Geopolitics & Empire

Dr. Zeno Leoni discusses the U.S.-China inter-imperial rivalry using Marxist-Leninist imperial theory. As the liberal international order no longer serves the U.S., America will find it more difficult to engage with the world as we enter a phase of transition. The two are crucial partners and strategic enemies. China has a selective approach to globalization, opening itself up where and when it is convenient and only in the areas it is strong. Washington has expected Beijing to democratize, which hasn’t happened. In terms of industry and technology, the West is playing a dangerous game by trying to imitate some of China’s successes which include a more politically centralized approach, albeit within democratic boundaries. The crux of the New Cold War is that China is a nationalist country, it’s less about values and more about economy and technology. He also covers the Middle East as a proxy arena and the media information war. We discuss AUKUS and whether the moment of truth on Taiwan is approaching. Watch On BitChute / Brighteon / Rokfin / Rumble / YouTube Geopolitics & Empire · Zeno Leoni: U.S.-China Inter-Imperial Rivalry in a Post-American & Post-Western World #228 *Support Geopolitics & Empire! Become a Member https://geopoliticsandempire.substack.com Donate https://geopoliticsandempire.com/donations Consult https://geopoliticsandempire.com/consultation **Visit Our Affiliates & Sponsors! Above Phone https://abovephone.com/?above=geopolitics easyDNS (use code GEOPOLITICS for 15% off!) https://easydns.com Escape The Technocracy course (15% discount using link) https://escapethetechnocracy.com/geopolitics PassVult https://passvult.com Sociatates Civis (CitizenHR, CitizenIT, CitizenPL) https://societates-civis.com Wise Wolf Gold https://www.wolfpack.gold/?ref=geopolitics Show Notes Institutional Dialogue on ‘US-China Competition: A New Cold War?’ with Dr. Zeno Leoni https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjWxIxMgX64 Taiwan: how the ‘porcupine doctrine’ might help deter armed conflict with China https://theconversation.com/taiwan-how-the-porcupine-doctrine-might-help-deter-armed-conflict-with-china-169488 Could the Gulf become a proxy in the new US-China cold war? https://www.middleeasteye.net/opinion/could-gulf-become-proxy-new-us-china-cold-war Websites Twitter https://twitter.com/MultipolarOrder American Grand Strategy from Obama to Trump (book) https://www.palgrave.com/gp/book/9783030547417 Kings College https://www.kcl.ac.uk/people/leoni-dr-zeno International Team for the Study of Security Verona https://www.itssverona.it About Zeno Leoni Dr Zeno Leoni is a Teaching Fellow in ‘Challenges to the International Order’ at the Defence Studies Department of King’s College London, based within the Joint Services and Staff College (JSCSC) of the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom. He is also an affiliate to the Lau China Institute of King’s College London, where he is co-convenor of the same institute’s policy brief series named China in the World. In the year 2020/2021 he was a Visiting Scholar in Defence and Security Studies at Nebrija University. In 2021 he published a monograph titled American Grand Strategy from Obama to Trump: Imperialism After Bush and China’s Hegemonic Challenge (Cham: Palgrave Macmillan). In the same year he is going to publish a chapter on US-China competition in the MENA region as part of the Routledge Handbook on China in the Middle East and North Africa (2021). Dr Leoni works to engage policy-makers in Italy and the UK, including in 2020 where he worked within the Italian Joint Chiefs of Defence Staff to write Italy’s first civil-military-produced Future Trends Concept 2040+ document, analysing geopolitical, technological, environmental, and economic trends. In the UK he recently supported the Permanent Joint Headquarters (PJHQ) during a Study Day on China. At the Joint Services and Staff College he teaches courses on China for the Higher Command and Staff Course (HCSC), whose members come from Five Eyes (FVEY) countries and have the rank of General or equivalent. Meanwhile, every year in Rome he delivers a guest lecture at the Italian Defence Higher Studies Institute (IASD), Italy’s premier defence education institution. His analyses appeared on Italian, British, and Slovenian media and magazines such as Corriere della Sera, Rai Radio 1, Limes, The Times, and Radio Študent. Zeno is the Executive Director of ITSS Verona (International Team for the Study of Security Verona), a not-for-profit cultural association committed to spreading knowledge in the broadly conceived field of International Security. *Podcast intro music is from the song “The Queens Jig” by “Musicke & Mirth” from their album “Music for Two Lyra Viols”: http://musicke-mirth.de/en/recordings.html (available on iTunes or Amazon)

