Home COLONIALISM
Category:

COLONIALISM

Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful’ Armada and the Road to Catastrophe

by George Hazim
written by George Hazim 6 minutes read
Please make sure these dispatches reach as many readers as possible. Share with kin, friends and workmates and ask them to do likewise.
George Hazim
Traducir—Translate!
Make fonts bigger>>>
Resize text-+=
 
© 2026 George Hazim · Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start your SubstackGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture

BEFORE you leave, PLEASE pay attention to this alert.
[t4b-ticker id="1"]

Print this article [bws_pdfprint display=’print’]
The views expressed herein are solely those of the author and may or may not reflect those of The Greanville Post, although, if we publish them, we obviously find them noteworthy and valuable. 

Creative Commons LicenseThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License • 
ALL CAPTIONS AND PULL QUOTES BY THE EDITORS NOT THE AUTHORS

1 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail

Julian Macfarlane: War postponed

by Julian Macfarlane
written by Julian Macfarlane Approx. 1 hr 25 mins • Watch / read
Please make sure these dispatches reach as many readers as possible. Share with kin, friends and workmates and ask them to do likewise.
Julian Macfarlane
NEWS FORENSICS
Julian MacfarlaneSachs Sucks?
Traducir—Translate!
Make fonts bigger>>>
Resize text-+=

Some people disputed my comments in previous posts about the unlikelihood of an American military assault on Iran citing Jeffrey Sachs, the economist who advised Gorbachev and Yeltsin on destroying the Russian economy. “Nuff” said about Sachs!

Suffice to say, he has rather less authority in the military sphere than Professor Ichi and Professor Chappy, who practice fighting every day.

But it seems that I was right, and I am officially y’know “disabled” according to Johns Hopkins.

A dear friend of mine — a retired Navy SEAL who operated in the Persian Gulf in 1987 — challenged my contention that the Abraham Lincoln is a vulnerable target because it is not going to sit stationary and is difficult to hit with conventional missiles while on the move. My friend is right on that point. But I don’t think he accounted for having a couple of Shahed-149s overhead with the potential capability to guide an Iranian missile to the target.

That’s Larry Johnson. It’s a good article to read— although Johnson is a little misleading about the vulnerability of US ships to missile attack.

I say “misleading” because the Iranians would not only use “conventional missiles” — which is old kit—they would use such missiles to force the Americans to expend ammunition. They used this tactic in the last days of the 12 Day War, following up with hypersonic missiles delivering their payloads almost vertically in just seconds.

Yes, Iran could use drones for real-time targeting to feed data, but also its domestic satellite networks, such as the Paya, Kowsar, and Zafar-2, assuming it could counter American EW systems—which they can likely do,

Satellite networkMurmansk BN

Russia has supplied Iran with both the Murmansk BN and Krasukha-4 which are very powerful systems designed to jam the EW mounted on Growler aircraft.

The Houthis had nothing like this – and managed to defeat TWO carrier groups. OK….OK… The Americans say they just left the Red Sea for R&R.

The Venezuelans didn’t have advanced Russian EW systems either. Anyway, it was a holiday and they were mostly drunk. The Shiites don’t drink.

That aside, I rely on technical input only from the most trusted friends.

Seal

(Canadian) Navy Seal

The CIA / MOSSAD people tried a few more terrorist attacks in Iran, after their initial attempts — but these new attempts merely inflamed the Iranian public who called for full-scale retaliation against ANY conventional military attack by US or Israeli forces.

You will notice how Iranian rhetoric hardened after the terrorist attacks.

At the same time, however, the Iranians said they would prefer to talk rather than fight.

I think they recognize:

  • Trump has talked himself into a no-win position

  • If they offer him any kind of face-saving solution, he will go TACO.

  • All they have to do is agree to never make nuclear weapons which they don’t want to do anyway

  • They don’t need to agree to anything else because he’s desperate.

Of course, a “negotiated” deal, which the Donald will magically transform into total victory just postpones the inevitable.

The US does not have national geopolitical policies or agendas as they are defined in college political “science” courses – theirs is a kind of pathocratic religion—like the Christian Church in the 12th and 13th Century when it committed genocide against the Cathars, for...um… the sin of practicing a Christianity that Jesus would approve of.

