# United States and Israel are bombing Iran {for current/ongoing events, past/future have specific threads} **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump, iran-strikes-2026\ **Created:** [February 28, 2026, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-states-and-israel-are-bombing-iran-for-current-ongoing-events-past-future-have-specific-threads/1028071 "2026-02-28T07:56:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 12
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2026, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-states-and-israel-are-bombing-iran-for-current-ongoing-events-past-future-have-specific-threads/1028071/222 "2026-03-01T17:10:09Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > If we had been destabilizing the regime and striking its leadership at the same time, they could have overthrown the regime. But instead we chose to stabilize the regime. > [@Babale](#): > > Khamenei was already having problems controlling his country before the war. What makes you think that the new hardliner guy who takes over will have an easier time of it? The fact that a hated outsider has just attacked them. That always makes a country’s leadership more powerful. > [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > Thinking about orwellian twists it is interesting to learn that Iran has a Ministry of Intelligence. I’ll keep the jokes to myself. Um, why wouldn’t they? Every country has a Department or Ministry or Agency or whatever they call it in charge of intelligence. > [@HMS\_Irruncible](#): > > Bush 43 was a lot more concerned about maintaining good relations with allies, and Turkey has always opposed anyone meddling in their Kurdish issues. > > Trump doesn’t care about any of that, and Turkey is getting less and less reliable as an ally. Trump might see the Kurds as toy soldiers who will do some of the hard stuff for him. Trump will treat the Kurds the same way he treats everyone: He’ll expect them to do things for him, and then won’t pay them. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2026, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-states-and-israel-are-bombing-iran-for-current-ongoing-events-past-future-have-specific-threads/1028071/223 "2026-03-01T17:34:04Z")
> [@Moriarty](#): > > I’m just too dumb to understand how a bunch of citizens, who otherwise have jobs and lives, are supposed to coalesce - Voltron-style - into a functioning government. You mean like the revolution in Iran 47 years ago? ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2026, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-states-and-israel-are-bombing-iran-for-current-ongoing-events-past-future-have-specific-threads/1028071/224 "2026-03-01T17:42:50Z")
> [@carlb](#): > > Has the administration offered _any_ legal justification for the actions in Iran? Always takes me back to our invasion of Panama. Called “Operation Just Cause.” Which I always assumed was short for “Just cause we can.” ---
**Author:** ![Chad\_Sudan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chad_sudan/32/4509_2.png) [@Chad\_Sudan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chad_Sudan)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2026, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-states-and-israel-are-bombing-iran-for-current-ongoing-events-past-future-have-specific-threads/1028071/225 "2026-03-01T17:47:03Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > > [@DSeid](#): > > > > Again I can find no expert analysis that claim replacement of this regime with one less oppressive is at all likely. Can you provide some? > > Straight from the horse’s mouth: > > [https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2026/02/28/reza-pahlavi-iran-freedom-trump/](https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2026/02/28/reza-pahlavi-iran-freedom-trump/) @Babale, you’re citing the deposed Shah’s son as an “expert” on the question of whether the Islamic regime can be replaced? The man’s entire career rests on persuading people that it can! (Plus, there’s zero “analysis” of this question in the piece you linked to. It’s just a rhetorical appeal to support democratic transition in Iran.) ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2026, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-states-and-israel-are-bombing-iran-for-current-ongoing-events-past-future-have-specific-threads/1028071/226 "2026-03-01T17:53:14Z")
> [@Moriarty](#): > > I can’t read the crown prince’s editorial. Does he have any specific plans? He’s never expressed any plans. He either has plans and knows it would be unwise to publicize them (he’s supported by Israel) or he’s too much of a lightweight to formulate them in the first place. He’s literally never run any kind of organization of any size. His only qualification is his name recognition, full stop, and the only reason the protesters were chanting his name is that there’s literally no one else. He’s not the horse’s mouth. He’s a horse’s ass. Nobody who wants to be taken seriously in a conversation about Iranian succession cites his views on anything. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2026, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-states-and-israel-are-bombing-iran-for-current-ongoing-events-past-future-have-specific-threads/1028071/227 "2026-03-01T17:56:07Z")
The Iranian public is perfectly capable of hating the current authoritarian theocracy _and_ the former authoritarian monarchy at the same time. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2026, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-states-and-israel-are-bombing-iran-for-current-ongoing-events-past-future-have-specific-threads/1028071/228 "2026-03-01T17:57:05Z")
LINDSEY GRAHAM: Our goal is to make sure Iran cannot become again the largest state sponsor of terrorism. WELKER: Does the the president have a plan to guarantee that happens? GRAHAM: No. It’s not his job. > **[Aaron Rupar (@aaron.rupar) on Threads](https://www.threads.com/@aaron.rupar/post/DVWRbjDiaav?xmt=AQF00aGLYNrItKQfCKAiei1ck9SOpoSHOXpztUAYajWAyyRVMCQ0gW8VYJy5zOl_tDt4gfAQ&slof=1)** > > LINDSEY GRAHAM: Our goal is to make sure Iran cannot become again the largest state sponsor of terrorism. > > WELKER: Does the the president have a plan to guarantee that happens? > > GRAHAM: No. It's not his job. Unbelievable. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2026, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-states-and-israel-are-bombing-iran-for-current-ongoing-events-past-future-have-specific-threads/1028071/229 "2026-03-01T17:58:49Z")