James Poulos talks about his new book “Human Forever” and the undeclared digital war of intelligence and databases against databases where civilization states are racing to figure out how to maintain power as we transition to the Digital Age. The U.S. regime is one which has consolidated its power (e.g. government, finance, media) over the past few decades, convinced that these digital entities would consummate their benevolent global rule and allow them to terraform the deplorables of society. Though China and the U.S. have Social Credit Systems up and running, the people in charge in the West believe in a cyborg future where the doors to transhumanism are open and this Gnostic obsession with immortality is what China finds so terrible. The best way to do something about this is to return to ordinary people the ability to use the most powerful technologies that we have. If you do not have a data center and are not computing, then you are being computed! Watch On BitChute / Brighteon / Rokfin / Rumble / YouTube Geopolitics & Empire · James Poulos: The Race By Governments to Terraform Their Citizens & How to Stay Human Forever! #227 *Support Geopolitics & Empire: Donate https://geopoliticsandempire.com/donations Consult https://geopoliticsandempire.com/consultation Become a Member https://geopoliticsandempire.com/become-member Become a Sponsor https://geopoliticsandempire.com/sponsors Show Notes Animal Crossing is Destroying Civilization | A Bee Interview With James Poulos https://babylonbee.com/podcast/basic/252 Our Humanity Hinges on a Cyber Second Amendment https://americanmind.org/salvo/our-humanity-hinges-on-a-cyber-second-amendment Websites Human Forever (book) https://humanforever.us Twitter https://twitter.com/jamespoulos American Mind https://americanmind.org Claremont Institute https://www.claremont.org Canonic Books https://canonic.xyz About James Poulos James Poulos creates and advises brands and enterprises at the intersection of technology, media, and design. He is the cofounder and executive editor of the American mind at the Claremont Institute and the cofounder and publisher of Return at New Founding. He is the author of the Art of Being Free and his work has appeared in the Claremont Review of Books, Le Figaro, National Affairs, the New York Times, and the Washington Post, among many other publications. He holds a PhD in government from Georgetown University and a BA in political science from Duke University. A fellow at the Center for the Study of Digital Life, he was previously the communications director at the Heraion Foundation, a veterans-run rescue and recovery nonprofit operating in failed and fragile states. He lives on the edge of Los Angeles. *Podcast intro music is from the song “The Queens Jig” by “Musicke & Mirth” from their album “Music for Two Lyra Viols”: http://musicke-mirth.de/en/recordings.html (available on iTunes or Amazon)

Kit Klarenberg discusses the latest ICIJ “Pandora Papers” leak and how they are part of the larger information war between the great powers. The ICIJ is funded by the usual suspects (e.g. Ford Foundation, Open Society) and its leaks primarily target the enemies of Washington and Brussels, rarely if ever revealing dirt on American or Western European officials. Revealingly, back in June of 2021 right before the leaks, the White House held a press conference saying it would place the anti-corruption fight at the center of its foreign policy. Kit also talks about why Russia and China don’t really play the same game of leaking info on the West and we cover the designation of Bellingcat, BBC and Radio Liberty journalists as “foreign agents” by Moscow. Finally, we look into the Facebook whistleblower story and why it’s likely a false flag operation designed to give Big Tech and Washington greater control over the internet. Watch On BitChute / Brighteon / Rokfin / Rumble / YouTube Geopolitics & Empire · Kit Klarenberg: Information War Kicks into High Gear…Pandora, Bellingcat, & Facebook #226 *Support Geopolitics & Empire! Become a Member https://geopoliticsandempire.substack.com Donate https://geopoliticsandempire.com/donations Consult https://geopoliticsandempire.com/consultation **Visit Our Affiliates & Sponsors! Above Phone https://abovephone.com/?above=geopolitics easyDNS (use code GEOPOLITICS for 15% off!) https://easydns.com Escape The Technocracy course (15% discount using link) https://escapethetechnocracy.com/geopolitics PassVult https://passvult.com Sociatates Civis (CitizenHR, CitizenIT, CitizenPL) https://societates-civis.com Wise Wolf Gold