Geopolitical Economy Report

Western governments have demonized the coup in Niger and threatened intervention, but polls show that 78% of Nigeriens support the military government's anti-colonial policies. France is extremely unpopular due to its neocolonial practices, whereas Russia is widely seen as an ally. The new nationalist junta pledges to pursue true independence and sovereignty. VIDEO: https://youtube.com/watch?v=tAcc6U69E6o Check out our related video "US/France threaten intervention in resource-rich Niger - Fears of war in West Africa": https://youtube.com/watch?v=JZ_5nuoB940

US government documents reveal that the atomic bombing of Japan was not necessary to end WWII, and that Japan was on the verge of surrendering. The bombing was the first strike in Washington's Cold War on the Soviet Union. The podcast analyzes the political motivations behind the decision, discusses evidence from a US Department of War document, and explores the impact on the Soviet Union and Japan's post-war government. It also examines President Dwight Eisenhower's criticism, his visit to the Soviet Union, and addresses the potential whitewashing of the bombings in the film 'Oppenheimer'.

Political economists Radhika Desai and Michael Hudson are joined by geopolitical analyst Pepe Escobar to discuss how the war hawks' drive to expand NATO into Asia to contain China may destroy the Western military alliance. VIDEO: https://youtube.com/watch?v=vKS1IdQpBkA Transcript: https://geopoliticaleconomy.com/2023/08/04/nato-expand-asia-china-russia Part 1 of their discussion: https://geopoliticaleconomy.com/2023/07/28/nato-ukraine-russia-china-war You can watch other episodes of their program Geopolitical Economy Hour here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDAi0NdlN8hMl9DkPLikDDGccibhYHnDP

The US and France have threatened foreign intervention to re-install a pro-Western regime in Niger, which produces uranium needed for nuclear energy and hosts large US drone bases. This follows coups led by nationalist, anti-colonial military officers in neighboring Burkina Faso and Mali, which warn intervention could set off a regional war in West Africa. VIDEO: https://youtube.com/watch?v=JZ_5nuoB940

Political economists Radhika Desai and Michael Hudson are joined by geopolitical analyst Pepe Escobar to discuss how NATO has shifted from its proxy war against Russia in Ukraine to targeting China in the Pacific. VIDEO: https://youtube.com/watch?v=2q6Usko4x6s Transcript: https://geopoliticaleconomy.com/2023/07/28/nato-ukraine-russia-china-war

The podcast discusses the United States' hypocritical stance on climate change, condemning China while being the largest historic contributor. It explores China's leadership in renewable energy and criticizes the US for accusing China. The podcast also highlights the need for climate reparations and exposes the disparity in impact between wealthy and poorer countries.

Political economist Radhika Desai discusses the origins of neoliberalism as a fringe ideology and how it became dominant, fueling extreme inequality, instability, and financialization. VIDEO: https://youtube.com/watch?v=lSTLsHAGoVA This is a discussion of chapter 4, "Neoliberal and its financializations", from Radhika's book "Capitalism, Coronavirus and War: A Geopolitical Economy". Other episodes in the series: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDAi0NdlN8hNZoKp0XsLFwSxxlMQu6ye8 You can download Radhika's book for free here: https://geopoliticaleconomy.com/2023/02/17/capitalism-coronavirus-war-geopolitical-economy-radhika-desai

Political economists Radhika Desai, Michael Hudson, and Ann Pettifor discuss how the international financial system traps Global South countries in debt, reinforcing a neocolonial system. They explore the impact of the global financial system on developing countries, the role of debt in global power dynamics, the emergence of alternative financial structures, and the need for rethinking the global financial system. They also discuss the rise of fascism and the choice between fascism and socialism as societies face the failure of liberalism.

Iran has become a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, along with China, Russia, India, Pakistan, and Central Asian nations. The SCO represents 40% of the global population and one-third of the world economy. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi called for challenging "Western hegemony" and de-dollarizing trade in the region, instead using local currencies for international settlements. VIDEO: https://youtube.com/watch?v=YVKNh1gLSO0

US President Joe Biden appointed notorious neoconservative war criminal Elliott Abrams as an advisor for "public diplomacy". Abrams previously served under Donald Trump, George W. Bush, and Ronald Reagan, and he oversaw genocide in Guatemala, massacres in Nicaragua and El Salvador, and coup attempts in Venezuela. VIDEO: https://youtube.com/watch?v=k2MUS0xRCTo