Will the Upcoming War with Iran be Sold with More Lies?
Iraq’s WMD playbook is being dusted off as misleading pretext for Iranian "regime change"—this time with even higher stakes.
Video Short: (2 min 57 seconds). https://www.youtube.com/shorts/4Wxmi9v-S78
In 1918, US Senator Hiram Warren Johnson’s 1918 said:1
The first casualty when war comes is truth. - Hiram Johnson
U.S. leaders have repeatedly leaned on disputed or false claims to gain support for military action. As tensions with Iran accelerate after the June 2025 Israel-Iran 12-Day War, a pattern is resurfacing that should be familiar. If we don’t scrutinize the latest claims used to justify further war with Iran—especially concerning the distinction between nuclear “Breakout” and “Weaponization”—we risk further entrenching ourselves in the destructive cycle of the Military Industrial Complex,2 much like the 1993 movie Groundhog Day in which Bill Murray found himself repeating the same day, over and over again until he matured into a better man3 (or in our case a better country4).
Phony WMD Claims:
Politicians have repeatedly employed false or misleading claims to sell unfounded5 and unsuccessful6 wars, and yet the public keeps accepting these phony justifications. Few would dispute that the country has declined. One can debate when our nation’s decline started, but the decision to accept the phony WMD (Weapons of Mass Destruction) claims in Iraq after September 11, 2001, set the US on a downward trajectory that we haven’t been able to shake. In the next few month, it is likely that repetition of this June’s Iran WMD claims will likely be asserted, as US & Israeli hawks seek to accomplish the real goal of the 12-Day War — overthrowing the Iranian government.7 This intervention now is being timed to take place before the midterms, ideally in the next few months (before the end of ~December).8 Americans must scrutinize these hawks’ claims closely. War with Iran is likely to be initiated by an Israeli attack on Iran, that seeks to draw in the US, at a cost that could amount to many times that of Iraq.9 That Iraq war was advertised as a war that could pay for iteself, and the hope is that this war with Iran would be accompanied expeditiously, but the price tag is likely to be something everyone in the US knows we can not afford.
History of Selling Wars with Lies
Depending on how you weigh the evidence, politicians have misled or lied the US into conflicts/wars up to 10 times since 1900. Given that past history of phony wars, and the fact that Iran had already been named to General Wesley Clark’s 2007 list of 7 countries that the US wanted to overthrow, the explanation for why we are targeting Iran is suspect.
Here is a list of past US Wars/conflicts that relied on manipulation or lies for their justification since 1900:
Rapid case capsule: claims vs. later evidence
World War I (1915) — Claim: Germany sank a civilian passenger ship. Later evidence: RMS Lusitania carried 137 tons of munitions, violating the ship’s “civilian status”; propaganda hid this fact from British and American people. [sources]
Vietnam—Gulf of Tonkin (1964) — Claim: Unprovoked repeat attacks on U.S. ships. Later evidence: US Defense department deliberately skewed evidence of the “second attack.” [sources]
Dominican Republic (1965) — Claim: Imminent communist takeover. Later evidence: Threat was overstated to justify intervention. [sources]
Grenada (1983) — Claim: Urgent threat to U.S. medical students. Later evidence: Danger was exaggerated; strategic aims dominated. [sources]
Panama (1989) — Claim: Narrow, multifold justifications (drug trafficking, democracy, self-defense). Later evidence: Pretexts were layered to enable regime change. [sources]
Gulf War (1990–91) — Claim: Iraqi forces pulled “babies from incubators.” Later evidence: 15-year old girl, Nayirah’s testimony was PR-coached and false; cited in close votes authorizing force. [sources]
Iraq (2003) — Claim: Active WMD and links to 9/11. Later evidence: No stockpiles; Allegation of transfer of WMD to Syria couldn’t be substantial.10 9/11 linkage unsubstantiated. Enormous costs followed. [sources]
Syria (2013–2018)
Claim: Assad was responsibility for gassing his own civilians, including Douma Later evidence: OPCW findings were contested by whistleblower inspectors; Rather than address the substance of the whistleblowers’ claims, official denials say dissenting voices should no longer be considered now that the dissenters are former officials
Timber Sycamore: CIA covert program to supply arms and training for coup
Significant provinces are now run/influenced by former Al Qaeda in Syria leader Ahmed al-Sharaa
Israel (Oct 7, 2023) — Claim: (WMR) Weaponized Mass Rape, Beaded babies, babies in oven. Later evidence: mass rape, babies in oven, and behead babies arguments have been debunked 11 but Israel periodically revives rape charges, as Pollster Frank Luntz has determined that (false) rape charges are the most effective justification for Israel's actions in Gaza.