https://www.wolfpack.gold/?ref=geopolitics Show Notes How much do we REALLY know about the background of Facebook ‘whistleblower’ Frances Haugen? https://www.rt.com/op-ed/536872-background-facebook-whistleblower-haugen Could the CIA be behind the leak of the Pandora Papers, given their curious lack of focus on US nationals? https://www.rt.com/op-ed/536539-cia-leak-pandora-papers Published without fanfare, the proposals that show vaccine passports ARE on the way in the UK https://www.rt.com/op-ed/536255-vaccine-passports-on-way-uk Why Putin’s Money Eludes Offshore Investigators https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2021-10-05/pandora-papers-revelations-on-russia-and-putin-come-up-short?sref=3HD2Fyvy Who Cares About the Pandora Papers? https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2021/10/06/who-cares-about-the-pandora-papers-a75227 Websites Twitter https://twitter.com/KitKlarenberg The Grayzone https://thegrayzone.com/author/kit-klarenberg The Cradle https://thecradle.co/Profile/30 About Kit Klarenberg Kit Klarenberg is an investigative journalist exploring the role of intelligence services in shaping politics and perceptions. *Podcast intro music is from the song “The Queens Jig” by “Musicke & Mirth” from their album “Music for Two Lyra Viols”: http://musicke-mirth.de/en/recordings.html (available on iTunes or Amazon)

Venezuelan-American political operative Jose Niño returns to Geopolitics & Empire to give his take on the U.S. border security situation and mass influx of Afghan refugees and Haitian migrants. He believes migration is being weaponized and serves the globalist ideology of the Biden Administration and Democratic Party as it creates an electoral pipeline and augments the power of the managerial state. It also serves the bipartisan oligarchy that seeks cheap labor. He explains why he thinks an “immigration moratorium” is in order and touches on Florida and Texas policies which he sees as “policy ghettoization” or decentralization, where states are taking matters into their own hands. He also comments on whether he thinks the status quo will remain in Cuba or whether it might “democratize”, and the crazy idea of the U.S. absorbing Havana and making it a 51st or 52nd state. Watch On BitChute / Brighteon / Rokfin / Rumble / YouTube Geopolitics & Empire · José Niño: U.S. Border Security, Afghan-Haitian Refugees, & Migration as a Weapon of Globalism #225 *Support Geopolitics & Empire: Donate https://geopoliticsandempire.com/donations Consult https://geopoliticsandempire.com/consultation Become a Member https://geopoliticsandempire.com/become-member Become a Sponsor https://geopoliticsandempire.com/sponsors Show Notes What Texas’s Unilateral Immigration Policy Tells Us about Washington https://mises.org/wire/what-texass-unilateral-immigration-policy-tells-us-about-washington Florida State Government Files Lawsuit Against the Biden Administration for its Disastrous Immigration Measures https://bigleaguepolitics.com/florida-state-government-files-lawsuit-against-the-biden-administration-for-its-disastrous-immigration-measures An Additional 20,000 Haitian Migrants May Come to Texas https://libertyconservativenews.com/an-additional-20000-haitian-migrants-may-come-to-texas George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama Collude to Bring in Afghan Refugees by the Thousands https://libertyconservativenews.com/uniparty-george-w-bush-bill-clinton-and-barack-obama-collude-to-bring-in-afghan-refugees-by-the-thousands America Needs to Get Serious about Border Security https://josbcf.substack.com/p/america-needs-to-get-serious-about Websites Website https://josealnino.com Twitter https://www.twitter.com/JoseAlNino Substack https://josbcf.substack.com Patreon https://www.patreon.com/user?u=10094861 SubscribeStar https://www.subscribestar.com/jos-ni-o About José Niño José Niño has more than a decade of experience as a political operative. He works with major organizations on a host of political issues, from gun rights to foreign policy both as a policy analysist and a copywriter. In addition, he has years of experience writing for various outlets such as Ammo.com, Gunpower Magazine, and the Mises Institute. José’s articles have also been featured on Business Insider, Infowars, and Zero Hedge. He also appeared on the Tom Woods Show and Dana Loesch’s show Relentless. *Podcast intro music is from the song “The Queens Jig” by “Musicke & Mirth” from their album “Music for Two Lyra Viols”: http://musicke-mirth.de/en/recordings.html (available on iTunes or Amazon)

