The speed of Israel’s war on Iran is alarming. The vague justifications add to the concern. There is a flood of hawkish commentary. The breathless media coverage only intensifies the situation. It all feels hauntingly familiar. For those who remember 2003 or have studied the build-up to the Iraq War, the parallels are striking and disturbing.
Chris Hedges, the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and former New York Times correspondent, knows this playbook well. In a recent interview, he described the eerie similarities. Today’s rhetoric on Iran closely mirrors the campaign that led to the invasion of Iraq.
“I’m not stunned because I spent 20 years overseas covering various conflicts. Most of those who call for war use lies, myths, and half-truths to justify it. What does stun me is that we fall for it once again.” — Chris Hedges
Same Voices, Same Narrative
Hedges highlights the return of many of the same analysts and pundits. These are the think tank alumni who cheered the Iraq War. They have returned. They are once again saturating airwaves. This time, they are pushing for conflict with Iran. These figures, he says, are part of a permanent war ecosystem, funded by powerful lobbies and military contractors.
“They were wrong about Iraq. Wrong about Afghanistan. Wrong about Libya. Wrong about Syria. And yet they remain media regulars. Why? Because of who they represent—not what they know.”
He names institutions like the American Enterprise Institute and the Atlantic Council. These organizations have long ties to the defense industry. They are also connected to pro-Israel advocacy groups. These think tanks provide a revolving door for war advocates, regardless of the facts.
The Language of War
The media’s role isn’t passive. Through cherry-picked intelligence and unchallenged talking points, it amplifies narratives designed to manufacture consent.
One clip from CNN in 2003 warned that Saddam Hussein would “never give up weapons of mass destruction.” A recent Fox News segment justified Israeli airstrikes by warning of “21–22 weapons” supposedly endangering the world.
Hedges reminds us: “According to the U.S. intelligence community and the IAEA, Iran suspended its nuclear weapons program in 2003. Yet Netanyahu and his allies have claimed—since 1995—that Iran is just about to go nuclear. It’s fiction.”
Trump, Carlson, and MAGA Tensions
Donald Trump, who once promised to end America’s “forever wars,” has now thrown his support behind strikes on Iran. Hedges isn’t surprised.
“Trump is impulsive. He doesn’t understand the region. They’ve flattered his ego and convinced him that America’s military power is his personal brand.”
But not everyone in Trump’s orbit agrees. Tucker Carlson, a leading MAGA voice, has openly called the war “reckless” and “unnecessary.” His opposition, says Hedges, could fracture support—unless American soldiers are killed.
“If Iran retaliates and U.S. service members die, nationalism will surge. Flags will wave. And even opponents may be swept into support.”
Have We Learned Nothing?
If Iraq was the textbook case in how media can sell a war, Hedges fears we’ve ignored the lesson. The core failure isn’t public ignorance, he says—it’s media complicity.
“The media elevates the same discredited voices. It ignores verifiable intelligence. It marginalizes rational debate. That’s not an accident—it’s the goal.”
🎥 Credit: Interview with Chris Hedges via YouTube
🖊️ Quote Source: Chris Hedges, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and host of The Chris Hedges Report