Lost Europe, lost the Pacific? All these glib comments flying around about how the Empire is finished and I'm trying figure out why? Is it wishful thinking on the part of these pundits? So the US has run out of rockets (or so we're led to believe) but it has a globe spanning navy, thousands of fight jets and bombers that enables it to manage theatres from the Caribbean to the Pacific to the Indian Ocean but above all, it controls the flow of international finance. As they say, money talks, bullshit walks. And while focus is on Trump the clown, the bigot, big capital is gearing up for the fight of its life. Trump is a convenient diversion, like the magician diverts the eye with the sleight of hand, that's why he was selected.
All the wishful thinking I hear is from American cheer leaders who can't believe they've finally lost their position as #1. They made a poor choice of friends, finally got their fondest wish but learned that even the skinny kid at the beach can still kick sand in your face and make you cry .
And now they can't even console themselves with controlling global finances because once again, they've lost their #1 position. China has zoomed past, and combined with BRICS, can't even see you in the rear view mirror any more!
Too bad, so sad! A Trillion Dollars just ain't what it used to be!
Empire declines do not happen overnight. They fade slowly. Air superiority alone does not win a war. (Viet Nam) Iran has exposed the vulnerability of the most powerful ships sailing. And Iran has made it clear that even with all the great military assets the U.S. has, there are still limits to what it can accomplish. The sun never set on the British empire, yet it declined, slowly. England still exists, and still wields some power. This will ultimately be the fate of the U.S. in a new emerging multi-polar world.
In the meantime...at 77 years old all I can do is observe what is beginning to take place, knowing that I will not be around to see the apex of a truly multi-polar world. 😉
One MAJOR mistake that Scott, who I respect greatly for his honesty and integrity, is that the Strait is International Waters. Under International Law, seaways surrounding a Nation, for a distance of 12 miles are sovereign to that Nation.
Iran is dealing with Oman in its ownership of the Strait. The Strait is 21 miles across providing ownership of 12 miles to Iran and the opposite 12 miles to Oman. This allows a 3 mile overlap in the entirity of the Strait.
Furthermore, Iran demands that the US remove itself from the region. Under no condition would Iran than entertain going into business with the US, sharing revenue from navigation fees.
Prove me wrong Scott, please. With all due respect. Great Job as always Rachel!!!!
I wondered whether anyone else caught that. The straight is NOT international waters. It is shared by Iran and Oman. I'm not particularly impressed by Scot Ritter as he's made it clear in other conversations that he thinks America is a democracy. When in fact America is a corporate oligarchy.
[British guy] Rebuild the Gulf naval bases? It’s perhaps hard to explain what losing this war means but, in essence, the US 5th Fleet is out of the Gulf - and is not going back (except perhaps for some diplomatic token to get Mr T’s signature).
The Potemkin Gulf States with a 1:10 locals to visitors population will now be destabilised by Iran one at a time. Qatar has already walked away. As Ritter might say: What you can’t protect and defend, you lose. US out. Iran and China in. No hurry.
Trump gave it away. What has compounded this monumental reverse for US interests in the region is the dialogue with the UK and Europe. US operations depend on an open air corridor from the UK to Greece. It’s still open - despite limitations from France, the UK, Italy and Spain. The US leaves NATO, it disappears.
The next but soon-to-arrive test for US-Europe relations is going to be Israel. (What the holy hell were you thinking when you got into bed with these guys?). We’re sick of them. We’re sick of their murderous aggression. We’re sick of what they are doing to the Palestinians. We’re sick of them exporting their bigotry and fuckin’ around with our politics and media. Now, we’re all paying the price.
In short, Europe and the UK are likely to end up imposing sanctions and forcing diplomacy until this shit is sorted out; Netanyahu, Ben Gvir, Smotrich and Katz are in jail, the settlers are disarmed and we start rebuilding Gaza. You with us?
what is missed is that first the ukraine nonsense was depleting the u.s. of weapons and money and now this. its bad enough the u.s. is leaderless with a deranged mental geriatric boasting daily,but the country is weaponless and broke. it ripe for collapse. who is waiting to take over here. the government d sold the country out. its obvious congress does not represent the people,they all need removed physically and imprisoned along with drumpf and his sychophants and family.