South African cartoonist and host of the popular Jerm Warfare Podcast Jeremy Nell joins me to discuss podcasting, censorship, bullet-proofing your internet presence, being attacked by the media, conspiracies, and the Great Reset. Watch On BitChute / Brighteon / Rokfin / Rumble / YouTube Geopolitics & Empire · Jeremy Nell: On Podcasting, Censorship, Conspiracies, & the Great Reset #224 *Support Geopolitics & Empire: Donate https://geopoliticsandempire.com/donations Consult https://geopoliticsandempire.com/consultation Become a Member https://geopoliticsandempire.com/become-member Become a Sponsor https://geopoliticsandempire.com/sponsors Websites Jerm Warfare Podcast https://jermwarfare.com War Report https://jermwarfare.com/war-report Telegram https://t.me/jermwarfare Gab https://gab.com/jerm_warfare About Jeremy Nell Cape Town (South Africa) is my home city, but my work has been published globally in multiple languages since 2005. I am married to a beautiful woman and we live in a leafy suburb with our dogs, cat, rabbit, and parrot who writes my material. It began, in 2019, as a way to have conversations with interesting guests about interesting ideas, no matter how taboo. Following a number of censorship attempts by YouTube and other thought police, my videos were migrated to a decentralised network using blockchain technology. As of May 2021, Jerm Warfare is my journey to understand the world as it really is; it’s an unsafe space for liberal dogma, corrupt power, and soulless modernity. It’s about good ideas fighting bad ideas. Humour included. Batteries sold separately. *Podcast intro music is from the song “The Queens Jig” by “Musicke & Mirth” from their album “Music for Two Lyra Viols”: http://musicke-mirth.de/en/recordings.html (available on iTunes or Amazon)

Host and producer Michael Parker discusses the censorship of information, the media-state partnership, and woke culture. He talks about 9/11 and his work with Dylan Avery, who produced the first internet blockbuster “Loose Change: 9/11” and the upcoming “Unspeakable”, for which Michael wrote music. He gives his view on where he thinks the United States is headed, why he thinks America is in “societal freefall” and a “controlled collapse”, likely hyperinflation, the Afghanistan debacle, and war with China. We discuss the Great Reset and whether China is onboard or has turned on the elites. Watch On BitChute / Brighteon / Rokfin / Rumble / YouTube Geopolitics & Empire · Michael Parker: On 9/11, Why America is in a Controlled Collapse, & the Great Reset #223 *Support Geopolitics & Empire! Become a Member https://geopoliticsandempire.substack.com Donate https://geopoliticsandempire.com/donations Consult https://geopoliticsandempire.com/consultation **Visit Our Affiliates & Sponsors! Above Phone https://abovephone.com/?above=geopolitics easyDNS (use code GEOPOLITICS for 15% off!) https://easydns.com Escape The Technocracy course (15% discount using link) https://escapethetechnocracy.com/geopolitics PassVult https://passvult.com Sociatates Civis (CitizenHR, CitizenIT, CitizenPL) https://societates-civis.com Wise Wolf Gold https://www.wolfpack.gold/?ref=geopolitics Websites Michael Parker Link Tree https://linktr.ee/MichaelParkerLA Twitter https://twitter.com/MichaelParkerLA The Antidote playlist https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPnLjoW07bV0zxAVQcjXZoHLibjuRoZas Remo Concious https://remoconscious.com Dylan Avery’s “Unspeakable” https://www.ae911truth.org/theunspeakable About Michael Parker Michael Parker is a host and producer of over 300 episodes of content related to the mysteries of human history, science, the occult, and so called conspiracy theory. His weekly internet television show ANTIDOTE for TheLip.tv, and radio shows like Dark Matter and The Electric Pyramid have established him as a leader in the discussion of controversial subjects like transhumanism, secret societies, alleged government conspiracies, the paranormal, mind control, ancient civilizations, true crime, and more. Currently he produces: https://hiddentruthshow.com Michael’s strength as a host /investigator is his ability to remain skeptical and open minded simultaneously while finding sometimes overlooked aspects of cases that bring out the unexpected. In 2014 while preparing for an interview with noted Area 51 researcher Norio Hayakawa, Michael discovered the existence of a heretofore unknown facility on the base called the MJ12 building, of course in reference to the infamous MJ12 documents.  