These facts suggest two interpretive frameworks: a foreign war as a mechanism to destroy democracy at home; and a foreign war as an element of personal corruption by the president of the United States. [Timothy Snyder, Feb 28 2026]

I’d say both are at play!

We shall see how Trump’s misguided idea that engaging in conflict can benefit him will play out, and as a mostly captured U.S. media focuses fully on the war he wanted, let’s think about all the things they are not paying attention to: Trump’s overwhelming presence in the Epstein files, the tanking U.S. economy, his plan to “fix” our elections, and his myriad corrupt deals. [Ruth Ben-Ghiat, Feb 28 2026]

[Heather cox Richardson offers a very clear synopsis of why this “war”: https://open.substack.com/pub/heathercoxrichardson/p/february-28-2026?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=post%20viewer]

And then there’s Carney’s reply:

Prime Minister Mark Carney backed US air strikes on Iran, saying Tehran is the main source of instability in the Middle East and must never be allowed to possess nuclear weapons. [secure.campaigner.com/c…]

This is one of those quagmire situations – the Iranian regime has been an international threat since 1979 or so. So, yes, I might want to see its power diminished and maybe support the regime’s downfall.

But that isn’t going to happen by the US and Israel attacking the Iranian civilian population! And this attack by the US/Israel is so obviously duplicitous for a host of reasons that have nothing to do with regime change.

So when the PM of Canada “backs US air strikes on Iran” – it enrages me! Better he should keep his mouth shut than stand up for this outrage being perpetrated by the US/Israel!

Carney’s motivation is also a misdirection – he’s siding with the US here because he hopes it will soften trump’s trade stance against Canada (negotiations for CUSMA are starting soon) – that’s pie in the sky thinking. I don’t believe CUSMA can be reworked this time around, not because the negotiators aren’t capable, but because trump won’t accept anything other than surrender and Canada is going to have to walk away.

According to Charlie Angus (Mar 1 2026):

Perhaps the thinking in Ottawa is that by becoming mired in a Middle East war, Trump will be distracted from his obsession with breaking our nation.

Playing nice with crocodiles in the hope that they will be nice to us never ends well.

I reacted yesterday [Feb 28 2026]:

Carney’s statement makes me furious!

“Canada’s position remains clear: the Islamic Republic of Iran is the principal source of instability and terror throughout the Middle East, has one of the world’s worst human rights records, and must never be allowed to obtain or develop nuclear weapons,” the Prime Minister said.

“Canada supports the United States acting to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and to prevent its regime from further threatening international peace and security,” he said.

Except this isn’t what trump is up to – he desperately needs a distraction from the Epstein files which are proving more than personally dangerous; he needs a distraction from mounting opposition to the impact of tariffs and health care costs escalation, he needs to protect the patronage he’s receiving from the Arab states (“enemies” of Iran).

None of this is about stopping Iran’s nuclear ambitions. They’re all playing games! For Carney to be the first (and so far, the only as far as I can tell from what I’ve seen in the “news”) head of state to lick-ass raises my blood pressure into unsafe territory. 

He didn’t need to do it. He shouldn’t have done it!