February 14, 2026
‘Weeks’? The internet hears ‘years’
US Military preparing for potentially weeks-long Iran operations
Comments scream ‘Iraq 2.0’ as ‘weeks’ sounds like years to worried readers
TLDR: U.S. forces are reportedly prepping for weeks of potential strikes on Iran even as talks are planned, with another carrier headed to the region. Commenters blast Iraq déjà vu, warning “weeks” can become years, and spar over limited airstrikes versus the risk of a bigger, bloodier war.
Reuters says the U.S. military is prepping for weeks-long operations against Iran if ordered, even as envoys head to Geneva for talks and another aircraft carrier sails in. President Trump is signaling tough options while saying he’d rather deal, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio warning a deal is “very hard.” The piece hints at air and sea power—planes and ships—doing most of the work, not ground troops, but the internet isn’t comforted. The comments section lit up like a runway at midnight. Top-voted voices cried déjà vu: “We heard this in 2003,” pointing straight at Iraq and the way “weeks” can morph into years. One grim note kept repeating: boots on the ground means body bags. Others argued airstrikes can “send a message” without a full war, but skeptics called that a fantasy, saying escalation has a habit of writing its own script. Memes flew: “Mission Accomplished 2.0,” “weeks = 2–3 business decades,” and “Middle East Bingo” cards featuring carriers, sanctions, and “regime change” talk. The split is sharp—hawkish commenters want Tehran pressured hard, doves want talks to actually talk, and everyone else is doomscrolling. Read the Reuters piece here and the carrier move here.
Key Points
- •U.S. officials say the military is preparing for potentially weeks-long operations against Iran if ordered by President Donald Trump.
- •U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will hold talks with Iranian representatives in Geneva, mediated by Oman.
- •The Pentagon is deploying an additional aircraft carrier, thousands of troops, fighter aircraft and guided-missile destroyers to the Middle East.
- •Trump signaled openness to changing Iran’s government and reiterated skepticism about deploying ground forces, favoring air and naval options.
- •The White House says all options are on the table; the Pentagon declined comment. Prior strikes included June’s one-off “Midnight Hammer” operation using stealth bombers.