Richard Wolff & Michael Hudson: Iran Won. The Empire Lost. Forever.
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Quick Read
Summary
Takeaways
- ❖US/Israel's foreign policy operates outside international law, making diplomatic agreements with Iran impossible.
- ❖Iran's imposition of tolls on the Strait of Hormuz is framed as a legitimate act of self-defense and reparations against US-backed aggression.
- ❖The current global conflicts are manifestations of the 'final gasps of colonialism' by the US, Israel, and Europe.
- ❖US leaders are in denial about the empire's decline, leading to 'cheerleader' politicians who promote unrealistic narratives.
- ❖A new international institutional structure is needed, as the United Nations is paralyzed by US/European veto power.
- ❖The continuation of colonialism is often supported by client oligarchies within the former colonies, making resistance a class war.
Insights
1US-Iran Deal Impossibility
Michael Hudson argues no deal is imminent because Iran demands the release of seized funds (including stablecoins), which Congress opposes, and Israel explicitly states it will ignore any agreement and continue attacks. This signifies a complete breakdown of rule of law in international relations.
Iran needs a release of funds, but Congress, led by figures like Lindsey Graham, firmly opposes it. Israel also states it will not be bound by any agreement and will continue attacks, ignoring any rule of law.
2US Nuclear Hypocrisy and Projection
Trump's demand for Iran to give up uranium is a 'red herring,' as US intelligence confirms Iran has no nuclear weapons program, while Israel possesses 200. The US projects its own aggressive ambitions onto Iran, justifying pre-emptive war based on hypothetical future intentions.
US intelligence agencies agree Iran has made no attempt to create an atom bomb, yet Trump demands Iran turn over uranium. Meanwhile, Israel has 200 atom bombs. The US assumes Iran will fulfill an 'ambition' for a bomb because 'that's what we would do if we were Iran.'
3Weaponization of International Waters
The US claims international law prevents Iran from imposing tolls on the Strait of Hormuz, yet the US itself has repeatedly violated the Law of the Sea by bombing fishermen in Venezuelan and Hormuz waters under false pretenses, demonstrating a 'total control of the sea' mentality and a disregard for the very laws it cites.
The US bombs fishermen off Venezuela and in the Strait of Hormuz, claiming they 'could be drug dealers' or 'laying mines,' without boarding or warning. This contradicts international law, yet the US then demands Iran obey international law regarding tolls.
4Colonialism's Final Gasps
Richard Wolff frames current global conflicts as the 'final gasps of colonialism,' identifying three concurrent efforts: Israel's settler-colonization, Europe's expansion into Eastern Europe (Ukraine), and the US's global oil control and resource grabbing (e.g., Greenland, Venezuela). These are seen as desperate attempts by declining powers to reassert control.
Wolff states, 'We are watching the final gasps of life of colonialism.' He cites Israel's settler colonization, Europe's expansion into Eastern Europe via NATO and Ukraine, and the US's 'snatching' of resources and control over oil as examples.
5Denial of Imperial Decline
American leaders, exemplified by figures like Trump and Lindsey Graham, engage in 'cheerleading' and 'fable creation' to deny the decline of the American Empire. This denial prevents a realistic, peaceful transition and instead fuels aggressive, irrational foreign policy, pushing towards a 'cataclysmic decline.'
Wolff notes that presidents constantly claim 'our best days are ahead of us' because 'they aren't. And that the people know they aren't.' He describes figures like Graham as 'crude cheerleaders' who promote fantasies rather than face the reality of imperial decline.
6Hijacked Governments & Class War
Michael Hudson asserts that countries are no longer following their economic interests because their governments have been 'hijacked' by advocates of force. He concludes that the major supporters of colonialism are the client oligarchies within the former colonies, making the anti-colonial struggle inherently a 'class war' as well as an international one.
Hudson states, 'countries are no longer following their economic interests. That's what we've been discussing on this show for the last year. Their governments have been hijacked.' He later adds, 'The major supporters of colonialism are the colonies themselves. Their client oligarchies want to maintain colonialism.'
Key Concepts
End of Empire
The concept that dominant global powers eventually decline, marked by specific behaviors such as increased aggression, disregard for international norms, and internal denial of diminishing influence.
Law of the Jungle
The idea that international relations are governed by brute force and unilateral action rather than established legal frameworks, treaties, or diplomatic principles.
Colonialism's Last Gasp
The theory that current geopolitical conflicts represent a desperate, anachronistic attempt by declining powers to reassert colonial control over resources, territories, or spheres of influence, despite a global shift towards anti-colonialism.
Lessons
- Critically evaluate official narratives regarding international conflicts, recognizing potential underlying motives related to imperial decline and resource control.
- Understand that the breakdown of international law by powerful states creates a 'law of the jungle' environment, making traditional diplomatic solutions increasingly ineffective.
- Recognize that the struggle against colonialism is not just between nations but also involves internal class conflicts, where local oligarchies may support external powers.
Notable Moments
Trump's blunt statement on the Strait of Hormuz, declaring it 'international waters' that 'nobody's going to control' but America will 'watch over,' concluding with a threat to 'blow them up' if Oman doesn't 'behave.'
This moment highlights the crude, unilateral, and militaristic stance of the US towards international maritime control, directly contradicting the notion of shared international waters and revealing a 'might makes right' approach.
Lindsey Graham's suggestion to rename the Nobel Peace Prize the 'Trump Prize' for supposedly ending the 'thousands of years' Arab-Israeli conflict by getting Saudi Arabia to recognize Israel and 'put Iran in a box.'
This illustrates the extreme political rhetoric and denial of complex realities by US decision-makers, framing a deeply contentious geopolitical situation with hyperbolic and unrealistic expectations, indicative of a broader imperial delusion.
Quotes
"There is no rule of law anymore. It this is totally the law of the jungle that that's occurring now."
"When America watches over it, that's what the control is. Who could be so stupid at this point not to see the man is telling us 'cause he's crude and doesn't know how to cover it over in clever Ivy League language."
"We are watching the final gasps of life of colonialism."
"If we don't find a way to coexist then we are going to be in a terrible place in the months and the years and the decades ahead. You don't want to leave that to your children, do you?"
"The major supporters of colonialism are the colonies themselves. Their client oligarchies want to maintain colonialism because colonialism has ruled through their client oligarchies... This is not only an international war, it's a class war as well."
Q&A
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