She noted it wasn’t just Republican politicians and commentators who were in favor of the war, but a wide array of respected journalists and others across the political spectrum. In an email interview with Rolling Stone, Malone said she wanted to explore the run-up to the Iraq War specifically because of how peculiar the vast support for the war looks in retrospect. The clip also touches on the post-9/11 anthrax scare that helped fuel further support for the war and seems to nod toward the lies that surrounded America’s claims that Iraq was harboring weapons of mass destruction. The new trailer highlights interviews with people who remain staunch defenders of the invasion, as well as those who voiced early objections but didn’t get very far with them.

Reporter Noreen Malone helmed this investigation, which will examine how the Iraq War - now widely considered a disaster - was launched with tremendous support. After exploring the Watergate scandal, the impeachment of Bill Clinton, and more, the podcast Slow Burn will offer a beat-by-beat accounting of the years leading up to the Iraq War when it returns for its fifth season, April 21st.

Slow burn season 1