Same Lies, Different Country

How 2025 Iran War Propaganda Mirrors 2003 Iraq Deception—and how we can protect ourselves from violent disinformation

Here we go again.

If you’ve been paying attention to the media’s coverage of the Trump regime’s recent illegal attack on Iran, you may have noticed something chillingly familiar. The language. The framing. The fear-mongering. It feels like it has all been done before.

That’s because it has all been done before.

In 2002 and 2003, Saddam Hussein allegedly had weapons of mass destruction.
Now in 2025, Iran allegedly has nuclear weapons of mass destruction. The former lie resulted in mass anti-Muslim hate and violence, and the latter lie threatens to do the same. As George Bush once said, “There's an old saying in Tennessee — I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee — that says, fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can't get fooled again.” So how do we make sure we “can’t get fooled again,” and instead build a narrative of truth, justice, and safety? Let’s Address This.

Credit: Yayınlanma: 06 Ekim 2024 Pazar 22:36

A quick trip down memory lane. Back in 2004 right after the invasion, corporate media became a stenographer for the White House to repeat the propagandized claim that “Iraqi sleeper cells are already in the U.S., preparing for terror attacks.”

The above was, of course, propaganda. But that isn’t stopping deja vu. Now in 2025 after attacking Iran, corporate media is again a stenographer for the White House and repeating the propagandized claim that “Iranian extremist sleeper cells are infiltrating America, preparing to strike.”

Never mind that the real, documented threat to American safety—according to the DHS, FBI, and hundreds of police departments—is white supremacist violence. never mind that masked, anonymous ICE agents are already attacking and disappearing U.S. citizens without accountability. The “sleeper cell” propaganda isn’t about safety—it’s about power. It’s designed to make you fear a fictional “scary brown, Persian, or Arab” enemy so that actual white supremacists with badges can strip all of us of our freedoms and due process. Don’t fall for it.

Indeed, the propaganda machine hasn’t changed a bit. They’ve just replaced “Iraq” with “Iran.” They’ve recycled the same Islamophobic tropes, just swapped out the name on the front of the folder. And once again, the media—particularly corporate outlets who cheerlead for empire—are amplifying it with little scrutiny and even less regard for truth. NBC cited anonymous White House sources to make the “sleeper cell” claim, and several influencers and outlets ran with it, claiming that just because NBC said it, it must be true.

As the old saying goes, “If someone says it’s raining and another person says it’s dry, it’s not your job to quote them both. It’s your job to look out the window and find out which is true.” Journalists should not be stenographers for the White House, especially not this White House that is trying to sell us yet another war based on the lie of weapons of mass destruction.

When the fourth estate fails to hold government accountable, we all suffer.

For example, the New York Times helped enable the Iraq War, and they’re running full speed ahead to advance further war and attacks against Iran. Compare their early 2000s headlines about Iraq with what just published this week about Iran.

In the early 2000s the New York Times published these icons of disinformation:

And now in 2025, the New York Times forgets all pretenses and proudly publishes propaganda celebrating Trump’s violation of the United States constitution, and engaging in a potential global war:

I marvel at the absurdity of printing the possible ignition of global war as an act of “courage.” What an abject failure in corporate media. So, let me be absolutely clear: this isn’t about keeping America safe. This is about white supremacy, war profiteering, and authoritarian control. It is about resurrecting a tired playbook that led to the deaths of over a million Iraqis, thousands of U.S. soldiers, and destabilized an entire region for decades.

And just as Bush falsely and arrogantly declared “Mission Accomplished” as Iraq collapsed in on itself, Trump falsely and arrogantly declares “Completely and totally obliterated” regarding Iran.

We must not fall for it again, because we cannot afford to pay the price for such disinformation. Instead, we must be sincere and consistent in holding legacy media corporations accountable. What does that look like?

How Do We Address These Problems?

1. Support Independent Writing

When I launched Let’s Address This, it wasn’t to lazily echo headlines—it was to thoughtfully challenge them. This is critical especially now as that same machine that enabled the Iraq War is running again—this time to justify an illegal, unconstitutional war on Iran.

This platform has reached tens of millions readers—not because corporate media amplified or funded us, but because you did. Because you chose facts over fear, justice over jingoism, and community over complicity.

If you’re already a subscriber—thank you. If you’re not yet—now is an awesome time as we fight back against yet another war campaign. We’ll never put this work behind a paywall, but every read, every share, and every subscription helps push back against the powerful institutions that profit off ignorance and war. (And if you want something more specific to combatting anti-Muslim discrimination and Islamophobia, check out my new platform Islam Today).

Truth deserves a growing platform. Join us.

2. Invest in Ground News—Right Now

In 2003, media helped sell us a war on Iraq. In 2025, they’re dusting off the same script to sell us a war on Iran. If you're relying on mainstream news alone, you're only getting one side of the story—usually the side that benefits billionaires and bombs.

That’s why I use Ground News to write Let’s Address This. It's not just a news app—it's a necessary tool in the fight against disinformation.

Here’s why it matters now more than ever:

✅ Bias Detection – Instantly see whether coverage is coming from the left, right, or center—so you know what angle is being pushed, and why.
✅ Funding Transparency – Want to know if an outlet is backed by a weapons manufacturer or a right-wing think tank? Ground News lays it bare.
✅ Global Comparison – View how the same event is reported in the U.S., Iran, Europe, and beyond—because understanding the full picture is the only way to stop another endless war.

You already know what’s at stake. As I’ve demonstrated in this piece, legacy media is recycling Iraq War propaganda to justify attacking Iran. Ground News helps cut through the spin so we can stay focused on justice, not manufactured consent.

Subscribe, use it, and stay grounded in truth.

As a bonus, right now Ground News is 40% off—just $5/month. The below link directly supports my work—and most importantly, it arms you with the ability to verify your sources in an era of relentless disinformation.

And unlike billionaire-run media, Ground News is reader-supported. It is built for people, not profits. It answers to you, not advertisers.

Conclusion

If history teaches us anything, it’s this: when war crimes go unpunished, they escalate. When disinformation goes unchallenged, it metastasizes. And when minorities (in this case Muslims) are scapegoated, violence spreads.

This moment demands clarity.

Trump has violated the Constitution by launching war without authorization. That alone is an impeachable offense. The question is: will Congress act? Or will they, like in 2003, become complicit in another generation of war and bloodshed?

To those peddling this recycled “sleeper cell” nonsense—rooted in white supremacy and anti-Muslim hate—we see you. And to the corporate media outlets running with it, no questions asked, no evidence in sight—we’re taking notes. Because we’ve been here before. We saw these same fear-mongering tactics used to justify the Iraq War. And now they’re trying to run it back for Iran.

To everyone reading this who still believes in justice—this is your call. Speak up. Organize. Push back. Because stopping another illegal war begins with recognizing the last one for what it was—a tragedy built on lies.

We are not powerless. We have tools. We have truth. We have each other. That’s why I write daily. That’s why I use Ground News—to cut through propaganda and arm people with clarity. Because freedom doesn’t vanish overnight—it’s lost piece by piece, every time we stay silent when it matters most.

Let’s not be the generation that looked away.