The Weekly Watch
Neocolonial America
The US has taken other countries as our colonies since the 1898 Spanish-American War when we gained many of our US territories (provided you don't count the First Nations tribes). We became the empire we fought against in the revolution. Smedley told us how "War is a Racket" designed to profit the banksters/Epstein class in 1935. Since WWII we've altered our model from out right military conflict to something a bit more sinister. Take the Ukraine model for example. We go into the country with plenty of US-AID money to establish a variety of NGO's. The NGO's hire protesters and promote a coup of the government which doesn't submit to our demands...in Ukraine's case they were cooperating with Russia. The same scenario played out in Georgia, but they managed to resist. However, the neocons will not relent and continue to chisel away at Georgia's sovereignty. In 2024, we were successful in a soft coup of Bangladesh for their refusal to allow a US air base in their country. Currently we're using the same technique in Armenia, as well as Azerbaijan. Then there's the overt coup like kidnapping the duly elected president of Venezuela, Maduro, and the more subtle election payments in Brazil designed to defeat Lula.
Our current efforts to turn Iran and Russia into colonies has failed. These civilizational cultures have deep roots and will not easily be conquered. In fact our wars against them are likely to destroy the US. These excursions have certainly weakened our economy, which like Rome is probably the key to our downfall. However we have our fingers in many countries...
As criticism grows over landslide inaction, leaks show Nepal’s new leaders groomed by US regime change outfit
...and use all the assets we can buy.
Rappers For Regime Change: How The CIA Recruits Hip Hop Artists Around The World
My thought recently has been that both Iran and Yemen will stop US dominance in Western Asia (at a minimum). Both Alastair and Chas served as Western Asia diplomats and they have a deep understanding of the region and the nature of the various cultures and tribes. They both appear weekly with a variety of hosts. I'm going to feature their respective interviews with Nima and provide links to other shows where they appeared this week.
Alastair Crooke
(63 min) Trump Eyes Iran's Pickaxe Mountain—"We'll Knock It Out Fast"
Alastair's articles:
Yet Another Financialised Peace Initiative from the Witkoff-Kushner Stable
Will Netanyahu strike Yemen to improve his re-election prospects?
Occasional Sitrep: Saudi Arabia Under Attack; 'Struggling to Protect Palaces and Vital Infrastructure'
Alastair also appeared with:
The Judge How Saudi Arabia Is Collapsing
Glenn Diesen Insurrection & Regime Change Coming to Saudi Arabia – A New Middle East Emerging
Danny Hiaphong 420,000 Iranian Troops SHATTER US-Israeli War Plan, Yemen HITS ARAMCO
Chas Freeman
(49 min) BREAKING: Israel on Highest Alert as Iran War Fears Explode Before Elections
Chas was also on with the Judge Is Saudi Arabia Collapsing?
and Glenn Trump–Zelensky Conflict: U.S. Cuts Kiev Intel
The conversation between Larry Johnson and Larry Wilkerson is also one of my favorites.
(52 min) Iran LEAKS US-Israeli Attack, Yemen HITS European Jet!
Has Iran just leaked US-Israeli war plans, which according to Iranian intel, could be carried at any moment? Fmr CIA analyst Larry Johnson and retired US Army Colonel and Chief of Staff Lawrence Wilkerson react to a bombshell report that details the deep war preparations of Trump and Netanyahu when no one was watching, and give expert insights into the Yemen-Saudi war that cannot be ignored as Middle East oil comes under massive crisis.
They were also on with Nima
BREAKING: Reuters: Iran Is Beating the U.S. Naval Blockade
Larry spoke at the UN this week about the Ukraine war.
'False Accusations & Biased Reports…': Ex CIA Officer Larry Johnson Calls Out UN Coverage on Russia (9 min)
Talk of another US attack on Iran is coming from many quarters.
US Considers Using ‘Mother of All Bombs’ Against Iran
However, most analysts say it will all be theater. In fact there are rumors that Trump asked Iran to let him hit pickax mountain without retaliatory attacks. Iran refused.
Dropping MOAB On Iran?
The GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB) is a ten metric tons heavy surface bomb. Pickaxe Mountain is near the city of Natanz, in the middle of Iran.
Anyone in the U.S. military who suggested the use of the MOAB for this purpose is incompetent and should be immediately fired.
Matt Bracken
(55 min) BREAKING: U.S. Plans Massive MOAB Strike on Iran
Matt also recommended this interview:
THE IRAN WAR IS SETTING UP A GLOBAL FAMINE AND NOBODY IS PREPARING FOR IT - w/ Michael Yon
Doug Macgregor
(64 min) Does Trump Join a War the Saudis Can't Finish? /Col Doug Macgregor
During the interview Doug emphasizes that Lockhead-Martin, Raytheon, et.al. have as powerful a lobby as the Zionists. Dan Davis acts surprised. I found that curious.
