Chagos, Iran and the new era of naked imperialism

This episode of Proletarian Radio dissects the geopolitical and historical dimensions of the Chagos Islands dispute, framing it as a microcosm of modern 'naked imperialism' by the Anglo-American alliance. The host traces the colonial history of the Chagos Islands—from Dutch and French colonization to British annexation in 1814—and details the forced removal of the Chagossian population between 1967 and 1973 to make way for a U.S. military base on Diego Garcia. The episode condemns the 1965 severance of the Chagos from Mauritius as a violation of UN resolutions on decolonization and international law, highlighting the International Court of Justice’s 2019 advisory opinion mandating the UK end its administration of the islands. Despite this, the UK and U.S. have maintained control through a 99-year lease deal, with Britain retaining sovereignty in name while the U.S. operates a strategic superbase. The episode critiques the hypocrisy of Western powers, particularly under Trump and the neoconservative faction led by Marco Rubio, who openly reject international law in favor of military dominance. It argues that the base serves as a cornerstone of U.S. global militarism, enabling operations from the Middle East to the Indo-Pacific, and is central to plans targeting Iran and encircling China. The piece concludes with a radical call for global anti-imperialist solidarity, emphasizing the revolutionary potential of Cuba, Venezuela, and Iran, and urging the British working class to reject imperialist alliances and build internationalist resistance.