The US, that icon of free enterprise, must wipe out the Multipolar Heresy and its sin of advocating free enterprise that Adam Smith would approve of. History does not repeat but it sings in four part harmony.

As Berletic keeps on reminding people who mostly don’t listen that the US are like this.

Until a greater percentage of journalists, analysts, and the general public can strip away the political theater used to perpetuate this continuity of agenda and reduce analysis to its material realities — revealing the simple structure of what is modern American empire at work — this destructive process will continue to erode and destroy both members of the multipolar world and the West itself.
Only time will tell whether or not the multipolar world can expose this process for what it is and propose a more compelling vision of a collective future for the world — and in the meantime, defend itself and its aspiring members from the global war Wall Street and Washington is waging — and now expanding — against the multipolar world.

However, I think we are fortunate to have Trump in power rather than a Democrat.

Democrats are just as morally compromised as Republicans or NeoConservatives – but they are much better at peddling sanctimonious bromides for the worst atrocities, making it seem they are working in the public interest, rather than the interests of their donors. Or in their own interests.

Trump—by contrast — lacks both intelligence and subtlety.

He blows — he is a blowhard and everything he does blows back. Stay upwind.

Yet, while he is one of the worst presidents ever – he is also paradoxically one of the best —because his idiotic excesses expose the cancer at the heart of the beast we now call the United States of America, long overdue for a Color Revolution.

Minnesota protests

Minneapolis protests

My military advisor

Professor Chappy is an Authority on Strategy and Tactics.

He emphasizes situational awareness, speed, flexibility, and judicious use of lethal weapons (claws). Cats are not only agile but are prepared to pounce or strike at any moment from any position.

Chappy is a master of strategy.

I study constantly. But I am a poor student.

Please support Chappy and Ichi .

With a useless student like me, they need all the help you can give. You can support them by buying coffee of course but also by referring friends to this site or citing News Forensics articles wherever you can on the internet.

Buy them coffee at https://buymeacoffee.com/julicow. Click here .

BEFORE you leave, PLEASE pay attention to this alert. INDISPENSABLE information!
[t4b-ticker id="1"]

 
Print this article [bws_pdfprint display=’print’]
The views expressed herein are solely those of the author and may or may not reflect those of The Greanville Post, although, if we publish them, we obviously find them noteworthy and highly valuable. 

Creative Commons LicenseThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License • 
ALL CAPTIONS AND PULL QUOTES BY THE EDITORS NOT THE AUTHORS

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail

Trump’s Attack will BACKFIRE, Iran’s Missiles will CRUSH US Bases

by 5019904877561
written by 5019904877561 Approx. 40 Mins • Watch / read
Please make sure these dispatches reach as many readers as possible. Share with kin, friends and workmates and ask them to do likewise.
Danny Haiphong
CHATS WITH
Prof. Seyed Mohammad Marandi
Traducir—Translate!
Make fonts bigger>>>
Resize text-+=

Danny Haiphong

Jan 31, 2026 #iran #trump #israel
Iran's shocking response to Trump's imminent attack is sending fear down the spines of the US military as war leaves them defenseless from Iranian missile fire says Mohammad Marandi. This video breaks down why this war is already backfiring on Trump.

Summary
The video provides an in-depth discussion on the escalating tensions between the United States and Iran, highlighting the precarious geopolitical situation in the Middle East. It centers on statements from U.S. political figures such as Donald Trump and Marco Rubio, who emphasize the threat posed by Iran’s missile capabilities and argue for increased U.S. military presence in the region. The discussion critiques the U.S. administration’s approach, portraying it as heavily influenced by Israeli interests rather than American national interests, with a strong emphasis on the role of neoconservative and Zionist elements in shaping policy.
The conversation further explores the potential catastrophic consequences of a war between the U.S. and Iran, including severe disruptions to global energy supplies and the resulting economic fallout. It draws parallels to Cold War-era mutual assured destruction, suggesting that Iran’s missile capabilities act as a deterrent but also place the world on a dangerous brink. The transcript also delves into the complex media and propaganda landscape, arguing that Western media largely serves imperial agendas, spreading misinformation about Iran and the Middle East. The role of various Iranian diaspora groups is analyzed, particularly those aligned with hostile factions such as the MEK cult and monarchists who support aggressive policies against Iran.
Finally, the transcript addresses the mood within Iran, revealing a population largely united in support of the state despite recent violent riots and external pressures. Massive pro-government demonstrations are cited as evidence of national solidarity. The video ends on a cautionary note, warning about the risks of war and the influence of propaganda on public perception, while encouraging resistance to imperialism through cultural and economic boycotts.
Highlights