Iran: 12-day War “Operation Midnight Hammer” (June 2025) — claim: Iran is 15 days from having a bomb. Later evidence: This is the Israeli assessment. The US intelligence assessment was it would be 5 months - 1 year, if Iran decided to change its policy and pursue a weapon. This doesn’t include time to miniaturize bomb and engineer it to fit on a missile in a way to survive boost and reentry.12
Iran (upcoming) “Iraq WMD,” the sequel, on steroids
Possible rationale: The pretext is that the 12-Day war didn't finish the job on WMD. The Actual Goal is regime change and using divide and conquer to weaken Iran, like was done to Syria.
More Detail: US Wars justified by Lies: Historical Review (1900 - 2025)13
If you think back to the fateful decision in 2003 to attack Iraq based on phony claims of WMD (weapons of mass destruction), how many Americans would choose to invade Iraq again? We can’t get fooled again!
1991 Gulf War Lies
While many remember the 2003 scandal of Iraq’s missing WMDs, fewer recall that the prior Gulf War justification in 1991 was also built on a lie —- the dramatic testimony (not under oath) from a girl named ‘Nayirah’, —later revealed to be the Kuwaiti ambassador’s 15-year-old daughter. Nayirah’s testimony was highly orchestrated — professionally coached by a U.S. public relations firm named Hill & Knowlton — and she falsely testified to the US Congress and American public that Iraqi troops had removed babies from incubators and left the babies to die.1415
Nayirah’s false testimony was likely crucial to the narrow passage of the original Authorization for Use of Military Force in Iraq in 1991 (passed in the Senate 52–47; and the House 250–183), as the margin of the vote was small and Nayirah’s (false) testimony was cited by six senators in their speeches16 as a justification for their vote.17
Upcoming War with Iran?
In this past summer’s 12-day war, Israel attacked Iranian systems and used multiple assassinations18 in a failed attempt to engineer a regime change,19 the goal was not just eliminating WMD, it was to overthrow the Iranian government,20 which is why Israel hacked State TV and replaced its feed with a video calling for Iranians to go out into the streets and overthrow the government.21
Experts like former Army Col. Douglas MacGregor, Lawrence Wilkerson — former Chief of Staff to Colin Power, and former British diplomat and intelligence official Alastair Crooke.** now say that another attempt on Iran is likely, but conditional on American support.22 That means that to the extent that the US government’s actions depend on popular support, we the people have influence.
If President Trump does not refuse to join Benjamin Netanyahu in another coup attempt, Israel will likely attack again, but with risks of devastating missile exchanges that could devastate Israel, blockade the Strait of Hormuz, leading to the possibility of $5-7/gallon gasoline,23 and a non-zero risk of nuclear escalation in which a defeated Israel creates a nuclear Armageddon by firing off all their nuclear missiles in an operation called The Samson Option. **
Overthrowing 7 Countries in 5 Years
Over the past 20 years, if you had supplemented your legacy news intake with diverse independent media, you might have heard that in 2007 former four-star General Wesley Clarke alerted multiple audiences24 that he had been told that the US intended to overthrow 7 countries in 5 years, with Iraq being the first, and Iran listed as the last.25 [Actual Results]
7 Countries in 5 years: intervention:
Iraq (March 2003, regime change)
Syria (Aug 18, 2011) (Timber Sycamore 2013-2017)
Lebanon (Cedar Revolution 2005)
Libya (Feb - Oct 2011)
Somalia (Ethiopian intervention Dec 2006 - Jan 2007)
Sudan (April 2019 Sudanese military coup)
Iran (2025 anti-nuclear strike & regime change attempt)
Full Image ranked by actual order, by Tim Langeman. Credit: MapChart
From Afghanistan to Iraq to Syria:
It turned out that this 5 year goal of 7 countries was too optimistic — Iraq wasn’t a “slam dunk” — and the US wasn’t able to overthrow the Syrian government the first try (in 2011).26 More recently, the US attempted regime change in Syria using the CIA to covertly support allies of terrorists in Syria, leading to significant parts of Syria now being led by Ahmed al-Sharaa, the former leader of al Qaeda in Syria.
