Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more Neutrality Studies Weekly Recap #12 Mar 15 → Mar 21, 2026 Mar 24   READ IN APP   Dear All, I hope you are keeping well—at least as well as one can in these violent times. Last week, I had a lot of conversations with great people, trying to make sense of the chaos being inflicted on West Asia. You will find the videos below. I just want to point out that we are still at a moment when guessing the “real” intentions behind the US/Israeli attack on Iran is as difficult as figuring out the goals of the war coalition. Both—goals and motivations—seem to shift on a daily basis and the communications coming out from Washington are at peak deception levels. At the same time, the war keeps escalating with the US/Israeli side hitting at ever new target categories inside Iran, leading Tehran to very predictably respond in kind toward Israel, US bases, and the allies in the region. In fact, one of my guests, Prof. Marandi, makes the point that this “eye for an eye” approach by Iran will continue until the hostilities completely cease, reparations for Iran are agreed upon, and the US fully withdraws from West Asia. According to him, nothing less will be acceptable to Iran since the constant threat of another attack won’t be tolerated. Oh, and Iran won’t measure its success in terms of promises at the negotiating table, but in the real withdrawal of US troops and equipment. Of course, at the moment, the US still publicly entertains the idea of boots on the ground. Folly! Finally, let me point out that I also spoke to a young Chinese colleague, Mr. Sheng Zhang who gave me some fascinating insights about the way China is approaching the region and why it did not veto that UNSC resolution two weeks ago condemning Iran for aggression against its neighbours—mainly because there are different factions also in China and the relationship with the Gulf monarchies is also important to Beijing. Very interesting. Let’s hope the violence ends soon! Pascal Upgrade to paid America’s Final War | Dr. Arthur Kachikian 14 Mar, 2026 Dr. Arthur Kachikian warns Iran’s war risks regional escalation (Armenia/Azerbaijan), proxy use, and potential boots-on-ground failures reminiscent of Vietnam/Iraq/Afghanistan. He argues U.S. strategy erodes international law and liberal democracy, fuels nuclear proliferation, exposes lobby-driven foreign policy, and underscores urgent need to restore collective-security frameworks. Iran War Reaches India. Escalation Spreading | Kanwal Sibal 14 Mar, 2026 Former Indian Foreign Minister, H.E. Kanwal Sibal, warns the US sinking of an Iranian ship during India’s Milan naval exercise strains India’s delicate balancing act—caught between US/Israel and Iran/Gulf. He foresees prolonged conflict, limited options, strengthens BRICS/multipolarity, and urges India’s multi-alignment to protect interests across the Indian Ocean and global order. Ukraine, Gaza, Iran, and the Collapse of Western Restraint | Prof. Michael Brenner 15 Mar, 2026 Prof. Michael Brenner says the US‑Iran war reflects decades‑long American hegemonic consensus (Wolfowitz doctrine), not just Trump; highlights US‑Israel convergence, Western racism, erosion of restraints, catastrophic costs of sanctions and wars, and argues the Iran campaign lacks coherent planning—risking uncontrollable escalation, even nuclear threats. Upgrade to paid Iran Deception: America’s Real Goals | Prof. David Gibbs 15 Mar, 2026 Prof. David Gibbs argues US post‑Cold War policy seeks new enemies—driven by neoconservative ideology, Israel lobby and Christian Zionism—fueling offensive doctrines (Cheney’s “one percent”) toward Iran. He warns of nuclear risks, Iran’s strategy to expel US influence, geopolitical fallout for Europe/Ukraine, sanctions’ deadly toll, and domestic blowback. Exposed: The Massmurder by US and EU Sanctions | Prof. Reza Majdzadeh 16 Mar, 2026 Prof. Reza Majdzadeh warns US/EU sanctions cause over 550,000 deaths annually by crippling health systems—banking blockades, overcompliance, revenue loss—and failing humanitarian exemptions. He urges monitoring tools, dedicated banking channels, and legal frameworks to assess health impacts and protect civilians from these “silent killings.” Upgrade to paid Iran War Update With Prof Michael Rossi 17 Mar, 2026 Prof. Michael Rossi says decapitation strikes won’t stop Iran’s resilient, prepared system. He argues the U.S.