  • [00:30] 🔥 Marco Rubio warns of 30-40,000 US troops at risk from Iranian missiles, advocating for US military escalation in the Middle East.
    [01:20] 🚀 Iran reportedly possesses thousands of missiles and drones capable of striking US forces and allies across the region.
    [04:00] 💥 A war with Iran would cause global energy crises, spiking oil prices and severely impacting the US economy and military operations.
    [07:00] ⚠️ The concept of mutual assured destruction applies to US-Iran tensions, with Iran’s missile capabilities deterring but also escalating conflict risks.
    [08:30] 📉 Western media and human rights groups are accused of spreading misinformation and supporting imperialist agendas against Iran.
    [19:00] ✊ Massive pro-government protests in Iran demonstrate national unity and opposition to foreign-backed riots and instability.
    [23:00] 👥 Iranian diaspora is divided: many ordinary Iranians abroad seek better lives, while hostile factions like MEK and monarchists actively oppose Iran and support US aggression.

Key Insights

 

  • [00:30] 🔥 US Troop Vulnerability and Military Strategy: Rubio’s testimony underscores the perceived vulnerability of US forces to Iranian missile attacks, which is used as justification for maintaining and escalating US military presence in the region. This reflects a broader strategic posture that prioritizes military dominance over diplomatic engagement, even as it risks greater conflict. The focus on troop safety paradoxically fuels the justification for ongoing military interventions that increase danger.
  • [04:00] 💥 Catastrophic Economic Impact of War: The analysis of potential war effects stresses that despite US energy independence, disruption in Persian Gulf oil supplies would cause global price shocks affecting American consumers and the economy. The US military itself is a massive oil consumer, so conflicts that disrupt energy supply chains undermine its operational capabilities and strain federal resources, illuminating the paradox of military aggression weakening national strength.
  • [05:15] ☠️ Mutual Assured Destruction and Deterrence: The comparison to Cold War nuclear deterrence highlights how Iran’s missile arsenal serves as a deterrent against US attacks, creating a delicate balance of terror. However, this balance is precarious since escalation by either side could spiral into widespread destruction, emphasizing the critical need for rational leadership amid emotionally charged geopolitical dynamics driven by ethnonationalism and supremacist ideologies.
  • [08:30] 📰 Western Media Propaganda and Information Warfare: The transcript reveals how Western mainstream media and human rights organizations are complicit in spreading false narratives that justify imperialist interventions. The uniformity of misleading headlines and inflated casualty figures serve to demonize Iran and legitimize aggression, illustrating how information warfare shapes public perception and policy. This highlights the importance of critically evaluating media sources in conflict zones.
  • [19:00] ✊ Popular Support and National Unity in Iran: Despite internal challenges and violent unrest, large-scale pro-government demonstrations reflect strong national solidarity against foreign-backed destabilization efforts. This unity complicates Western narratives of widespread dissent and suggests that Iran’s domestic legitimacy remains resilient, which is a crucial factor in the country’s capacity to withstand external pressures and potential conflicts.
  • [23:00] 👥 Fragmented Iranian Diaspora’s Role in Geopolitics: The diaspora is not monolithic; while many ordinary Iranians abroad seek peaceful lives, a vocal minority aligned with groups like MEK and monarchists actively promote hostility towards Iran, supported by Western governments. This factionalism within the diaspora influences international discourse and policy, often amplifying extremist viewpoints and complicating diplomatic efforts. Understanding these internal divisions is key to navigating Iran-related international relations.
  • [25:00] 💣 Empire’s Influence and Resistance Strategies: The discussion advocates for a broad-based boycott of Western, particularly American, goods and platforms as a form of resistance against imperialism. This grassroots economic and cultural pushback is framed as essential for weakening hegemonic power structures and enabling countries like the US to eventually realign with the interests of their own people rather than foreign regimes. This insight suggests that geopolitical conflict is not only fought on battlefields but also in global markets and social movements.