Isn’t it ironic that in 2003 the US went to war purportedly against al Qaeda in Afghanistan,27 after having supported al Qaeda’s predecessor, the Afghan Mujahideen against the Soviet Union? Our action in Iraq then led to the creation of ISIS in Iraq, and now we are back in support of a former al Qaeda leader, this time in Syria28.
Before I get into the forward-looking Iran claims, I’d like to bring you up to speed on what the US publicly knew about the state of the Iranian nuclear program within the last year — that is prior to Israel's 12-day war with Iran. (Starting on June 13 of 2025).
Iran Background: The 12-Day War
Chris Hedges said: “The attacks on Iran, as with the invasion and occupation of Iraq, was based on a lie. The news often failed to differentiate between what Israel said and what the American Intelligence believed.” 29
Neither U.S. intelligence nor the U.N. concurred with Netanyahu and Trump’s claim that Iran was weaponizing its enriched uranium.
The government used manipulative statements that are technically true, but would require the addition of the unbolded (“hidden”) message to fully inform the reader:
Claim: “The United States has Intelligence that says Iran could have a bomb in 15 days.”
Translation: “The United States has (Israeli) Intelligence (of which the American Intelligence Community doesn’t agree with Israel) that says Iran could have a bomb in 15 days.”30 31
Can you see how manipulative the PR is by not saying the added clarifying italic text?
William Burns, CIA Chief, Dec 2024
So let’s see the contrast with what the American intelligence clearly said in the 6 months leading up to the attack.
The Times of Israel reported that former CIA chief William Burns said:32
The US spy agency “doesn’t see any evidence that Iran’s Supreme Leader [Ali Khamenei has made a decision to move to weaponize”
Tulsi Gabbard, Director of National Intelligence, March 25 2025
The Director of National Intelligence also testified on March 25 that: (@11:19)
The IC continues to assess that Iran is not building a nuclear weapon and Supreme Leader Khamenei has not authorized the nuclear weapons program that he suspended in 2003. (bold emphasis by Tim)
Notice the term “IC” refers to “Intelligence Community.” This was the judgement of whole of the US Intelligence Community. Tulsi Gabbard, as the Director of National Intelligence was the vehicle for communicating this institutional assessment.33
Will Iranian Grand Leader Change his Fatwa?
Iran had a religious prohibition against nuclear weapons that would have to be reversed before the Iranian nuclear program could be weaponized.
What is: Nuclear “Breakout” vs “Weaponization”
Before we go too much further, it is important to differentiate between the term “Breakout”, which means accumulating enough highly enriched uranium to fuel one bomb, and “Weaponization,” which means that the country has the engineering ability to turn that fuel into a deliverable weapon.34
Nuclear “Breakout”
Before the June 13, 2025 strike, the Arms Control Association estimated that Iran would take 1-2 weeks for “Breakout” (that is the existence of sufficient fuel)
Nuclear “Weaponization”
But, Iran would still need to turn that uranium into a bomb. Before June of 2025, estimates for “weaponization” were between 5 months - 1+ year. (not 15 days, as Israel reported as the total for both processes)
It is not clear how much the June 2025 Israeli and US strikes have setback the Iranian program. If Israel is motivated to attack Iran again, it is in Israel’s interest to portray the June attacks as having had very little effect, as this would make the Breakout and Weaponization time seem more imminent.
It is also important to distinguish between a crude bomb which can’t be delivered by a missile, and a miniaturized bomb that can survive boost and reentry on a medium range missile, as well as the development of an very long-range ICBM missile that could reach the US. The time involved in these steps are detailed in my video.
Not just Bombing Nuclear Sites, but Regime Change Goal
Judging from the news coverage you get of the 12-Day War this June, one would think that the main point of the war was to destroy the nuclear enrichment occurring at the Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan facilities,35 about which President Trump triumphantly claimed everything was “obliterated.”36
In Israel, the leading military think thank, the ISNN, reported that Israel also had the goal to create “regime change” in Iran. Their paper outlined 4 possible paths to do regime change and said that Israel would continue to attempt to change Iran’s government as long as Iran had a nuclear program. Unsaid is whether this prohibition includes those levels of enrichment that Iran is legally allowed to do,37 such as medical programs for cancer radiation.