WELL, ONCE AGAIN RACHEL I HAVE LEARNED SO MUCH FROM YOUR GUEST SPEAKER. MR. SCOTT RITTER IS A WEALTH OF INTERNATIONAL KNOWLEDGE. GREAT COMMUNICATOR. WE WOULD BE BETTER OFF WITH PEOPLE LIKE MR. RITTER INVOLVED IN DECISION MAKING IN BEHALF OF OUR NATION. I FEEL DISENCHANTED BY THE CHUMP ADMINISTRATION.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE, ITS BEEN FUN. River
Another thing I would like to hear about is the future of Bahrain, Qatar and the UAE. With their US bases destroyed and Iran wanting the US military out for good.
I think Ritter is right about Europe and UK not wanting US deals. But in future under another president maybe..
With respect, Scott, I hope you are wrong about what you think the Iranians would be prepared to give up to end this illegal war on them. As I understand it, the Straight of Hormuse is 50:50 territorial water of Iran and Oman. Not therefore international waters? Even if this is uncertain, using the US principal of might makes right, the Iranians can and should legally argue that now the straight will be administered by Iran with a tariff paid by shipping using it. We have USRael, the 21 century serial war agresser, in part because it is not only zero cost to them finacially if they take a resource ( think Venezuala) but other world countries are fearful of repercussions if they speak up in support of the targetted country. (think Cuba) Only the certainty of Iran closing this economic choke point if a country attacks them again in future, gives Iran leverage over the situation. That is the legal justification. They are protecting themselves against outside agression. As for the toll, that too is sensible and justifyable, and shipping companies will pass on the cost to consumers anyway. But USrael starts strategic imperial wars because they can usually make them cost free. e.g Israel occupies Gaza, Lebanon and Syria and although it is illegal, USRael then steals the hydrocarbans from the Palestinian Leviathan gas field in the Mediteran sea and sells to the booty to Von de Leydon's Europe. Likewise, US getting a share of the toll is absurd. They bwould be getting reward for illegal agression.The toll money is for rebuilding bomb destroyed Iranian infrastructure and the compensation for 40 years of US sanction-oppression which has severely reduced Iranian societal development. Not to mention the murder of the Supreme Leader, political, military, scientific elites and thousands of Iranian civillians. USA alone and USRael must pay reparations. Since they wont do it voluntarily, the shipping toll is both justifiable and morally defencible and the UN should see it that way, imo. Thank you Rachel and Scott. Good discussion.
💲Download the No Thanks app (or BoyCat or Boycott X)—make sure you don't spend another $ that supports the extremist Netanyahu regime!
Encourage you friends to flood your Congresspeople with calls and emails. Imagine if we all spent as much time doing that as we do watching videos. We need action. When do we need it? NOW!
👉🏽 End the war on Iran, Lebanon, Gaza, & the West Bank
👉🏽 Immediate de-escalation
👉🏽 Unimpeded aid into Gaza
👉🏽 Access for humanitarian organizations, international journalists, and observers into Gaza, the West Bank, and Lebanon
👉🏽 Support the War Powers Resolution
🏥 Civilians across the region deserve protection, food, medicine, and peace.
🤫 I refuse to stay silent while another devastating war spreads.
😢 Because somewhere tonight, a parent may only be able to identify their child by a backpack or a shoe after an airstrike. 🎒 👟
2️⃣ It just takes about 2 minutes!
✌🏽 If you are not American, try to organize with peace groups & call/email/SMS your politicians. Tell them to publicly condemn the war on Iran & Lebanon and demand your government doesn't support it in any way.
Also tell to demand unfettered humanitarian aid, human rights organizations and observers to Gaza, the West Bank, and Lebanon.
✌🏽PLEASE please take action and then SHARE with everyone you know and ask them to do the same! 🕊️
💲Download the No Thanks app (or BoyCat or Boycott X)—make sure you don't spend another $ that supports the extremist Netanyahu regime!
It's a waste of time to appeal to con-gress. This is AIPAC controlled territory. These bastards no longer represent the US, they are traitors to this nation. String them up on DC lamp posts!
Lost Europe, lost the Pacific? All these glib comments flying around about how the Empire is finished and I'm trying figure out why? Is it wishful thinking on the part of these pundits? So the US has run out of rockets (or so we're led to believe) but it has a globe spanning navy, thousands of fight jets and bombers that enables it to manage theatres from the Caribbean to the Pacific to the Indian Ocean but above all, it controls the flow of international finance. As they say, money talks, bullshit walks. And while focus is on Trump the clown, the bigot, big capital is gearing up for the fight of its life. Trump is a convenient diversion, like the magician diverts the eye with the sleight of hand, that's why he was selected.
All the wishful thinking I hear is from American cheer leaders who can't believe they've finally lost their position as #1. They made a poor choice of friends, finally got their fondest wish but learned that even the skinny kid at the beach can still kick sand in your face and make you cry .
