February closed with fault lines exposed.
- Democracy. The January 6 committee pressed for testimony. Defiance mounted.
- Economy. Jobs rose, but inflation overshadowed gains.
- Pandemic. Omicron deaths piled even as cases dipped.
- War. Europe destabilized by invasion, NATO tested by fire not rehearsal.
The month proved that crises don’t wait their turn. They collide, stretch institutions, and measure whether capacity exists. So far, few systems passed the test.