The INNS paper reports how regime change attempts would have continued in June, had there not been a ceasefire:
it is clear that some of Israel’s actions, especially during the second week of the war, were intended to undermine the regime’s foundations and encourage the Iranian public to take to the streets and resume their popular protest movement. Moreover, these actions presumably would have continued and perhaps even intensified had the war not ended in a ceasefire after 12 days
Israeli (2), Kuwaiti, and French sources reported that the satellite feed for Iranian state-run television was disrupted on ~ June 19 and replaced by an alternate video calling for street protests against the Iranian government. On State TV the satellite feed was replaced with video showing women cutting their hair, a symbolic Iranian practice performed in times of protest or mourning.
Video: Iranian State TV was hacked to call for regime change street protests.
Opportunity to Attack Iran, “the sequel”
Having failed in their attempt at regime change this past June, and Israeli hawks see a window of “opportunity” between now and December, with the midterms** as the deadline for another bite of the apple against Iran, during which Israel would like to pull the US into the fray, overthrowing the Iranian government.
Groundhog Day
This sounds a lot like regime change efforts in 2003 against Iraq. In the 1993 movie Groundhog Day, Bill Murray finds himself re-living the same day over and over again,38 with each morning providing him with endless second chances. Key to this saga is that there are no consequences for anything Murray did the day before — everyday begins “afresh.”
The prospect we face with Iran is similar to Groundhog Day in that our politics is the repetition of 10 prior phony war justifications, but it differs in a key way. If we and Israel use another phony WMD pretext to justify a regime change war of choice, the consequences could be catastrophic —many times worse than Iraq. According to Lawrence Wilkerson, the fight to overthrow the Iranian government could last 10 years. This phony war could amplify America’s decline, and Donald J. Trump could go down as a tragically failed President** whose “Make America Great Again” slogan was obliterated by his failure to reign in the hawks he previously denounced during his 2016 Presidential campaign.
Getting out of ‘the loop’: Character Development
It is said that Bill Murray’s character in Groundhog Day spent decades stuck in “the loop” because he was afraid to undertake the character development needed to change.39 It was only after a period of destructive behavior40 that Murray hit rock bottom and he resolved to use his superpowers for self-improvement, rather than self-aggrandizement.
President Trump has been the first President in a long time to talk about prioritizing development of the American people and our industries.41 Are he and our political system ready to change our bankrupt, corrupt, deceitful way of operating, or will we instead choose to roll the dice on “Iraqn WMD, the sequel,” risking a million dead42 and amassing huge debts, in hopes of changing the Middle East.
Outro
Going into Iran could be 3 times worse than Iraq, based on population, geography, etc.
If you’ve stepped in a puddle before, avoid it the next time.
Let’s drink to world peace.
FOOTNOTES:
Who coined the phrase, "The first casualty of War is Truth"? The Guardian, Peter Brooke
US Senator Hiram Warren Johnson, 1918, Quote Investigator
Former CIA Analyst Ray McGovern argues that the MIC (Military Industrial Complex) should now be thought of more broadly as the Blob or MICIMATT (Military, Industrial, Congressional, Intelligence, Media, Academia, and Think Tank complex). You can view a power presentation to get more in depth. I wrote a song about the MICIMATT set to the melody of the Halloween “Monster Mash Song” by Bobby "Boris" Pickett" and the Crypt Kickers (1962).
The MIC has become the “Blob” / MICIMATT.
What steps does the US have to learn to advance to move to the next level. Here’s a few idea:
No longer need to dominate the world as US Imperialistic hegemon. For example, this would mean a major reduction in the 700+ military bases around the world.
Less reliant on financialization — the process by which the financial sector—banks, private equity firms, hedge funds, stocks and derivatives exchanges, and other conduits through which money flows between those who have it and those who need it—takes up a larger and larger share of the U.S. economy, fails to allocate capital to its most productive uses, and increasingly results in the hoarding of economic, and thus political, power at the top of the income and wealth ladders.
Financialization also can refer to the increasing participation of non-financial businesses in financial activities. General Electric Company, for example, a company most people associate with manufacturing and innovation, earned 43 percent of its profits from financial activities as recently as 2014.
Reformed Media
Fewer “complexes”
Healthcare / Pharma
Big Tech
Higher Education complex
Military Industrial Complex / MICIMATT
But in the case of the US, war with Iran is more likely to lead to a bankrupt, more authoritarian society, rather than a wiser, more mature country, because the damage and debt would not be reset over night.
Depending on how you count the conflicts/wars, this prospective war with Iran is up to the twelfth US conflicts/wars justified with false claims since 1900.