In 2013 Michael and co researcher Scott Deschaine conducted the first field studies on the Marfa Lights in Marfa, Texas as biological entities as opposed to light refractions or ufos. The early 2000s began with a opportunity for Michael to speak at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland as the guest of an NGO. His topic at the time was the rise of electronic media, it’s influence and the growing consolidation of media outlets. Only 1 month later the attacks of 911 would change his life forever and he became part of the growing antiwar and truth movement and would eventually work with creators of the documentary series “Loose Change” to provide content and promotional work for the film. In addition his his research into more tangible conspiracy subjects Michael’s work also led to more esoteric subjects and a voyage inward. He endured sweat lodge rituals, sensory deprivation in isolation tanks, psychoactive experimentation, seances and experiments in psychic phenomena…  From 2004-2006 Michael tested, evaluated, and managed 100’s of psychics, astrologers, and mediums for a private company based in Hollywood, California.  He also continued his research into the ufo / ET hypothesis by spending 11 years as a member of MUFON The Mutual UFO Network. HIGHLIGHTS and NOTABLES Musical contributor to independent film documentary “The Unspeakable” 2021 Musical contributor to independent film documentary “Seven” 2020 Producer – Hidden Truth Show with Jim Breslo – https://hiddentruthshow.com – 200 episodes *Host – Dissectus – https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmHgXUJMN1TWz6ITOUB6tEYLx1KVVqOWh – 5 episodes *Host – Joint Venture – CashCropToday.com – 5 episodes 2018 *Host – God Save The King – ParablesTV.com – 6 episodes – 2017 *Producer/Host of Antidote – TheLip.tv – 62 episodes – 2015-2016 *Host of The Electric Pyramid – radio show 2014 (32 episodes) *Lead Investigator – America Declassified – Episode 8 – Travel Channel 2013 *Host of Investigation Discovery television pilot “Scared Nation” 2008-2009 *Appeared in independent film documentary “The Silent Revolution Of Truth” 2008 *Musical contributor to independent film documentary “Loose Change Final Cut” 2008 *Host and Producer of Dark Matter on KarmaAir.com – radio show 2006-2008 – 100 episodes *Musical artist – released the concept album “Phantasmagloria” – 2006 *Spoke at United Nations, Geneva, Switzerland on truth in media. 2001 Short reel of lighter moments from Antidote.  Exploring science, metaphysics, conspiracy, and the truth with host Michael Parker– Antidote talks to authors, academics, researchers and explorers at the far reaches of human consciousness. https://youtu.be/GaLgnnmuN8M Archived versions of all 62 full length Antidote episodes can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPnLjoW07bV0zxAVQcjXZoHLibjuRoZas *Podcast intro music is from the song “The Queens Jig” by “Musicke & Mirth” from their album “Music for Two Lyra Viols”: http://musicke-mirth.de/en/recordings.html (available on iTunes or Amazon)

Professor Jeremy Garlick provides his informed analysis on China’s Belt & Road (BRI) and why he believes it is the main game in town in terms of a coordinated strategy to transform global affairs given that the other contenders in the global ‘great game’ of the 21st century (US, EU, Russia, Japan, India) have not managed to present coherent visions of how the international order should develop. However, he does feel the initial vision of BRI has been blunted by a set of failings and badly planned projects. He also discusses the idea that BRI may have inadvertently been a response to Obama and Clinton’s “Pivot to Asia”. His discusses the Iran-China relationship, his forthcoming book on CPEC which he views as a main artery of the New Silk Road, what role Afghanistan might play, Chinese investment in Europe, and the Dragonbear alliance. Watch On BitChute / Brighteon / Rokfin / Rumble / YouTube Geopolitics & Empire · Jeremy Garlick: Belt & Road, CPEC, Pipe Dreams, & Geopolitical Realities #222 *Support Geopolitics & Empire: Donate https://geopoliticsandempire.com/donations Consult https://geopoliticsandempire.com/consultation Become a Member https://geopoliticsandempire.com/become-member Become a Sponsor https://geopoliticsandempire.com/sponsors Show Notes Taliban rolls out red carpet to China’s Belt and Road Initiative https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/International-relations/Afghanistan-turmoil/Taliban-rolls-out-red-carpet-to-China-s-Belt-and-Road-Initiative The China-Iran Deal: Mirage or Game Changer? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZtNRXUhPFU Can the SCO be regional body that stabilises Afghanistan? https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/afghanistan-crisis-sco-central-asia-regional-cooperation-7506947 Books The Impact of China’s Belt and Road Initiative: From Asia to Europe https://www.amazon.com/Impact-Chinas-Belt-Road-Initiative-ebook/dp/B081LKXFJZ Reconfiguring the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor: Geo-Economic Pipe Dreams Versus Geopolitical Realities https://www.amazon.com/Reconfiguring-China-Pakistan-Economic-Corridor-Geo-Economic/dp/0367863219 Websites Academia https://jeremygarlick.academia.edu Twitter https://twitter.com/jeremy_garlick Jan Masaryk Centre for International Studies https://fir.vse.cz/research/jan-masaryk-centre-for-international-studies/about About Jeremy Garlick Jeremy Garlick is the director of the Jan Masaryk Centre of International Studies, a research centre of the Faculty of International Relations. He specialises in China’s international relations and international relations theory. He has published impact articles on a diverse range of topics, including China’s economic diplomacy in Central and Eastern Europe, and China’s regionalising foreign policy in South Asia, Central Asia, and the Middle East. His book, The Impact of China’s Belt and Road Initiative: From Asia to Europe, was published by Routledge in 2019. Dr Garlick has lectured for three decades at institutes of higher education in Asia and Europe. *Podcast intro music is from the song “The Queens Jig” by “Musicke & Mirth” from their album “Music for Two Lyra Viols”: http://musicke-mirth.de/en/recordings.html (available on iTunes or Amazon)

ECFR Director Mark Leonard discusses his new book “Age of Unpeace” and why having an open, globalized, “one-world” of connectivity is actually the source of problems today and how issues that bring us together (e.g. internet, migration, economy, health, climate) are being weaponized and providing new platforms for countries to hurt each other. The three empires of connectivity (U.S., China, EU) will define the new global order which in turn will impact the “fourth world”. He examines the U.S.-China relationship and how they are becoming ‘mimetic doubles’ of each other and converging, with the threat of the West becoming more like Beijing. He gives his thoughts on U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and reveals his “nightmare scenario” in the age of unpeace. Watch On BitChute / Brighteon / Rokfin / Rumble / YouTube Geopolitics & Empire · Mark Leonard: U.S.-China Convergence as ‘Mimetic Doubles’ & the Age of Unpeace #221 *Support Geopolitics & Empire: Donate https://geopoliticsandempire.com/donations Consult https://geopoliticsandempire.com/consultation Become a Member https://geopoliticsandempire.com/become-member Become a Sponsor https://geopoliticsandempire.com/sponsors Show Notes The Afghan tragedy and the age of unpeace https://ecfr.eu/article/the-afghan-tragedy-and-the-age-of-unpeace The fall of the Afghan government and what it means for Europe https://ecfr.eu/podcasts/episode/the-fall-of-the-afghan-government-and-what-it-means-for-europe Websites ECFR https://ecfr.eu Twitter https://twitter.com/markhleonard “Age of Unpeace” Book https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/144/1443237/the-age-of-unpeace/9781787634657.html Mark Leonard’s World in 30 Minutes Podcast (SoundCloud) https://soundcloud.com/ecfr Mark Leonard’s World in 30 Minutes Podcast (Apple) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mark-leonards-world-in-30-minutes/id340460705 About Mark Leonard Mark Leonard is co-founder and director of the European Council on Foreign Relations, the first pan-European think tank. His topics of focus include geopolitics and geoeconomics, China, EU politics and institutions. Leonard hosts the weekly podcast “Mark Leonards’s World in 30 Minutes” and writes a syndicated column on global affairs for Project Syndicate. Previously he worked as director of foreign policy at the Centre for European Reform and as director of the Foreign Policy Centre, a think tank he founded at the age of 24 under the patronage of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. In the 1990s, Leonard worked for the think tank Demos where his Britain™ report was credited with launching Cool Britannia. Mark has spent time in Washington, D.C. as a Transatlantic Fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the United States, and in Beijing as a visiting scholar at the Chinese Academy for Social Sciences. He was Chairman of the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on Geoeconomics until 2016. Honoured as a “Young Global Leader” of the World Economic Forum, he spends a lot of time helping governments, companies, and international organisations make sense of the big geo-political trends of the twenty-first century. He is a regular speaker and prolific writer and commentator on global issues, the future of Europe, China’s internal politics, and the practice of diplomacy and business in a networked world. His essays have appeared in publications such as Foreign Affairs, the Financial Times, the New York Times, Le Monde, Süddeutsche