Doug is also an economic realist. Prices Will Rise “Very Dramatically” as Living Standards Fall, Col. Douglas Macgregor Warns
(39 min) Col. Douglas Macgregor tells Kitco News anchor Jeremy Szafron that Saudi Arabia is "gonna go out of business," that a new commodity supercycle has begun, and that another U.S. strike on Iran would bring "years of scarcity" for oil and water across the Gulf.
Macgregor, a retired U.S. Army colonel who fought in the Gulf War and advised the acting Secretary of Defense, breaks down the Houthi strikes on Riyadh and why he says Turkey and Pakistan won't fight Saudi Arabia's war, why the Navy can't secure the Strait of Hormuz, why refining is the real bottleneck for copper, rare earths and critical minerals, why he sees China as the real winner in the Gulf, and the diesel crunch behind Washington's Russian diesel deal. In a rapid-fire round, he forecasts $150 to $200 oil next year and $10,000 gold by 2029.
This interview was recorded on October 13, 2026.
00:00 Seven Months Into the Iran War, and Oil Is the Weapon
01:17 The Strike on Riyadh and the House of Saud's Survival
03:07 Why the Old World Order Has Broken Down
04:00 A New Commodity Supercycle Has Begun
04:55 Why the Navy Can't Secure the Strait of Hormuz
06:43 How the Houthis Grew to as Many as 350,000 Fighters
09:09 Mining, Defense and the Push Away From China
09:50 Why AI Data Centers Need So Much Copper
10:40 The Refining Problem Nobody Talks About
11:40 The Debt Math He Says "Can't Be Done"
12:11 Where Oil Goes If America Joins the Houthi Fight
13:12 Why He Says China Wins the Gulf
16:20 The Food and Fertilizer Crisis Coming Next
17:00 Diesel Tops $6, and Washington Turns to Russia
17:40 Who's Winning the Sanctions War
19:50 Why Gold Has Soared Since 1971
20:46 Can Washington Get Out of the Gulf?
23:08 Rare Earths and Refining Are China's Real Leverage
25:13 A Third Carrier, the Midterms and the Iran Endgame
25:50 Strike Iran Again and the Gulf's Oil and Water Get Hit
29:54 Why the Navy Is Stretched to the Breaking Point
32:05 Is a Third Carrier a Show of Strength?
33:00 Rapid Fire: Oil to $200, Gold to $10,000, Saudi Arabia's Future
Pepe Escobar
(50 min) Iran & Yemen Escalate – The House of Saud Will Collapse
Pepe's articles:
Exclusive: Iran, a coiled cobra ready to strike
Iran and Pakistan are deep into building a post-American financial order in the intersection between West Asia and South Asia.
Yemen Goes for the (Saudi) Jugular
Max Blumenthal
(32 min) What is the “Board (Bored) of Peace” Up to?
Israel blocks construction of key Gaza base created by Trump peace board
Israel Cuts Off Commercial Goods From Entering Gaza as It Continues Attacks
Israel Seizes Nearly 18% of West Bank in Two Years – Report
Two Wounded, Including Four-Year-Old Child, In Israeli Airstrike on South Lebanon
Atrocity overseas and political and media control in the US
Exclusive: Palestine Action facing new rigged ‘terrorism’ trials
Charlie Kirk’s TPUSA sponsored by Israeli govt-aligned outfit, leaked contract shows
Genocide Treated as Afterthought by Media on Third Anniversary of October 7 Attacks
Ukraine is barely hanging on. How much longer will it last? Probably as long as the money keeps flowing.
(33 min) Russia Hypersonic Dominance. Zelensky Blames Trump For Defeat
The Trump Zelensky intel cutoff story may be a cover for something far more embarrassing: the United States cannot track Russia's Zircon hypersonic missiles. In this episode we break down the Starlink and Starshield throttling claims, Zelensky's campaign to court the Democrats, the FP9 missile, and a possible Putin Trump diesel oil deal. If Ukraine strikes Moscow with US targeting, what happens to Russia's red lines and its nuclear doctrine?