1) World War I — Lusitania (ship)
The ship’s registry listed 137 tons of munitions on board
2) Vietnam (1964–73) — Gulf of Tonkin
3) Dominican Republic (1965) - claims of Communism were very overstated
4) Grenada (1983) — threat to students was overstated
5) Panama (1989) - multi-point pre-textual rationale
“Protect Americans / defend democracy / drug war / treaties”
6) Gulf War / Kuwait (1990–91) — “Incubator babies”
7) Iraq (2003–11) — WMD & Terror Links
8) Syria, multiple attempts
Timber Sycamore: CIA covert action?
Now run by former Al Qaeda in Syria leader
9) Israel (Oct 7) — WMR: Weaponized Mass Rape
Pollster Frank Luntz determine rape stories were the most effective way to defend Israel's actions
10) Iran (2025) — nuclear program
11) Iran: Iraq WMD, the sequel, on steroids
(prospective) Rationale: The first attack didn't finish the job
Even William Kristol admitted that “the last US intervention that worked out well” was in Bosnia (1949)
A paper by the leading Israeli think tank reports that regime change is an Israeli goal, but not one that can be stated publicly, lest the Iranians participating in the coup appear illegitimate agents (of the US and Israel). The paper says that regime change will remain a goal until Iran no longer has a nuclear program. It does not indicate whether Iran would be allowed to have the type of nuclear program allowed by international law, such as for medical treatments, or whether Iran would have to get rid of everything and rely on trade with outside countries for radiological medical procedures like cancer treatments.
Trita Parsi, “The Next Israel-Iran War is Coming: Both countries’ stategic calculus suggests it will be even more violent.” Foreign Policy, Aug 11 2025.
Regardless of whether Iran resumes uranium enrichment, Israel is determined to deny it time to replenish its missile arsenal, restore air defenses, or deploy improved systems. That logic is central to Israel’s “mowing the grass” strategy: strike preventively and repeatedly to prohibit adversaries from developing capabilities that could challenge Israeli military dominance.
This means that, with Iran already rebuilding its military resources, Israel has an incentive to strike sooner rather than later. What’s more, the political calculus around another attack becomes much more complicated once the United States enters its midterm election season. As a result, a strike could very well take place within the coming months.
While the June war ended inconclusively, the outcome of the next one will hinge on which side learned more and acts faster: Can Israel replenish its interceptors faster than Iran can rebuild its launchers and restock its missile arsenal? Does the Mossad still have a deep presence inside Iran, or were most of its assets spent in pursuit of regime collapse during the first war? Has Iran gained more insight into penetrating Israel’s air defenses than Israel has into closing its gaps?
Trump has walked into Israel’s trap—and it’s unclear whether he can find a way out, especially if he clings to zero enrichment as the baseline for a deal with Iran.
Here are a number of reasons why a war with Iran would likely be many times worse than Iraq.
Q: What evidence is there that Saddam Hussein moved WMD over the border when the US invaded in 2003?
Chat GTP Answer with ~ 50 sources
Outlets such as the New York Times, that circulated these reports, refused to respond to a petition from 50 journalism professors calling for an external review in the face of glaring problems with the story. The Times neither defended their reporting, submitted to a review, nor retracted their claims, despite the fact that the claims about their highest profile alleged victims — Gal Abdush and the Shirabi sisters — are dubious at best, as well as the appearance that their report has been used as what historians call “atrocity propaganda.”
Summary: NYTimes (WMR) Weaponized Mass Rape story
Petition with Questions for The New York Times
See YouTube Short about the steps involved in delivering a nuclear missile.
Movie: (unseen) Why We Fight describes the rise and maintenance of the United States military–industrial complex and its 50-year involvement with the wars led by the United States to date, especially its 2003 invasion of Iraq. The documentary asserts that in every decade since World War II, the American public was misled so that the government (incumbent Administration) could take them to war and fuel the military-industrial economy maintaining American political dominance in the world. Interviewed about this matter are politician John McCain, political scientist and former CIA analyst Chalmers Johnson, politician Richard Perle, neoconservative commentator William Kristol, writer Gore Vidal, and public policy expert Joseph Cirincione.
To Sell A War: Gulf War Atrocity Propaganda. CBC (Canadian Broadcast Corporation)
Compare with treatment of babies in incubators in Gaza.
How many Representatives and Senators cited the Nayirah story in their speeches?
