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Culture War Roundup for the week of February 23, 2026

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(1) Three dead American servicemen confirmed by Centcom

U.S. Central Command said Sunday that three American service members were killed and five others were seriously wounded during Operation Epic Fury, the joint U.S.-Israeli military operation against Iran

(2) A disinformation war is happening in regards to whether a school in Iran was hit, and if it were hit, whether its destruction was caused by Iran, Israel, or America. 100+ Iranian girls were killed.

(3a) It isn’t clear why negotiations failed with Iran. A day before the attack, the designated Omani mediator asserted that Iran conceded fully on enrichment and nuclear weapons: “The single most important achievement, I believe, is the agreement that Iran will never, ever have a nuclear material that will create a bomb,” said Albusaidi, describing the understanding as “something completely new” compared to the previous nuclear deal negotiated under former US President Barack Obama. He said the negotiations have produced an agreement on “zero accumulation, zero stockpiling, and full verification” by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), calling it a breakthrough that makes the enrichment argument “less relevant.” On existing stockpiles inside Iran, Albusaidi said that “there is agreement now that this will be down-blended to the lowest-level possible … and converted into fuel, and that fuel will be irreversible.”

(3b) It appears that Witkoff and Kushner were instrumental in the decision to strike Iran: ”Witkoff and Jared Kushner, U.S. officials said. They told him the talks had gone badly: Tehran wasn’t willing to end its nuclear enrichment or dismantle its missile program, the officials said. That further confirmed for Trump that he had one option left, the officials said. The U.S. also had intelligence that Iran considered attacking American targets before Trump authorized strikes, a senior administration official said, adding a sense of urgency to the president’s decision. U.S. casualties and damage to American interests would be higher unless the U.S. moved first, the senior official said.”

(2) A disinformation war is happening in regards to whether a school in Iran was hit, and if it were hit, whether its destruction was caused by Iran, Israel, or America. 100+ Iranian girls were killed.

I find it tremendously frustrating that Iran can be indirectly and directly responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands of civilians over decades and decades but suddenly this is a huge problem.

I think it's a sign that most westerners are fundamentally unprepared to defend their societies from aggression and stagnation.

I think it's a sign that most westerners are fundamentally unprepared to defend their societies from aggression and stagnation.

Huh? What does Iran have to do with any of the problems afflicting Americans domestically? Sex recession, unaffordable homes, the meaning crisis, woke more broadly? This is just another foreign policy distraction because it's the only thing elite American conservatives have to address their own meaning crisis.

People die in war and conflict. Iran is a country actively engaged in killing its own people and those abroad (civilian and otherwise). People are arguing about the alleged death of some school children as if this event means that Iran should be allowed to go back to killing whoever they want.

That is stupid.

I don't have a dog in this fight, but look at the other side - just because America and Israel kill the current leadership does not in any way guarantee that Iran's future is any brighter.

Absolutely, we have a millions reasons why getting involved is a bad idea.

This isn't one of them - but it has gotten some of the most play on social media.

It's a shallow emotional appeal that makes no logical sense, but that is where the population is at right now. It's embarrassing.