Retired four‑star Gen. Jack Keane appeared on Fox & Friends on February 13, 2026, and made it plain: the United States needs a second carrier strike group in the Middle East to deter Iranian aggression and protect American interests. Keane argued that posture, not platitudes, is what forces the mullahs to think twice, and he warned that caution and wishful thinking will only embolden Tehran. His blunt assessment should wake up every policymaker who still believes weakness is a strategy.
Keane reminded viewers that you cannot take the Iranian regime at face value — their promises are tools of deception and delay while they advance malign aims across the region. Conservatives have long said the ayatollahs cannot be trusted, and Keane’s expertise reinforces that this is not partisan saber‑rattling but sober judgment from a career soldier. Americans who value real security want leaders who act on truth, not appeasement.
The general went further, saying a military option may be the most credible way to protect American lives and allies if Tehran continues its provocations. That is not warmongering; it is deterrence — the hard, necessary work of preserving peace through strength. If sending another carrier group prevents a wider war, then haste in posture is wisdom, not folly.
We should also recall Keane’s repeated warnings in other recent appearances that strikes could be coming if Iran keeps escalating, and that the regime is politically and economically brittle. These are not scaremongering lines from pundits; they are strategic assessments from someone who has watched adversaries test our resolve for decades. To those in power who still prefer press conferences to preparedness, remember that adversaries respect capability, not rhetoric.
It’s time to call out the comfortable consensus of appeasement on the left and call it by its name: reckless. A second carrier group is the sort of unmistakable signal that keeps wars small and short by convincing adversaries that any attack will be answered decisively. Conservatives should press Congress to fund our forces and stop the endless dithering that costs lives and invites aggression.
America must stop outsourcing its national security to hope and let strength do the talking. The men and women in uniform deserve leaders who back them with resources and clear objectives rather than empty statements and partisan posturing. If Washington fails to act now, history will record who chose weakness over duty.
Patriots know that safety and liberty are defended, not negotiated away; Keane’s call for a second carrier group is a commonsense, conservative prescription in a dangerous moment. Stand with our troops, demand clarity from our leaders, and reject the false comfort of those who pretend diplomacy alone will tame foes who lie and plot in the dark. America must be ready and resolute — anything less is a betrayal of our country and our children.