ChatGTP: Short answer:
Senators: 6 cited the incubator story in floor speeches supporting the Gulf War resolution (per the Congressional Record and John R. MacArthur). Some secondary accounts put it at 7. GovInfo+2Lehigh University+2
House members: There isn’t a reliable, published count. Contemporary and retrospective reporting notes that numerous Representatives referenced the story, but I can’t find a credible source that tallies an exact number. Democracy Now!+1
If you need a precise House figure for your article, the defensible phrasing is: “At least six U.S. senators—and numerous House members—cited the now-discredited ‘incubator babies’ account during the authorization debates in January 1991.” Then footnote both the Congressional Record (six senators) and a source reflecting the 6–7 discrepancy.
I assume the senators where not aware of this PR strategy. Lies work best when not everyone is in on the lie.
Warren P. Strobel, Souad Mekhennet, and Yeganeh Torbati. Israeli warning call to top Iranian general: ‘You have 12 hours to escape’: An audio recording obtained by The Washington Post is a window into the covert campaign by Israeli intelligence to intimidate and divide Iranian military officials. Washington Post, June 23, 2025
Ben Sales, “In leaked call, Israeli operative tells Iranian general: ‘You have 12 hours to escape’”. Times of Israel, June 23, 2025.
Farsi-speaking Israelis (from Iran) called senior Iranian leadership and threatened to kill their family if they didn’t agree to make a recording of them denouncing the Iranian government. Israel failed to get 1 of ~20 to create a video which could then be used for propaganda against the Iranian government.
Trita Parsi, “The Next Israel-Iran War is Coming: Both countries’ stategic calculus suggests it will be even more violent.” Foreign Policy, Aug 11 2025.
Israel’s strikes had three main objectives beyond
weakening Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. It sought to draw the United States into direct military conflict with Iran, to
decapitate the Iranian regime, and to
turn the country into the next Syria or Lebanon—countries that Israel can bomb with impunity and without any U.S. involvement.
Only one of the three goals was realized. What’s more, Trump did not “obliterate” Iran’s nuclear program, nor has it been set back to a point where the issue can be considered resolved.
The Iran-Israel War and the Stability of the Islamic Regime. INSS (The Institute for National Security Studies). July 29, 2025.
Alastair Crooke, Chris Hedges – Everything You Need To Know About War With Iran
“I heard this from Tehran just yesterday, they’re under huge cyber attack from all NATO, they say. I mean, there’s a big cyber attack going. So I think, you know, both parties expect there will be another round”
Douglas MacGregory: “I think it would be a mistake at this point to assume that Israel and Iran will not come to blows. There's plenty of time in the future for that. And if I'm right, and a number of people who are far more expert on the region and on the Israelis than I am, then we will see an end to the ceasefire and a resumption of the campaign to mass deport, murder the population of Gaza. That's not going to stop.” Judging Freedom, January 29, 2025.
It would be possible to have a partial blockade of the Gulf of Hormuz.
“[I]f Iran truly blocked Hormuz and it lasted more than a few days, a spike into the $140–$160 zone is a reasonable central estimate, with $180–$200+ a tail risk if the closure persisted and mitigation (escorts, pipeline reroutes, IEA stock releases) under-delivered. If disruptions were brief/partial, think $100–$120 with a quick fade as flows resume.
$140 - $160 / barrel works out to $5.10 - $5.60 nationally
$180 - $200 / barrel works out to $6.40 - $7.00.
Sept. 2003 – in print (book): In Winning Modern Wars (PublicAffairs, 2003), Clark recounts a November 2001 Pentagon conversation about a “five-year campaign plan” to “take out” seven countries (Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Iran, Somalia, Sudan). Contemporary coverage and excerpts quote the passage directly. (Washington Monthly)
Sept. 22, 2003 – news report: Al Jazeera English summarizes Clark’s allegation that the White House devised a five-year plan after 9/11 to attack seven countries. (AlJazera)
Mar. 2, 2007 – TV/radio interview: Democracy Now! (recorded at New York’s 92nd Street Y). Clark relates the now-famous “memo” and lists the seven countries on air. (See the transcript—look for “This is a memo that describes how we’re going to take out seven countries in five years.”)
Oct. 3, 2007 – public talk: Commonwealth Club, San Francisco (book-tour talk often circulated as “America’s Foreign Policy ‘Coup’”). He repeats the account; the archived clip notes the “seven countries over five years” at ~2:20.
