Larry Johnson & Col. Wilkerson: Iran's Unseen Move: US Laser Destroyers Can't Stop What's Coming
YouTube · TQPBgiP1cHo
Quick Read
Summary
Takeaways
- ❖The nuclear issue is a pretext; the true US-Israeli goal is to destroy the Islamic Republic of Iran.
- ❖Iran's core demands include lifting all sanctions, returning frozen assets, and maintaining control over the Strait of Hormuz.
- ❖Donald Trump's claims of destroying Iran's military capabilities are false; commercial vessels continue to pass through the Strait of Hormuz under IRGC escort.
- ❖Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Kuwait are increasingly refusing to allow their territory to be used as launching pads for US military operations against Iran, significantly shrinking US military options.
- ❖US F-35s based in Jordan lack the range to operate deep into Iran without extensive refueling, which is complicated by Saudi airspace restrictions.
- ❖Iran possesses a diverse 'orchestra of mayhem' defense, including submarines, underwater/surface drones, fast boats with anti-ship missiles, and various ballistic missiles, making US naval incursions highly vulnerable.
- ❖The global economy's unexpected dependence on Persian Gulf commodities (oil, LNG, sulfur, helium) was exposed by the conflict, accelerating the shift away from the US dollar.
- ❖China, Japan, and Turkey are actively dumping US treasuries, indicating a loss of confidence in the dollar as a safe haven during international crises.
- ❖A new security architecture is forming in Eurasia, involving China, Russia, Iran, Pakistan, and potentially Turkey, challenging US hegemony.
- ❖North Korea, now closely allied with China and Russia, possesses long-range missile technology (e.g., Quam Song) that could enable Iran to strike the continental US if shared.
- ❖Netanyahu's rhetoric, claiming Israel made US civilization possible and asserting a 'master race' ideology, is deemed historically absurd and dangerous, alienating even traditional allies.
- ❖Russia is expected to escalate the conflict beyond Ukraine's borders, targeting European countries that facilitate drone attacks against Russian civilians.
- ❖The US is creating a world where international law and war crimes are discounted, leading to an 'obsidian world' of escalating missile exchanges.
- ❖The US Supreme Court's blessing of lawsuits against Cuba for properties lost in the revolution is seen as a politically motivated deflection by Trump, risking a 'bloodbath' if the US attempts intervention.
- ❖The failure of US 'decapitation strikes' against Iran led Gulf states to reassess their reliance on US security guarantees, turning instead to China and Russia for a new security umbrella.
Insights
1Iran's Nuclear Program as a Pretext for Regime Change
Larry Johnson asserts that the United States' and Israel's true objective is to destroy the Islamic Republic of Iran, with the nuclear program serving merely as a 'shiny object' or 'Hollywood storyline' to justify this agenda. He argues that the US desire to eliminate the regime predates any active nuclear program by Iran.
The United States' desire to destroy and eliminate the Islamic Republic predated any active nuclear program on the part of Iran. The nuclear issue is just an excuse; it's not the real issue. The emphasis on uranium and nuclear weapons is a Hollywood storyline to sell people on the idea of intervention.
2Gulf States Restrict US Military Operations
Saudi Arabia, with support from Qatar and Kuwait, has made it clear they will not allow their territory to be used as a launching pad for US military operations against Iran. This significantly constrains Trump's military options, forcing US air refueling activities to Iraq and limiting strike capabilities.
Saudis have made it pretty clear to the United States that they're not going to allow Saudi Arabia to be used as a launching pad for any kind of US military operations. The United States has moved all of its air refueling activities over to Iraq. F-35s based in Jordan only have legs for 550 miles, requiring refueling even before reaching eastern Saudi Arabia or Kuwait, limiting deep strikes into Iran.
3Iran's Multi-Layered Defense (Orchestra of Mayhem)
Iran possesses a comprehensive and diverse array of defensive weapons, making any US naval incursion into the Strait of Hormuz extremely perilous. This 'orchestra of mayhem' includes submarines, various drones, fast boats equipped with anti-ship missiles, and coastal defense cruise missiles, rendering advanced US laser destroyers largely ineffective against swarm attacks.
