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Global Chaos—Breaking Down Trump's Moves on Venezuela, Iran, and Greenland | Silk and Steel

2026-01-16
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The first weeks of 2026 have seen a whirlwind of US foreign policy actions.

In this urgent episode of the Silk and Steel Podcast, host Carl Zha is joined once more by Dr. Warwick Powell, an expert on international relations and China, to dissect the Trump administration's aggressive moves against Venezuela, Iran, and Greenland. These actions are explicitly framed as efforts to "clip China's wings," but what are the real motives and likely outcomes?

We analyze the strategic logic, the cartoonish worldview driving Washington's decisions, and what China's calm, long-game response means for the future of global power.

📚 Relevant Links:Subscribe to the Silk and Steel Podcast for more analysis.

Follow Carl Zha for host perspectives.

Dr. Powell's Substack (for in-depth analysis): warwickpal.substack.com

Dr. Powell on X (for commentary): @baoshaoshan


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00:00 - Introduction & Overview of a Chaotic Start to 2026

02:10 - Framing the Strategy: US "Global Primacy" vs. New Realities

04:55 - The "Cartoonish" Worldview in Washington & The Venezuela Oil Myth

07:02 - Why China & Russia Won't Militarily Intervene: Strategic Patience vs. Knee-Jerk Reactions

11:25 - The Power of Non-Interference: China's Soft Power & Economic Leverage

15:05 - Debunking the "Reverse Domino Theory": The Nuclear Reality

16:40 - The Spoiler Playbook: How a Declining Hegemon Tries to Divide & Conquer

20:55 - "China Builds, US Bombs": Can a Spoiler Strategy Actually Work?

23:40 - The Achilles' Heel: US Military Dependency on Chinese Supply Chains

27:10 - The Greenland Grab: Trophy, Resources, or Message to Europe?

33:45 - Iran Deep Dive: Regime Change on the Cheap? Starlink, Currency Wars & Failed Protests

40:30 - The 25% Tariff Threat: Frustration, Bluster, and Unintended Consequences

45:05 - America's Economic Malaise: The "Politics of Nostalgia" vs. 21st-Century Realities

52:55 - Outlook for 2026: Domestic Politics, Midterm Elections, and More Messiness

57:15 - China's Unflappable Long-Game & The Inevitable Forces of a Multipolar World

01:01:35 - Final Thoughts & Where to Find Dr. Warwick Powell

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