Iran War, Taiwan's U Turn & De-Dollarization | Silk and Steel

Iran War, Taiwan's U Turn & De-Dollarization | Silk and Steel

Author: UK Column April 2, 2026 Duration: 1:05:31

Angelica sits down with Carl Zha, host of the Silk and Steel podcast, to unpack the rapidly escalating geopolitical crisis. From the US-Iran conflict threatening global energy security to Taiwan's dramatic nuclear energy reversal and a historic KMT delegation to Beijing, we cover the stories mainstream media is ignoring.

Plus: Carl shares his harrowing experience with YouTube channel termination and how creators can fight back.


► Join UK Column Live every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 1pm UK time or watch previous live recordings here: https://bit.ly/UKColumn_Live


► [UK Column Website] Explore all our written and video content on the official UK Column website: https://www.ukcolumn.org/


► [Support UK Column] Please donate to support our independent journalism & investigative journalism: https://support.ukcolumn.org/


► [UK Column YouTube] Please subscribe to the UK Column News YouTube channel for more alternative news and independent news: https://bit.ly/ukcolumnofficial


Follow #UKColumn on:

► X: https://x.com/ukcolumn

► Telegram: https://t.me/ukcolumn

► Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UKColumnExtracts

► Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uk_column_news


Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction

00:26 - The "Frog Boiling" Moment: Comparing 2025 to March 2020

01:25 - Energy Crisis Deep Dive: Why no oil means no food, no medicine

02:47 - Taiwan's Vulnerability: 40% LNG-dependent with only 11 days supply

03:43 - The Strait of Hormuz: Irreversible damage to global shipping

05:06 - Taiwan's Nuclear Reversal: A vindication for energy realists

07:01 - Taiwan's Economic History: From "Made in Taiwan" to semiconductors

08:30 - The "Made in Taiwan" stigma: George Clooney clip and Taiwan's transformation

10:30 - The Helium Crisis: 70% of Taiwan's helium comes from the Gulf – AI bubble at risk

12:30 - The Butlerian Jihad: How Iran is killing the "thinking machines" (Dune reference)

14:00 - Why the US and Israel are self-harming with no plan

16:30 - The KMT Chairwoman's Historic Trip to Beijing (April 7)

18:30 - KMT internal politics: The whisper campaign against Cheng Li-wen 20:30 - DPP vs. KMT: Why attitudes on Taiwan are shifting

23:00 - Comparing KMT infighting to the Democratic Party establishment 25:00 - Energy vulnerability: How this crisis could flip elections in Taiwan 26:45 - Bali's tourism crisis: Australia's jet fuel shortage and what it means 28:30 - The Vietnam parallel: 3,500 Marines to 500,000 troops

30:00 - The tactical nuke scenario: What if things spiral?

32:00 - The Democratic Party's cowardice: Why they won't oppose the war 34:30 - The "neolib" disappointment: How Obama-style imperialism persists 36:30 - China's overinvestment vindication: EVs, batteries, and solar

39:30 - Iran's yuan pivot: How lifting sanctions backfired on the US

42:00 - The dollar cauldron: Nezha 2 and the de-dollarization allegory

44:00 - Why sanctions are becoming obsolete

46:00 - China's role: Can Beijing mediate?

48:00 - Iran's impossible demands: US withdrawal from West Asia

52:00 - The 10-day pause: Is Trump buying time for troops?

54:00 - Carl's YouTube termination story: How he got his channel back 58:00 - How to reach a human at YouTube: @TeamYouTube on X

62:00 - Closing thoughts: A new world is coming


Tune in to UK Column News, a daily podcast from the independent news organisation of the same name. This isn't a recap of headlines from the mainstream wire services. Instead, the team at UK Column digs into the stories and narratives shaping public perception, focusing on what they term the 'information war.' Each episode provides analysis you're unlikely to find elsewhere, examining the interplay between government policy, media reporting, and institutional influence. Because they operate without any corporate backing, advertising, or funding from political groups, their perspective is uniquely supported by their audience through memberships and donations. This independence is the core of the podcast, allowing for straightforward commentary free from external pressures. Listeners will hear detailed discussions on current events in the UK and beyond, often connecting dots between seemingly separate issues to present a broader picture of governance and societal change. The tone is analytical and deliberate, prioritising depth over soundbites. For those seeking an alternative to conventional news cycles and curious about the mechanics behind the stories that dominate the day, this podcast offers a consistent and critical voice. It’s for anyone who questions the prevailing narrative and wants news analysis that answers to its listeners, not to sponsors or shareholders.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

UK Column News
Podcast Episodes
Multipolarity is better than sliced bread | Jerm Warfare Weekly Banter [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:09
Multipolarity is better than sliced bread | Jerm Warfare Weekly Banter► Subscribe to the UK Column YouTube channel ► https://bit.ly/ukcolumnofficialUK Column turns 20! Join the 20th Anniversary event (18–20 Sept 2026) ce…
The US Just Lost Iran – And China Knows It | Silk and Steel [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:39
The US Just Lost Iran – And China Knows It | Silk and Steel ► Subscribe to the UK Column YouTube channel ► https://bit.ly/ukcolumnofficialIn this episode, host Carl Zha welcomes back Dr. Warwick Powell from Australia. Dr…
UK Column News — 24th April 2026 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:20
UK Column News — 24th April 2026UK Column turns 20! Join the 20th Anniversary event (18–20 Sept 2026) celebrating independent journalism.https://shop.ukcolumn.org/product/20th-anniversary-on-location/The first edition of…
UK Column News 20th Anniversary Event [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:50
The UK Column enters our 20th year. To celebrate, we will hold a 20th anniversary event, in Plymouth, in September of this 2026 year.Tickets are available in our shop. They are more than half sold already. If you don't w…
Charles Malet on his time in Africa | Jerm Warfare [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:28
Charles Malet on his time in Africa | Jerm Warfare► Subscribe to the UK Column YouTube channel ► https://bit.ly/ukcolumnofficialCharles shares his extensive experiences in Africa, explores the complexities of internation…
Military Matters: Episode 5 | Military Matters [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:15
In this latest episode of Military Matters, Brian and Charles review the action in, and rhetoric around, the conflict in Iran. They especially focus on the UK's extremely contradictory position.Also discussed is the deli…
Mark McDonald on navigating ideological extremism | Jerm Warfare [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:45
Mark McDonald on navigating ideological extremism | Jerm Warfare► Subscribe to the UK Column YouTube channel ► https://bit.ly/ukcolumnofficialLearn how to understand and navigate the complexities of modern cultural issue…
The Future of Taiwan | Silk and Steel [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:05
The Future of Taiwan | Silk and Steel ► Subscribe to the UK Column YouTube channel ► https://bit.ly/ukcolumnofficialIn this episode of "Liberty and Health," Kyle welcomes back Carl Zha to discuss significant political de…
UK Column News — 22nd April 2026 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:58
UK Column News — 22nd April 2026► Subscribe to the UK Column YouTube channel ► https://bit.ly/ukcolumnofficialMike Robinson, Charles Malet and Vanessa Beeley with today's UK Column News. ► Join UK Column Live every Monda…
Sasha Latypova: All Vaccines Cause Most Illnesses Today | Jerm Warfare [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:19
Sasha Latypova: All Vaccines Cause Most Illnesses Today | Jerm Warfare► Subscribe to the UK Column YouTube channel ► https://bit.ly/ukcolumnofficialSasha Latypova discusses the impact of vaccines on chronic illness, the…