BEFORE you leave, PLEASE pay attention to this alert.
[t4b-ticker id="1"]

Print this article [bws_pdfprint display=’print’]
The views expressed herein are solely those of the author and may or may not reflect those of The Greanville Post, although, if we publish them, we obviously find them noteworthy and valuable. 

Creative Commons LicenseThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License • 
ALL CAPTIONS AND PULL QUOTES BY THE EDITORS NOT THE AUTHORS

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail

No Tears For Europe’s Death Knell

by Bergeracpas
written by Bergeracpas 11 minutes read
Please make sure these dispatches reach as many readers as possible. Share with kin, friends and workmates and ask them to do likewise.

FEMI AKOMOLAFE
Femi Akomolafe

Traducir—Translate!
Make fonts bigger>>>
Resize text-+=

Mine was among the voices that warned Europe to develop strategic autonomy. In discussions with friends and in many articles, I urged Europeans to think independently, act soberly, and recognize that empires have no friends, only interests, as a British Lord told us.

Of course, haughty Europeans, who believe that they know it all, dismissed us as radicals and Putin bots.

Europe’s leaders, having made Atlanticism their religion and Russophobia their ritual, were deaf to our counsel of realism.

Then came the narcissistic, boorish, transactional bluntness of Donald Trump, who, truth be told, did not create Europe’s humiliation but merely removed the cosmetic language that had concealed it.

Trump revealed the truth of the so-called alliance for what it was: a mafioso-type protection racket with Europe as one of the dependents.

Europeans should regard this revelation, though jarring, as a gift of clarity. Trump’s shock treatment confirms the observation that Europeans are reaping the Karmaric whirlwind they sowed worldwide in the last five centuries!

The arrogance and moral corruption perfected in the colonies of Africa and Asia have finally returned home, striking with surgical precision and wielded by Europe’s closest ally, or so we believed.

This historical boomerang, foreseen by thinkers like Jean-Paul Sartre, is a powerful lesson in the inexorable nature of cause and effect.

Europe, which for centuries lectured the world on governance and morality, now stands exposed as a civilization unable to defend its own interests, a cautionary tale of internal decay, loss of cultural confidence, and strategic incoherence.

Europe’s travails and tragedy are not merely that it is declining, all civilizations eventually do, but that it is declining stupidly, without dignity, without strategy, and without the self-respect even to pretend independence.

The grand narrative of European exceptionalism, once a towering edifice of global power, is not merely cracking; it is undergoing a profound, self-willed implosion.

History would record Europe’s poorly educated and unrefined leaders as being responsible for the stunningly rapid demise of a civilization.

Under a gaggle of illiterate leaders, the stench of civilizational decay wafting from Brussels has turned into a miasma choking the continent.

For too long, we in the Global South have watched as the self-appointed “gardeners” of the world, to use Josep Borrell’s racist metaphor, set fire to their own house.

Today, the fire has reached the foundations. The Final Nail has been driven into the coffin of European geopolitical relevance, and, tragically, the hammer was wielded by the very “Uncle Sam” they so pathetically sought to appease, even as he picks their pockets in broad daylight.

This is a choreographed descent into historical irrelevance, performed with the smug assurance of a suicide cult.

Europe’s current crop of misleaders, a collection of illiterate and uncultured bureaucrats with sub-zoological intelligence, have navigated their nations into a geopolitical cul-de-sac.

By unthinkingly following the United States into a dual-fronted war against Russia and China, the EU has committed the most spectacular act of collective seppuku in history. They have severed their industrial lifeblood, sacrificed energy security, and hollowed out military stockpiles to serve a master in Washington who views them as disposable buffers.

The recent Davos fiasco provided the ultimate stage for this humiliation.