And now they can't even console themselves with controlling global finances because once again, they've lost their #1 position. China has zoomed past, and combined with BRICS, can't even see you in the rear view mirror any more!
Too bad, so sad! A Trillion Dollars just ain't what it used to be!
"BRICS can't even see you in the rear view mirror any more."
Talk about wishful thinking.
Empire declines do not happen overnight. They fade slowly. Air superiority alone does not win a war. (Viet Nam) Iran has exposed the vulnerability of the most powerful ships sailing. And Iran has made it clear that even with all the great military assets the U.S. has, there are still limits to what it can accomplish. The sun never set on the British empire, yet it declined, slowly. England still exists, and still wields some power. This will ultimately be the fate of the U.S. in a new emerging multi-polar world.
Agreed but in the meantime...
In the meantime...at 77 years old all I can do is observe what is beginning to take place, knowing that I will not be around to see the apex of a truly multi-polar world. 😉
The USA have hit civilian targets!
Have Iran hit civilian targets?
Yes. Hotels and civilian infrastructure.
Where?
The UAE, Qatar, your mother's browneye, all over the place.
https://consortiumnews.com/2026/04/16/us-israel-bomb-307-medical-facilities-in-iran/
Where?
Your mother's arsehole
Where is that?
One MAJOR mistake that Scott, who I respect greatly for his honesty and integrity, is that the Strait is International Waters. Under International Law, seaways surrounding a Nation, for a distance of 12 miles are sovereign to that Nation.
Iran is dealing with Oman in its ownership of the Strait. The Strait is 21 miles across providing ownership of 12 miles to Iran and the opposite 12 miles to Oman. This allows a 3 mile overlap in the entirity of the Strait.
Furthermore, Iran demands that the US remove itself from the region. Under no condition would Iran than entertain going into business with the US, sharing revenue from navigation fees.
Prove me wrong Scott, please. With all due respect. Great Job as always Rachel!!!!
I wondered whether anyone else caught that. The straight is NOT international waters. It is shared by Iran and Oman. I'm not particularly impressed by Scot Ritter as he's made it clear in other conversations that he thinks America is a democracy. When in fact America is a corporate oligarchy.
https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna45049386
Honesty and integrity LMFAO https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna45049386
[British guy] Rebuild the Gulf naval bases? It’s perhaps hard to explain what losing this war means but, in essence, the US 5th Fleet is out of the Gulf - and is not going back (except perhaps for some diplomatic token to get Mr T’s signature).
The Potemkin Gulf States with a 1:10 locals to visitors population will now be destabilised by Iran one at a time. Qatar has already walked away. As Ritter might say: What you can’t protect and defend, you lose. US out. Iran and China in. No hurry.
Trump gave it away. What has compounded this monumental reverse for US interests in the region is the dialogue with the UK and Europe. US operations depend on an open air corridor from the UK to Greece. It’s still open - despite limitations from France, the UK, Italy and Spain. The US leaves NATO, it disappears.
The next but soon-to-arrive test for US-Europe relations is going to be Israel. (What the holy hell were you thinking when you got into bed with these guys?). We’re sick of them. We’re sick of their murderous aggression. We’re sick of what they are doing to the Palestinians. We’re sick of them exporting their bigotry and fuckin’ around with our politics and media. Now, we’re all paying the price.
In short, Europe and the UK are likely to end up imposing sanctions and forcing diplomacy until this shit is sorted out; Netanyahu, Ben Gvir, Smotrich and Katz are in jail, the settlers are disarmed and we start rebuilding Gaza. You with us?
what is missed is that first the ukraine nonsense was depleting the u.s. of weapons and money and now this. its bad enough the u.s. is leaderless with a deranged mental geriatric boasting daily,but the country is weaponless and broke. it ripe for collapse. who is waiting to take over here. the government d sold the country out. its obvious congress does not represent the people,they all need removed physically and imprisoned along with drumpf and his sychophants and family.
WELL, ONCE AGAIN RACHEL I HAVE LEARNED SO MUCH FROM YOUR GUEST SPEAKER. MR. SCOTT RITTER IS A WEALTH OF INTERNATIONAL KNOWLEDGE. GREAT COMMUNICATOR. WE WOULD BE BETTER OFF WITH PEOPLE LIKE MR. RITTER INVOLVED IN DECISION MAKING IN BEHALF OF OUR NATION. I FEEL DISENCHANTED BY THE CHUMP ADMINISTRATION.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE, ITS BEEN FUN. River
My Trumpian map: https://substack.com/@nemopix/note/c-245475425
Another thing I would like to hear about is the future of Bahrain, Qatar and the UAE. With their US bases destroyed and Iran wanting the US military out for good.
