Going Underground Hosted by Afshin Rattansi

On this episode of Going Underground, we speak to former Director of Shin Bet Admiral Ami Ayalon. He discusses why Israel’s wars against Palestinians and the Arabs are wars that Israel wants, why the perpetual war will hasten the end of the Zionist project, why he supposed the JCPOA nuclear deal in opposition to Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli government, the failures and shameful actions of Benjamin Netanyahu from Gaza to Lebanon to Iran, Israel’s financial support for Hamas prior to 2023, why he feels Israel does not understand its enemy: the Palestinian people, why the US-Israeli war on Iran has brought Iran closer to making the decision to build a nuclear weapon, Israel’s treatment of whistleblower of Mordechai Vanunu who exposed Israel’s nuclear weapons programme, why Israel has never been attacked by Al Qaeda or ISIS, and much more.

On this episode of Going Underground, we speak to former Israeli negotiator Daniel Levy. He discusses the state of the Trump-Netanyahu relationship as the Iran quagmire deepens and why the frustrations haven’t made a difference to US foreign policy, the Israel-Lebanon deal and how it overwhelmingly favours of Israel, the reasons for the failures of the US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding, why Israel has not gotten involved in the resumed war on the Iran so far, J.D. Vance’s political calculations behind his recent comments against Israel, how Israel is trying to strengthening its regional ambitions using up American power as the unipolar world ends, the unpopularity of the war on Iran in the United States, and much more. Chapters (00:00:00) - Going Underground(00:01:37) - The state of the US-Israel relationship(00:04:24) - Israel's role in the Lebanon deal(00:07:08) - Afshin: On the MoU(00:13:24) - Daniel Levy on JD Vance's Comment on Israel's Plans for Iran(00:23:23) - Daniel Levy: Can Iran Continue Without America?

On this episode of Going Underground, we speak to Doug Bandow. Former Special Assistant to Ronald Reagan and Senior Fellow at the Cato Institute. He discusses the risk of a global Great Depression following the resumption of the war on Iran and the looming prospect of a catastrophic energy shock in the US, why Donald Trump knows he must end the war on Iran quickly, whether the echo chamber of neocons around Trump can tell Trump he made a mistake by starting the war, the Gulf States’ view of the war on Iran and their defence against Iranian capabilities, whether Iran could already have a nuclear weapon, Trump’s potential pivot to Ukraine as the NATO-Russia proxy war continues to escalate, and much more. Chapters (00:00:00) - Going Underground: Trump's Threats to Iran, and More(00:01:11) - Do Trump Realize He Lost the Iran War?(00:08:24) - Trump on Iran's Military Tactic(00:13:10) - Iran Has a Nuclear Weapon(00:15:04) - Sen. Ron Johnson: Congress should veto spending for war in Iran(00:17:02) - Putin Has Been Waiting for an America-Russia Deal(00:22:03) - Trump's Approach to China(00:24:22) - Going Underground

On this episode of Going Underground, we speak to Col. Lawrence Wilkerson. He discusses Trump’s war on Iran being part of Washington’s conflict against China, the transformation of the US military into a mercenary military as most armed forces service people don’t know why they are fighting Iran, the propaganda for US military-industrial complex companies and their ineffective weaponry, Iran’s ultimate leverage being the Strait of Hormuz and their nuclear program, the world sleepwalking into a potential nuclear war over Iran, the psychological warfare campaign in the Russia-NATO proxy war in Ukraine, the US’ flagrant violations of international law and the possibility of either a civil war or coup d’état in the United States leading up to the midterms, China’s concern over a direct war against the US as Washington’s empire continues to decline, the sidelining of the Palestinian issue and the Gaza genocide as the world focuses on the US-Israeli war on Iran, and much more. Chapters (00:00:00) - Going Undercover: Washington's Crackdown on Iran(00:01:37) - Lawrence Wilkerson on Trump's War on Iran(00:07:41) - Rtx, Lockheed Martin on the Iran Strike(00:10:08) - Former Chief of Staff at the US State Department on the Patriots(00:13:37) - Colonel Powell on Iran's Nuclear Program(00:21:40) - Trump's War on the First Amendment(00:23:44) - Trump on Saudi Arabia, China(00:26:00) - Former Presidential Special Assistant Larry Wilkerson on Israel and the Palestinians

On this episode of Going Underground, we speak to CMSGT. Dennis Fritz, Former Principal Advisor to Richard Myers, who became Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He discusses why he believes the US-Iran MoU will be torpedoed by Donald Trump’s negotiation tactics and the influence of Israel, the possibility of an Israeli false flag to drag the US back into the unpopular war against Iran, why he believes some of the attacks on GCC countries were carried out by Israel as false flags to frame Iran, the amount of influence Israel has over the Pentagon now under Pete Hegseth and the Trump Administration, whether there is a risk of Israel assassinating Donald Trump in the ultimate false flag attack, Donald Trump’s potential pivot to Ukraine and whether he would be successful in negotiating a peace deal, his surprise at Vladimir Putin allowing the Ukraine proxy war to go on for so long without a decisive victory, and much more. Chapters (00:00:00) - Trump's Secret War on Iran(00:01:14) - Chief Master Sergeant Dennis Fritz on Deadly Betrayal(00:02:40) - Dennis Fritz: MoU was done in good faith(00:11:42) - Chief Master Sergeant: Israel Has Influence in the Pentagon(00:14:36) - Israel Could Assassinate Trump(00:20:04) - Putin's War in Ukraine