While the global elite sipped champagne and pontificated hypocritically, the reality of Europe’s geopolitical and military irrelevance was served as the main course.

The spectacle of Emmanuel Macron, that shortish (physically and intellectually) pretender to Napoleonic grandeur, was particularly galling.

Macron, who tried to play the “grand mediator” by refusing to join Trump’s “Peace Council,” was promptly and publicly slapped down by his Boss like a disobedient schoolboy.

Sadly for the miniature French leader, Trump didn’t just ignore him; he publicly barred him from the table and threatened 200% tariffs on French luxury goods.

The sight of Macron frantically penning a letter of apology, only for Trump to leak it to the press in a move of calculated cruelty, was the definitive portrait of European “sovereignty” in 2026.

It was a masterclass in degradation, proving that in the new world order, the “Jupiterian” president is nothing more than a footnote in a real estate mogul’s ledger.

Macron’s mother, oops, wife’s slaps must have paled in comparison to Trump’s public flaying.

Say what you may, the modern world has never witnessed anything like Hurricane Trump.

The often-written-off boorish orange whirlwind has returned to rewrite the international setting with the subtlety of a chainsaw. Trump’s “America First” is a brutal foreclosure notice on the European protectorate.

With scant regard for the “shared values” that EU leaders chant like a religious litany, Trump has signaled that the era of the American security umbrella is over, unless the orphans in Brussels can pay the protection money.

The sheer brazenness of his threat to “take over” Greenland was the ultimate, humiliating slap to the European face, a territory they considered a sacred part of their “Nordic” identity, now treated like a distressed property in a bankruptcy auction.

It was a brutal reminder that in the eyes of the new boss in Washington, Europe is not a partner, but a collection of real estate assets to be appraised, bought, or discarded by a landlord who has lost all patience with his delinquent tenants.

Even the high priests of the old order are now singing the requiem.

At Davos, we witnessed the surreal sight of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney delivering a funeral oration for neoliberalism. The man who was once the poster boy for globalist “soft power” stood before the ruins of his own ideology and admitted that the era of unfettered markets and borderless capital is dead. He spoke of a new world of “hard power,” where military might and economic dominance have replaced the polite fictions of the “rules-based order.”

When the very people who built the temple start telling you the gods have fled, you know the game is over.

Neoliberalism didn’t just fail; it collapsed under the weight of its own hypocrisy, leaving its acolytes like Carney and Macron wandering the halls of Davos like ghosts in a haunted house.

Left like a bereaved orphan, Europe is now scrambling to gather its wits, but there are no wits to be found. For ages, voices of sanity, including this column, shouting from the Pan-African rooftops, warned Europe to develop a strategic autonomy.

We told them that a continent without its own foreign policy is merely a lunch menu for larger powers. But the cretinous psychopaths in Brussels and Paris preferred the comfort of servitude. They trapped themselves in a state of “strategic self-deception,” unable to distinguish their ideological fantasies from the complex reality of a multipolar world that has come to stay.

This is the “era of the boomerang” that Jean-Paul Sartre warned us about. In his searing preface to Frantz Fanon’s The Wretched of the Earth, Sartre noted that the violence, plunder, and racial arrogance Europe inflicted upon the world would eventually curve back and strike the striker.

The boomerang has returned with a vengeance. The same Europe that once carved up Africa at the Berlin Conference of 1884 now finds itself being carved out of the global economy.

The “superiority in applying organized violence” that Samuel Huntington identified as the true source of Western expansion has finally met its match in the high-precision reality of Russian hypersonic missiles and Chinese industrial dominance.

Huntington’s warnings about the West’s collapse are no longer academic theories; they are the evening news. He warned that the West’s attempt to universalize its values would lead to conflict and decline.

Europe’s leaders, however, were too busy moralizing about “rules-based orders” to notice that the rest of the world had moved on. They are the “plutocratic oligarchy of the educated” that Emmanuel Todd so devastatingly critiqued, graduates of elite factories who know everything about gender theory but nothing about how to keep the lights on without Russian gas.

The uncultured and illiterate European leaders replaced statecraft with virtue signaling and strategy with a series of increasingly hysterical press releases.