Zeitung, El Pais, Gazeta Wyborcza, Foreign Policy, the New Statesman, the Daily Telegraph, The Economist, Time, and Newsweek. As well as writing and commenting frequently in the media on global affairs, Leonard is the author of best-selling books. His first book, Why Europe will run the 21st Century, was published in 2005 and translated into 19 languages. Leonard’s second book, What does China think? was published in 2008 and translated into 15 languages. He has published an edited volume on Connectivity Wars and in September 2021, his latest book on this topic “The Age of Unpeace. How Connectivity Causes Conflict” will be released. *Podcast intro music is from the song “The Queens Jig” by “Musicke & Mirth” from their album “Music for Two Lyra Viols”: http://musicke-mirth.de/en/recordings.html (available on iTunes or Amazon)

Alex Krainer discusses how Afghanistan signals the American Empire’s loss of hegemony over Mackinder’s “World Island” and everywhere else (e.g. Ukraine, Syria, Iraq), the game is up. He believes that Beijing had initially been propped up by Western elites, but given the recent turn against China by George Soros and Co., the CCP mislead and is now abandoning the global elites. They have not forgotten the Century of Humiliation. The economic fallout of U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan could mean equity and bond bubbles bursting, upward pressure on commodity prices, and high rates of inflation in the American financial system. He believes the dollar world reserve status can shrink rapidly in the coming years. He discusses his recent accurate Bitcoin price prediction and why precious metals and commodities are poised for an explosive rally. Regarding COVID1984 and the Great Reset, he’s optimistic in that Davos, like Icarus, is flying too close to the sun and ultimately will fail. Watch On BitChute / Brighteon / Rokfin / Rumble / YouTube Geopolitics & Empire · Alex Krainer: Afghanistan Signals End of US Empire as China Turns on Elites & Great Reset #220 *Support Geopolitics & Empire: Donate https://geopoliticsandempire.com/donations Consult https://geopoliticsandempire.com/consultation Become a Member https://geopoliticsandempire.com/become-member Become a Sponsor https://geopoliticsandempire.com/sponsors Show Notes Why the loss of Afghanistan will ultimately end the Empire https://isystem-tf.com/2021/08/29/why-the-loss-of-afghanistan-will-ultimately-end-the-empire BITCOIN: a buy at $32,000? https://isystem-tf.com/2021/07/14/bitcoin-a-buy-at-32000 Are Gold and Silver due for an explosive rally? https://isystem-tf.com/2021/09/02/are-gold-and-silver-due-for-an-explosive-rally Websites I-System Trend Following https://isystem-tf.com The Naked Hedgie https://thenakedhedgie.com Twitter https://www.twitter.com/NakedHedgie YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAqRpyLzC4xanGQQQtxW0qQ/featured About Alex Krainer Alex Krainer (born in 1970) is an author and former hedge fund manager based in Monaco. Alex was born and raised in a socialist regime of former Yugoslavia, under one-party communist rule. As a 17-year old he joined a student exchange program and spent a year in California. Extending his stay, he took up his university studies there, ultimately transferring to Switzerland where he completed a degree in Business and Economics. From Switzerland his path led him to Venezuela where he lived for a year and experienced his first banking crisis when 9 of Venezuela’s 16 largest banks failed and brought the country’s economy to a grinding halt. With his plans and endeavours thwarted, he returned to Croatia and joined the military where he served through 1995 during the last phases of Croatia’s war of independence. Soon after finishing his military service, Alex took employment at an oil trading company in Monaco. By the year 2000 he became the firm’s risk manager and originated the firm’s research and development program in market analysis and application of neural networks and artificial intelligence in trading of financial and commodities markets. By 2007 Alex launched his own investment management business and was among the small minority of managers who generated positive investment returns (+27%) through the 2008 financial crisis. Over the following six years, his fund outperformed the Dow Jones Credit Suisse index of Blue Chip commodities trading funds. This opened the door into the big league asset managers and in 2011 Alex Joined Lee Robinson’s Altana Wealth with the mandate of managing the firm’s inflation hedging strategy. In more recent years, Alex also busied himself as an author. In 2015 he published his first book titled, “Mastering Uncertainty in Commodities Trading.” Having discovered