IRAQ 2.0: The Dark Art of Government Propaganda | Norman Solomon

I had a fascinating conversation on the mechanics of the U.S. war propaganda with a prominent American journalist and writer, Norman Solomon. His recent book, War Made Invisible: How America Hides the Human Toll of Its War Machine, made a long-lasting impression on me. Right now, we are re-living the pre-Iraq invasion days when the mainstream narrative is focused on dividing the world into “us” (the US, Israel) vs. “them” (Iran). After visiting Iraq several months prior to the invasion and researching America’s war engagements, Norman explains the similarities in Iran vs Iraq war propaganda and the techniques used by the U.S. government to package and sell war.

Echoes of Empire: War, Media, and Manufactured Consent

The current drumbeat toward conflict with Iran strongly echoes the lead-up to the Iraq War in 2003. Then, as now, the U.S. media amplifies official narratives, portraying American aggression as moral duty while omitting vital context—chiefly, oil and geopolitical control. Israel’s unprovoked strike on Iran on June 13th went largely unchallenged in mainstream U.S. coverage, reflecting the double standard that justifies violence by allies and demonizes adversaries. President Trump's vague threats to bomb Iran’s nuclear facilities mirror Bush-era rhetoric, relying on fear and uncertainty to rally support. The same pattern persists: silence on civilian casualties, focus on U.S. interests, and an Orwellian framing of war as peace. This isn’t foreign policy—it’s imperial theater. Just as the incubator baby hoax fueled Iraq’s invasion, new narratives are being spun to justify future violence. Americans must confront these myths before history repeats with even more catastrophic consequences.

Dehumanization, Double Standards, and the Machinery of War: A 21st Century Propaganda Playbook

In the name of democracy and security, the United States continues to escalate its militaristic foreign policy, often cloaked in Orwellian doublespeak. The rhetoric used to justify aggression toward Iran mirrors the same techniques that were deployed before the Iraq invasion: fear-mongering, fabricated threats, and dehumanization of the "enemy." Congressman Randy Fine's grotesque phrase—“mostly peaceful bombing”—reflects this toxic logic. It sanitizes war crimes and makes mass violence sound virtuous.

This propaganda relies on repetition, omission, and moral hierarchy. U.S. media endlessly repeat unsubstantiated claims about Iran’s nuclear ambitions while ignoring or downplaying Israel’s actual nuclear arsenal. Iran, still under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and heavily inspected, is demonized. Israel, with 200 undeclared nuclear weapons and no international oversight, is portrayed as the righteous actor.

Dehumanization is central. Victims of U.S.-backed violence in Gaza, Iran, or Lebanon are rendered invisible. Their suffering is minimized or ignored, while Israeli and American pain is spotlighted. The media teaches viewers that some lives matter—and others simply don’t. This moral sorting fosters compliance and dulls public empathy.