Scott Ritter Warns of US Economic Collapse, Challenges Western War Narratives
According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, Scott Ritter, a former UN weapons inspector and U.S. Marine Corps intelligence officer, participated in a joint X Spaces program hosted by the Tehran Times and Sputnik. During the discussion, Ritter sounded the alarm on an impending structural collapse of the American economy, which he linked to reckless foreign policies and rising energy expenditures. He further characterized Western war narratives as baseless and highlighted deep-seated weaknesses and vulnerabilities within the military structures of the United States and NATO, warning of the repercussions if current trends persist.
Responding to questions during the forum, Ritter addressed comments made by Donald Trump regarding the conflict in Ukraine. Trump had expressed dissatisfaction with Ukrainian attacks on Russian energy infrastructure, advocating for their cessation due to their impact on global economic stability. When questioned about Trump’s public opposition to these attacks, especially given their alleged support from the CIA and tech giants like Google, Palantir, and Starlink, Ritter noted the difficulty in discerning Trump’s motivations, particularly given Russia’s past assessment of his emotional instability. Ritter highlighted Trump’s intense focus on oil prices as an indicator of U.S. economic health, acknowledging that his own policies contribute to rising fuel costs and consumer expenses. He referenced James Carville’s 1992 observation that the economy is the paramount issue for American voters.
Ritter suggested that Trump possesses limited understanding of the intricacies and objectives of wars, pointing to his administration’s entry into conflict in Iran based on reports from Benjamin Netanyahu and the head of Mossad. He also asserted that Trump previously greenlit CIA pressure against Vladimir Putin without fully grasping the nature of those actions, stating that the CIA has been explicitly training Ukrainian forces for cross-border operations, assassinations, and long-range drone attacks against Russians since 2014. Ritter further cited Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s explicit goal of collapsing the Russian economy by targeting its energy infrastructure, noting that while Trump might derive satisfaction from images of burning Russian refineries, he fails to comprehend the consequences. He explained that Russia’s transition from a major diesel exporter to fulfilling domestic needs and providing for the harvest season, coupled with the Middle East conflict, led to a surge in U.S. diesel prices above $6. Ritter concluded that while Trump may not grasp the details of his policies, he understands the economic fallout, recognizing that high fuel prices could lead to significant midterm election losses for his party.
Regarding the U.S. response to retaliatory actions by Russia against Ukrainian Black Sea ports, railway infrastructure, and storage facilities following Ukrainian attacks on refineries, Ritter asserted that U.S. intelligence assessments closely mirrored Ukrainian intelligence claims of heavy Russian losses and an inability to continue the war. He contended that American analysts merely repeat the preferred narratives of high-ranking officials to secure rewards and promotions, lacking independent analysis. Ritter claimed that American politicians genuinely believed Russia was suffering significant losses, and that Ukrainian drone attacks would trigger an economic collapse in Russia, leading to the formation of a ‘Maidan Moscow’ and a change in Putin’s government before the September 20th parliamentary elections.
However, Ritter stated that subsequent Russian retaliatory actions exposed the falsity of these claims, leading to a silence on the September elections in the West. He described Ukraine as completely bankrupt, unable to pay its soldiers or procure weapons, and warned that the seizure of frozen Russian assets would devastate the European economy. Ritter observed a palpable silence among Washington decision-makers, who he believes lack answers to current realities. He cautioned that if economic pressure and supply chain disruptions hinder American purchasing power and well-being during the Christmas season, voters will hold the incumbent politicians accountable on election day.
Addressing claims about a U.S. agreement with Venezuela for unlimited access to its oil resources, Ritter unequivocally denied their validity. He explained that Venezuelan oil fields have been poorly maintained over the years, requiring extremely costly and time-consuming infrastructure to restart. Ritter characterized this as wishful thinking by American politicians that would not significantly increase oil supply to the market. He also noted that U.S. strategic oil reserves are depleted. Furthermore, he pointed out that Saudi Arabia is becoming a less active producer due to attacks by Yemenis and Iraqi groups and its inability to supply oil to the market, which could lead to severe global energy instability. Ritter dismissed Trump’s intention to leverage Venezuelan oil as a miraculous solution as unrealistic.
On the U.S. economy’s capacity to withstand current economic pressures stemming from ongoing conflicts, Ritter asserted that the United States is attempting to mask its economic instability through excessive money printing and creating a false appearance of stability. He highlighted a soaring budget deficit and bond yields exceeding 5%, imposing a heavy financial burden on national debt. According to economic experts, Ritter predicted an economic crisis in January, suggesting that while the U.S. might be able to sustain the current situation precariously for another period, the collapse of its economic system is inevitable. He also pointed to China’s efforts to establish Yuan-based trade agreements with Persian Gulf Arab nations as further undermining the dollar’s position.
Challenging Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski’s assertion that NATO could achieve decisive air superiority over Russia in a conventional war, Ritter stated that NATO possesses no such advantage. He explained that air superiority requires continuous sorties, aircraft maintenance, fuel and ammunition supply, and command and control. Ritter predicted that all NATO command and control systems would be incapacitated on the first day of combat due to Russia’s advanced electronic warfare capabilities. He argued that NATO has become accustomed to operating over defenseless skies, dropping bombs, but has never been tested against an equal or superior adversary. Ritter cited the operation against Iran, which, after 39 days, failed to inflict a critical blow.
Ritter further elaborated that many NATO aircraft, such as those in Germany, are incapable of taking off due to inadequate maintenance and training. He also mentioned that F-16 aircraft supplied to Ukraine were reportedly worn out and obsolete. Ritter added that NATO faces severe shortages of fuel and ammunition, predicting that fuel depots and ammunition dumps would be destroyed by Russia on the first day, and refueling aircraft would be targeted by long-range interceptor systems. He deemed Sikorski’s claim to be entirely baseless.
When asked about NATO’s missile and drone capabilities compared to Russia, considering traditional air power, Ritter stated that NATO countries like Germany lack indigenous air defense systems. He noted that NATO’s air defense systems were depleted to equip Ukraine and have since been destroyed by Russia. Ritter asserted that Russian drones and missiles alone are capable of darkening European skies and destroying any target. He also mentioned that following the U.S. withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, Russia has deployed Iskander-1000 missiles and longer-range cruise missiles. Ritter believes Russia can utilize its conventional capabilities to destroy all NATO military infrastructure and decision-making centers without resorting to nuclear weapons, noting that Europe would be annihilated in a nuclear exchange while Russia would survive. He emphasized, however, that Russia has no intention of invading NATO, only seeking security and stability.
Addressing the recent claims made in a 60 Minutes interview by a U.S. pilot allegedly rescued after being targeted by Iranian air defenses, Ritter expressed significant doubts about the story’s veracity. He characterized the program as a propaganda effort and a fabricated scenario, collaborated with the U.S. Department of Defense, intended to create a hero. Ritter suggested that following its defeat in the conflict with Iran and withdrawal from its bases, the U.S. desperately needed a public hero. He described it as a genuine defeat where the Iranians demonstrated superior performance, and the narrative presented on 60 Minutes was merely a script read to capture the attention of the American public.