On this episode of Going Underground, we speak to James Carden, Ex-Asvisor to the US-Russia Bilateral Presidential Commission at the US State Department. He discusses Trump’s remarks at an increasingly fractured NATO Summit and the continuing war on Iran, why he believes that the Trump Administration isn’t serious about ending the Russia-NATO proxy war in Ukraine, why Ukraine’s drone attacks against Russia don’t change the balance of power in the war, the goal of Europe’s leaders and American neocons being the dissolution of Russia and regime change, Russia’s mistakes since the 2014 Maidan Coup, the team surrounding Trump believing the Ukraine proxy war should be continued, the window of opportunity for the Ukraine proxy war to be ended closing by the day, why the US must use NATO as leverage to force Europe to abandon its hawkishness towards Russia, why he believes Trump’s threats to leave NATO are an act, the US-Israeli war on Iran being intrinsically linked to the Greater Israel project, and much more. Chapters (00:00:00) - NATO's 77th Annual Summit(00:01:47) - President Trump at the NATO summit(00:14:04) - James Carden on Trump's Failure to Get Rid of the Ne(00:26:28) - Going Underground: Hillary Clinton Could Run for President in 2028

On this episode of Going Underground, we speak to Former UK Defence Secretary Rt. Hon. Tobias Ellwood. He discusses the resignation of UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer who became the 7th UK Prime Minister to resign in 10 years, his belief that Trump had no strategy in the war on Iran, Donald Trump’s disengagement from its European allies and why Trump won nothing in Iran, why Iran may now logically seek a nuclear deterrent, his perspective on the UK’s role in the Gaza genocide and the use of RAF Akrotiri, how Netanyahu has fuelled regional insecurity with ‘war for the sake of war’, the UAE’s close relations with Russia and Vladimir Putin which goes against the UK’s view that Russia is a ‘pariah nation’, and whether Western Europe is isolated as BRICS+ continues building a multipolar world. Chapters (00:00:00) - NATO summit(00:01:45) - Keir Starmer's unpopularity in Britain(00:09:06) - Iran Should Have Nuclear Weapons(00:10:22) - Tobias Elwood on the UK's Role in the Gaza(00:14:45) - UK Defence Committee member and former UK Minister for the Middle East on(00:18:27) - Why is Britain supporting Ukraine?(00:24:28) - Going Underground

On this episode of New Order, we speak to the Former Chief of India’s Research & Analysis Wing Vikram Sood. He discusses why Prime Minister Narendra Modi isn’t personally attending the funeral of Ayatollah Khamenei, Trump’s potential pivot to Ukraine after the war on Iran and whether India is in a better position to deal with threats from the Trump Administration, why Russia, China and India working together could be a formidable power bloc and send a powerful message to the world, the internal and external pressures India faces, the weaponisation of human rights by the West and the importance of soft power for India such as film and culture, the importance of the Chabahar Port in Iran for India’s national security, and much more.  Finally, New Order’s Zarah Khan asks questions from you the viewers to Afshin Rattansi. You can send in your questions to be answered to @AfshinRattansi on X to be answered on next week’s episode!

On this episode of Going Underground, we speak to Dennis Kucinich, former veteran Congressman and former Mayor of Cleveland, Ohio. He discusses the significance of the 250th Anniversary of the US’ independence, why the Democrats may not seek Donald Trump’s impeachment after the midterms, the integration of the US & Israeli military in terms of cooperation and technology and the increased risk of war, his heartbreak over the Minab Girls School bombing by the US and the disastrous war on Iran, J.D. Vance and Marco Rubio’s positioning on the Iran war heading into the midterms and 2028, Trump’s strategy of negotiations with Iran and Russia and the use of continuous threats, the risk of a wider war in Europe as the Ukraine proxy war escalates, the state of the American economy for the US’ working classes, and much more.

On this episode of Going Underground, we speak to Max Blumenthal, Editor in Chief of The Grayzone. He discusses how Mossad will seek to sabotage the US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding, Israel’s failures in Iran proving that Israel cannot achieve its objectives without US firepower, how the liberal NGOs manufactured the consent for Trump’s ‘Operation Epic Fury’ against Iran and how Israel & the US manufactured the conditions for the January protests, why he believes the Memorandum of Understanding will fail and the Strait of Hormuz will not remain open, why more repression is coming both at home in the USA and abroad, the fight against AIPAC-sponsored politicians and the Israel lobby, why Donald Trump increasingly feels used by Israel, the prospect of a new third-party rising from the MAGA civil war, whether Donald Trump will pivot back to the Ukraine proxy war, and much more.

