In May 2003, George W. Bush famously declared “Mission Accomplished” on a US aircraft carrier following the end of major combat operations in Iraq. However, it soon became evident that the war was far from over, with no evidence of Iraq possessing weapons of mass destruction or any connection to the 9/11 attacks. Fast forward to today, and Donald Trump has plunged the US into another conflict based on exaggerated intelligence—the Israel-Iran conflict.

Israel launched a surprise attack on Iran, justifying it by claiming Iran was racing to build a nuclear bomb. Despite this, US intelligence officials and experts maintain that Iran has not taken steps to develop such a weapon. Trump’s military operation in Iran was hailed as a success, but questions remain about the actual threat posed by Iran.

Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, has a history of exaggerating Iran’s nuclear capabilities, echoing the tactics used by the Bush administration prior to the Iraq invasion. Netanyahu’s fearmongering led to US involvement in the conflict, reminiscent of past instances where exaggerated threats resulted in devastating wars.

The consequences of acting on manipulated intelligence and false pretenses are dire, with the people of the Middle East bearing the brunt of the fallout. This cycle of launching wars based on misinformation highlights the need for caution and critical analysis of claims made by political leaders.