Iran is just another Iraq, critics of President Donald Trump's recent strike on Iranian nuclear sites have said. But experts and Iranian dissidents have argued that this time may be different — and that comparisons to past regime-change wars miss key differences about Iran's history, its people, and its opposition movement.
In Iraq, post-war planning was undone by the absence of a credible alternative to Saddam Hussein. The country's opposition was fractured, often aligned with Iran-backed parties or Kurdish separatists. Into this vacuum stepped figures like Ahmad Chalabi, the controversial Iraqi exile whose false intelligence about weapons of mass destruction helped sell the U.S. invasion.
Receive Unlimited Access to ALL Newsmax Platinum Reports!
By becoming an exclusive Newsmax Platinum member, you receive:
- special investigative reports
- breaking political insider news, including VIP interviews from Washington
- in-depth interviews with A-list celebs driving the day's headlines
- thousands of articles you won't find anywhere else!
All just by becoming a Newsmax Platinum Member today!
Sign Up for Platinum AccessLogin