As we enter week five of the US-Israeli war on Iran, things are not going as planned for Donald Trump. The US are now stuck and face a position where there are no good options. This enormous blunder will have widespread ramifications long after the war ends.

Today, we are witnessing the relative decline of US imperialism. This crucial subject is outlined in John Peterson’s fantastic book ‘Colossus: The Rise and Decline of US Imperialism’. Here, we reproduce extracts from the book alongside a review from a reader.

As Western imperialism pummels Iran, looking for regime change while promising ‘freedom’, Ryszard Kapuściński’s ‘Shah of Shahs’ – first published in 1982 – provides a valuable insight on the rottenness of the imperialist-backed Pahlavi dynasty, leading to its overthrow.