Ari Fleischer, the former White House press secretary remembered for being one of the disastrous Iraq War’s biggest cheerleaders, suggested Monday that the U.S. should help destabilize Iran, too.
In an appearance on Fox News, the former member of the George W. Bush administration painted a harrowing picture of life in Iran to justify U.S. interference in the country’s current political regime.
“The people want their basic needs, they want their food, they want their health care, they want their environment, and the Iranian government is so corrupt it’s making it much harder for people to live in that country,” Fleischer said.
“But the more unstable we can help Iran to become,” he continued, “the better it is to actually secure peace if we can get rid of that theological regime one day.”
Fleischer, who’s served as a regular Fox News contributor since last summer, has a well-documented history of making false predictions and statements about the Iraq War strategy Bush initiated in 2003, including claims that American interference was bringing down violence and improving views of U.S. foreign policy.
Even after he left the White House gig, Fleischer headed a propaganda campaign in 2007 urging Congress to continue funding Bush’s military strategy in Iraq.
Fleischer’s rosy view of U.S. interference in Middle Eastern politics did not go unnoticed on Twitter.
Fleisher’s comments come the morning after President Donald Trump unleashed some late-night Twitter fury at Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.
“NEVER, EVER THREATEN THE UNITED STATES AGAIN OR YOU WILL SUFFER CONSEQUENCES THE LIKES OF WHICH FEW THROUGHOUT HISTORY HAVE EVER SUFFERED BEFORE,” Trump lashed out in all caps. “WE ARE NO LONGER A COUNTRY THAT WILL STAND FOR YOUR DEMENTED WORDS OF VIOLENCE & DEATH. BE CAUTIOUS!”