Geopolitical Economy Report

Donald Trump claims Iran has been "militarily defeated", but many reports have come out showing this to be a lie. Tehran destroyed the majority of US military bases in West Asia (aka the Middle East), and Iran still maintains most of its missile capabilities.

Meanwhile, experts estimate the USA's war against Iran will cost $1 trillion.

Ben Norton reviews the evidence, showing how Washington is clearly losing this war that it started.

VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_wC4KuEcWI

Topics

0:00 US government narrative

0:23 (CLIP) Trump: Iran is defeated

1:20 Reality: USA is losing the war

2:34 Reviewing the evidence

4:34 Iran destroyed US bases

5:37 US troops expelled from region

6:54 US military bases in rubble

7:37 Donald Trump lied

8:11 USA running out of missiles

9:33 War will cost $1 TRILLION

10:38 Iran still has most missiles

12:38 US government is lying

13:05 Saudi Arabia gets cold feet

14:00 Huge economic damage

15:44 Gulf "safe haven" myth

16:28 USA is losing the war

18:04 USA failed to achieve goals

19:57 Outro

Donald Trump boasted that the US government acts "like pirates", seizing Iran's ships and oil. "It's a very profitable business", he said. Meanwhile, Beijing is openly resisting Washington's sanctions against Chinese companies for trading with Iran. China has ordered all domestic firms to ignore US sanctions. Ben Norton explains these geopolitical developments.

VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfB8xQEZolk

Topics

0:00 (CLIP) Trump: "We're like pirates"

0:14 US blockade of Iran

1:11 (CLIP) Trump on US piracy

1:57 US seizure of Iranian ships

2:43 AI memes of Trump as pirate

3:01 Multiple acts of US piracy

4:09 Venezuela

5:06 (CLIP) Trump on stealing oil

5:30 Pirates of the Persian Gulf

6:31 US sanctions on China

8:42 Hengli plant in Dalian

9:23 China challenges US sanctions

10:49 Secondary sanctions threat

11:38 USA crossed China's red line

14:17 US sanctions 1/3rd of world

14:47 Map of US sanctions

15:00 Sanctions are very deadly

16:21 Blockade of Cuba

17:19 US empire's goal

17:59 New sanctions on Cuba

19:02 Chinese solar panels help Cuba

19:47 Blowback: US sanctions backfire

20:45 Outro

Oil has been at the center of the war on Iran. Ben Norton explains how the United States became the biggest oil producer on Earth, and how the US empire uses petroleum as a geopolitical and economic weapon, pushing for monopolistic Big Oil corporations to dominate the global market. Ben also discusses why Trump pressured the UAE to withdraw from OPEC, and he debunks the myth that the USA is "energy independent".

VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gh-E3q6tGEw

Check out our related video on the biggest oil crisis in history: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUdyPJM_rOw

Topics

0:00 Iran war and oil

0:36 Petrodollar

1:52 USA is biggest oil producer

3:39 US oil exports increase

4:32 Oil price skyrockets

5:03 Corporate profits rise

5:37 Strait of Hormuz

6:30 UAE withdraws from OPEC

7:31 Abraham Accords

8:37 OPEC history

9:14 Seven Sisters: Big Oil

11:01 OPEC members

12:13 OPEC+ participants

13:18 Goal of OPEC

14:25 State-owned oil companies

15:12 Why USA dislikes OPEC

16:56 Oil is political

17:18 Venezuela economic war

19:06 Big Oil execs in US govt

20:55 Cuba oil blockade

22:29 Energy and food crisis

23:36 US "energy independence"

25:06 US oil imports

26:12 Types of crude oil

27:26 US oil refineries

28:47 US imports by country

30:36 Oil benchmarks

32:47 Oil futures market

33:53 Price predictions

36:04 Economic crisis fears

37:02 Outro

The US-Israeli war on Iran has caused the largest oil supply shock in history, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). Ben Norton explains how the attacks by Trump and Netanyahu, and the ensuing blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, have unleashed an energy crisis that could destabilize the global economy.

VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUdyPJM_rOw

Topics

0:00 Intro

0:23 Schrödinger's ceasefire

1:24 Energy crisis

3:11 Strait of Hormuz

5:14 Petrodollar

6:45 Blockade

7:35 Impact on Asia

10:46 Europe

11:29 Food crisis

13:38 China

16:20 Renewable energy

18:24 Trump's claims

19:41 Stagflation fears

21:34 Outro

There are growing signs that the United States may be on the verge of another major financial crisis, one that could start in the $3 trillion private credit market, which is already seeing significant turmoil, before spreading to other sectors.

Geopolitical Economy Report editor Ben Norton interviewed economist Michael Hudson to discuss the serious problems on Wall Street. Hudson warned that the US economy is built on a Ponzi scheme that depends on continuing to pour money into a bloated, bubbly financial system based on unsustainable speculation, not industrial production.

VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Blv49u3Q230

Check out our related short video about the private credit crisis on Wall Street: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1cx9Zk6WZk

Topics

0:00 Introduction

1:37 Highlights of Michael Hudson

3:29 Interview starts

4:18 2008 financial crisis

5:04 Zero interest-rate policy (ZIRP)

7:31 Private equity

9:17 Lack of investment

10:34 Wealth inequality

12:08 Debt defaults

14:10 Depression fears

16:12 US govt supports Wall Street

19:07 Ponzi schemes

23:51 US economic problems

27:35 Iran war impact

30:16 Financialization of economy

33:46 Outro

The peace talks held between the US and Iran in Islamabad, Pakistan failed. Despite a temporary, two-week ceasefire Donald Trump announced a naval blockade of the Iranian blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Ben Norton explains the USA's strategy, and how it is targeting China and Asian economies that import oil, natural gas, and other important commodities from the Persian Gulf.

VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDH5qMZSPm4

Topics

0:00 Peace talks in Pakistan fail

1:07 Trump blockades the blockade

2:53 Iran trolls the US

3:45 Trump's contradictory posts

6:12 Ceasefire

6:51 Israeli attack on Lebanon

8:17 Trump threatens Iran

9:45 Trump targets Cuba

10:38 Strait of Hormuz

11:41 Iran toll challenges petrodollar

13:12 Logic behind US blockade

14:01 Scott Bessent threatens China

15:31 USA targets China's oil supply

16:29 China condemns US blockade

17:06 Dangers of escalation

18:38 Chinese tankers

20:37 China's oil reserves

21:11 China's supply chain shocks

22:59 Trump wants leverage

24:09 The US is losing the war

26:25 Iran's message to Trump

27:45 Outro

The US government has pushed for years for a war with China, selling billions of dollars of weapons to separatists in Taiwan. However, those plans are falling apart, after the leader of the KMT, the Nationalist Party based in Taipei, took a historic trip to the mainland, promoting peace. Ben Norton explains the importance of Cheng Li-wun's meeting with Xi Jinping, and the complex political history of Taiwan.

VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiDtfdBYHBQ

Topics

0:00 KMT leader visits Beijing

1:28 US "prickly porcupine" strategy

2:09 KMT, Chinese Nationalist Party

2:48 Taiwan's ruling party DPP

3:27 Nancy Pelosi visit

4:17 Taiwan's DPP supports Israel

4:42 Fears of new Ukraine

5:22 US war plans

6:22 US arms sales to Taiwan

7:09 USA uses Taiwan as proxy

8:12 (CLIP) KMT leader on Ukraine

9:08 Is Taiwan the next Ukraine?