a passion for writing and stumbling upon the story of Bill Browder and the Magnitsky Act, Alex wrote his second book, unrelated to trading. “The Killing of William Browder” attempts to deconstruct Bill Browder’s narrative, which has played an important role in the conflict between Russia and the west – a needless conflict that could escalate towards a hot war. Within five weeks, Browder’s lawyer Jonathan Winer leaned on Amazon to suppress the book. In July of 2018 the book was republished by a brave publisher Red Pill Press as “Grand Deception: the truth about Bill Browder, the Magnitsky Act and anti-Russia sanctions.” However, after only six weeks on the market, the book was again banned. While the future remains to be written, Alex’s endeavors will remain devoted to contributing towards a future endowed with peace, cooperation among nations, prosperity and emancipation of all humanity. *Podcast intro music is from the song “The Queens Jig” by “Musicke & Mirth” from their album “Music for Two Lyra Viols”: http://musicke-mirth.de/en/recordings.html (available on iTunes or Amazon)

IR scholar Artyom Lukin talks about Climate Change in Russia and how the decline of American hegemony has become a moot point as the real question is what will replace it. He believes we are entering a prolonged period of US-China bipolarity with Russia as a second tier power, and the potential for a multipolar world down the road. The difficulty in analyzing Beijing is that China is completely non-transparent to outside observers, a “black box”. No one, including the Russians, really understands what China wants. He also discusses why he and others think the world has entered an era of isolationism, closed borders, and restricted travel triggered by the geopolitics of intensifying great-power rivalry. He also gives his thoughts on Vladimir Putin, North Korea, and what the near-future portends for the United States (e.g. civil war?). Watch On BitChute / Brighteon / Rokfin / Rumble / YouTube Geopolitics & Empire · Artyom Lukin: US-China Bipolarity, Russia as 2nd Tier Power, & Era of Closed Borders #219 *Support Geopolitics & Empire: Donate https://geopoliticsandempire.com/donations Consult https://geopoliticsandempire.com/consultation Become a Member https://geopoliticsandempire.com/become-member Become a Sponsor https://geopoliticsandempire.com/sponsors Show Notes Can Russia become China’s strategic mercenary? https://www.9dashline.com/article/can-russia-become-chinas-strategic-mercenary Era of isolationism is coming to the world https://www.rt.com/op-ed/522863-era-isolationism-borders-covid The end of civil wars? https://www.rt.com/op-ed/511561-end-of-civil-wars America needs to create a new enemy. Anti-China hostility is only thing that unites Reps & Dems https://www.rt.com/op-ed/506886-regain-unity-america-enemy-china The Russia–China entente and its future https://www.researchgate.net/publication/342157695_The_Russia-China_entente_and_its_future Websites Twitter https://twitter.com/ArtyomLukin ResearchGate https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Artyom-Lukin RT Op-Eds https://www.rt.com/op-ed/authors/artyom-lukin About Artyom Lukin Artyom Lukin is deputy director for research at the School of Regional and International Studies, Far Eastern Federal University (Vladivostok, Russia). He is also associate professor of International Relations there. Lukin earned his PhD in Political Science from Far Eastern State University in 2002. Apart from his academic career, he worked as a public relations officer in the Vladivostok City Administration (1998-2002) and at the Russian Far East’s biggest energy utility company Dalenergo (2002-2007). Lukin has authored numerous chapters, papers and commentaries, in Russian and English, on Asia-Pacific international politics and Russia’s engagement with Asia. His latest book (co-authored with Rens Lee) is Russia’s Far East: New Dynamics in Asia Pacific and Beyond (2015). Artyom’s research interests include international relations and security in the Asia-Pacific and Northeast Asia; Russian foreign policy; Russia’s engagement with the Asia-Pacific; social, political and economic processes in the Russian Far East. Lukin has authored and co-authored multiple scholarly publications in Russian and English. He has been involved in numerous research and publication projects both in Russia and abroad. Artyom Lukin is an expert with Russian International Affairs Council. He is a regular commentator for Russian and international news media. *Podcast intro music is from the song “The Queens Jig” by “Musicke & Mirth” from their album “Music for Two Lyra Viols”: http://musicke-mirth.de/en/recordings.html (available on iTunes or Amazon)