Former Fox News host Bill O'Reilly on Wednesday acknowledged his error in supporting the Iraq War under President George W. Bush, while simultaneously expressing support for ongoing U.S. military action in Iran.
O'Reilly's Confession on Iraq
During a broadcast, O'Reilly stated, "I made a mistake with the Iraq situation, and that haunts me to this day." He attributed his error to relying on flawed reporting from outlets like The New York Times, which claimed that Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction. "I didn't fully understand the facts of the matter," O'Reilly said.
The Iraq War resulted in the deaths of over 4,000 U.S. service members and hundreds of thousands of Iraqis. O'Reilly had previously apologized for his support in a 2004 interview, and on Wednesday he reiterated his regret: "Turned out to be wrong. Saddam didn't have any weapons of mass destruction, and the chaos that ensued brought a lot of pain on America. I was wrong."
Support for Iran Conflict
Despite his past mistake, O'Reilly continues to back President Donald Trump's military actions in Iran. This stance contrasts with that of his former Fox News colleague Tucker Carlson, who has criticized the administration and reportedly told Trump to "shut up, bitch" regarding his war posturing.
President Trump justified the strikes by claiming Iran was rebuilding its nuclear facilities after a 12-day war last year. He declared peace negotiations "over" and threatened further bombing. O'Reilly commented, "Now, the president's threatening to bomb Iran tonight. Nobody knows what's going to happen because these threats come and they go, but this has got to stop. And I don't see any other way but military to stop it."
The conflict has already cost at least 13 U.S. service members and over 3,000 Iranian lives, including up to 175 people killed in strikes on a girls' school, most of them children. O'Reilly acknowledged the potential for error in Iran, saying, "In Iran, maybe I'm wrong. But I don't see any other way here."
