The hottest Geopolitics Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways

Brothers in the love of God

Wrong Side of History • 527 implied HN points • 30 Jan 26

🌍 World Politics Geopolitics

Europe has a long, shared identity that can bind many different peoples together, rooted historically in Christianity and later in a broader Western civilisation.
Parts of the political Right may turn pro-European by seeing a united continent as a cultural fortress against powerful external rivals like the US and China and against rapid cultural change.
Perceived weakness and outside threats are driving a newer, more defensive pan‑European sentiment focused on cultural survival and immigration control, which differs from the EU’s liberal human‑rights focus.

What Is Iranian Air Power Strategy?

Phillips’s Newsletter • 143 implied HN points • 05 Mar 26

🌍 World Politics Geopolitics

Airpower strategy is basically about targeting — by seeing what a state attacks you can infer its strategic aims.
Airpower expands the battlefield across air, sea and space, letting strikes reach far from front lines and cause wide-ranging effects.
Iran seems to emphasize indirect, diversionary air attacks (like drones and long-range strikes) to force opponents to waste resources on defense and repairs rather than only destroying specific targets.

On Becoming The First Species To Go Extinct From Politeness

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 2468 implied HN points • 04 Dec 25

🌍 World Politics Geopolitics

Politeness and widespread obedience let powerful elites run dangerous agendas—like environmental destruction, nuclear brinkmanship, and unregulated AI—without accountability, creating an existential threat.
It would be absurd and humiliating if our species went extinct simply because we were too reluctant to confront those causing the harm, especially if we’re among the first intelligent civilizations.
We need to stop prioritizing politeness over survival by confronting and holding the rich and powerful accountable through resistance and collective action before it’s too late.

The US/Israel Bombing of Iran--What We Are Seeing From An Air Power Perspective

Phillips’s Newsletter • 160 implied HN points • 03 Mar 26

🌍 World Politics Geopolitics

Modern air operations have revealed both the strengths and the limits of air power, showing where strikes can be decisive and where they fall short.
Iran is actively fighting back with its own air campaign, which complicates the battlespace and changes how attacks and defenses play out.
Political leaders have offered shifting and sometimes contradictory justifications for the war, leaving the strategic purpose unclear and suggesting mixed or domestic motives.

Chartbook 419 The old new Cold War is dead. Long live the new old Cold War: The political logic of Trumpian strategy.

Chartbook • 1702 implied HN points • 19 Dec 25

🌍 World Politics Geopolitics

The 2025 National Security Strategy moves away from an ideological "new Cold War" with China and Russia and instead emphasizes economic competition with China and bargaining over spheres of influence with Russia.
The administration treats Europe as an ideological battleground, actively courting the European far right and framing European culture wars as the same struggle as in the U.S., a stance that risks fragmenting pro-American support in Europe.
This approach echoes old Cold War-style U.S. interference in European politics, but with a twist: MAGA rejects the traditional Atlanticist liberal consensus and lacks consolidated hegemony at home or abroad, making the strategy unstable and risky.

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Trump’s Dangerous Greenland Game

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 913 implied HN points • 19 Jan 26

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Geopolitics

His muscular, unilateral foreign policy has produced big wins, like strikes on Iran’s nuclear program, pressure that helped free hostages, and the raid that captured Venezuela’s leader.
His push to acquire Greenland and petulant diplomacy have created a diplomatic crisis with allies, risking immediate political fallout.
Alienating allies could turn those victories into strategic liabilities, because long-term security often depends on sustained cooperation with partners.

Trump Finds the Golden Mean in Venezuela

Richard Hanania's Newsletter • 1414 implied HN points • 07 Jan 26

🌍 World Politics Geopolitics

Replacing a leader can change how a regime behaves even if its official ideology stays the same, because individual leaders bring different goals and risk tolerances.
Leaving the new acting leader in place instead of trying to rebuild the whole government is a cautious, gradualist choice that avoids the big costs and dangers of instant regime reconstruction.
The new leader appears more pragmatic, having pursued pro-market steps and made conciliatory moves, so U.S. leverage and credible threats could push Venezuela toward better policies and cooperation.

Crescendo

Doomberg • 8493 implied HN points • 04 Aug 25

🌍 World Politics Geopolitics

Putin switched from US Treasuries to gold as a way to challenge Western financial control. This change was significant because it suggested he could sell oil for gold instead of dollars.
The BRICS group, formed by Russia, China, and others, aims to help developing countries gain economic independence from Western powers. This reflects a broader fight over global economic freedom.
The current geopolitical situation is escalating towards a major conflict, with both military and economic tensions rising. The decisions leaders make now could dramatically shape the future of international relations.

Venezuela: The Precedents

Thinking about... • 1029 implied HN points • 04 Jan 26

🌍 World Politics Geopolitics

The U.S. action in Venezuela continues a long pattern of choosing foreign leaders to advance American interests rather than promoting genuine democracy, and the sensible response would be to hold or recognize legitimate elections.
Forcibly removing a leader does not reliably create stability or democracy — the Iraq example shows occupations breed chaos and can force occupiers to cooperate with the very forces they claimed to overthrow; backing violence undermines legitimacy and invites unpredictable resistance.
Ignoring international law and using foreign interventions as tools for domestic political gain makes the U.S. resemble authoritarian powers and risks normalizing violence at home, so courts, journalists, Congress, and elections must check that logic.

Niall Ferguson: The Truth About Trump's National Security Strategy

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 2198 implied HN points • 07 Dec 25

🌍 World Politics Geopolitics

A national security strategy is a written roadmap and not automatically a binding doctrine, so it shouldn’t be treated as the final word on policy.
The document criticizes European allies for low defense spending and economic decline, warning their societies face serious risks.
It frames U.S. policy around preserving American primacy, prioritizing national strength and openly calling out allies’ shortcomings.

Resistance 101 Documentary Trailer (COMING FEB. 21)

The Chris Hedges Report • 216 implied HN points • 20 Feb 26

🌍 World Politics Geopolitics

Italian dockworkers have organized strikes and large demonstrations to block arms shipments to Israel in response to the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
Their actions are a direct response to international institutions and governments that have refused to confront the violence.
These industrial disruptions are offered as a model of resistance that could spread to other countries and possibly influence efforts to end the genocide.

The End of Pax Americana

QTR’s Fringe Finance • 26 implied HN points • 16 Mar 26

🌍 World Politics Geopolitics

The United States is shifting toward protectionism, using new legal routes to impose broad tariffs that act like heavy taxes and raise prices for American households.
Tariffs can’t revive obsolete industries; they mostly transfer wealth to protected firms, reduce downstream jobs, and hit low- and middle-income families hardest by raising costs and cutting real wages.
Other countries are deepening their own trade ties and the dollar's dominance is waning, so America's global economic leadership is slipping; reversing this trend will require Congress to reclaim trade authority and a return to open trade policies.

Questioning Power

How the Hell • 110 implied HN points • 03 Mar 26

🕹 Technology Geopolitics

Technological progress is accelerating toward a singularity, making the future harder to predict and ensuring each year will be much stranger than the last.
Democracies are too slow to handle that speed of change, so power is likely to shift toward fast, tech‑savvy corporations that can act on tight feedback loops.
Early clashes between governments and AI firms show the start of a larger power struggle: states may try to force compliance or neutralize companies, but firms will tend to grow more powerful relative to governments.

Ah, Good Old War Propaganda

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 2291 implied HN points • 02 Dec 25

🌍 World Politics Geopolitics

Major media outlets often manufacture consent for imperial agendas, shaping stories to justify wars and demonize targeted leaders rather than simply inform the public.
Narrative control is systemic and deliberate: owners, state broadcasters, think tanks, algorithms and billionaire-backed tech shape what people see to protect the imperial status quo.
The antidote is grassroots action—expose propaganda, promote media literacy, and help others recognize manipulation so truth can challenge the existing power structure.

The US and Israel attack Iran: Round 2

Comment is Freed • 140 implied HN points • 28 Feb 26

🌍 World Politics Geopolitics

The US and Israel have launched strikes with the stated goal of regime change, and Iran now sees its survival as threatened so it has struck back across the region.
Iran’s government is internally weak — corrupt, economically strained, and it recently crushed large protests — but it still relies on well-organized, ruthless forces like the revolutionary guard.
Those dynamics raise the risk of a wider regional war as Iran tries to create chaos to raise the political stakes for the US, yet it remains unclear whether the strikes will actually topple the regime.

Bad Weather

Sarah Kendzior’s Newsletter • 6949 implied HN points • 15 Mar 24

🌍 World Politics Geopolitics

The author reflects on the unpredictability of storms and the feeling of imminent apocalypses in the midst of bad weather.
There is a discussion about political figures and international affairs, focusing on the potential consequences and implications of their actions.
The narrative transitions between personal reflections, societal observations, and historical analogies, all within the context of turbulent weather and its implications.

Up the Escalation Ladder

John’s Substack • 12 implied HN points • 19 Mar 26

🌍 World Politics Geopolitics

A strike on energy facilities and Iran's retaliation risk a wider escalation that could push oil above $100 a barrel and seriously hurt the global economy.
Israel seems to be pursuing a decapitation strategy, and there are real doubts about whether the US and Israel could successfully seize Iran's 60% enriched uranium.
The situation puts pressure on the US to secure the Strait of Hormuz and highlights uncertainty about whether any viable political exit strategy exists to prevent further escalation.

New Issue Of JOHNSTONE: The Empire Stole Venezuela

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 1136 implied HN points • 05 Jan 26

🌍 World Politics Geopolitics

Powerful countries are intervening in Venezuela to seize its oil and strip the nation of its sovereignty.
The Monroe Doctrine is an old, made-up imperial rationale rooted in racist thinking and doesn’t legally or morally justify invasions.
Mindless parroting of pro-empire slogans helps cover up these actions, and the empire is actively working to dominate and silence opposition across Latin America.

Why I'm long-term bullish on the Middle East

Noahpinion • 24588 implied HN points • 18 Jan 25

🌍 World Politics Geopolitics

The Middle East is moving away from constant warfare, with many regions experiencing peace. This shift could lead to economic recovery as people focus on constructive opportunities.
Technology and geography are becoming more favorable for the Middle East. Innovations like cheap solar power and desalination can help support growth in a region with traditionally limited resources.
The region's demographics are shifting positively, providing a 'demographic dividend.' With a more balanced age structure, there is great potential for economic development and workforce growth in the coming years.

World's Most Tyrannical Government Wants To Free Venezuela From Tyranny

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 2132 implied HN points • 03 Dec 25

🌍 World Politics Geopolitics

The United States talks about "liberating" other countries while repeatedly using military force, coups, sanctions, and global bases to impose its will, which makes its claims hypocritical.
The US government is considering military regime-change action in Venezuela even though a clear majority of Americans oppose such intervention.
If the US truly wanted to reduce global tyranny it should stop its imperial practices or dismantle its empire, because it has no moral standing to claim it can "liberate" other nations.

New York Times Wants The US Military Built Up For War With China

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 1862 implied HN points • 10 Dec 25

🌍 World Politics Geopolitics

The New York Times editorial argues the U.S. must rebuild and expand its military to prepare to fight China (and possibly Russia), calling for more spending and for allies to shoulder more of the burden.
The Times is accused of uncritically repeating unverified government claims—like an alleged order to seize Taiwan by 2027 and warnings about undersea cable sabotage—and of using alarmist imagery to push urgency.
The piece frames U.S. global dominance as having harmed the global south through imperial extraction and warns that normalizing a huge military buildup risks pouring resources into preparations for catastrophic great‑power wars.

Why Venezuela Is Not Iraq

Richard Hanania's Newsletter • 2023 implied HN points • 12 Dec 25

🌍 World Politics Geopolitics

Venezuela is politically different from Iraq or Libya because it had democratic traditions and was more of a competitive authoritarian system until recently, so regime change there isn’t the same kind of gamble.
There are Western Hemisphere examples, like the 1983 Grenada intervention, where outside intervention helped restore democracy and stability, showing regime change can sometimes work.
Venezuela lacks the Islamist extremism and sectarian divides that made Middle Eastern interventions chaotic, and Venezuelans still hold elections and mobilize, so post-Maduro politics could be less violent and more manageable.

The Iran Thing

eugyppius: a plague chronicle • 122 implied HN points • 03 Mar 26

🌍 World Politics Geopolitics

Don't rush to publish hot takes; it's better to be cautious and aim for analysis that will age well rather than quick, strident opinions you might regret.
Public debate is dominated by predictable tribes that cling to single narratives and defend them no matter what, which makes honest assessment harder.
Avoid binary thinking and the just-world fallacy; multiple things can be true at once and outcomes rarely boil down to total catastrophe or total success.

This Week in Canada: If You Believe That, I Have a Bridge Named After Gordie Howe to Sell You

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 347 implied HN points • 10 Feb 26

🌍 World Politics Geopolitics

Canada is moving to strengthen economic ties with China as part of a strategy to reduce dependence on the United States.
Concrete steps include allowing a limited number of Chinese-made electric vehicles and removing tariffs on Canadian canola to boost exports.
Donald Trump publicly attacked the arrangement, calling it a disaster and suggesting the U.S. views Canada’s friendlier trade posture toward China as part of the broader U.S.–China confrontation.

America is a Gangster State

The Chris Hedges Report • 1070 implied HN points • 03 Jan 26

🌍 World Politics Geopolitics

U.S. actions like kidnapping foreign leaders show it behaving as a gangster state that tramples international and humanitarian law.
Violent interventions and regime change do not bring peace; they create more violence, failed states, warlords, and lasting chaos as seen in places like Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, and Libya.
When local militaries and security forces resist imposed leadership, interventions backfire and create long-term instability that harms everyone, including the intervening country.

SITREP 1/28/24: US Troops Suffer Fatalities in Strikes as Escalation Grows

Simplicius's Garden of Knowledge • 10791 implied HN points • 29 Jan 24

🌍 World Politics Geopolitics

US troops suffered fatalities in strikes, highlighting escalation tensions.
Confusion arises about the location of the troop fatalities, raising questions about US involvement in the region.
Potential for a major conflict or withdrawal in the Middle East, with significant implications for the US and global economy.

I Dream of Heroic Africans Fighting for Ukraine

Richard Hanania's Newsletter • 2535 implied HN points • 25 Nov 25

🌍 World Politics Geopolitics

Ukrainians have been heavily impacted by the war, facing fatigue and high costs, while there are many people in Africa willing to fight for lower pay, which could help Ukraine's military situation.
Using African fighters could change the perception of the war, showing a divide between those fighting for freedom and authoritarian regimes, making it harder for Putin to justify his actions.
If the conflict continues, Ukraine may need to find innovative solutions, like recruiting from poorer regions, to maintain their fight against Russia effectively.

Hoodwinked

Doomberg • 8742 implied HN points • 08 Jul 25

🌞 Climate & Environment Geopolitics

China is accused of using climate activism to undermine American energy by funding groups that oppose it. This strategy aims to weaken the U.S. as a global competitor.
There is concern that the influence of Chinese money is being ignored while debates focus on climate change risks. This creates tension between political parties over the framing of climate issues.
Despite the push for renewable energy in the West, China continues to consume a large amount of coal, benefiting from the West's climate policies while enhancing its own industrial and military strength.

I Wrote a Novel About War. Now I’m Watching It Unfold in Iran.

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 134 implied HN points • 26 Feb 26

🌐 International Geopolitics

Scenarios once written as fiction—Russian warships operating near Iran, hypersonic threats to U.S. carriers, and a regime desperate to survive—are now playing out in reality.
Sudden events like the drone strike that killed General Qasem Soleimani can rapidly upend strategic assumptions and force analysts to rewrite their plans.
Collaborating with experienced military thinkers can help fiction anticipate real crises, highlighting how fragile and fast-changing international security has become.

THE SHAME OF DROPPING BOMBS

Seymour Hersh • 45 implied HN points • 12 Mar 26

🌍 World Politics Geopolitics

Unopposed air wars have no real glory and are morally hollow; striking pre-selected, unprotected targets is essentially a 'turkey shoot.'
US and Israeli air campaigns against Iran and Gaza, after defenses were degraded, are striking largely unchallenged targets and have caused large-scale civilian death and injury.
Political leaders and media are celebrating these unopposed strikes with wartime rhetoric, echoing old propaganda and helping to normalize and glorify mass violence.

How China Courted Iran

ChinaTalk • 756 implied HN points • 12 Jan 26

🌍 World Politics Geopolitics

China and Iran have a pragmatic, interest-driven partnership: China buys most of Iran’s oil and provides investment and cheap goods through barter and sanctions-evasion, which keeps Iran afloat but also hurts local industry and stokes public resentment.
Beijing manages problems with propaganda, diplomatic support, and material help, and it supplies surveillance and riot-control technologies that strengthen the Iranian regime even as its popularity falls among ordinary Iranians.
China’s leverage is limited and conditional — it will pressure Tehran when Chinese interests are directly threatened (like attacks on Chinese shipping) but it won’t reliably force Iran to change its broader regional behavior, so the tie is one of convenience, not deep trust.

The Worst Argument Possible

Phillips’s Newsletter • 356 implied HN points • 12 Feb 26

🌍 World Politics Geopolitics

Europe can and should defend itself without depending on the United States. Saying otherwise becomes a self-fulfilling excuse that delays needed change.
Assuming the U.S. will always come to Europe’s rescue—especially under leaders who may not be committed—is dangerous and misleading; claiming helplessness can make allied support less likely and misinform citizens.
Europe has the economic and demographic capacity to build credible defenses and threats like Russia are smaller than often portrayed; the real barrier is political will and a mindset among leaders unwilling to admit and fix past failures.

China did NOT move "quickly to condemn the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran"

Pekingnology • 124 implied HN points • 04 Mar 26

🌍 World Politics Geopolitics

China’s response to the U.S. and Israeli strikes was surprisingly mild and not rapid; Beijing rarely used the word "condemn" and only did so clearly after Khamenei’s killing and in response to civilian casualties.
China repeatedly expressed concern, called for an immediate stop to military actions, urged respect for sovereignty and de‑escalation, and pursued diplomatic moves like a UN Security Council meeting and phone calls between Wang Yi and other foreign ministers.
Beijing also condemned attacks on Gulf countries and strikes on civilians, but its overall wording and timing were more restrained than in some past cases (for example, a much stronger, quicker condemnation of an earlier U.S. attack on Venezuela), showing selective intensity.

Ukraine's Gold Medal

Diane Francis • 919 implied HN points • 29 Jul 24

🌍 World Politics Geopolitics

Ukraine has been successful in pushing back Russian forces, especially around the city of Kharkiv and in Crimea. Their clever use of technology, like drones, has helped them gain the upper hand.
Western countries are increasing their military and financial support to Ukraine as they prepare for future challenges. They are also allowing Ukraine to strike military targets within Russia.
The situation in Crimea is vital for Ukraine, as weakening Russia's stronghold there can put pressure on their military and economic resources, impacting Putin's control.

The hottest Geopolitics Substack posts right now

Wrong Side of History • 527 implied HN points • 30 Jan 26

Phillips’s Newsletter • 143 implied HN points • 05 Mar 26

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 2468 implied HN points • 04 Dec 25

Phillips’s Newsletter • 160 implied HN points • 03 Mar 26

Chartbook • 1702 implied HN points • 19 Dec 25

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 913 implied HN points • 19 Jan 26

Richard Hanania's Newsletter • 1414 implied HN points • 07 Jan 26

Doomberg • 8493 implied HN points • 04 Aug 25

Thinking about... • 1029 implied HN points • 04 Jan 26

Chartbook • 515 implied HN points • 30 Jan 26

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 2198 implied HN points • 07 Dec 25

The Chris Hedges Report • 216 implied HN points • 20 Feb 26

QTR’s Fringe Finance • 26 implied HN points • 16 Mar 26

How the Hell • 110 implied HN points • 03 Mar 26

Chartbook • 572 implied HN points • 26 Jan 26

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 2291 implied HN points • 02 Dec 25

Comment is Freed • 140 implied HN points • 28 Feb 26

Chartbook • 572 implied HN points • 25 Jan 26

Sarah Kendzior’s Newsletter • 6949 implied HN points • 15 Mar 24

John’s Substack • 12 implied HN points • 19 Mar 26

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 1136 implied HN points • 05 Jan 26

Noahpinion • 24588 implied HN points • 18 Jan 25

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 2132 implied HN points • 03 Dec 25

Chartbook • 586 implied HN points • 23 Jan 26

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 1862 implied HN points • 10 Dec 25

Richard Hanania's Newsletter • 2023 implied HN points • 12 Dec 25

eugyppius: a plague chronicle • 122 implied HN points • 03 Mar 26

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 347 implied HN points • 10 Feb 26

The Chris Hedges Report • 1070 implied HN points • 03 Jan 26

Chartbook • 543 implied HN points • 24 Jan 26

Simplicius's Garden of Knowledge • 10791 implied HN points • 29 Jan 24

Richard Hanania's Newsletter • 2535 implied HN points • 25 Nov 25

Chartbook • 615 implied HN points • 20 Jan 26

Doomberg • 8742 implied HN points • 08 Jul 25

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 134 implied HN points • 26 Feb 26

Seymour Hersh • 45 implied HN points • 12 Mar 26

ChinaTalk • 756 implied HN points • 12 Jan 26

Phillips’s Newsletter • 356 implied HN points • 12 Feb 26

Pekingnology • 124 implied HN points • 04 Mar 26

Diane Francis • 919 implied HN points • 29 Jul 24