Although polls show a majority of Americans now believe the invasion of Iraq 10 years ago was a mistake, Fox News host Eric Bolling thinks that launching the war was the “smartest thing” George W. Bush did during his presidency.

And yes, he was serious when he said that.

Bolling, a co-host of Fox’s “The Five,” argued that it was necessary because the U.S. needed to “take Saddam Hussein out.”

“We had just been punched in the face with 9/11, the Afghanistan War was starting up. We had to do what we did,” Bolling said. “I think it was the smartest thing George Bush did. He restored confidence in America.”

As Talking Points Memo noted: “It wasn’t the first time Bolling presented a dubious history of the Iraq War. In January, he took to Twitter to justify the 2003 invasion was justified because Hussein ‘financed’ the 9/11 terrorist attacks.”

— Posted by Tracy Bloom.

WAIT BEFORE YOU GO...

This year, the ground feels uncertain — facts are buried and those in power are working to keep them hidden. Now more than ever, independent journalism must go beneath the surface.

At Truthdig, we don’t just report what's happening — we investigate how and why. We follow the threads others leave behind and uncover the forces shaping our future.

Your tax-deductible donation fuels journalism that asks harder questions and digs where others won’t.

Don’t settle for surface-level coverage.

Unearth what matters. Help dig deeper.

Donate now.

SUPPORT TRUTHDIG