War on Iran is part of US plan to revive Western colonialism and exploit Global South

War on Iran is part of US plan to revive Western colonialism and exploit Global South

Author: Ben Norton March 25, 2026 Duration: 29:56
The war on Iran is part of a larger attempt by the US empire to reverse the decline of Western hegemony and recolonize the Global South. After invading Venezuela, Donald Trump wants to "take" Cuba, Greenland, and Gaza. Meanwhile, Israel is annexing the West Bank and colonizing southern Lebanon. Ben Norton explains the imperialist plan. VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Xa_Kahzhic Topics 0:00 Geopolitical context of Iran war 0:37 (CLIP) Trump vows to expand US empire 0:56 Plans to expand US empire 1:21 Colonial Donroe Doctrine 2:13 (CLIP) Trump wants Venezuela's oil 2:32 US military attacks Latin America 3:17 Lula: "They want to colonize us again" 3:51 US dominance declines, China rises 4:59 Trump threatens BRICS 6:25 Plans to revive Western colonialism 7:19 (CLIP) Marco Rubio praises colonialism 8:32 Marco Rubio 9:13 US oil blockade of Cuba 10:19 (CLIP) Trump hopes to "take Cuba" 10:49 US plan to recolonize Cuba 12:31 (CLIP) Trump on Cuban sugar barons 12:47 Exiled Cuban oligarchs in Florida 13:05 Cuban Revolution 13:48 Miami mafia 14:42 When Cuba was a US colony 15:39 US plans to colonize Greenland 15:53 Critical minerals supply chain 17:03 US attempt to save hegemony 17:45 (CLIP) Trump: USA will "own" Gaza 18:08 Israel is annexing West Bank 18:24 Israel invaded South Lebanon 19:48 Oil and gas in Middle East 20:21 Netanyahu's colonial Iran speech 20:56 (CLIP) Netanyahu on "barbarians" 21:32 (CLIP) Pete Hegseth on "savages" 21:48 Colonial rhetoric 22:25 (CLIP) Trump cites Manifest Destiny 22:45 Colonial propaganda 24:36 Gilded Age redux 26:39 Attempt to reverse decolonization 27:53 Will war backfire on US empire? 29:43 Outro

Trying to make sense of international headlines often feels like seeing only the ripples on the water's surface, without understanding the powerful currents moving beneath. Geopolitical Economy Report, hosted by journalist Ben Norton, dives into those deeper forces. This isn't just a recap of the day's events; it's a dedicated exploration of how economic systems, historical context, and raw power politics fundamentally shape global conflicts and alliances. Each episode builds on the work of the independent news outlet of the same name, translating its original journalism and analysis into a compelling audio format. You'll hear detailed discussions that connect financial policies to social movements, or trace the historical roots of a modern trade war, always with an eye toward understanding the larger, changing structure of the world. For anyone tired of superficial news cycles and seeking a more substantive, connected perspective on why nations and institutions act the way they do, this podcast offers a crucial and clarifying lens. Tune in for a regular dose of context that the mainstream frequently overlooks.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Geopolitical Economy Report
Podcast Episodes
Iran war expands: Oil market in crisis as Yemen enters conflict [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:27
The US war against Iran is expanding into a larger regional conflict. After Trump sabotaged a diplomatic agreement, Tehran closed the Strait of Hormuz. Now Yemen's Ansar Allah (known commonly as the Houthis) has declared…
This country is resisting US meddling, and fighting back! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:42
US global dominance is rapidly declining, as China rises. So Washington wants to forcibly impose its hegemony in Latin America, invoking the colonial Monroe Doctrine. However, people are fighting back. Nicaragua's Sandin…
Trump restarts war on Iran, but has no way out: The US lost [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:04
Donald Trump violated the diplomatic agreement and restarted the war, bombing Iran and re-imposing a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Ben Norton explains why the US government will fail, because it has no plan and…
Americans are NOT wealthy: The truth about the US economy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:27
Many Western economists and media outlets claim that Americans are wealthier than Europeans, but this is not true; it's based on a misunderstanding of the difference between average wealth and median wealth. Ben Norton e…
He accidentally revealed the truth about the US strategy for Iran [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:13
What is the US strategy in its war against Iran? Is the Trump administration seriously committed to negotiations to make a deal? JD Vance accidentally exposed the USA's plan, to use the talks to buy time to refill oil re…
This scandal says everything about the West's hypocrisy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:30
The US-based right-wing Chinese billionaire Miles Guo (Guo Wengui), who worked closely with Donald Trump advisor Steve Bannon, was sentenced to 30 years in prison for committing $1 billion of fraud. Ben Norton explains h…
The real reason US Big Tech corporations fear China [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:07
US Big Tech corporations are paying influencers to spread anti-China, pro-AI disinformation on social media. Ben Norton explains why Silicon Valley fears Chinese competition and seeks to monopolize artificial intelligenc…
Will Israel sabotage the Iran deal? Will Trump allow it? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:58
The USA and Iran are holding negotiations to end the war, but Tehran condemned Washington for violating the agreement, because Israel keeps attacking Lebanon. US Vice President JD Vance appeared to criticize Israel, but…