On this episode of Going Underground, we speak to Vice Admiral Robert Harward, Former Deputy Commander of US CENTCOM. He discusses President Trump’s axing of the National Security Adviser job and the power of the National Security Council, whether he believes Iran will comply with the conditions of the Memorandum of Understanding signed with the USA, whether the Iranian population increasingly believe that Iran must have nuclear weapons to deter Israel, his response to Afshin Rattansi’s challenge that Israel maintains it was behind the protests in Iran in January, why the GCC countries are beginning talks for their own new agreements with Iran, whether the US’ inability to carry out regime change in Iran is due to Iran’s military power or the US’ lack of political will, his response to Afshin Rattansi’s challenge on how the US would act if Russia interfered the same way in Mexico as the US did in Ukraine since 2014, and much more. Chapters (00:00:00) - Trump: Must Deal with Iran Through Force(00:01:20) - Robert Harwood on Why He Didn't Replace Mike Flynn as Trump(00:04:57) - Bolton on Iran's Nuclear Program(00:13:44) - John Harwood: Why Doesn't the United States Make Friends with(00:19:47) - President Trump on Russia's Threats to Ukraine(00:26:24) - Vice Admiral Robert Howard on Iran Nuclear Deal

On this episode of Going Underground, we speak to former Israeli Intelligence Officer Ari Ben-Menashe. He discusses the US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding signed by Donald Trump and the history of Israeli leaders sabotaging US deals with Iran, why Israel urgently needs its own deal with Iran, his belief that Donald Trump is in danger from Israel and elements in the US after making a deal with Iran to remove the US from the war, why he believes Trump has done the right thing for the US by correcting his mistake of starting the war in the first place, why Netanyahu’s next war may be with Ansar Allah in Yemen and the prospect of another USS Liberty-style event, the future for Lebanon as Israel continues its occupation despite the deal, and much more. Chapters (00:00:11) - Going Underground: The Israel Lobby's Role in Trump's Defeat(00:01:43) - Israel's role in the Iran Deal(00:13:45) - Trump's Life Is in Danger(00:22:10) - Does Netanyahu Want to Start War in Yemen?(00:24:26) - Going Underground

On this episode of Going Underground, we speak to former Prime Minister of Israel Ehud Olmert. He discusses Benjamin Netanyahu’s failures resulting from his persuasion of Trump to start the war on Iran which resulted in a US-Iran deal weaker than the JCPOA, his assertion that Israel committed war crimes in Iran but not genocide, Jewish terrorism by Israeli settlers in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and the Israeli government being to blame, why Israel’s actions in Lebanon do not serve Israel’s interests, Trump’s plan for Syria’s President Al-Sharaa to deal with Hezbollah in Lebanon, Benjamin Netanyahu’s ‘total failures’ ranging from Gaza to Iran and why he believes Netanyahu will resign, his own record in presiding over Operation Cast Lead which saw the deaths of 300 children, and much more. Chapters (00:00:12) - World Refugee Day(00:01:34) - Israel vs Iran(00:10:47) - Former Prime Minister of Israel on Hezbollah(00:14:22) - Former Prime Minister Ehud Olmet on Trump's Syria Policy(00:19:55) - Israel's war crimes in Gaza(00:24:00) - Israel's Source for The Samson Option Says Trump's Life Is in

On this episode of Going Underground, we speak to Prof. Steve Keen, Distinguished Research Fellow at the Institute for Strategy Resilience and Security at UCL. He discusses the severe risk of a global famine as a result of the Strait of Hormuz being shut creating a shortage of petroleum-based fertilisers, Epstein blackmail being one of the reasons for this war despite the disastrous consequences, the financial sector’s ignorance on the true consequences of this war, why a serious financial crisis is now looming for most of the world, the combination of stupidity and blackmail behind Trump launching the war on Iran, the insider trading and corruption leading to massive profits for those close to Trump, why nuclear deterrence remains the only deterrence to attack by the US, the risk of Israel’s Samson Option, why the U.K. and Europe have doubled down on the proxy war against Russia through Ukraine, and much more. Chapters (00:00:00) - Going Undercover: The G7 Summit(00:00:54) - Steve Keane: Famine May Strike 2 Billion People by 2030(00:04:17) - What are the Reasons Why So Many Governments Are Supporting Israel?(00:14:19) - Trump, Jeffrey Epstein(00:17:56) - Going Underground: Iran's Nuclear Deterrence(00:19:24) - Five Scenarios of How This War Will End(00:20:48) - Trump Could Use Nuclear Weapons(00:23:44) - Brexit and the Russia crisis(00:26:41) - Will We See a Rise in Fascism in Western Europe?

On this episode of Going Underground, we speak to Prof. Theodore Postol, Professor Emeritus of Science, Technology and National Security Policy at MIT and former Chief of Naval Operations Adviser at the Pentagon. He discusses the state of Donald Trump’s war on Iran and the pressure on him from the Israel lobby, why this is a war of existential survival for Iran and not a defensive war on the part of the US, the prospect of Donald Trump using nuclear weapons against Iran and why it is impossible for the US and Israel to fully destroy Iran’s nuclear program, Iran’s strategy of remaining on the brink of obtaining nuclear weapons but not crossing the threshold, why Israel is the real nuclear danger in the region as Israel’s military is on the ropes, the prospect of Iran striking Israel’s Dimona nuclear facility, and much more. Chapters (00:00:00) - Going Underground: Iran's Nuclear Program and the War(00:01:35) - Ted Postal on Trump's War on Iran(00:09:52) - Steve Postal on Iran's Nuclear Program(00:14:17) - Does Iran Have Nuclear Weapons?(00:22:15) - Could Iran Hit Dubai With Nuclear Weapons?(00:23:56) - Kiev's Attacks on Nuclear Plants(00:25:36) - Ted Postal on Dimona and the Iranian Nuclear Program