Hopefully not off-topic, but out of curiosity, is there any IDF policy of letting non-Jewish IDF troops be more usable in waging war on Sabbath or other Jewish religious days? Since they’re non-Jewish, they presumably would have no qualms about having to fight or do anything on Yom Kippur, Sabbath, etc. Like, using the non-Jewish guys first on such days. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2026, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-states-and-israel-are-bombing-iran-for-current-ongoing-events-past-future-have-specific-threads/1028071/230 "2026-03-01T18:02:07Z")
Israel did not stop fighting on the Sabbath during the war with Gaza or any other conflict. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2026, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-states-and-israel-are-bombing-iran-for-current-ongoing-events-past-future-have-specific-threads/1028071/231 "2026-03-01T18:07:29Z")
A Shabbos goy of war? ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2026, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-states-and-israel-are-bombing-iran-for-current-ongoing-events-past-future-have-specific-threads/1028071/232 "2026-03-01T18:10:26Z")
> [@Cervaise](#): > > He’s not the horse’s mouth. He’s a horse’s ass. Nobody who wants to be taken seriously in a conversation about Iranian succession cites his views on anything. Dang. Beat to it! Honestly I thought this was a softball. There have to be some mouthpieces set up to support the narrative. That all Babale could come up with this doofus, who is variably thought of as an incompetent idiot or an autocrat wannabe, rarely taken at face value of wanting a democracy there unless it is guaranteed of putting him in charge, is … disappointing. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2026, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-states-and-israel-are-bombing-iran-for-current-ongoing-events-past-future-have-specific-threads/1028071/233 "2026-03-01T18:11:32Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > Unbelievable. What’s unbelievable about it? The President said he would back up the Iranians in their fight to get rid of the current government. This is what he’s doing. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2026, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-states-and-israel-are-bombing-iran-for-current-ongoing-events-past-future-have-specific-threads/1028071/234 "2026-03-01T18:14:14Z")
What a joke. A war with no mission and no plan, and Americans are already dying for it. Lying idiots with no plan should not be starting a war. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2026, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-states-and-israel-are-bombing-iran-for-current-ongoing-events-past-future-have-specific-threads/1028071/235 "2026-03-01T18:14:46Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > LINDSEY GRAHAM: Our goal is to make sure Iran cannot become again the largest state sponsor of terrorism. Oh, we’ve made sure that that won’t happen. Because there’s now a nation of 300 million people that’s a state sponsor of terrorism. Iran is, at most, vying for second place. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2026, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-states-and-israel-are-bombing-iran-for-current-ongoing-events-past-future-have-specific-threads/1028071/236 "2026-03-01T18:15:31Z")
If the “goal is to make sure Iran cannot become again the largest state sponsor of terrorism” then you are reasonably expected to have a plan to make that happen. Especially if you are giving up American lives and treasure, killing others, putting allies at risk, to accomplish it. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2026, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-states-and-israel-are-bombing-iran-for-current-ongoing-events-past-future-have-specific-threads/1028071/237 "2026-03-01T18:31:04Z")
That was in the before times when competence was respected. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2026, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-states-and-israel-are-bombing-iran-for-current-ongoing-events-past-future-have-specific-threads/1028071/238 "2026-03-01T18:38:08Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > If the “goal is to make sure Iran cannot become again the largest state sponsor of terrorism” then you are reasonably expected to have a plan to make that happen. Especially if you are giving up American lives and treasure, killing others, putting allies at risk, to accomplish it. I’m pretty sure that Trump has “a concept of a plan”, which I’m equally sure we’ll hear about “in two weeks”. 🙄 This is madness, and to restate what I just said in another thread, “this action will inflame hatred, suspicion, and distrust against America from around the world for decades to come”. Untrustworthy trade partners, untrustworthy warmongers – what a combo deal! ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2026, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-states-and-israel-are-bombing-iran-for-current-ongoing-events-past-future-have-specific-threads/1028071/239 "2026-03-01T18:45:04Z")
If I said my goal was to retire early as a multi millionaire, and then I quit my job, and then my wife asks “ok, now that you’ve quit your job, what’s your plan?” And I say “that’s not _my_ job,” that’s pretty unbelievable. And that’s still less stupid than executing foreign leaders without any kind of a plan for what to do next. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2026, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-states-and-israel-are-bombing-iran-for-current-ongoing-events-past-future-have-specific-threads/1028071/240 "2026-03-01T18:46:38Z")
> [@steronz](#): > > If I said my goal was to retire early as a multi millionaire, and then I quit my job, and then my wife asks “ok, now that you’ve quit your job, what’s your plan?” And I say “that’s not _my_ job,” that’s pretty unbelievable. No, in that scenario you had explicitly quit your job. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2026, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-states-and-israel-are-bombing-iran-for-current-ongoing-events-past-future-have-specific-threads/1028071/241 "2026-03-01T18:49:40Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > What’s unbelievable about it? The President said he would back up the Iranians in their fight to get rid of the current government. This is what he’s doing. Well, in the quote I shared, Lindsey Graham said “our goal is to make sure Iran cannot become again the largest state sponsor of terrorism,” and then said it’s not the president’s job to make that happen. So we have a goal, we’re starting a war, but we have no plan. That’s what’s unbelievable. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-states-and-israel-are-bombing-iran-for-current-ongoing-events-past-future-have-specific-threads/1028071.md?page=11) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-states-and-israel-are-bombing-iran-for-current-ongoing-events-past-future-have-specific-threads/1028071.md?page=13)