General Wesley Clark, Democracy Now! interview: Overthrowing 7 countries in 5 years, March 2, 2007
Iraq
Syria
Lebanon
Libya
Somalia
Sudan
Iran
Timber Sycamore was a classified weapons supply and training program run by the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and supported by the United Kingdom and some Arab intelligence services, including Saudi intelligence. The aim of the program was to remove Syrian president Bashar al-Assad from power.[4] Launched in 2012 or 2013, it supplied money, weaponry and training to Syrian opposition groups fighting Syrian government forces in the Syrian Civil War. Many of these weapons ultimately ended up in the hands of extremist groups, including al-Qaeda, contributing to the rise and empowerment of ISIS in 2014.[5]
Al Qaeda was willing to surrender Osama bin Laden after Sept 11, 2003, but with conditions. George W. Bush wanted an unconditional surrender, so he invaded anyway. The Taliban wanted to see evidence that bin Laden was involved and either try him in Afghanistan or turn him over to a 3rd state.
Taliban 'will try Bin Laden if US provides evidence'. The Guardian, Oct 5, 2001.
Afghanistan's ruling Taliban are prepared to put Osama bin Laden on trial in an Afghan court, but only if the US provides hard evidence against him, the party announced today.
Although the Taliban's cooperation in the trial of Bin Laden hinges largely on the definition of "evidence", the statement is the clearest signal yet that they could cooperate with Nato's mission to track down the suspect for September's terror attacks on New York and Washington.
Mullah Abdul Salam Zaeff, the Afghan ambassador to Pakistan, said: "We are prepared to try him, if America provides solid evidence of Osama bin Laden's involvement in attacks in New York and Washington."
Asked whether the Taliban would allow a trial of Bin Laden in another country, he said: "We are willing to talk about that, but the first is that we must be given the evidence."
The Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) quoted Mullah Zaeff as saying: "If America is not satisfied with our trial of Osama, we are also ready to find another Islamic way of trying him."
But asked whether the Taliban were ready to hand over Bin Laden, he said: "This is a later thing, we cannot take any step that hurts our Islamic or Afghan dignity."
Former General David Petraeus appeared on stage with former Al Qaeda leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, who the US supported in overthrowing Bashar al-Assad.
Ryan and Saagar discuss the former CIA director slobbering over the new Syrian president.
Breaking Points. “WATCH: Former CIA Director SLOBBERS Over Al Qaeda Leader In NYC.” Sept 24, 2025.
Chris Hedges. “Everything You Need To Know About War With Iran (w/ Alastair Crooke The Chris Hedges Report”, Jul 10, 2025
ToI Staff, “Mossad says Iran 15 days from bomb, US agencies still say up to a year – report.” Times of Israel, June 20 2025.
Despite Iran’s development of a large stockpile of enriched uranium that cannot serve any peaceful purpose, US intelligence agencies continue to differ with more foreboding Israeli assessments that the Islamic Republic is actively pursuing a nuclear weapon, according to a Thursday report.
According to The New York Times, the Mossad believes that Iran could assemble a nuclear weapon within 15 days, while US assessments are more conservative, estimating it would take Tehran several months or up to a year to make a bomb, and that it is not currently actively pursuing one.
Citing intelligence and other US officials, the report said the current US assessment has not changed since the issue was last evaluated in March, even though Israel has since launched an extensive bombing campaign against Iran’s nuclear facilities, research centers and scientists, along with its ballistic missile program and other military infrastructure.
Tried and failed: at least 3 top political officials (the heads of the executive, legislature, and judiciary) in one strike; plus a blocked plan against the Supreme Leader reported by Trump. Al Jazeera+1
Tried and succeeded: dozens of senior security officials—most notably the IRGC commander, the national military chief of staff, other IRGC theater/branch commanders, intelligence bosses—and 11–~20 senior nuclear scientists (figures vary by source). Al Jazeera+2Anadolu Ajansı+2
If you want, I can turn this into a compact “Targets & Outcomes” table (date, role, name, outcome, source) so you can drop it straight into Substack.
Jacob Magid, No evidence Iran has decided to weaponize nuclear program, Times of Israel, December 7, 2021
America’s spies say Iran wasn’t building a nuclear weapon. Trump dismisses that assessment, PBS, Jun 17, 2025.
Tulsi Gabbard left no doubt when she testified to Congress about Iran’s nuclear program earlier this year.
