Granite Street Morning

Casualties

 From Widipedia:

"21 February 2026, at least 75,227 people (73,188+ Palestinians... and 2,039+ Israelis... have been reported killed in the Gaza war according to the Gaza Health Ministry (GHM) and Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including 248 journalists and media workers,[11] 120 academics,[12] and over 224 humanitarian aid workers, a number that includes 179 employees of UNRWA.[13] Scholars have estimated 80% of Palestinians killed were civilians.[6][5][14] A study by OHCHR, which verified fatalities from three independent sources, found that 70% of the Palestinians killed in residential buildings or similar housing were women and children."

The great majority of those deaths were caused by bombs supplied to Israel by the United States.  So the question now is how many Iranians will be killed now that both Israeli and U.S. planes are dropping the bombs?

No matter how many bombs are dropped it seems clear that they alone will not be enough to defeat the Iranian armed forces in a country of 90 million people.  So the next question is, Will Trump be sucked into sending in ground troops? 

 To give the issue some geographic perspective, consider that the area of Palestine is 2,320 square miles while the area of Iran is 636,372 square miles -- about the same as Alaska.

Map shows how big Iran is compared with the 50 US states (Aljazera)

Granite Street Sunset

Friday Morning

What Is Coming?

 Albuquerque is experiencing mid-70s temperatures in the last week of February.  That is unprecedented in my experience.  One has to be apprehensive about what the summer will bring.  What are the chances the issues will be rationally explored in tonight’s State of the Union?

I am going to try to  watch the event on PBS along with the Democrats’ response.  I’m not optimistic.

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Update

From The Nation:

The Planet-Sized Hole in Trump’s State of the Union Address

 

Sky Drama

Winter Sky