On Thursday, Stephen Colbert took a look at the recent assertions by Trump administration officials that Iran may pose some kind of military threat to the United States, and in the process got a major case of Bush-era deja vu. Or as he called it, “the worst throwback Thursday ever.”
“The Late Show” host cited a Washington Post report that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited European allies to make the case that Iran is a threat but didn’t present evidence.
“That is not right at all. We know if you want to make a case for a war in the Middle East, you have to present airtight evidence, like this vial full of Sweet ‘N Low,” Colbert said as the screen displayed a photo from Colin Powell’s 2003 UN presentation, in which he presented purported evidence, later proved to be false, that was used to justify the invasion of Iraq.
Colbert then mentioned that the U.S. recently sent several Navy vessels to the Persian Gulf region. “They were deployed from their previous posting, protecting the Mexican border,” Colbert joked.
He then cut to the chase: “Rising tensions in the Middle East? American military moved to the region based on questionable intelligence? The worst throwback Thursday ever.”
Watch the clip below.
TONIGHT: Move aside 'trade war' because there is a new war in town and it's a possible 'war-war' with Iran. #LSSC pic.twitter.com/JAbxqamoJy
— The Late Show (@colbertlateshow) May 17, 2019