With a War of the Worlds-style hoax over in this episode of The Simpsons, a real alien invasion begins. Earlier in the episode, Springfieldians were the Americans in this story, easily succumbing to fear-mongering, and losing any sense of dignity or perspective in the process (in an attempt to fool the aliens, for instance, the town remove their clothes and wallow in mud like animals). Here in this clip, though, America is now the alien invading force, and Springfield is Iraq. And the "hearts and minds"? A grotesque image offers clear judgment on how such "support" is being obtained. Meanwhile, though the segment's coloring is explained as "nostalgic" sepia, it becomes the appropriate shade for a final shot of a destroyed Iraqi landscape. Somewhere down there are Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and baby Maggie. Wait for the joke at the end and you won't find it: only the plea, "I don't want to set the world on fire." The show that laughs at everything here finds little to laugh at and much to scorn: an extremely rare moment in Simpsons history, and all the more powerful because of it. Two days before the election, no less.