On this episode of Going Underground, we speak to Chen Weihua, former China Daily EU Bureau Chief and Washington Correspondent. He discusses how the US’ hegemony and soft power stands after the war on Iran, Gaza genocide, and kidnapping of Venezuela’s President Maduro, whether US allies will continue remaining vassal states and China’s approach to a changing world, the view that the US-Israeli war on Iran is really a part of the war on China, why China hasn’t acted more forcefully to defend its interests as the US continues its campaign against China, how the US drastically underestimated China’s economic power, and much more. Chapters (00:00:00) - Foreign Correspondent: Israel's War on Iran(00:01:34) - Coming soon: Retired Chinese Journalist Chen Guangxin(00:02:21) - US soft power is declining(00:13:37) - China's support for Iran(00:14:17) - China's Military Opposition to US Hegemony(00:18:24) - DW: Any Country That Hosts a US Military Base(00:20:18) - China's reliance on foreign markets(00:25:20) - G7 meets in Evian(00:27:06) - Going Underground

On this episode of Going Underground, we speak to Prof. Steve Hanke, Professor of Applied Economics at Johns Hopkins University. He discusses why Russia continues to be a winner economically as the Strait of Hormuz remains shut after the US-Israeli war on Iran, the looming full ramifications of the energy crisis that will hit in August resulting in skyrocketing energy prices, why Europe must lift sanctions on Russia to escape the dire economic situation, why the US and Israel’s miscalculations in launching a war on Iran mean that Hormuz will remain shut, his predictions for the global economy this year as the economic crisis deepens, and much more. Chapters (00:00:00) - Going Undercover: The St. Petersburg Economic Forum(00:02:02) - Russia's strong ruble(00:05:33) - Oil Prices: Physical vs. Paper(00:14:31) - What Should Europe Do About Sanctions?(00:18:35) - Iran is like Muhammad Ali(00:22:53) - Growth outlook for the global economy(00:25:05) - Keynesian Militarism

On this episode of Going Underground, we speak to Prof. Zhang Weiwei, Director of Fudan University’s China Institute and former Translator for Chinese Paramount Leader Deng Xiaoping. He discusses China’s current attitude to the Trump Administration amid the war on Iran, how China acted over decades to lessen the impact of the US’ attempts to control China’s access to energy via the war on Iran and regime change in Venezuela, why China is winning in the tech and trade race against the US, China’s position on the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, China’s limitation of rare earth exports to the US for military purposes, China’s decoupling from the US in trade and treasury bill holdings, the low quality of the leadership in Europe and the United States, Russia as a ‘revolutionary’ against the US unipolar order whereas China is a ‘reformer’ of the world order, why tech billionaires such as Elon Musk and Apple CEO Tim Cook joined Trump in visiting Beijing, and much more. Chapters (00:00:00) - Going Undercover(00:01:17) - Trump's visit to China(00:11:22) - China's stance on the Strait of Hormuz(00:13:08) - China's Role in the US-Iran War(00:18:45) - Putin on China and the United Nations

On this episode of Going Underground, we speak to Prof. Paul Craig Roberts, former US Assistant Treasury Secretary for Economic Policy. He discusses why he believes Iran has prevailed in the US-Israeli war on Iran but made a mistake in agreeing to a ceasefire, why Iran’s ‘restraint’ against the hegemonic powers of the US and Israel is a flaw in their strategy, 9/11 as the US’ Pearl Harbour to wage war in support of the Greater Israel Agenda, why Trump and Netanyahu suffered humiliation by Iran in this war, the need for the Muslim world to confront the Greater Israel plan, why Israel’s Dimona serves as Iran’s nuclear weapon and the possibility of Israel using nukes against Iran, Russia’s strategic blunders in the Ukraine proxy war, and much more. Chapters (00:00:11) - Paul Craig Roberts on Iran's Sanctions(00:01:32) - Paul Krugman on the Iran War(00:14:23) - Paul Craig Roberts: The Danger of Israel Using Nuclear Weapons(00:22:14) - Israel and the Iranian threat(00:23:43) - Paul Craig Roberts on Putin's Never Ending War

On this episode of Going Underground, we speak to Dr. Dmitri Trenin, Member of Russia’s Foreign and Defence Policy Council and former Director of the Carnegie Moscow Center. He discusses the significance of Victory Day amid the NATO-Russia proxy war in Ukraine, what ‘victory’ looks like for Russia in Ukraine and why it is likely to be a long war, whether Russia has failed to seize the opportunities presented by a Trump Presidency and Russia’s reasons for showing restraint, Europe’s increasing involvement in the proxy war, Europe’s use of hostility towards Russia to consolidate itself, why Trump has been powerless to end the war, China’s changing attitude to dealing with the US and why Trump is seeking a pause in the conflict with Beijing, and much more. Chapters (00:00:00) - Russia celebrates Victory Day 2019(00:01:40) - Putin on Russia's War in Europe(00:14:49) - Putin's Plan to End the Ukraine War(00:28:01) - Going Undercover: Trump's Wars of Aggression

On this episode of Going Underground, we speak to David Pyne, Deputy Executive Director of the US Taskforce on National and Homeland Security. He discusses Donald Trump’s war on Iran being a war based of lies for the Greater Israel project, the prospect of thousands of US soldiers dying in a ground invasion of Iran, Trump’s behaviour as an Israeli vassal, why he believes many in the Gulf States are angry at the US for the destabilisation caused by the war on Iran and the prioritisation of defending Israel, the extent of the damage against US bases in the Middle East, the most recent assassination attempt against Donald Trump, why this war shows the necessity for the US to end its security relationship with Israel, the future of the US military’s presence in Western European NATO and the state of the Ukraine proxy war, and much more.