I think Ritter is right about Europe and UK not wanting US deals. But in future under another president maybe..
https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna45049386
90 million very angry citizens now.
How is the US going to install their puppet. ?
90 million extra hands to rally ' Down wif USA '
The Gay Supreme Leader kills his own people, only Democrats support him. The people of Iran hate him.
Another good show and guest Rachel Blevins
https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna45049386
With respect, Scott, I hope you are wrong about what you think the Iranians would be prepared to give up to end this illegal war on them. As I understand it, the Straight of Hormuse is 50:50 territorial water of Iran and Oman. Not therefore international waters? Even if this is uncertain, using the US principal of might makes right, the Iranians can and should legally argue that now the straight will be administered by Iran with a tariff paid by shipping using it. We have USRael, the 21 century serial war agresser, in part because it is not only zero cost to them finacially if they take a resource ( think Venezuala) but other world countries are fearful of repercussions if they speak up in support of the targetted country. (think Cuba) Only the certainty of Iran closing this economic choke point if a country attacks them again in future, gives Iran leverage over the situation. That is the legal justification. They are protecting themselves against outside agression. As for the toll, that too is sensible and justifyable, and shipping companies will pass on the cost to consumers anyway. But USrael starts strategic imperial wars because they can usually make them cost free. e.g Israel occupies Gaza, Lebanon and Syria and although it is illegal, USRael then steals the hydrocarbans from the Palestinian Leviathan gas field in the Mediteran sea and sells to the booty to Von de Leydon's Europe. Likewise, US getting a share of the toll is absurd. They bwould be getting reward for illegal agression.The toll money is for rebuilding bomb destroyed Iranian infrastructure and the compensation for 40 years of US sanction-oppression which has severely reduced Iranian societal development. Not to mention the murder of the Supreme Leader, political, military, scientific elites and thousands of Iranian civillians. USA alone and USRael must pay reparations. Since they wont do it voluntarily, the shipping toll is both justifiable and morally defencible and the UN should see it that way, imo. Thank you Rachel and Scott. Good discussion.
Only Democrats and gaes support Iran.
Those lost places just gained a liberty from oppression .
America is better off not to keep up the insane charade .
I always enjoy listening to Scott's great info. Thanks for having him on today!
https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna45049386
💲Download the No Thanks app (or BoyCat or Boycott X)—make sure you don't spend another $ that supports the extremist Netanyahu regime!
Encourage you friends to flood your Congresspeople with calls and emails. Imagine if we all spent as much time doing that as we do watching videos. We need action. When do we need it? NOW!
🇵🇸 🇱🇧 ✊🏽 🍉 🫒 ✌🏽🕊️ 🇱🇧 🇵🇸
You can make a real difference today—It just takes a few minutes to contact your Congresspeople! 👇🏽
📞 Call: www.5calls.org/issue/iran-israel-war-us-involvement
📨 Email: www.democracy.io
🤳🏽 Text RESIST to 50409
☎️ PLEASE tell them:
👉🏽 End the war on Iran, Lebanon, Gaza, & the West Bank
👉🏽 Immediate de-escalation
👉🏽 Unimpeded aid into Gaza
👉🏽 Access for humanitarian organizations, international journalists, and observers into Gaza, the West Bank, and Lebanon
👉🏽 Support the War Powers Resolution
🏥 Civilians across the region deserve protection, food, medicine, and peace.
🤫 I refuse to stay silent while another devastating war spreads.
😢 Because somewhere tonight, a parent may only be able to identify their child by a backpack or a shoe after an airstrike. 🎒 👟
2️⃣ It just takes about 2 minutes!
✌🏽 If you are not American, try to organize with peace groups & call/email/SMS your politicians. Tell them to publicly condemn the war on Iran & Lebanon and demand your government doesn't support it in any way.
Also tell to demand unfettered humanitarian aid, human rights organizations and observers to Gaza, the West Bank, and Lebanon.
✌🏽PLEASE please take action and then SHARE with everyone you know and ask them to do the same! 🕊️
💲Download the No Thanks app (or BoyCat or Boycott X)—make sure you don't spend another $ that supports the extremist Netanyahu regime!
It's a waste of time to appeal to con-gress. This is AIPAC controlled territory. These bastards no longer represent the US, they are traitors to this nation. String them up on DC lamp posts!
Traitor
Confusing. It’s hard to stand on solid ground created by a he words of Trump.