9:28 Elections results in 2024

10:12 Lai Ching-te is unpopular

10:54 Iran war hurts Taiwan

11:48 Energy crisis

12:27 TSMC and advanced chips

13:45 Neoliberalism

14:10 Developmental state

14:54 Economic insecurity

15:14 Trump tariff threats

15:48 Beijing does not want war

17:12 Beijing opposes separatism

18:06 UN: Taiwan is part of China

18:50 One China policy

19:46 Map of Taiwan recognition

20:05 List of Taiwan recognition

20:45 Cross-strait relations

22:19 Rising trade

23:13 One country, two systems

24:31 US military bases

24:58 Peaceful reunification

25:27 Poll: Taiwan independence

26:09 Future leader of Taiwan?

26:48 Divisions within KMT

27:27 Modern history of Taiwan

29:05 Chiang Kai-shek

29:41 Democracy?

30:46 Cold War One propaganda

31:39 Sun Yat-sen

34:40 Historic step for peace

36:14 Outro

The United States and Iran agreed to a temporary, two-week ceasefire. However, Tehran said Washington immediately violated it, by allowing Israel to bomb Lebanon. Ben Norton explains how the USA has repeatedly lied about its diplomacy, and how Donald Trump's "art of the deal" is based on deception.

VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdidAa3CsU0

Check out our related video "Iran is winning the war. This is why": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zV26rb-9YsE

Topics

0:00 Iran war ceasefire

0:52 US ceasefire violations

2:40 Israel attacks Lebanon

3:25 Energy crisis and inflation

4:50 Both sides claim victory

5:32 Iran says USA violated deal

6:23 Trump's "art of the deal"

7:17 Israel bombs Lebanon

8:09 Strait of Hormuz

9:22 Russia and China UN veto

10:27 Peace talks in Pakistan

10:54 US military will stay

11:11 Trump threatens "civilization"

11:54 US empire violates treaties

14:28 Trump's 15-point plan

16:10 Iran's 10-point proposal

17:55 Someone is lying

19:04 USA underestimates Iran

20:00 Iran establishes new order

21:19 US imperialism continues

23:01 Outro

Is the United States on the verge of another financial crisis? Some top Wall Street executives fear the bankruptcies in the $3 trillion private credit industry could spread, as firms prevent investors from withdrawing their capital, in what resembles a bank run. Then there are problems with the AI bubble and Big Tech stock market bloat. Ben Norton explains.

VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1cx9Zk6WZk

Check out our other video explaining how the Iran war will transform the global economy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kocFwbTbs1Q

Topics

0:00 New financial crisis coming?

0:36 Private credit industry

1:27 Cockroaches in private credit

2:18 Bank run similarities

3:32 Bank exposure

5:13 (CLIP) ex Goldman Sachs CEO

6:06 Trump admin scheme

7:55 Blackstone CEO funded Trump

8:48 AI and software companies

9:13 AI bubble

9:42 Big Tech Magnificent 7 (Mag 7)

10:13 US stock market bubble

10:40 AI drives US GDP growth

11:11 Most Americans in recession

11:43 Richest 10% consume 50%

11:57 Iran war, energy crisis, food

13:17 Outro

Iran is winning the war that was started by the USA and Israel. This is now admitted even by major Western media outlets. Tehran has successfully destroyed the US military bases in West Asia (aka the Middle East), forcing the Pentagon to operate from Europe.

Ben Norton explains Iran's goals, and how it is seeking to establish deterrence and escalation dominance, using asymmetric tactics.

VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zV26rb-9YsE

Topics

0:00 Iran is winning the war

2:32 Iran's strategic goals

2:47 Failure of regime change

3:34 US military bases

4:25 Iran destroyed US bases

7:32 USA wages war from Europe

8:53 Bases used by USA in Europe

9:30 Iran's objectives

10:05 Gulf monarchies (GCC)

13:46 Normalization with Israel

14:54 Threats to Gulf regimes

16:40 Lifting of US sanctions

19:10 Oil and Strait of Hormuz

22:34 Escalation dominance

23:33 Costs of the war

25:34 USA running out of missiles

26:59 Deterrence

29:17 US and Israel are losing

29:42 Multipolar world

31:34 Outro