On this episode of Going Underground, we speak to Master Sgt. Wes Bryant Pentagon Whistleblower and Former Branch Chief of the Pentagon’s Civilian Protection Center of Excellence. He discusses Pete Hegseth shutting down the department he worked for and the ‘revelling in death and destruction’ as civilians are killed and injured in Iran, the US’ bombing of civilian infrastructure and Trump’s threats to destroy the entire Iranian civilisation, the dramatic departure from targeting assessment protocol under the second Trump Administration, the extreme Christian nationalism and Zionism behind Pete Hegseth’s and Donald Trump’s support to the hilt of Israel, the Pentagon’s conduct during the Gaza genocide under the Biden Administration, the allegation that the civilian protection centre was a PR cover for US war crimes, Israel’s dropping of landmines in Iran, and much more.

On this episode of Going Underground, we speak to Victor Gao, President of the Center for China and Globalisation. He discusses the rumours of China providing satellite data and weaponry to Iran as it fights the US and Israel, China’s support for Iran and why it hasn’t provided weaponry, China’s role in mediating between the US and Iran, Donald Trump’s coming state visit to China amid the war crimes committed by his administration, the possibility of a US-China war and the possible catastrophic consequences, why 2026 marks the beginning of the end of Pax Americana, China’s gradual reduction of its holdings of US Treasury Bonds, why oil will be increasingly traded in Chinese Yuan, his advice for Iran and the Gulf States, and much more.

On this episode of Going Underground, we speak to Daniel Levy, former Israeli Peace Negotiator at the Oslo & Taba Talks. He discusses the threats of Israel’s Defence Minister Katz threatening to kill the rest of the Khamenei family, the Greater Israel Plan for regional hegemony not just territorial expansion, Israel’s horrifying end goal in Iran, Israel’s deliberate plan to drag the Gulf States into the battlefield of the war on Iran, the next target after Iran for Israel being Türkiye and the plan for total hegemony over the region, Israel being in a ‘use it or lose it’ mentality with its alliance with the USA, how Israeli impunity over Gaza fuelled Israel into dragging Donald Trump into a war on Iran, whether Israel will use nuclear weapons to create its hegemony, and much more. Chapters (00:00:00) - Going Undercover: The Israel-Palestine Conflict(00:01:21) - Israel's plan to destroy Iran(00:06:45) - Mike Huckabee on Israel's Plans to Reshape the Middle East(00:10:43) - Israel's Rise to Territorial Expansion(00:14:35) - President of the US Middle East Project Discusses Israel's Greater Israel(00:23:16) - Israel's Wars of Aggression

On this episode of Going Underground, we speak to James Webb, Former Senior Foreign Policy Advisor to Robert F. Kennedy Jr and US Marine Corps veteran. He discusses how the Trump Administration’s war on Iran has harmed the US’ reputation around the world, his disgust at assassination of Ayatollah Khamenei by Israel to drag the US further into the war on Iran, the long-standing desire for a war on Iran secured through Israel lobby donations, the systemic breakdown of the US’ political system shown by the war on Iran, US foreign policy clearly reflecting Israel’s interests rather than the interests of the American people, the coming changing of the guard in the Democratic and Republican Party to replace pro-war politicians, how the war on Iran harms US allies and the threat to the position of the dollar as the world’s reserve currency, and much more. Chapters (00:00:00) - Going Undercover: Trump's War on Iran and Lebanon(00:01:06) - In the Middle East, The Trump Military's(00:03:25) - Top US Military Comment on the Assassination of Ayatollah Kham(00:05:28) - Breitbart on Netanyahu and His Influence on Trump(00:13:17) - James Webb on the US Navy's Vulnerability(00:21:01) - Marine Veteran on the Class System(00:25:06) - Top Military Official on Dan Kaine's Resignation(00:28:06) - Going Underground

On this episode of Going Underground, we speak to Retired US Air Force Lieutenant Colonel William J. Astore, Author of ‘American Militarism on Steroids’. He discusses why he asesses that the US is losing its war on Iran, the ballooning US military budget for perpetual war and the decline of US empire, the decline of democracy in America as the US empire’s appetite only continues to grow, Pope Leo XIV’s stance against the war on Iran, why Israel and Netanyahu dragging the US into the war on Iran represents a threat to national security, mainstream media’s coverage of the Ukraine proxy war and Russia’s lack of trust of the US in negotiations, and much more. Chapters (00:00:00) - Iran's National Army Day(00:02:09) - Iran Has Won The War on Iran(00:05:18) - Goldman Sachs: Military Spending is Back with a Vengeance(00:15:02) - Israel Is a Threat to US National Security(00:24:52) - How Will the Military Industrial Complex Respond to Failure in the War?

