Toggle sidebar

US launches strikes against Venezuela, captures Maduro

Its On A Slab said:
It sounds like he's whining about the nationalization of the oil fields by countries. The petroleum was mined by those American companies, but they don't OWN the damn oil. Now, if they hadn't compensated the compaines for the technology and machinery, that's one thing. But this jingo crap about our ownership of other countries' resources is just bogus. It's not ours. And if we get American servicemen and servicewomen killed in the process, there needs to be show trials.
Click to expand...

You'd think the world's greatest dealmaker could, you know, make one of his great deals.

He reminds me of the sleazeball manager in "Ernest Saves Christmas" (Marty).
 
  • Like
Reactions: Huckleberry, 92tide and UAH
Its On A Slab said:
It sounds like he's whining about the nationalization of the oil fields by countries. The petroleum was mined by those American companies, but they don't OWN the damn oil. Now, if they hadn't compensated the compaines for the technology and machinery, that's one thing. But this jingo crap about our ownership of other countries' resources is just bogus. It's not ours. And if we get American servicemen and servicewomen killed in the process, there needs to be show trials.
Click to expand...
It is my understanding that around $200 Bil. will be needed to modernize oil infrastructure in Venezuela. China has loaned Venzuela several hundred billion and was being paid back in crude oil. If we fail to honor that it will bite the US badly in other places. How do Trump's friends and benefactors in the Gulf States view the Trump's takeover of a founding OPEC member state in order to increase the supply of oil and drive down prices? We will see!

Much of Venezuela's oil reserves are located in deep Amazonian jungle and swamp. It isn't West Texas! Do we believe there will be a rush by US oil companies to spend hundreds of billions to extract this oil at $50 per barrel? Heck no!

This is Trump playing oil man again and attempting to distract the public from Epstein. There are economics involved that he doesn't comprehend.
 
  • Like
  • Thank You
Reactions: Huckleberry, TIDE-HSV, Its On A Slab and 2 others
crimsonaudio said:
The Russian Buks and S-300VM batteries were also completely neutralized.

Probably some very nervous people in Russia and China right now…
Click to expand...
And for a hell of a lot of reasons. It just occurred to me this morning while I was sipping my coffee and dreading my return to work for the first time in 2 weeks that the rapid changes in Venezuela also just kneecapped BRICS (at least, somewhat.) This will also bear watching.
 
Looking at this from the perspective of previous ops by various actors.
US in Haiti 1994
Russia in Ukraine 2022
US in Venezuela: 2026

Elected president
Haiti: Yes, the US restored the popularly elected president to power.
Ukraine: No. Russia had a Quisling standing by, but no one seriously doubts Zelensky won the more recent presidential election in Ukraine.
Venezuela: Maybe. The US is "cooperating" with Maduro's VP, but there is an elected president standing by.

Fighters?
Haiti: When it comes to fighting, Haitians are sheep. No fight in them at all.
Ukraine: Ukrainians are obviously fighters. Invade Ukraine and expect a fight.
Venezuela: There was evidently some fight in the Venezuelans, but not much. Plus, they got some dodgy gear and had not maintained it.

Resources
Haiti: Haiti has no resources whatsoever.
Ukraine: Ukraine has limited resources. Agricultural products I suppose. Plus transit for Russian oil and gas.
Venezuela: Obviously, Venezuela has oil, but the lack of maintenance over the last decade or two has seen the oil infrastructure decay badly.

Political objectives?
Haiti: Stop Haitians from coming to the US and give the US an excuse to send asylum seekers home.
Ukraine: Get a pro-Kremlin regime in power in Kyiv so Russia will have another buffer state between NATO and Russia proper.
Venezuela: limit Chinese & Russian influence in Venezuela, begin to get Venezuelan oil infrastructure back on line, make sure every world leader tolerating (or conducting) drug trafficking from his territory knows that this behavior comes with very real person risk.