The tragedy of Europe is that it has lost its “Real.” It exists in a hyper-real bubble of NATO communiqués and G7 photo-ops, while its streets grow cold and its factories go silent.

The bloviating EU bureaucrats who cannot define what a woman is are the same ones drawing nuclear red lines against civilizational states like Russia and China, nations that still understand the fundamental laws of biology, history, and power.

Europe’s civilizational death is not just a political failure; it is an ontological collapse.

As the European empire enters its final, decaying spasms, Africa must take heed.

For too long, our leaders have clung to a foolish “non-alignment” stance, as if one can remain neutral while a cornered, rabid dog is looking for its next meal.

We in Africa must understand that a decaying empire is a dangerous empire. Just as in 1884, the West may decide that it needs another “bite” of Africa to sustain its failing heart. They will come with talk of “human rights” and “democracy,” but they will leave with our minerals and our sovereignty.

Africa must abandon the illusion that the UN or “international law” will protect us.

Prayers and condemnations are not a strategy. We must pitch our tents where the future is being built, with Russia and China.

Make no mistake, they are not “benevolent” powers, but they are rational ones. They deal in the language of sovereignty and mutual interest, not the “values-based” hypocrisy that masks Western predation.

The era of European tutelage is over. The coffin is closed. The nail is driven home. Africa, it is time to stop mourning the orphan and get our act together. We must realize that the “rules-based order” was always a trap, a set of loaded dice designed to keep us in a state of perpetual “development” that never actually develops.

If we do not forge iron-clad alliances with the rising powers of the East, we will find ourselves once again on the menu of a civilization that has lost its mind but kept its predatory appetite.

The era of the boomerang is here, and we must ensure we are not the ones standing in its path when it finally hits the mark.

For us, it is a simple choice: sovereignty or servitude.

History will not forgive those who chose to pray while the wolves were at the door.

About the Author
Femi AkomolafeFemi Akomolafe is a passionate Pan-Africanist. A correspondent for the London-based New African magazine, and columnist for the Accra-based Daily Dispatch newspaper. He lives in both Europe and Africa, and writes regularly on Africa-related issues for various newspapers and magazines.  He was the producer of the FOCUS ON AFRICANS TV Interview programme for the MultiTV Station. Femi is also the CEO of Alaye Dot Biz Limited Dot Biz, a Kasoa-based Multimedia organisation that specialises in Audio and Video Production. Apart from writing polemics and satires, he loves to shoot and edit video documentaries.

©️ Fẹ̀mi Akọ̀mọ̀‌làfẹ̀ (1st Dan)

(Farmer, Writer, Published Author, Essayist, Satirist, Social Commentator, Geopolitical Analyst.)

My Mission: Ignorantia et stultitia delendae sunt / Ignorance and stupidity must be destroyed.

I am an unapologetic Pan-Africanist who is unconditionally opposed to any form or manifestation of racism, fascism, and discrimination.

I thank you for reading my articles and watching my podcasts. I will continue to make them free, and I will not accept advertisements. But you can show your appreciation by pledging a future subscription. You won’t be charged unless you enable payments.

Your support is invaluable. If you enjoy my articles and podcasts, I would greatly appreciate it if you would subscribe to my Blog: https://femiakogun.substack.com to support my work and help me continue providing you with detailed, well-researched, and thought-provoking content like this. Help post URLs to my articles in the comment sections of your favorite YouTube channels, podcasts, and blogs.

Alternatively, you can donate here:

https://buymeacoffee.com/panafricandigest

Or https://ko-fi.com/PanAfricanDigest

Or patreon.com/PanAfricanDigest

Follow:

Lyvely: https://lyvely.com/li-U3042846TGvSJBcK

🔗 Subscribe to my Substack

📣 Follow me on Telegram

📺 Watch on YouTube

🖊️ Find me on Muckrack

🐦 X: @FemiMayegun

🔗LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/femiakomolafe

Podcast: https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/1278705.rss

You can chat with me on my Substack here: https://tinyurl.com/y6yueb7d

© 2026 Femi Akomolafe ·

BEFORE you leave, PLEASE pay attention to this alert.
[t4b-ticker id="1"]

Print this article [bws_pdfprint display=’print’]
The views expressed herein are solely those of the author and may or may not reflect those of The Greanville Post, although, if we publish them, we obviously find them noteworthy and valuable. 