On this episode of Going Underground, we speak to former Israeli Acting President Avraham Burg. He discusses why the US’ ceasefire with Iran appears to be a divorce between Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu as Iran is the clear winner of the war, why Donald Trump needed the war on Iran to end quickly in contrast to Netanyahu’s needs for the war to be prolonged, Israel’s continuing war against Hezbollah in Lebanon, the impact of the Gaza genocide on the future of the Israeli state and politics, the omission of people who share his views in Israel from media coverage, the allegations that Benjamin Netanyahu is using Jeffrey Epstein blackmail material to drag Donald Trump into wars and control his foreign policy, how the US-Israeli war on Iran will accelerate Iran and other states’ pursuit of nuclear weapons and his call for the entire Middle East, including nuclear-armed Israel, to be a nuclear free zone, and much more. Chapters (00:00:00) - Former President of Israel on US Empire's Declining(00:01:32) - The Power Relationship Between Trump and Netanyahu(00:04:03) - Why Netanyahu wants a war with Iran(00:14:32) - Israel's Netanyahu on Epstein blackmail(00:19:51) - Israel and nuclear weapons in the Middle East(00:22:38) - Trump on Israel's Nuclear Threat(00:28:01) - Going Underground TV

On this episode of Going Underground, we speak to one of the UAE’s most prominent businessmen, Mishal Kanoo, Chairman of the Kanoo Group. He discusses like the headlines of ‘The Dubai Dream is Over’ in the Western press and the motivation for this coverage against the city, the desire among the UAE’s leadership circles for Iran and other neighbours to prosper despite the war, why the Gulf States didn’t retaliate against Iranian strikes against the GCC, his response to Iran’s premise of attacking GCC states for hosting US military bases, Iran’s assertion of control over the Strait of Hormuz and how it affects shipping, the impact of the US-Israeli war on Iran on the real estate sector in Dubai, and much more. Chapters (00:00:00) - Trump's threat to destroy Iran(00:02:33) - Is There a Drive to See Dubai Collapse?(00:11:21) - Iran considers US an easy target(00:13:41) - Why Would Iran Strategically Attack Dubai?(00:15:50) - Does the Strait of Hormuz Conflict Affect Shipping?(00:22:12) - Real Estate in the UAE(00:26:15) - Going Underground: Israel's War Coverage

On this episode of Going Underground, we speak to Sgt. Brian McGinnis, US Senate Candidate for the Green Party in North Carolina, he had his arm broken while being dragged out of a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing while protesting the war on Iran. He discusses how the US military-industrial complex and the Israel lobbyists have bought off US politicians to launch this war for Israel’s interests, the role of the Internet and social media to break through the US government’s propaganda and causing rising anti-war sentiment, Iran’s destruction of US assets in Iraq- a country which he fought in as part of the US invasion and occupation, his personal experience in occupied Palestine seeing the brutality of the Israeli occupation’s settlers and soldiers, his thoughts on War Secretary Pete Hegseth and his conduct in the war on Iran, and much more.  Chapters (00:00:00) - A US Marine Rescued from a Senate Armed Services Committee Hearing(00:05:56) - What Do You Think the Military Is Feeling About Trump's War(00:15:03) - Green Party Candidate for US Senate on Why Hegseth Supports(00:19:42) - Steve Scalise on the Israel Protest in Congress(00:25:31) - Michael Whatley on Israeli Money in the North Carolina Election

On this episode of Going Underground, we speak to Anthony Scaramucci, President Trump’s Former White House Communications Director and Founder of SkyBridge Capital. He discusses whether Donald Trump is losing in his war on Iran and what his likely strategy will be, his belief that the decision-making in the Trump Administration is a ‘council of one’, the Epstein Files and whether the war is a distraction from the damaging revelations, the prospect of US boots on the grounds in Iran, his goals for the war on Iran despite his opposition to the war beginning, Joe Kent’s assertion that the war on Iran is for Israel, whether the war on Iran was part of an effort to save US hegemony, the consequence of de-dollarisation as oil is priced in Chinese yuan, and much more.

On this episode of Going Underground, we speak to Joel Rubin, Barack Obama’s Deputy Assistant Secretary of State. In a heated interview, Afshin Rattansi challenges him on his support for Donald Trump’s and Benjamin Netanyahu’s war on Iran and all of the justifications for it; ranging from Iran’s nuclear program, human rights, ballistic missile program, the failed negotiations with the United States, alleged corruption, and the underlying arguable hypocrisy behind the US’ foreign policy.

On this episode of Going Underground, we speak to Dr. Abdulaziz Sager, Founder and Chairman of the Gulf Research Center. He discusses the anger of the Gulf States against the US and Israel for starting the war on Iran and Iran’s strikes against Gulf civilian and energy facilities, what President Trump meant by Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is ‘fighting with us’, the Gulf’s position on defending their countries’ territory while not joining the war on Iran, the lack of any regional consultation from Washington towards the GCC since the JCPOA, the need for a new security architecture between the GCC and Iran, whether the Gulf States will keep the US bases in the region after the war on Iran, Israel becoming a major threat to Gulf States, how Russia and China can have a bigger role in the region by pursuing deescalation with their close relationship with Iran, and much more.

On this episode of Going Underground, we speak to Brandon Weichert, Senior National Security Editor at 19FortyFive and Author of ‘The Shadow War: Iran’s Quest for Supremacy’. What has been Iran’s strategy of escalation against the US and Israel as it faces continued aerial bombardment? What are the risks of the war on Iran escalating to a nuclear third world war with Israel’s nukes? What does Joe Kent’s resignation over the war on Iran mean for the Trump Administration? Will Donald Trump put US boots on the ground in Iran? Why did Donald Trump pursue a war for Israel? All this and more on this episode of Going Underground.

