In the shadow of yet another potential war in the Middle East, the United States once again flirted with the brink of disaster. After decades of failed interventions in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Syria and Yemen, one might think the American appetite for military adventurism would be thoroughly exhausted. And yet, over the past several weeks, Washington’s political and media class seemed all too eager to repeat the mistakes of the past — this time against Iran.

As tensions rose between Israel and Iran, particularly following Israeli airstrikes and retaliatory drone attacks, prominent voices in the United States — both Democratic and Republican — began calling for a more aggressive American posture. Their justifications were predictable: Iranian aggression, regional instability, protecting our allies. But those paying close attention saw a much deeper game at play. Once again, the American people were being primed for war not in defense of our homeland, but in service of a foreign agenda. Behind the curtain stood one of the most powerful political forces in Washington: AIPAC, the pro-Israel lobby that wields immense financial and political influence in U.S. politics.

For decades, AIPAC has been instrumental in shaping U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East, funneling tens of millions of dollars into American elections to ensure loyalty to Israel’s interests. The result has been catastrophic for the Muslim world and morally corrosive for the United States. Our complicity in the devastation of Gaza, the invasion of Iraq and the toppling of governments across the Arab world has left a trail of blood and rubble stretching from Kabul to Tripoli. And now, Israel’s latest target is Iran.

Despite a recent ceasefire declaration between Iran and Israel, the danger is far from over. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made no secret of his desire for regime change in Tehran. “Iran must never be allowed to possess nuclear weapons,” he has said repeatedly, framing the Islamic Republic as an existential threat not only to Israel but to the world. What he never acknowledges is that Israel possesses nuclear weapons of its own, and that its true ambition isn’t regional peace but regional dominance — a vision often referred to as “Greater Israel.”

Greater Israel is not merely a fringe idea. It is a deeply embedded concept in Zionist ideology that imagines Israel as the dominant military and economic power from the Nile to the Euphrates. Achieving this vision requires neutralizing, destabilizing or destroying any nation that stands in Israel’s path — particularly powerful, independent Muslim states like Iran.

Under Netanyahu’s leadership, Israel has relentlessly pursued this strategy, and the United States — whether under Democratic or Republican administrations — has often played the willing pawn. But this time, something different happened. This time, when the drums of war began to beat, a strange and powerful chorus of dissent emerged — one that united two groups who have long stood on opposite sides of the American political spectrum.

American Muslims and America First conservatives found common cause in opposing yet another war in the Middle East. It was, by all accounts, an unlikely alliance. But when faced with the prospect of U.S. servicemen and women dying in a war for Israel, and countless Iranian civilians killed in airstrikes and bombings, these two groups put aside their differences and stood shoulder to shoulder against the war machine.

How many more Muslim countries must we destroy before someone says enough? — Tucker Carlson

Leading the charge were voices like Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens — two prominent conservative commentators with massive platforms and unapologetic views. Carlson, the former Fox News host and now independent journalist, used his nightly program to slam the idea of military intervention in Iran, warning that “Washington is sleepwalking into another catastrophic war, and the American people are being lied to — again.” In one of his most powerful segments, he asked, “How many more Muslim countries must we destroy before someone says enough?”

Candace Owens, too, did not hold back.

“This is not our war,” she tweeted. “We’ve seen what happens when we get involved in these endless conflicts. Millions of Muslims are dead. American soldiers are dead. And the only ones who benefit are the war profiteers and the foreign lobbies that own our politicians.”

Her blunt honesty struck a chord with both conservative audiences and Muslim Americans who rarely hear their pain acknowledged in mainstream discourse.

This is not our war… Millions of Muslims are dead. American soldiers are dead. And the only ones who benefit are the war profiteers and the foreign lobbies that own our politicians.— Candace Owens

Even Steve Bannon, the controversial former Trump advisor and nationalist ideologue, spoke out against intervention.

“We will not be dragged into another foreign war that benefits no American citizen,” Bannon stated on his *War Room* podcast. “The blood of our youth will not be spilled to advance someone else’s empire.”

For Muslim Americans who have watched with horror the suffering in Gaza and Yemen, who have seen their homelands turned to rubble under U.S.-made bombs, these words mattered. They represented something more than political posturing — they were a recognition of truth long buried under a mountain of propaganda.

This is why, in this moment, we owe a heartfelt thank you to Tucker Carlson, Candace Owens and others like them who had the courage to speak up. At a time when silence was easier, when saying the wrong thing could lead to accusations of anti-Semitism or disloyalty, they chose to speak the truth. They exposed the role of the Israeli lobby, the media complicity and the bipartisan hunger for conflict that has led this country to the edge of disaster time and again.

When it comes to war and peace, when it comes to life and death, there is no left or right. There is only truth and lies. Only justice and injustice.

And to my fellow Muslims in America, this moment should give us hope — not just for peace abroad, but for unity here at home. For too long, we have allowed political and cultural divides to prevent us from seeing potential allies across the aisle. But when it comes to war and peace, when it comes to life and death, there is no left or right. There is only truth and lies. Only justice and injustice.

This alliance — between Muslims who have suffered the consequences of America’s foreign policy and conservatives who are finally questioning the motives behind that policy — may be the beginning of something larger. A realignment that puts the interests of American citizens first. A coalition that demands restraint, honesty and accountability from those in power. A partnership that understands that love of country does not mean blind loyalty to foreign interests, but the moral courage to say no — even when it’s unpopular.

This alliance — between Muslims who have suffered the consequences of America’s foreign policy and conservatives who are finally questioning the motives behind it — may be the beginning of something larger.

Let us also not be naïve. The forces pushing for war are still powerful. AIPAC remains one of the most influential lobbying groups in the United States. Israel’s leadership remains committed to regime change in Iran. And many politicians, in both parties, remain more loyal to their donors than to their voters. But what has changed is that more Americans are awake. They see the pattern. They remember Iraq. They remember Libya. They remember the lies.

The war with Iran may have been postponed, but the battle for America’s soul continues. Will we be a nation that learns from its mistakes, or one that repeats them until there is nothing left to defend? Will we be a country that serves its citizens, or one that serves foreign interests and corporations?

The war with Iran may have been postponed, but the battle for America’s soul continues.

As Muslims, we do not seek enemies. We seek peace, justice and dignity — for our people and for all people. And in this cause, we will work with anyone who shares those goals, regardless of their politics. That is why this unlikely alliance matters so much. It reminds us that in the darkest moments, when war seems inevitable and reason is drowned out by propaganda, courage can still shine through. Truth can still be spoken. And alliances once thought impossible can become the foundation of something stronger.

To Tucker Carlson, Candace Owens and every American who stood against war with Iran — not because it was politically expedient, but because it was morally right — we thank you. Your voices gave us hope. Your honesty gave us strength. And your solidarity gave us something we hadn’t felt in a long time: the sense that maybe, just maybe, this country still belongs to us all.

We are Muslims. We are Americans. And we are not alone.