Creative Commons LicenseThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License • 
ALL CAPTIONS AND PULL QUOTES BY THE EDITORS NOT THE AUTHORS

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail

John Helmer: Who Really Owns Venezuela?

by Chas Freeman
written by Chas Freeman Approx 2 Hrs. • Watch / read
Please make sure these dispatches reach as many readers as possible. Share with kin, friends and workmates and ask them to do likewise.
Nima R. Alkhorshid
DIALOGUE WORKS

Nima chats with John Helmer and Amb Chas Freeman on the world's fragile peace and other matters

Traducir—Translate!
Make fonts bigger>>>
Resize text-+=

Jan 23, 2026
This interview analyzes the unfolding crisis in Venezuela and the sharp international response at the UN. It highlights accusations that the U.S. intervention aims to control Venezuela’s resources and reassert regional dominance, prompting strong reactions from Russia and China over violations of sovereignty and international law. The discussion explores internal power shifts in Moscow, debates over deterrence and military strength, and the claim that only nuclear or serious defensive capabilities can prevent regime change operations. It also questions whether global powers are willing to back words with real economic or strategic action in a rapidly polarizing world.

Amb. Chas Freeman: Iran Vows Huge Response to US-Israel Attack

Dialogue Works
Streamed live on Jan 22, 2026

Summary
The video features a detailed conversation with Ambassador Chas Freeman, providing an in-depth analysis of the escalating tensions between the United States, Israel, and Iran, alongside broader geopolitical dynamics involving Europe, Greenland, and the Arctic region. Ambassador Freeman discusses the context of protests in Iran, the possibility of war, and the complex interplay of military preparations and political maneuvers. He highlights how the protests in Iran, initially sparked by economic grievances, have been exploited by foreign intelligence agencies, particularly Israel’s Mossad and Western allies, to destabilize Iran ahead of a potential Israeli-American attack. Freeman emphasizes Iran’s preparedness to retaliate massively, especially with missile barrages, and the reluctance of Gulf states to support an attack on Iran due to their own political and strategic interests.
The discussion transitions to the strategic importance of Greenland for the United States, challenging the narrative put forth by American politicians like J.D. Vance and President Donald Trump, who have expressed interest in acquiring Greenland. Freeman critiques this stance as motivated more by Trump’s personal vanity rather than genuine national security concerns, noting that Denmark and NATO have long cooperated on missile defense involving Greenland. He also highlights the potential damage Trump’s rhetoric has caused to NATO’s cohesion.
Freeman then explores the broader challenges facing Europe, including the debate over American military bases, the increasing European defense budgets as a hedge against US unpredictability, and the complex relations with Russia and China. He notes the absence of strong leadership in Europe, the rise of nationalist movements like Germany’s AfD, and the continent’s struggle with its reduced global influence.
Finally, the conversation touches on U.S. strategy in the Western Hemisphere, especially regarding Latin America and Venezuela, where American interventionism contrasts sharply with Chinese investment strategies. Freeman predicts an arms race in South America as countries seek to protect themselves from perceived U.S. threats, drawing an analogy to the futility of resisting inevitable geopolitical tides.
Overall, the video presents a comprehensive and sobering view of a world in flux, marked by potential military conflict, shifting alliances, and the erosion of traditional power structures.
Highlights
  • [01:11] 🚀 The U.S. is deploying fighter jets and an aircraft carrier to the Middle East amid rising tensions with Iran.
  • [03:09] 🔍 Protests in Iran may have been exploited by foreign intelligence agencies to destabilize the country before a potential attack.
  • [05:22] 💥 Iran is reportedly prepared to launch up to 2,000 missiles simultaneously in retaliation to any attack.
  • [15:23] ⚛️ Iran maintains nuclear latency, the ability to build a nuclear weapon quickly if ordered, but has not yet decided to deploy one.
  • [23:14] ❄️ Greenland’s strategic value lies in Arctic missile defense, but U.S. claims about threats from China and Russia there are exaggerated.