On this episode of Going Underground, we speak to Habib Al Mulla, Founder of Habib Al Mulla and Partners, and one of the UAE’s most respected legal authorities. He discusses NATO-aligned media’s coverage of Dubai as the US-Israeli war on Iran continues and the motives behind the narratives. He examines the state of international law as the US and Israel attack Iran, while Iran continues attacks on GCC states. He also discusses whether the UAE might join the US-Israel coalition, the GCC’s assertions that US bases are not being used for operations against Iran, and why Iran is targeting civilian infrastructure in the Gulf—along with much more.

On this episode of Going Underground, we speak to the Former Commander of US Central Command (CENTCOM), William Fallon. In a heated interview, Afshin Rattansi challenges him on the justifications for the US-Israel War on Iran, the Minab Girls School strike which killed 175+, the parallels between this war of aggression and the 2003 Iraq War, the regional destabilisation unleashed on the Gulf States by the US-Israeli war, and much more.

On this episode of Going Underground, we speak to Dr. Abdulaziz Alghashian, Senior Non-Resident Fellow at the Gulf International Forum. Can the Gulf States trust the US after it, along with Israel, unleashed destructive regional destabilisation with the war on Iran? Is the US using Gulf States’ bases as Iran claims? How big a threat is the Greater Israel plan to the Gulf States? Can the Gulf States maintain neutrality after the genocide and war on Iran? All this and more on this episode of Going Underground.

On this episode of Going Underground, we speak to Mohammed Baharoon, Director General of the Dubai Public Policy Research Center. What is the situation on the ground in Dubai as Iranian missiles and drones continue to target UAE? What is the state of the GCC’s alliance with the US after it plunged the region into its most destabilising war yet? Why has BRICS disappointingly not stepped up to mediate the crisis? What is the state of the Abraham Accords following the Gaza genocide and Israel’s wars on Iran? Are there any chances for peace and negotiations? All this and more on this episode of Going Underground.

On this episode of Going Underground, we speak to Captain James Fanell, the Former Director of Intelligence and Information Operations at the US Navy's Pacific Fleet. Why did Donald Trump start this unpopular war against Iran? Did Israel drag the US into the war? Is America heading for victory or disaster? Why are the US and Israel targeting schools and hospitals in Iran? All this and more on this episode of Going Underground.

On this episode of Going Underground, we speak to Rt. Hon. Norman Baker, former U.K. Home Office Minister for Crime Prevention and Privy Councillor to King Charles III. How has the Epstein Files scandal’s revelations about Peter Mandelson shaken the political establishment’s power in Britain? How morally bankrupt is Sir Keir Starmer and the political establishment? What was the Royal Family’s role in protecting Prince Andrew from the consequences of his crimes? Will the Epstein Files be the end of the British monarchy? All this and more on this episode of Going Underground.

On this episode of Going Underground, we speak to Uri Bar-Joseph, Prof. Emeritus of International Relations at the University of Haifa. Can Israel survive an all-out Iranian retaliation as Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu prepare a second US-Israeli war on Iran? What are Trump’s and Netanyahu’s real motivations behind a war on Iran? Will Hezbollah join the war? How much damage could Israel suffer? All this and much more on this episode.

On this episode of Going Underground, we speak to Cuba's Ambassador to the United Nations Ernesto Soberon Guzman, amid Donald Trump's unprecedented campaign to strangle the Cuban Revolution by intensifying the blockade. Can Cuba survive the maximum pressure? What now for Cuba with Venezuela now under US control? What measures is Cuba taking against the US cutting off fuel imports to the country? Is Cuba ready for a US military attack? All this and more on this episode of Going Underground.

On this episode of Going Underground, we speak to Prof. Anatol Lieven, Director of the Eurasia Program at the Quincy Institute. He discusses Europe’s self-entrapment over assisting Ukraine as the proxy war against Russia continues, European leaders deliberately lying to their people that Russia will imminently attack Europe and whether their populations believe them, Britain’s unexpected appearance in the Geneva Negotiations to end the Ukraine proxy war, and whether or not Europe is finally returning to a constructive role in international relations. In the second half, he discusses the Western media allegations that Alexei Navalny was poisoned with Ecuadorean dart frog poison, the potential collapse of the Western European ‘Coalition of the Willing’ supporting Ukraine, the collapse of belief in ‘liberal values’ in Western Europe from the Iraq War to Gaza, the farcical claims of the Russian and Chinese threat in the Arctic, and much more.

On this episode of Going Underground, we speak to CIA Veteran Prof. Melvin Goodman. In an at times heated interview, Afshin Rattansi and Prof. Goodman cover the looming US war on Iran and why the focus will be Iranian ballistic missiles, Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza, the Ukraine proxy war and one of the causes being NATO expansion to Russia’s borders, the beginning of a new Russia-China-US nuclear arms race after expiry of the START treaty, the Epstein Files and whether Israel is pressuring Donald Trump via blackmail, the US’ ‘takeover’ of Venezuela and regime change campaign against Cuba, the ‘mediocrity’ of Trump’s cabinet team, and much more.

n this episode of Going Underground, we speak to Alan Eyre, Former Senior Advisor for Iran at the US State Department and the First Persian-Language Spokesperson at the US State Department. He discusses the Trump Administration’s strategic ambiguity and inconsistency towards Iran regarding the nuclear program, missiles and regime change, whether China and Russia will come to Iran’s rescue for economic and military aid, the weakening of the Iranian economy by the US and structural economic problems, Iran’s continued deterrence via hypersonic missiles, whether Iran should pursue nuclear weapons as a deterrent against the US and nuclear-armed Israel, the power of the Israel lobby as the war on Iran looms, Israel’s goal being the annihilation of Iran rather than a US-Iran deal, whether he would advise Trump to use or not to use military action against Iran, and much more.

