Peter Hitchens argues that Western leaders must heed the lessons of the Iraq disaster as the United States and its allies become entangled in another Middle Eastern conflict. He questions the humanitarian justification for the war, pointing to a missile strike that killed more than 150 people, mostly young girls at a school in Iran, and condemns what he sees as a lack of outrage compared with how similar actions by rival powers would be received.

Hitchens challenges supporters of President Donald Trump, highlighting the president’s past promises to end regime change and avoid new wars. He expresses disbelief that voters who backed those pledges now support military action, and notes that opinion polls show significant opposition to the conflict in both the United States and Britain.

Drawing parallels with the Iraq war and its discredited claims about weapons of mass destruction, Hitchens argues that Britain should not support attacks on countries that have not attacked it. He criticizes what he describes as double standards among politicians and commentators, and questions how Britain can contemplate foreign interventions while struggling with domestic governance and a weakened navy.