The concept of post-truth — where emotion and political expediency override objective facts — hasn't just infected domestic politics. It has long been a defining feature of U.S. foreign policy.
Rooted in the idea of the "noble lie," American leaders have justified wars, interventions, and regime changes with narratives that were either false, misleading, or grossly exaggerated.
Let’s explore major examples where post-truth practices shaped global events:
1. The Gulf of Tonkin Incident (1964)
"Our destroyers were attacked on the high seas." — President Lyndon B. Johnson
The Gulf of Tonkin Incident was presented as an unprovoked North Vietnamese attack on U.S. ships.
In reality, no attack occurred on August 4th, 1964 — the event that Congress used to authorize escalation of the Vietnam War.
Documents declassified decades later showed that the Johnson administration exaggerated and distorted reports to justify intervention.
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Media at the time:
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New York Times: "American Ships Under Fire in Gulf of Tonkin."
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Washington Post: "Time to Stand Firm Against Communist Aggression."
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2. Weapons of Mass Destruction (Iraq, 2003)
"We know they have weapons of mass destruction." — Vice President Dick Cheney
Perhaps the most infamous modern example: the Iraq War was sold to the American public based on the claim that Saddam Hussein possessed WMDs.
No such weapons were found.
The Bush administration also promoted the now-debunked idea that Iraq had ties to al-Qaeda.
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Media at the time:
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New York Times: "Threats and Responses: The Iraq Connection."
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The Washington Post: "Iraq’s Defiant Pursuit of Weapons Must End."
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This noble lie cost hundreds of thousands of lives and destabilized the entire Middle East for decades.
3. Libya Intervention (2011)
"We came, we saw, he died." — Hillary Clinton on Muammar Gaddafi’s death
During the Obama administration, the U.S. justified NATO-led intervention in Libya by claiming Gaddafi was about to massacre civilians in Benghazi.
Later investigations, including a British parliamentary inquiry, found no solid evidence of an imminent mass slaughter.
The intervention plunged Libya into civil war, lawlessness, and a humanitarian disaster that persists today.
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Media at the time:
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CNN: "Gaddafi's Forces Threaten Massacre in Benghazi."
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NBC News: "Obama: Action Needed to Prevent ‘Bloodbath’ in Libya."
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4. The Syrian Chemical Weapons Narrative (2013-Present)
"We have high confidence that the Syrian regime used chemical weapons." — President Barack Obama’s White House
In Syria’s civil war, the U.S. used alleged chemical weapons attacks to justify strikes against Bashar al-Assad.
While evidence exists of chemical attacks, numerous whistleblowers from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) have claimed that key reports were manipulated to strengthen the case for military action.
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Media at the time:
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BBC: "Syria Chemical Attack: What We Know."
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The Guardian: "Assad Crosses Obama’s Red Line."
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5. Afghanistan: 20 Years of Lies
"We are making progress." — Repeated claims from U.S. generals and politicians for two decades
The Afghanistan Papers, published by The Washington Post in 2019, revealed that officials at every level knowingly lied to the American public about the progress of the war.
They painted a rosy picture despite overwhelming internal evidence of failure.
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Media revelation:
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The Washington Post: "At War with the Truth."
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Post-Truth Isn't Just Accidental — It's a Strategy
Each of these examples shows a deliberate manipulation of facts for "greater good" narratives — whether it was to combat Communism, "spread democracy," or "protect civilians."
The real consequences, however, have been millions of deaths, refugee crises, and increased global instability.
The idea that noble lies can shape reality is straight from postmodernist thought, heavily promoted by left-leaning academics and media institutions over the past decades.
While both U.S. political parties have participated in these actions, the philosophical foundation of post-truth governance is rooted in the idea that narrative matters more than reality — a key tenet of extremist liberal ideology.
Conclusion
As Americans (and the world) grapple with disinformation today, it's critical to realize that post-truth didn't start with Twitter or fake news.
It has been a feature of elite political strategy for generations, often framed as necessary for "higher moral purposes."
Recognizing this historical pattern is the first step toward demanding a future based on truth and accountability, not narrative manipulation.