  • [33:02] ⚠️ Trump’s push to acquire Greenland threatens NATO unity and European-American relations.
  • [50:18] 🌎 U.S. interventionism in Latin America is driving an arms race and pushing countries toward Chinese investment and influence.
Key Insights
    • [01:45] 🔥 Intent and Military Buildup Signal Imminent Conflict: Ambassador Freeman underscores that beyond military capability, intent is crucial to understanding conflict likelihood. The Mar-a-Lago meeting between Trump and Netanyahu signaled a strategic agreement on Iran, coinciding with the sudden outbreak of protests that appear manipulated to justify a strike. This convergence of political moves and military preparation strongly suggests a looming confrontation. The use of Starlink receivers and smuggled arms reveals a sophisticated covert support system for regime destabilization.
    • [05:22] 🎯 Iran’s Missile Retaliation Capability is a Major Deterrent: Iran’s capacity to launch thousands of missiles simultaneously represents a formidable threat to Israeli defense infrastructure. This volume and coordination could overwhelm missile defense systems, potentially causing severe damage and casualties. This deterrence factor may explain the delay in planned attacks, as Israeli leadership weighs the high costs of retaliation.
    • [12:33] 🛰️ Iran’s Reliance on Chinese Beidou GPS Reflects Strategic Autonomy: Facing vulnerabilities in American-controlled GPS systems, Iran’s shift to China’s Beidou navigation system indicates a broader strategy to reduce reliance on Western technologies. This move enhances Iran’s military resilience, complicating U.S. efforts to disrupt Iran’s missile guidance and communications. It also exemplifies the growing Sino-Iranian cooperation in technology and defense.
    • [16:34] 🕵️ Propaganda and Psychological Warfare Shape International Perceptions: The Israeli Ministry of Strategic Affairs’ effort to discredit Iranian moderates like Javad Zarif and to promote divisive figures aligned with exiled opposition highlights the intense information warfare accompanying physical conflict. Such campaigns aim to undermine internal cohesion in Iran and influence Western public opinion, complicating diplomatic solutions.
    • [23:14] 🧊 Greenland’s Strategic Importance is Misused Politically: While Greenland is critical for Arctic missile defense, the exaggerated portrayal of Chinese and Russian threats there serves domestic political agendas in the U.S., particularly Trump’s desire for a historical territorial acquisition. The longstanding cooperation with Denmark and NATO shows no evidence of an imminent sovereignty crisis, making Trump’s rhetoric disruptive rather than constructive.
    • [36:17] 🇪🇺 Europe’s Defense Dilemma Reflects Declining Trust in the U.S.: European countries are increasing defense spending and hedging against possible U.S. abandonment. Simultaneously, they face internal political instability, nationalist movements, and economic challenges exacerbated by severed energy ties with Russia. The absence of strong leadership leaves Europe vulnerable to fragmentation and unable to articulate a coherent long-term strategy, especially regarding NATO and relations with Russia and China.
    • [50:38] 🌎 U.S. Interventionism in Latin America Drives Regional Arms Race and Alignments: The U.S. approach to Venezuela and broader South America creates insecurity and provokes an arms buildup, contrasting sharply with China’s investment and infrastructure offers. This dynamic threatens to push Latin America further into China’s sphere of influence, undermining U.S. strategic interests and illustrating the limitations of coercive diplomacy in the 21st century.

    The video overall paints a picture of a world where traditional power centers face disruption from both rising regional assertiveness and shifting global alliances, with a particular focus on the fragile and dangerous status quo in the Middle East and the Arctic. Ambassador Freeman’s insights provide critical context for understanding the underlying causes and potential consequences of these geopolitical developments.

BEFORE you leave, PLEASE pay attention to this alert.
[t4b-ticker id="1"]

Print this article [bws_pdfprint display=’print’]
The views expressed herein are solely those of the author and may or may not reflect those of The Greanville Post, although, if we publish them, we obviously find them noteworthy and valuable. 

Creative Commons LicenseThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License • 
ALL CAPTIONS AND PULL QUOTES BY THE EDITORS NOT THE AUTHORS

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail