The hottest Imperialism Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways

My Enemies Are Not In Iran

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 2915 implied HN points • 16 Mar 26

🌍 World Politics Imperialism

The real enemies are the western empire managers and oligarchs in places like Washington, Tel Aviv, London and Canberra who use power and tax dollars to wage war and harm societies.
Western governments and their propagandists are eroding democratic agency, censoring criticism, and manipulating public opinion to normalize violence and injustice.
Loyalty should be to humanity, family, and core values rather than to empire, and people in countries like Iran are not the enemy.

We Are The Villains In This Story

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 2966 implied HN points • 11 Mar 26

🌍 World Politics Imperialism

Western governments, especially the United States, act as imperial aggressors whose wars and policies cause widespread death and suffering around the world.
Many people cling to a comforting story that they are the good guys, but propaganda and self-deception hide the calculated motives of power and profit behind that fiction.
Recognizing this truth creates a responsibility to wake up, resist, and work to dismantle the empire for the sake of future generations and those harmed by its violence.

Opposing "Both Sides" In This War Is Crazy Imperialist Nonsense, And Other Notes

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 1806 implied HN points • 11 Mar 26

🌍 World Politics Imperialism

If you live under a western empire, don’t amplify 'both sides are bad' or regime‑change narratives; use your voice to oppose your own government’s role in the war.
Bashing the Iranian regime right now helps manufacture consent for violence and makes you partly responsible for the suffering it causes, without improving rights for people there.
This escalation was predictable — tearing up the JCPOA and leaning on regional allies made war more likely, so strikes, mine threats to the Strait of Hormuz, and wider fallout should have been anticipated.

Fuck Everyone Who Made This War Possible

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 4805 implied HN points • 28 Feb 26

🌍 World Politics Imperialism

The US and Israel have launched a major military attack on Iran, prompting retaliatory strikes and likely causing widespread death and suffering.
Many people see the official reasons for this war as false and believe powerful leaders and institutions are pushing it forward regardless of public consent or the horrific consequences.
There is raw anger and total condemnation directed at the US, Israel, political parties, the media, and the military‑industrial complex, who are being blamed for enabling and profiting from the war.

Iran Is Morally Superior To The United States

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 2994 implied HN points • 04 Mar 26

🌍 World Politics Imperialism

The United States is depicted as morally worse than Iran because it carries out far more murderous, tyrannical, and destructive actions around the world.
US global power is argued to come from deliberate aggression — wars, bombings, coups, sanctions, and nuclear brinkmanship — rather than mere happenstance of strength.
Many Westerners conflate personal comfort with moral judgement, overlooking that US violence is exported abroad and thus the US is morally unqualified to dictate how other countries like Iran should be run.

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If Westerners Could Wrap Their Minds Around What War Really Is

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 3357 implied HN points • 03 Mar 26

🌍 World Politics Imperialism

War is unimaginably brutal and causes horrific physical and emotional suffering. Many people in the West treat it like a video game because they haven’t experienced those horrors firsthand.
Our culture, media, and leaders sanitize and glamorize war while dehumanizing people on the receiving end. That makes it easier for the public to support or ignore large-scale violence.
The western empire depends on ongoing war and powerful actors benefit from it. Real peace requires removing or resisting the systems and leaders that profit from bloodshed.

The Building of Fortress Iran

God's Spies by Thomas Neuburger • 105 implied HN points • 23 Mar 26

🌍 World Politics Imperialism

Two centuries of foreign meddling and territorial losses left a deep national trauma, so Iran’s politics are driven by a fear of being carved up or controlled by outsiders.
Every Iranian regime—monarchy, democratic, and theocratic—has been trying to build a strong, indivisible state, but each approach failed in different ways, leaving security prioritized over political openness.
The Islamic Republic turned that impulse into a Fortress Iran, and repeated foreign interventions and sanctions have only hardened Iran’s siege mentality and made internal change harder.

More Shockingly Honest Confessions From The Empire Managers

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 2835 implied HN points • 17 Feb 26

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Imperialism

Some US officials are openly saying future wars are being planned in Israel and are pushing for military action against countries like Iran, even while admitting that American troops could be harmed.
Top politicians are praising five centuries of Western colonialism and calling for a renewed Western alliance with Europe to reassert dominance over the Global South.
There is a strong critique that 'Western civilization' today relies on war, exploitation, and ecocide, and many argue that this system should be challenged and reformed rather than celebrated.

If You Want Freedom and Democracy For Iranian People and All Peoples, You Must Start By Admitting What America Is and Does

Freddie deBoer • 7054 implied HN points • 15 Jan 26

🌍 World Politics Imperialism

The United States often intervenes abroad to secure strategic and economic interests, not to install genuine democracy, and can openly prioritize access to resources like oil over self-determination.
Historical interventions — from Iran’s 1953 coup to wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, and recent meddling in Venezuela — usually produce authoritarianism, corruption, militias, and instability instead of freedom, so skepticism of intervention is rational.
Opposing U.S. intervention does not equal supporting oppressive regimes; people can want internal change while also rejecting foreign control, and restraint in using force helps avoid repeating past harms.

The Ticking Time Bomb Looming Over Gaza, And Other Notes

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 1960 implied HN points • 18 Feb 26

🌍 World Politics Imperialism

Israel is threatening to resume full-scale bombing of Gaza unless Hamas disarms, but Hamas has never agreed to give up its weapons, putting both sides on a collision course toward renewed mass violence.
The United States allowed the last remaining nuclear arms treaty with Russia to collapse, a development that makes the world far more dangerous than the repeated alarms about Iran.
U.S. imperialism and regime‑change operations push other countries to clamp down and restrict freedoms to resist foreign infiltration, so American actions often make the world more authoritarian.

If You Think Our Rulers Do Bad Things In Secret, Wait Til You See What They Do Out In The Open

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 2957 implied HN points • 09 Feb 26

🌍 World Politics Imperialism

Powerful governments and wealthy elites commit massive harms openly—wars, economic sieges, resource plundering, environmental destruction, and global military dominance happen in full view of the world.
Many of the worst abuses are public and systemic, driven by state policy and corporate profit, not just secret scandals behind closed doors.
While private scandals matter, attention and accountability should focus first on the far greater, visible harms that shape millions of lives.

Political Maturity Is Realizing The Commies Were Correct

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 3036 implied HN points • 05 Feb 26

🌍 World Politics Imperialism

The most outspoken communists often diagnose capitalism, imperialism, and systemic oppression more clearly than other groups, and many of their critiques keep being proven right.
Political maturity means learning, staying humble, and accepting cognitive dissonance when you realize your previous views masked widespread exploitation and injustice.
Agreeing with their analysis doesn't solve how to get their vision; building a different world is untested, often suppressed, and activists themselves can be imperfect.

Our Leaders Couldn't Fix Our Problems If They Wanted To (And They Don't Want To)

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 2137 implied HN points • 11 Feb 26

🌍 World Politics Imperialism

Those in power aren’t capable or willing to fix our deepest problems — they’re motivated by profit, control, or staying in office, not by ending poverty, war, or ecological collapse.
Many people comfort themselves with a paternalistic belief that authority will protect them, and that mindset leads to excusing brutality and avoiding harsh realities.
Meaningful change requires taking the steering wheel away from the current ruling class and replacing the system with one that serves ordinary people, or else things will keep getting worse.

"Why Don't You Criticize Iran??"

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 2686 implied HN points • 31 Jan 26

🌍 World Politics Imperialism

Focus criticism on the western empire because that is the power structure people actually live under and can influence. It is often the main source of militarism and global abuse.
Mainstream media push an "Official Bad Guy" narrative to manufacture consent for aggression, which trains people to criticize foreign regimes instead of questioning their own leaders.
Refusing to criticize a foreign government can be a principled choice when such criticism would feed imperial war propaganda; opposing warmongering agendas is a legitimate moral stance.

No Healthy Person Wants To Rule The World Or Become A Billionaire

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 2831 implied HN points • 26 Jan 26

🌍 World Politics Imperialism

People with empathy and a functioning conscience generally don't want absolute power or obscene wealth; those who seek those things are often deeply wounded or morally compromised.
Our political and economic systems reward exploitation — from plundering resources to lobbying and war profiteering — which elevates ruthless people to positions of influence while pushing caring people aside.
Resisting that dystopia and fighting for a kinder, fairer world is costly and dangerous, but it's the only way to act with integrity and create meaningful change.

Intellectual narcissism or political relevance

Global Inequality and More 3.0 • 1464 implied HN points • 01 Feb 26

🌍 World Politics Imperialism

The left's past support or tolerance of oppressive regimes was a serious mistake, but many of those choices were made within limited options and intense international pressure. Governments and movements often picked the lesser evil available at the time rather than an ideal outcome.
Political decisions should be grounded in historical context and a lesser-evil calculus instead of strict moral purity, because insisting on perfect consistency can make ideas politically irrelevant. Real-world tradeoffs matter more than intellectual self-righteousness.
What looks like a sudden return of imperialism is actually part of a long historical pattern; US, Russian, and Chinese behaviors fit into older traditions of empire, and empires were active even during the neoliberal era. Recognizing continuity helps make better strategic choices today.

The Lies Get So Tedious

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 2225 implied HN points • 27 Jan 26

🌍 World Politics Imperialism

Society is propped up by nonstop lies about politics, economics, morality, and success that keep power structures in place.
Those lies are taught from childhood and normalize suffering, making people miserable, confused, and complicit instead of critical.
Gaining mental sovereignty means actively unlearning indoctrination and learning to see reality clearly. It's difficult but necessary for truth and meaningful change.

Dissecting The Belief That The US Should Forcibly Remove Tyrannical Governments

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 1830 implied HN points • 02 Feb 26

🌍 World Politics Imperialism

Just because a government commits abuses doesn't automatically justify the United States using military force to overthrow it. Those are two separate claims and forcing regime change needs its own independent moral and legal justification.
The United States has a long record of harmful interventions and often makes situations worse, so it's one of the least qualified actors to claim humanitarian motives. US foreign policy frequently serves geopolitical hegemony rather than genuinely stopping abuses.
Media and political narratives often conflate 'government X is bad' with 'the US should intervene,' so it's important to question assumptions and propaganda. Look at who benefits and whether the motive is truly humanitarian or about power and influence.

Regime Change The US Empire

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 2570 implied HN points • 18 Jan 26

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Imperialism

The most urgent regime change needed is at home: dismantle the US empire’s real power structures and replace them with genuine democracy that gives people real control.
It’s inconsistent to demand violent overthrow of other countries while ignoring or defending the US and its allies, since they are the largest and most destructive global power.
Before loudly condemning other governments, people should first challenge and reform their own imperial institutions, otherwise they just help empire propaganda.

They Kidnapped Maduro Because The World Is Ruled By Unaccountable Tyrants

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 3413 implied HN points • 04 Jan 26

🌍 World Politics Imperialism

The U.S. carried out a military operation in Venezuela that abducted President Maduro, and its leaders openly framed the action as a move to seize and profit from Venezuela’s oil and to run the country.
This episode shows a pattern where powerful states pursue regime change and resource grabs with little accountability, while official stories about drugs or democracy are used to mask true motives.
Unchecked use of force backed by compliant media undermines global stability and harms the future of people and the planet, so citizens should learn these patterns and be skeptical of official justifications for intervention.

These Abuses Will Continue Until People Force Them To Stop

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 2621 implied HN points • 09 Jan 26

🌍 World Politics Imperialism

The current US-led capitalist order keeps producing worsening abuses like growing authoritarianism, militarized policing, expanding wars, rising inequality, and ecological collapse.
Electoral politics alone can't fix this because the system is locked and swapping parties just replaces one set of abuses with another.
The only viable path to real change is mass popular action — people organizing together and using their numbers to force the powerful to stop.

New Issue Of JOHNSTONE: The System Is Working Exactly As Intended

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 973 implied HN points • 05 Feb 26

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Imperialism

People split into two camps over the Epstein revelations: reformers who think the system is broken and can be fixed, and revolutionaries who believe the system is working exactly as intended and must be dismantled.
The abuses tied to Epstein are presented as products of a capitalist, imperial system that protects elites, so real accountability or high-level prosecutions are unlikely under the current institutions.
Genuine change requires popular radical politics and pressure, not mainstream parties, and growing awareness of elite corruption may push more people from wanting reform to demanding systemic overthrow.

On "Leftists" And "Anarchists" Who Cheer For Regime Change In Iran

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 1858 implied HN points • 15 Jan 26

🌍 World Politics Imperialism

When leftists or anarchists cheer the fall of governments targeted by the US, they risk supporting the same agendas as the US State Department and undermining their anti-imperial stance.
The US-centered western empire uses war, sanctions, coups, and bases to dominate the globe, so a simple "tyranny bad" view misses how resistant states hold power partly to block imperial interference.
Toppling an authoritarian state without a ready revolutionary vanguard usually creates a power vacuum that the strongest, often US-backed, faction will fill, which can expand imperial control rather than bring real freedom.

You Can't Cheer For Regime Change In Iran Without Also Cheering For The US Empire

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 1932 implied HN points • 11 Jan 26

🌍 World Politics Imperialism

US and allied actions like crushing sanctions and covert meddling have been used to weaken Iran by hurting ordinary people, which fuels unrest and can function as engineered pressure for regime change.
Backing regime change in Iran effectively helps the US-centered imperial project, so opposing state violence while cheering for regime change is inconsistent and ultimately strengthens a more powerful, abusive actor.
What’s needed is to weaken that western imperial power rather than topple its enemies into the empire’s hands, because real freedom depends on dismantling centralized global domination, not expanding it.

The Imperial Murder Machine Is In A State Of Hyperactivity

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 1872 implied HN points • 12 Jan 26

🌍 World Politics Imperialism

The US imperial apparatus is unusually active, launching or backing military operations and interventions across the Middle East, Ukraine, and Latin America.
This surge of aggressive moves suggests the empire still holds significant power and is rapidly consolidating influence rather than fading away.
The counter is popular awakening and collective action; people need to break through propaganda and use their numbers to resist and limit imperial power.

We're Always Told That Everyone In The Empire-Targeted Nation Hates Their Government

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 1830 implied HN points • 13 Jan 26

🌍 World Politics Imperialism

People in countries targeted for regime change are not a political monolith; there are always diverse opinions about their government.
Talk about bringing “democracy” or “freedom” is often used as a pretext to justify intervention and install puppet regimes that serve imperial interests.
When westerners cheer for foreign regime change they can feed propaganda and enable military action, so outsiders should avoid pushing intervention and let the people in that country decide their future.

Imperial Boomerang

The Chris Hedges Report • 848 implied HN points • 25 Jan 26

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Imperialism

Tactics of militarized force used abroad are being turned inward and used against people at home. This creates a domestic climate of state terror similar to war zones.
Much of society tolerated or celebrated these brutal methods when they targeted foreigners or marginalized groups. That complicity made it easier for the same tactics to be deployed domestically.
Systems of surveillance, impunity, and militarized policing were perfected on occupied and demonized populations and are now ready for broad use. That means ordinary people can face the same lethal, arbitrary force once reserved for others.

No, You Are Not on Indigenous Land

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 3042 implied HN points • 26 Nov 25

💾 History Imperialism

Territory is made and enforced by institutions and force, not by racial identity, and most land has been taken and retaken through conquest.
Restoring land to the most recent pre-state occupants wouldn’t return it to some original people, because earlier groups also displaced others in turn.
Claiming perpetual ownership based on being the first human to occupy a place is philosophically weak and would unfairly consign many peoples to permanent dispossession.

Grand Illusion

The Chris Hedges Report • 1183 implied HN points • 08 Jan 26

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Imperialism

Declining empires turn to war and the worship of strength, believing violence can restore past greatness, but that obsession ultimately demands self-sacrifice and destroys the empire.
Leaders who prefer force over diplomacy gut institutions of soft power and staff key posts with cronies, leaving the country unable to understand others or manage complex alliances.
Constant militarism and imperial overreach erode domestic democracy and invite international blowback, risking isolation, backlash, and eventual collapse.

New Issue Of JOHNSTONE: The Empire Stole Venezuela

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

🌍 World Politics Imperialism

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.

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

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

🌍 World Politics Imperialism

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 Imperialism

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.

America the Rogue State

The Chris Hedges Report • 689 implied HN points • 05 Jan 26

🌍 World Politics Imperialism

America’s democratic checks and balances are collapsing as power concentrates in the executive and corporate interests, sidelining Congress, courts, and diplomacy.
U.S. foreign policy increasingly relies on lawless military interventions and covert actions for strategic and economic gain, producing disasters in countries from Venezuela to Iraq and Libya.
A corporate-controlled media, money-soaked elections, and expanding police and surveillance powers at home suppress dissent, enrich elites, and strip protections for people and the environment.

American Will: The Panama Canal

Kvetch • 168 implied HN points • 14 Feb 26

💾 History Imperialism

The canal was an unprecedented engineering achievement: builders created Gatun Lake, massive locks, and moved staggering amounts of earth and concrete to connect two oceans.
Defeating disease was decisive: eradicating yellow fever by eliminating mosquito breeding made large-scale construction possible and saved thousands of workers.
Political power and human toil made the project happen: U.S. intervention secured control of the zone, and a vast, multinational workforce labored under harsh, often deadly conditions to build the canal.

New Issue Of JOHNSTONE: Secretary Of Perpetual War

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 754 implied HN points • 07 Dec 25

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Imperialism

The US military is portrayed as a Department of Perpetual War that rarely defends the country and instead uses pretexts like “narco terrorists” to justify aggressive interventions and alleged extrajudicial killings, with a recent scandal and mocking meme exposing that hypocrisy.
The newsletter attacks institutions like the empire, mainstream media, AI companies, and capitalism for making things worse and eroding truth. It also criticizes Israeli policies and warns that people’s mental sovereignty is under threat.
Readers are urged not to wait for leaders to save humanity but to resist imperialism and take responsibility for change. The publication is reader-funded, freely shareable, and collects many essays on geopolitics, AI, and social critique.

The Ontological Incoherence of American Imperial Exceptionalism

imetatronink • 4736 implied HN points • 24 Feb 23

🌍 World Politics Imperialism

The discussion critiques American exceptionalism and its impact on geopolitical narratives.
The argument highlights the miscalculations and failures of US/NATO strategies in the conflict with Russia.
The analysis points to the escalating risk of a nuclear conflict and the need for a diplomatic off-ramp.

The Fictional Mental Illness That Only Affects Enemies Of The Western Empire

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 2631 implied HN points • 27 Jun 25

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Imperialism

There is a narrative that makes it seem like only enemies of the West are irrational or crazy. This story portrays them as dangerous just because they oppose the US.
In reality, the US and its allies are often the ones causing conflicts, while countries labeled as 'crazy' are reacting to aggression. This power dynamic is often overlooked.
People who challenge this mainstream view may find themselves dismissed as conspiracy theorists, even though questioning these narratives is important for understanding global issues.

Imperial Hypocrisy About "Terrorism" Hits Its Most Absurd Point Yet

Caitlin’s Newsletter • 2253 implied HN points • 08 Jul 25

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Imperialism

The US has removed a Syrian group linked to Al Qaeda from its terrorist list after they aligned with US interests. This shows how ‘terrorism’ labels can change based on political convenience.
In contrast, a nonviolent activist group in the UK, Palestine Action, was labeled as a terrorist organization for protesting against military actions. This highlights a double standard in what actions are deemed terrorist.
The text argues that ‘terrorist’ simply means anyone who opposes the interests of powerful nations, showing the inconsistent definitions of terrorism based on political needs.

Putin debunks Tucker Carlson's warmongering anti-China propaganda, mocks his CIA ties

Geopolitical Economy Report • 1455 implied HN points • 10 Feb 24

🌍 World Politics Imperialism

Putin criticized Tucker Carlson's anti-China rhetoric and CIA ties, highlighting China's peaceful cooperation philosophy.
Geopolitical strategies that try to separate Russia and China have been endorsed by both Republicans and far-right leaders in Europe.
Tucker Carlson's past as a neoconservative and CIA applicant contrasts with his present-day populist image and anti-China stance.

Complete Disregard for International Law (MOATS w/ George Galloway)

The Chris Hedges Report • 167 implied HN points • 06 Jan 26

🌍 World Politics Imperialism

There is a complete disregard for international law in recent military interventions and foreign actions.
Those interventions are argued to be motivated by the seizure of vast oil reserves rather than legitimate legal or humanitarian reasons.
Independent commentators and reader-supported outlets are highlighting and criticizing this pattern, urging the public to recognize resource-driven motives.