–Israel escalation is prolonged and politically isolating, fuels domestic polarization, harms military recruitment, and risks wider regional spillover—potentially dragging in Gulf states or prompting extreme options. US Gets Smashed. Irrecoverable Losses. Trump/Hegseth Panik | Stanislav Krapivnik 17 Mar, 2026 Stanislav Krapivnik warns the US-Iran conflict has inflicted irrecoverable regional losses, exposing degraded US forces, destroyed infrastructure, and effective Iranian three‑phase strikes (including loitering munitions and satellite intel), aided by Russia/China. He highlights logistical failures, civilian abandonment, economic fallout, and nuclear escalation risks. Zionism’s Biggest MISTAKE In 300 Years. End Of Project. | Profs. J. Sachs & Y. Rabkin 17 Mar, 2026 Professor Jeffrey Sachs and Professor Yaakov Rabkin argue Zionism is a long-term settler‑colonial project split between secular Jewish nationalism and influential Christian Zionism, driven by moneyed lobbies, U.S. evangelical support and arms interests, shifting from socialist roots toward ethnic nationalism, fueling regional violence and Jewish insecurity. Upgrade to paid Ukraine and Iran Wars are Ending 500 Years of Western Empire | Prof. Richard Sakwa 17 Mar, 2026 Prof. Richard Sakwa argues the Russo‑Ukrainian conflict exemplifies “Follies of Empire”: NATO/EU expansion and exclusion of Russia provoked a proxy war that accelerates Western decline. He stresses Russia’s legitimate security concerns, the destruction of Ukrainian neutrality, risks of escalation including nuclear, and urges UN‑centered diplomacy for peace. The Lies of the West Come to Haunt Europe | Prof. Manuel J. Ramos 18 Mar, 2026 Prof. Manuel J. Ramos argues that events become “facts” only through epistemic communities shaping narratives—illustrated by Bucha’s fading amid new Gulf‑war discourses. He critiques Western dualism and hypocrisy, urges self‑reflection on Western violence, and advocates cross‑cultural narrative analysis, bias‑mitigating algorithms, and skeptical, neutral scholarship. China Fools US with Genius Iran Strategy | Sheng Zhang 18 Mar, 2026 Sheng Zhang explains China’s cautious Iran strategy: abstaining at the UN to balance Gulf ties and pro-Iran sympathy, avoiding support for a losing side while covertly sustaining oil trade, tech transfers (drones/decoys), and strategic backing. He sees US military decline, shifting norms on hosting US bases, and growing China‑Russia‑Iran alignment. Upgrade to paid Trump Begs No More Oil Strikes, Larijani Dead, Iran Confident | Prof. S.M. Marandi 19 Mar, 2026 Prof. S.M. Marandi says Israel/US attacks—including Ali Larijani’s killing—strengthen Iranian resolve; Iran’s calibrated symmetric strikes (including on Gulf energy sites) pressured Trump to pledge no further oil-targeting. He demands removal of US strike capabilities from the region, compensation, and third‑party guarantees to prevent future aggression. The US already LOST the Naval War | Commodore Steve Jermy 19 Mar, 2026 Commodore Steve Jermy warns the US has lost naval advantage: Iranian strikes destroyed forward radar, degrading layered air defense; AWACS limited; carriers and bases are vulnerable to ballistic/hypersonic missiles, threatening power projection, Strait of Hormuz closure, global economic fallout, strained alliances, and dangerous escalation risks. Nuclear Power Plant Attack, Oil War Escalation, Restraint Off | Larry C. Johnson 20 Mar, 2026 Larry C. Johnson warns the Israel‑Iran war is escalating after strikes on Bushehr, predicts Iranian retaliation, criticizes bombing campaigns’ limits, highlights Iran’s resilience, underground defenses and missile capabilities, U.S./Israeli logistical limits, Gulf economies’ collapse risk, and foresees a negotiated off‑ramp resembling a revived JCPOA. Upgrade to paid Swiss Colonel EXPOSES Level of US/Israel Strategic Defeat | Col. Jacques Baud 20 Mar, 2026 Colonel Jacques Baud argues Iran’s disciplined, targeted responses have blunted US/Israeli strikes, aiming to expel American forces from the region. He condemns EU extrajudicial sanctions against him, criticizes Western intelligence failures and normative biases, and warns rule‑based policymaking, wasted wars, and poor analysis weaken democratic law and strategic readiness. The Capitalist END of the West: Iran Destroys US Plans | Dr. Radhika Desai 21 Mar, 2026 Dr. Radhika Desai argues the Iran war reflects capitalism’s rent-seeking, imperial decline: Trump miscalculated, risking Strait of Hormuz closure, inflation, and recession. She links neoliberal, finance-driven “Epstein” elites, deindustrialization, and military decay to U.S. impotence, and says multipolarity limits global war escalation.