On this episode of Going Underground, we speak to Dr. Victoria Panova, Head of Russia’s BRICS Expert Council who participated at the World Governments Summit in Dubai, UAE. She discusses the shadow of a US war on Iran hanging over the region, the status of Saudi Arabia’s invitation to join BRICS and Javier Milei’s rejection of BRICS membership for Argentina, the launch of the BRICS New Development Bank as an alternative to the Washington-dominated World Bank and IMF, Brazil’s Lula Da Silva vetoing BRICS membership for Venezuela, the subsequent kidnapping of President Nicolas Maduro and Cilia Flores by Donald Trump and the silence of BRICS and the international community. In the second half, she discusses why Donald Trump believes BRICS is an anti-US bloc, the building of an independent payment system and the use of non-dollar currencies, Trump’s tariff war against BRICS nations, Donald Trump being the ‘best thing’ to happen to BRICS, and much more. 

On this episode of Going Underground, we speak to Former Israeli Intelligence Officer Ari Ben-Menashe about the Epstein Files. He discusses his belief that Israel is holding sensitive information which they would release if they felt Donald Trump was threatening Israel, Jeffrey Epstein’s history of working as a Mossad agent to attain compromising blackmail on Western politicians, his allegations that MI6 is working with Israel amid the revelations about Peter Mandelson in the Epstein Files, the Western media’s claims that Jeffrey Epstein is a Russian agent and Israel being behind the cover-up, his belief that Benjamin Netanyahu would sabotage a US-Iran deal with damaging Epstein material against Trump and other US officials, the previous Israeli policy of supporting Hamas and the turn to destroying Palestinians, his belief that Donald Trump wants Benjamin Netanyahu out of power, the possibility of Israel using nuclear weapons against Iran, former British Prince Andrew’s role as Jeffrey Epstein’s useful idiot, and much more. 

On this episode of Going Underground, we speak to Naaja Nathanielsen, Greenland’s Minister of Business, Mineral Resources & Energy. She discusses the US’ betrayal of Greenland following Donald Trump’s plans to annex Greenland, her policies on banning uranium mining and natural resource extraction, Greenland’s membership of NATO and the accusation that it makes Greenland a target for Russia and China, her view of China as a competitor rather than a potential partner, whether Greenlanders see Trump’s annexation plan as leverage against Denmark to gain full independence, the lower rates of poverty rates in Denmark compared to Greenland and the lack of sovereignty over US bases, Trump’s offer of $100,000 to every Greenlander in exchange for annexation, Denmark’s arming of Israel for the genocide in Gaza, whether the US’ threats over Greenland signal the beginning of the end of NATO, and much more.

On this episode of Going Underground, we speak to CMSGT. Dennis Fritz, Former Advisor to the US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Richard Myers. He discusses the Trump Administration’s crackdown against anti-ICE protesters in Minnesota and how it’s a training ground for repression against the American population, Donald Trump’s threats to annex Greenland and what the motivations are behind his threats, the looming threat of a US-led regime change war against Iran, the US’ failed use of unrest in Iran to bring down the Iranian government which makes war more likely, whether Saudi Arabia and the UAE can dissuade Trump from attacking Iran while the Israel lobby and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are persuading Trump into going to war, whether China will imminently move to reintegrate Taiwan by force, and much more.

On this episode of Going Underground, we speak to Prof. Tuomas Malinen, Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Helsinki and CEO of GnS Economics. He discusses why it is likely President Donald Trump will fail to broker peace in the Ukraine proxy war thanks to the neoconservatives in his administration, the neocon faction’s priority shifting to stopping an alliance between China, Russia, and Europe, the Greenland crisis and whether NATO could actually break up over the crisis, the construction of 15 US bases in Finland since it became a full NATO member, how Georgia was a test for pushing Russia’s red lines in Ukraine, the catastrophic state of the Western European banking sector, the structural fragility of the European Union and the vulnerability of the Euro, the potential re-igniting of the Israel-Iran War and the fears of a Strait of Hormuz closure, the facade being presented of the US’ and Israel’s military power over Venezuela and Iran, and much more.

On this episode of Going Underground, we speak to Renowned Writer, Filmmaker and Activist Tariq Ali. He discusses the mainstream media’s obsession with the World Economic Forum in Davos and why we may be closer to the end of the organisation than we imagine, Donald Trump’s regime change kidnapping of Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro to start 2026, his thoughts on the new Acting President Delcy Rodriguez and the deals being made with Washington over Venezuelan oil, the worsening relationship between Brazil’s President Lula Da Silva and Nicolas Maduro which aided the US’ regime change campaign, the effects of the economic strangulation by the US, UK, and EU on Venezuela’s democracy, Donald Trump’s motivations for setting his sights on Greenland, the state of the Ukraine proxy war following the assassination attempt on Russian President Vladimir Putin, the looming reaction of the Ukrainian far-right groups to a negotiated end of the war, the scale of repression against pro-Palestinian demonstrators in Germany, France and Starmer’s UK, the protests in Iran which have sparked a renewed effort by the US and Israel for a regime change campaign, and much more.