The country was not building a nuclear weapon, the national intelligence director told lawmakers, and its supreme leader had not reauthorized the dormant program even though it had enriched uranium to higher levels.
But President Donald Trump dismissed the assessment of U.S. spy agencies during an overnight flight back to Washington as he cut short his trip to the Group of Seven summit to focus on the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran.
“I don’t care what she said,” Trump told reporters. In his view, Iran was “very close” to having a nuclear bomb.
Trump’s statement aligned him with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has described a nuclear-armed Iran as an imminent threat, rather than with his own top intelligence adviser
On June 19, 2025, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, when asked, declined to say whether the government was basing its Iran nuclear policy on US Intelligence or intelligence from allies.
Q: “When the president says Iran is very close to a nuclear weapon, is he relying on US
intelligence or intelligence sharing from an ally to make that assessment?”
A: “It is a fact uh and the United States government maintains this fact that Iran has never been closer to obtaining a nuclear weapon.” (This implies the President is using Israeli intelligence)
When asked to distinguish between the time for “Breakout” and “Weaponization” steps, Leavitt complimented the question, but then appears not to have answered it, suggesting that her answer was a deliberate conflation and she prefers to create a soundbite that confuses viewers)
Q: “Just to follow up on how close Iran is to a nuclear weapon? Can you clarify when the president said a few weeks away? Did he mean obtaining enough enriched uranium to start building a weapon or did he mean Iran is a few weeks away from completing the production of a weapon?”
A: “I'm glad you asked that, Ouija. It's an important question and it's one, frankly, the media has been getting wrong. Let's be very clear. Uh Iran has all that it needs to achieve a nuclear weapon. Uh all they need is a decision from the supreme leader to do that and it would take a couple of weeks to complete the production of that weapon which would of course pose an existential threat not just to Israel but to the United States and to the entire world.”
What was hit (and what each facility is). ChatGTP
Natanz Fuel Enrichment Plant — Iran’s main centrifuge enrichment complex. U.S./Israel reporting says underground portions were heavily bombarded. PBS+1
Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant (FFEP) — deeply buried enrichment facility near Qom; U.S. sources emphasized bunker-buster use here. Reuters+1
Isfahan (Esfahan) Nuclear Technology/Conversion Center — includes the Uranium Conversion Facility (UCF) and related nuclear R&D/production sites; reported struck as part of degrading feedstock/processing.
Beside Trump’s desire to boast, one reason why Trump would say the US had achieved complete destruction is this takes away Netanyahu’s reason to conduct another war.
What types and levels of nuclear programs is Iran legally allowed to do now, and if they withdraw from any relevant treaties?
The NPT does not ban enrichment or specific fuel-cycle activities for peaceful use. Legally, there are no NPT-level caps on enrichment percentage, stockpile size, or centrifuge types—so long as activities are exclusively peaceful and safeguarded.
Table of Legally allowed activities (ChatGTP)
“RITA, I'M RELIVING THE SAME DAY OVER AND OVER. GROUNDHOG DAY”
Bill Murray And The Beast Filming "Groundhog Day" Turned Out To Be A Nightmare For The Actor. His Furry Co-star Had A Hankering For His Blood. Philly.com, February 07, 1993
"I read it," says Murray, "and I thought it was just extraordinary because at it's core it really said something: It was an interpretation of the myth about how we all repeat our lives because we're afraid of change. I thought it could just be the funniest thing ever."
Listen to Bill Murray recite the different ways he took his own life. Murray’s daily “resurrections” led him to conclude he was a god.
Talking about an idea can be of value, but it is also important to be able to put it into practice.
The Iraq war is estimated to have resulted in roughly half a million deaths. Iran has a three times larger population ( 25 million vs 90 million ) and Israel would plausibly use nuclear weapons if it thought it would be in its interest. In June, Iran’s missile damage to Israel was much worse than expected. A retaliatory Iranian attack would likely to be more damaging.
Documented civilian deaths from violence (2003→present): 187,499–211,046, maintained by Iraq Body Count. Iraq Body Count
Documented total direct violent deaths (civilians + combatants): ~300,000 (Iraq Body Count’s running total). Iraq Body Count
Estimated total “excess deaths” (direct + indirect) during the main war/occupation (Mar 2003–Jun 2011): ≈405,000 (95% UI: 48,000–751,000), or ≈461,000 after adjusting for war-related migration—PLOS Medicine’s national survey.