US laser destroyers may be effective against a single drone but are useless against a drone swarm, which Iran uses. Iran's 'orchestra of mayhem' includes many submarines, underwater drones, surface drones, fast boats (bog hammers) with anti-ship missiles, coastal defense cruise missiles, short-range ballistic missiles, and aerial drones.
4Shifting Global Financial Landscape Away from US Dollar
Major countries like China, Japan, and Turkey are actively divesting from US Treasury bonds, signaling a significant shift away from the US dollar as a global safe haven. This trend, accelerated by the war on Iran, is seen as a direct challenge to US financial hegemony and could lead to the collapse of the Western financial system.
Turkey sharply reduced its investment in US Treasury bonds from $16 billion to $1.8 billion. China and Japan are also dumping treasuries. People are no longer flocking to US treasuries in international crises; instead, many countries are turning to the Chinese yuan. This will accelerate the collapse of the Western financial system.
5Netanyahu's 'Master Race' Rhetoric and Historical Revisionism
Colonel Wilkerson vehemently condemns Netanyahu's claims that Israel and the Maccabees made US civilization possible, calling it 'absurd' and 'propagandistic.' He equates Netanyahu's ideology to a 'master race' assertion, similar to Adolf Hitler, and views it as dangerous historical revisionism that justifies Israeli actions and seeks to hide dealings with the US.
Netanyahu's condensation of history is absurd and propagandistic. He is asserting a 'master race' position, claiming Americans wouldn't exist without Israel. There's no difference between him and Adolf Hitler in this regard. This rhetoric is part of an effort to obscure arm sales and national security dealings with the United States from congressional oversight.
6Eurasian Security Architecture and North Korean Missile Threat
A new Eurasian security architecture is forming, involving China, Russia, Iran, and Pakistan, with potential inclusion of Turkey and North Korea. This alliance is driven by US foreign policy mistakes. North Korea, now a key player, possesses long-range ballistic missiles (e.g., Quam Song with 15,000 km range) that, if shared with Iran, could enable strikes on the continental United States.
China's Xi Jinping is visiting North Korea, indicating a stunning development in alliances. North Korea has offered soldiers to other nations. Iran threatened to hit Washington D.C. and New York if attacked. North Korea possesses the Quam Song missile with a 15,000 km range, capable of hitting any target in the continental US from Iran (Tehran to DC is 6,300 miles).
Bottom Line
The Gulf states' pivot from the US to a China-Russia security umbrella is a direct consequence of the US's failure to protect them during the recent conflict with Iran, exposing the limits of US security guarantees.
This shift fundamentally alters regional power dynamics, potentially leading to a US withdrawal from the Middle East and a new era of regional self-reliance backed by Eastern powers.
For China and Russia, this creates an opportunity to solidify their influence in a strategically vital region, securing energy resources and expanding their geopolitical reach without direct military confrontation with the US.
The global economy's deep and unrecognized dependence on specific Persian Gulf commodities (liquid natural gas, sulfur, helium, in addition to oil) means disruptions have far wider and more immediate impacts than previously understood.
Future conflicts in the region will have rapid and severe global economic ramifications, leading to product shortages and supply chain crises beyond just energy prices.
Nations and businesses should diversify supply chains and invest in alternative sources or synthetic production of these critical commodities to mitigate future risks and gain strategic advantage.
The US Supreme Court's decision to allow lawsuits against Cuba for properties lost in the revolution, combined with Trump's rhetoric, signals a potential US intervention in Cuba.
This could trigger a violent conflict in Cuba, leading to a mass exodus of Cuban refugees to the US, and further destabilize US-Latin American relations, while serving as a political distraction for Trump.
For anti-US regimes, this presents an opportunity to rally international support against perceived US imperialism and further solidify alliances with powers like China and Russia.
Lessons
- Re-evaluate investment strategies considering the declining role of the US dollar and the increasing instability of the Western financial system, exploring alternative currencies and markets.
- Diversify supply chains and assess dependencies on Persian Gulf commodities beyond oil, such as liquid natural gas, sulfur, and helium, to mitigate risks from geopolitical disruptions.