00:00:00 Trump, Zelensky and the intel cutoff claims
00:01:16 Ukraine refinery strikes and Flamingo missiles
00:02:11 Su 34 claims and Starshield targeting
00:03:57 Why Zelensky is campaigning against Trump
00:06:05 Zelensky courting the Democrats and Congress
00:06:58 Six ballistic missiles and no air raid warning
00:08:23 Zircon hypersonics the US cannot track
00:11:46 The cover story and the Wrestlemania theater
00:14:20 Without US intel Ukraine collapses
00:15:27 The myth that Trump cut military aid
00:17:34 FP9 missile and Starlink throttling
00:19:13 Putin, Trump, Tomahawks and the diesel oil deal
00:23:48 How Russia could respond
00:25:57 Russia's nuclear doctrine and pressure on Kiev
00:30:22 Has Moscow ever been hit by a ballistic missile?
‘Weak’ Donald Trump (Again) Fails To Assert His Powers Over Ukraine
Zelenski rejected Trump’s move and called him ‘weak’. A few hours later Ukrainian drones hit Russian oil export terminals at Rostov-on-Don....
By Thursday morning Trump had NOT reprimanded Zelenski for not following his guidelines. The U.S. military said that its intelligence flow to Ukraine was continuing. Full star-shield functionality was, without comment, suddenly restored.
Trump had again chickened out.
Ukraine Hits Russian Oil Refinery as Zelensky Says He’s ‘Done’ With Trump’s Energy Truce
and in response?
Russia strikes 9 Ukrainian regions as a new report shows a spike in civilian casualties
I suspect this proxy war will devolve into a government in exile conducting terror attacks into Russia for maybe years to come.
Well at least there's a bit of good news.
Trump, after bipartisan backlash, says Pentagon won’t livestream execution of Fort Hood shooter
I expect Hegseth will be thrown under the bus after the midterms.
How about closing with St. George's take on the death penalty...
(8.5 min) As usual he gets a little extreme with his suggestion of how we should execute our fellow citizens. None the less, I found it humorous, and hope you do as well.
So my friends the war machine continues it advance around the world dragging us into an economic quagmire. Bad as things will be in the US, things will be (are) worse in the EU. Western leaders do not care about their citizenry. No, it is their donors that matter, and the donors say more war. So round we go.
Last night we sat around a nice campfire and let the world spin. Find pleasures in the little things and it leads to a happier life, IMO. Have a great weekend, and I look forward to your thoughts and stories below.
Comments
Hey, good morning
.
An interesting development in the West Asia affair. It is
reported Egypt is offering Saudi Arabia "assistance" in
fighting the Houthis. Apparently el-Sisi does not want Iran
to become a regional power. Hell to pay,
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/10/18/egypt-to-provide-all-necessary...
In other headlines, Europe is ablaze with protests ranging across the EU.
Belgium, France, Italy and Portugal are trying to deal with unrest, basically
stemming from the high cost of living, lowering wages and lack of affordable
housing. Most of the demonstrators agree their governments are out of touch
with reality. Sound familiar?
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/10/17/cost-of-living-protests-hit-be...
It is 30 degrees this AM so your fire idea sounds good. Chase the chillies.
Thanks for the watch.
Zionism is a social disease
Thanks for the news...
...of Egypt's stupidity and the EU protest melt down. The detached leadership can only abuse their citizens for so long until the people have had it and start protesting.
I mentioned Iran and Russia as civilizational nations, but neglected to say Yemen is as well. These cultures go back thousands of years. If Egypt picks a fight with Yemen, they will be making a mistake. I wonder about Turkey and Pakistan's roles as well.
Well, we have something interesting to follow. Ansar Allah is advancing without lots of death. The people support them.
It is 42F this AM and last night's campfire felt pretty good. We may go down and fire it up for this afternoon.
Thanks for coming by today!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Good mornng Lookout, thanks for the WW, OT, and all the
info and videos.
It appears that Iran spoke to the issue of "negotiations with the US" and the closure of the strait of Hormus yesterday, but basically said the offer is still on the table and the US can take it or leave it. Per Sputnik:
https://sputnikglobe.com/20261018/iran-to-open-strait-of-hormuz-on-6th-d...
current;y 58 degrees, sunny, made and consumed sourdough pancakes from breakfast and now time to clean up and get outside.
be well and have a good one
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
Good morning...
Trump signed the deal in Versailles, and withdrew in about a week. The MOU is still the operative agreement document. If Trump will honor his signature the strait would be opened.
I think he wants a theatrical bombing and then claim, "No bombs are left", and withdraw.
Have a good weekend and thanks for the visit!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
To lighten the tone
Zionism is a social disease
Great song, Q!
I had been studying this old Chinese song, that Teresa Teng popularized in eighties. I put it aside for some reason a year or so ago, and went back to it today. I came across one of Su Shi's poems on a language web site, and that got me looking for this one again.
鄧麗君 Teresa Teng テレサ・テン - 但願人長久 (Official Music Video)
This is said to be from the poet's own writings-
Computer translation
Baidu has a pretty extensive biography on Su Shi. I thought this was interesting:
Su Shi
己所不欲，勿施于人。
Good afternoon, Lo!
Thanks for the provided info for us to absorb today.
And thanks for the Carlin clip. My career was initially a personal ambition to get that one case that would end the death penalty. Capital punishment is revenge.
While in law school, I was required to do a semester of internship with a prosecutor's office. I was exposed to selective prosecutions, hidden mitigating evidence, judges influenced by campaign contributions, crooked cops planting or destroying evidence, and juries selected by the most biased methods possible. And then, juries make mistakes. And executions can be botched. And prosecutors and sheriffs are judged by their win/loss record at the voting booth. Every death row guard I ever knew went crazy after their stint getting to know the inmates and their lives were destroyed.
We will have a high of 72f and an evening low of 48f. Of course, it will get hot again in a day or so. Fall hasn't truly caught hold here.
Thanks for your amazing WW, and enjoy your fire pit, dear friend.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
re: Death penalty
Early on, I had an opportunity to do "volunteer" death penalty appeals, with an experienced criminal lawyer. I turned it down, for various personal reasons. Woulda, shoulda coulda, but I couldn't, I was dirt poor and needed to find something remunerative. Never did really. Although I did get some criminal defense trial practice. Not much. I gave up on law after rocky and inconsistent 15 years.
I share your observations on what goes on with criminal cases OtC. Congrats on your long career and successful retirement. Enjoy!
己所不欲，勿施于人。
Hey, soryang!
Very few attorneys make big bucks in criminal defense work.
In the first 2 or 3 years of my practice, I was hired by attorneys to second chair for them, and appointed by the courts to work for indigents, even appeals. And then, I got a reputation, started making a mark, and the court appointments magically stopped. Trying to stay afloat working for people who spent all the money they had just to make bail sent me into a general practice, eventually eliminating criminal defense from my practice.
I didn't chase money. I took cases that I found interesting. No regrets.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
The injustice system...
...is quite the maze of incentives. I admire your efforts to blaze a path through toward some sort of justice.
None the less, I hope your retirement brings you the peace of your deer, birds, and wildlife.
One of my favorite poems from recently deceased Wendell Berry...
The Peace of Wild Things
When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.
I often think of the day blind stars on sunny days.
Glad you came by as always!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
I will gladly
take the wild critters as a source of wonderment and peace.
This retirement week as brought a bald eagle, a Great Blue Heron, a young buck in the front field, 3 brown thrashers, and Vinnie. Vinnie finished his lunch, walked toward a thicket, and raised his wings, sort of flapped them, as if to test them.
And that last armadillo under the house evaded capture, but apparently lost interest in tearing up the yard, and moved on.
It's the little things...
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
I thought Wendell's poem...
... targets your interest. We've been seeing lots of turkeys and hearing them too. The deer come by daily, too.
A beautiful day here currently mid-60's F. Hope y'all are having a nice one as well.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
The poem
went through my brain and landed in my heart.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Stuttgart
I can't tell what they're saying, except I know there were recent protests against a revival of the military draft there.
"The US is also a one-party state, but with typical American extravagance, they have two of them." -- Julius Nyerere
Europe is erupting...
Thanks for the clip. I once went through Stuttgart, but never visited there. It is both a US military and industrial center.
From the link:
German headquarters of global players such as Mercedes Benz, Porsche, Bosch, IBM or Hewlett-Packard are based in the region.
Might explain the protests though they seem to be everywhere from Albania to France.
Thanks again for the clip.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Hi LO!
Thanks for the WW today!
The mushroom cloud cartoon is right on. I wish the US didn't dismantle the nuclear agreements from the past. I listened to Peter Kuznick last night. Very discouraging. The hypocrisy with the INF Treaty and JCPOA withdrawals was so unwise.
I saw an article in Japan Times this am, discussing a relatively large joint military exercise kicking off in the East China Sea region, mostly troop, air, and ship movements involving US and Japanese self defense forces moving in the Okinawa prefecture. This involves deploying missile equipped units to the small islands nearest Taiwan. Unfortunately, the article was behind a paywall and I only got one free look.
Joint Japan-U.S. military drill set to break new ground
己所不欲，勿施于人。
Amazing how we've thrown away so many agreements...
...makes one think we want war. Sure seems that's the case.
On another note, I'm glad you've not had to face a hurricane this year. Still a month to wait out, I guess. At any rate wishing you and yours the best!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”