is a criminal, fraudster and grifter. His "war" on Venezuela was about him receiving money from the sale of Venezuelan oil.

Iran is no different of a US military target. He wants to pressure the Iranian authoritarian regime into blackmail benefiting Trump personally in exchange for allowing their undemocratic authoritarian control of Iran to continue. To that end he is willing to spend $billions of American taxpayer funds (not his own funds) and watch the murder of Iranian protesters.

Peas in a Pod.

The Supreme Court ruling is bad news for Iran! 🙂

7 hours ago, Smokey and the Bandit said:

You make a salient point.

Asymmetric terrorist attacks (or inspired lone-actor violence) on U.S. soil are a real risk in a war scenario — more so than direct conventional attacks on the homeland. A few well-placed incidents could cause outsized damage (fear, economic disruption, civilian deaths) without matching U.S. military might.

U.S. counter terrorism (FBI, DHS, fusion centers) is geared to detect/prevent these, and Iran knows escalation to homeland attacks would trigger overwhelming U.S. response.

The "hornets' nest" is real, but the U.S. has tools to mitigate it — and the buildup is partly to deter Iran from trying.

Iran prefers proxies and indirect pressure to avoid direct war.

If they cross the homeland line, do they lose far more than they gain?

The problem with a supreme confidence in any nation's counter-terrorism capabilities is summed up by the IRA's statement following the 1984 Conservative Conference bombing in Brighton.

Today we were unlucky, but remember we have only to be lucky once, you will have to be lucky always

911 was a "lucky once", and the resulting responses acted as a huge recruitment sergeant. with an outcome the US never anticipated. You are expressing hubris.

And the Losses versus Gains, works if both sides have the same values, such as basically secular governments where no one in their right mind believes in life after death. But if one side views death as not an end, but a beginning, that threat holds less fear. Hitler probably knew that by kicking off WW2, there was a pretty good chance, things would not end well for Germany. He had seen the horrors of WW1. But his ideology taught him that some war was necessary, to further his ideological racial expansion. But he expressed fears about a two front war. Nevertheless, he started a two front war, thinking he might be able to win. Hubris.

The Americans are exercising Gun Boat diplomacy. Often it works out. Sometimes its a complete disaster. The complete disaster might be the sinking of one or both of the US carriers. The relative exposure of aircraft carriers is something that has been debated for years, Sure, such an action will probably result in a huge response, but also shock to the US armed forces. Postwar, until 1982, western navies were considered relatively impregnable. The Falklands was the first proper post war naval battle, resulting in the loss of 7 ships of the line. Modern anti-ship weapons could penetrate a modern defence. It was through sheer luck that the Invincible wasn't lost, and insteead the MV Atlantic Conveyor was sunk.

The Russian War of Aggression has shown the risks of littoral Naval warfare, with Russian combat ships exposed in shallow waters close to coastlines.

Likely the US government doesn't understand the Iranian government as well as the Iranians understand the Americans. One side could be characterised as a death cult, where martyrs are celebrated. The other side mourns and weeps for its losses.

Did Hamas anticipate the Israeli attack, after it attacked Israeli settlements. Quite probably, but they didn't fear it, because they effectively never gave up. Even the Nazis threw in the towel eventually. Iran might think, America can't defeat us. Which is true. America can't defeat Iran, in terms of taking over Iran. It couldn't do it in Iraq, a country with 20% of the Iranian population. A country with a ramshackle, rusting military, versus a country with a military that has become self sufficient. And that believes in the Afterlife and Skyfairies.

7 hours ago, pomchop said:

I think some pretty good advice is do not kick a hornets nest. There are many in the middle east and elsewhere who have little to lose and do not care if Iran is bombed to the stone age as long as they can create havoc in the USA and be rewarded as a martyr and get a bunch of virgins as a bonus.

Since trump himself absoluted assured the world that the last strikes on Iran completely and totally obliterated their nuke program I (along with congress) is waiting to hear exactly why we are on the verge of kicking the nest even harder? There are 90 million Iranians that no doubt might create massive immigration problems fleeing their home country into other middle eastern countries and that alone could and likely would result in a massive additional set of chaos and wars.

I would not want to be living in Trump Tower in NYC when the hornets start to swarm.

Or any Trump-branded property. The danger, in terms of a response, is woud such attacks be directly related to the Tehran regime, or due to ideological sympathisers. In 2003, some parts of the US government were convinced Iraq was behind 911. President Bush was driven essentially by a personal vendetta (his father survived an assassination attempt), clouding his judgement). History will show that the Iraq War was a very costly mistake, resulting in the very opposite to a new world order.

3 minutes ago, Roadsternut said:

Or any Trump-branded property. The danger, in terms of a response, is woud such attacks be directly related to the Tehran regime, or due to ideological sympathisers. In 2003, some parts of the US government were convinced Iraq was behind 911. President Bush was driven essentially by a personal vendetta (his father survived an assassination attempt), clouding his judgement). History will show that the Iraq War was a very costly mistake, resulting in the very opposite to a new world order.

And i suspect that bombing iran into oblivion would be an even greater mistake that would cost untold loss of life and make the middle east and entire world even more chaotic and dangerous for decades. I also seriously doubt that Trump knows more than a thimble full of middle east history or could even find half of the middle east countries on a map.