- Monitor the formation of the new Eurasian security architecture (China, Russia, Iran, Pakistan, North Korea, Turkey) to understand evolving geopolitical alignments and their implications for international trade and security.
Notable Moments
Discussion of the Haj and Saudi Arabia's refusal to allow US military operations from its territory, significantly constraining US options.
This highlights a major shift in regional alliances and the diminishing influence of the US in the Middle East, directly impacting military strategy.
Larry Johnson's detailed explanation of Iran's 'orchestra of mayhem' defense capabilities, including submarines, drones, and missiles.
This provides a concrete understanding of why US naval power is vulnerable in the Strait of Hormuz and challenges the notion of easy military solutions.
The revelation that China, Japan, and Turkey are dumping US treasuries, accelerating the collapse of the Western financial system.
This points to a fundamental reordering of global economic power and the declining trust in the US dollar as a global reserve currency.
Colonel Wilkerson's strong condemnation of Netanyahu's 'master race' rhetoric and historical revisionism.
This exposes the ideological underpinnings of Israeli policy and its potential to further alienate international allies, contributing to global instability.
The discussion about North Korea's long-range missile capabilities and the possibility of sharing this technology with Iran.
This introduces a direct and credible threat to the continental United States, raising the stakes of any conflict with Iran and highlighting the interconnectedness of global adversaries.
Quotes
"The nuclear the whole nuclear issue is just an excuse. It's not the real issue. Um because uh the United States desire to destroy and eliminate the Islamic Republic predated any active nuclear program on the part of Iran."
"If the Saudis persist in preventing the United States from conducting air operations from Saudi Arabia, then Trump's options militarily shrink dramatically."
"Iran's got a whole a whole number of instruments to draw upon. I'll call it it's its orchestra of mayhem."
"This is the shiny object that the magician holds up, flashing it so you focus on the object while we're doing something with the other hand. The intent of the United States and Israel is to destroy the Islamic Republic and to find whatever excuse or reason they can to do so."
"We're witnessing a sea change and that is one of the that is going to be probably the biggest consequence of the United States initiating this war on Iran is they will have accelerated the collapse of the western financial system."
"That's a condensation of history that is frankly absurd. And it's the kind of things I have to say that in particular ultra Zionist and even those I would call Zionist period Jews propagate. It's a repudiation of the true history of the world and the human race, but it's a repudiation that's propagandistic, that's utilitarian for that race, and it is utilitarian and pregnant with dangerous possibilities for what the world really should be because it should not be this Zionist conception of humanity."
"What's the difference between Hitler and Netanyahu in terms of what Netanyahu just said? We are the master race. You vassels out there like you Americans wouldn't be here if this master race wasn't here securing everything for you. That's what he's saying. I mean, there's no difference between him and Adolf Hitler. I've said that all along. He and Hitler think alike, act alike, look alike."
Q&A
Recent Questions
Related Episodes
Patrick Henningsen: Hezbollah JUST Fired Back at Israel - Iran Vows to “Crush” All Attacks
"Patrick Henningsen argues that the US and Israel initiated an illegal war against Iran, driven by Trump's incompetence and Israeli influence, leading to an inevitable escalation with severe global economic repercussions."
Pepe Escobar: “Total Failure”: Trump’s Blockade Just Backfired Disastrously
"Pepe Escobar argues that the US blockade against Iran, spearheaded by Donald Trump, has utterly failed and backfired, accelerating global economic chaos and challenging US geopolitical dominance."
Seyed M. Marandi: US Blockade on Iran Just Triggered Iran’s HARSHEST Response Yet
"An Iranian professor details how US demands and an imposed blockade triggered Iran's harshest response, exposing American strategic missteps and the vulnerability of Gulf Arab states."
Col. Jacques Baud: What a US Ground Invasion of Iran Would REALLY Look Like
"Colonel Jacques Baud dissects the strategic futility of a US ground invasion of Iran, arguing that current troop levels are insufficient and such an action would backfire, exposing US allies and potentially leading to Iran's nuclearization."