Handover to whatever is next
Haiti: Haiti quickly devolved into what Haiti has been for two centuries, a mess. Now, a fellow named "Barbecue" is the head of state, such as it is.
Ukraine: I suppose Putin thought he could install his pro-Kremlin puppet and then
Venezuela: It appears to me that currently Maduro's VP is the head of state, but I would bet the US has told her to mind her Ps and Qs and hold elections in the near future. This is one place in which UN election poll watchers might be a great assistance. I do not know what US forces will be on the ground to force good behavior. Maduro handed out a alot of AKs to his people, so a lot of American boots on the ground means risk that one of Maduro's people will decide to take a pot-shot at them. No American boots on the ground means no risk, but it also means limited pressure against Maduro's VP to act the way we want her to. A lot of boots on the ground means compliance by the head of state, but it also means more risk of American casualties.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Huckleberry
crimsonaudio said:
Though much smaller and more precise, it reminds me of the US invasion of Panama (for Noriega) in late '89.
Click to expand...
Another case in point.
Get rid of Pineapple Face, hand the keys to the next guy, leave.

Trump's policy toward Panama was also focused on countering Chinese influence. They were getting very cozy in Panama and Trump threatened Panama with invasion and take over of the Canal zone if they didn't escort the Chinese out of the canal zone and the Panamanians probably complied.
 
  • Like
  • Thank You
Reactions: UAH, CrimsonJazz and crimsonaudio
Tidewater said:
Another case in point.
Get rid of Pineapple Face, hand the keys to the next guy, leave.

Trump's policy toward Panama was also focused on countering Chinese influence. They were getting very cozy in Panama and Trump threatened Panama with invasion and take over of the Canal zone if they didn't escort the Chinese out of the canal zone and the Panamanians probably complied.
Click to expand...
Keeping China out of South America seems like good US foreign policy to me.
 
  • Like
  • Emphasis!
Reactions: Moro Creek, UAllday, CrimsonJazz and 1 other person
crimsonaudio said:
THE MEDVEDEV COROLLARY: How 150 Minutes Over Caracas Rewrote the Physics of Global Power and Triggered the Second Nuclear Age

substack.com

THE MEDVEDEV COROLLARY

How 150 Minutes Over Caracas Rewrote the Physics of Global Power and Triggered the Second Nuclear Age
substack.com substack.com
Click to expand...
The capabilities of the US military compared to everyone else is wild. Russia and China simply can't keep up outside of launching nukes.
 
  • Emphasis!
  • Like
Reactions: Moro Creek, crimsonaudio, CrimsonJazz and 1 other person
selmaborntidefan said:
You'd think the world's greatest dealmaker could, you know, make one of his great deals.
Click to expand...

By all accounts - he gave Maduro PLENTY of opportunities to leave.....right up until the day before he was removed by force.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has confirmed speaking with United States President Donald Trump by phone late last month amid a US military buildup that has raised fears of war.

“I spoke to him briefly, just told him a couple of things, and we’ll see what happens with that,” Trump said during a news conference at the White House.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Moro Creek
Bazza said:
By all accounts - he gave Maduro PLENTY of opportunities to leave.....right up until the day before he was removed by force.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has confirmed speaking with United States President Donald Trump by phone late last month amid a US military buildup that has raised fears of war.

“I spoke to him briefly, just told him a couple of things, and we’ll see what happens with that,” Trump said during a news conference at the White House.
Click to expand...
I was in Haiti when we removed Raoul Cedras from power. I was staged in GITMO, and General Colin Powell, President Jimmy Carter and Senator Sam Nunn were in Port-au-Prince trying to talk Cedras into stepping down. During the negotiations, an aide came in and whispered in Cedras' ear that 44 C-130 transports loaded with paratroopers of the 82nd Airborne Division had just taken off from Pope Air Force Base. Cedras looked at Carter and said, "Where do I sign?"

Those boys in the 82nd are effective negotiators.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Huckleberry, AlistarWills, Bazza and 1 other person
Tidewater said:
Another case in point.
Get rid of Pineapple Face, hand the keys to the next guy, leave.

Trump's policy toward Panama was also focused on countering Chinese influence. They were getting very cozy in Panama and Trump threatened Panama with invasion and take over of the Canal zone if they didn't escort the Chinese out of the canal zone and the Panamanians probably complied.
Click to expand...

We seem to have finally comprehended that we need to counter the belt and road initiative. Which is good, we seemed oblivious for some time.
 
  • Like
  • Emphasis!
Reactions: Huckleberry, JDCrimson, crimsonaudio and 1 other person
You must log in or register to reply here.

New Posts

Advertisement

Trending content

Advertisement

Latest threads

Top Bottom
Back