Donald Trump has launched military action against Venezuela and announced the capture of Nicolás Maduro, its autocratic socialist president.
Overnight, explosions rang across Caracas, with US forces targeting the capital’s sprawling Fuerte Tiuna military base that hosts Venezuela’s army top brass. Further blasts were reported in the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guiara.
The Federal Aviation Authority has barred US commercial planes from flying over Venezuela and cited safety risks associated with “ongoing military activity”.
This intensification of military action is the culmination of his years-long desire to oust Maduro from power. In August 2017, the US president declared that he would not rule out a “military option” to resolve political chaos in Venezuela. Thanks to a countervailing intervention from HR McMaster, the then US national security adviser, and warnings that threats would play into Maduro’s hands, Trump’s bellicose rhetoric did not go a step further.
Nonetheless, Trump saw Maduro’s manufactured victory in the May 2018 presidential elections as another opportunity to pursue regime change in Venezuela. Egged on by John Bolton and Mike Pompeo, Trump joined other Western leaders in recognising opposition leader Juan Guaido as Venezuela’s president in January 2019.
In less than a year, and without any congressional consultation, Trump has attacked Iran, Iraq, Syria, Somalia, Nigeria, Yemen, Venezuela, and probably others I'm not aware of. He has threatened military action against Mexico, Canada, Panama, and Denmark (Greenland), which by proxy is also a threat to NATO and the EU, and likely more which don't immediately come to mind.
Not only has he liberally abused this discretion again and again, missiles seem to pretty much be our baseline diplomatic setting in 2026.
From a purely tactical level, it was something else. But watching it going down last night, the anti-aircraft looked docile. Either it was neutralized before hand or there was an agreement not to resist much.
Maduro is being charged in the US as a drug trafficker. Venezuela is not recognized internationally as a drug trafficking nation. But Peru is. Colombia is. Bolivia is. Mexico is. North Korea is.
We cant go after the Sinaloa cartel, bc they supply the world's biggest junkie with a steady stream and buy more US guns than anyone else. If we take them down, Mexico collapses. They own the police,military and government.
Anyway, he just made his rich buddies and his Maga moron contingent happy. And this is all that really matters.
And yes, the Trumpstein files. Look over here everyone, not here
Chevron in the only US major oil company with a contract with Venezuela it seems... also, I saw a report that the only drug found on the blown up boats was weed.
I'm wondering what Russia's getting out of this deal?
Trump loves licking oil executives' genitals, so that's a factor. He also seems fond of carbon (C), yet another bonus. Then there are those pesky perv files that won't go away. Additionally, he would be happy to split up the globe (think BIG deal) with Russia (bye bye Ukraine) and China (bye bye Taiwan), and we get the most significant oil reserves on the planet and a new foothold(puppet) in South America. Hopefully, he grabs a bunch of island nations, so we have numerous secure vacation spots that don't require a passport, and he mitigates the threat of a commie invasion. I would think Trump, at some point, will figure out a profitable arrangement with the cartels. Snatching up Cuba would be a sound strategic move, too; jeez... cigars, rum, and sugarcane are valid reasons for an invasion. It's all starting to make as much sense as anything else he's done. Heck, it would be nothing to annex that adjacent to Venezuela NW Colombian peninsula for "security reasons" and bring back Santa Marta Gold. So many upsides!
Just heard on NPR that China is the biggest buyer of Venezuela's oil.
MAGAs, who continue to fear immigrants from the south, perhaps don't realize that it was the US who destabilized those countries in the first place, like starting in the 1950s, which increased immigration northward.
Updating my latest post -- actually not the 50s, many years before that, like the 1800s... initially I was thinking of the CIA ops in Guatemala in the 50s. For example, in the mid 1800s, a US gunboat leveled a town in Nicaragua!
I have seen so much speculation as to why we are doing it and if you look at the picture they released from their make shift war room in a country club the thing that was on the screen was Twitter. It's government by and for what will look cool to a select group of people on Twitter. That is it.
There is no strategy. The oil is plentiful but it's shit oil that will cost billions to refine. It's a puny narco state. We replaced Socialist Maduro and the President said the government will now be run by Maduro's Socialist buddies who are all also indicted in the US.
Also the political betting markets saw several large bets from accounts with no history on the removal of Maduro so there is always the grift.
Hmm - Greenland, by virtue of it being a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark,is therefore part of a NATO country. I don't think NATO has a protocol of what to do if one NATO country attacks another.
Could NATO even survive this eventuality as a politically and militarily relevant entity?
Denmark Tells Trump to ‘Stop the Threats’ About Greenland
The Danish prime minister told President Trump to back down after he repeated his threat to acquire Greenland in the wake of the U.S. military raid in Venezuela.
Russian officials indicated in 2019 that the Kremlin would be willing to back off from its support for Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela in exchange for a free hand in Ukraine, according to Fiona Hill, an advisor to President Trump at the time.
The Russians repeatedly floated the idea of a “very strange swap arrangement between Venezuela and Ukraine," Hill said during a congressional hearing in 2019. Her comments surfaced again this week and were shared on social media after the U.S. stealth operation to capture Maduro.
Hill said Russia pushed the idea through articles in Russian media that referenced the Monroe Doctrine — a 19th-century principle in which the U.S. opposed European meddling in the Western Hemisphere and, in return, agreed to stay out of European affairs. It was invoked by Trump to justify the U.S. intervention in Venezuela.
Even though Russian officials never made a formal offer, Moscow's then-ambassador to the United States, Anatoly Antonov, hinted many times to her that Russia was willing to allow the United States to act as it wished in Venezuela if the U.S. did the same for Russia in Europe, Hill told the Associated Press this week.
“Before there was a ‘hint hint, nudge nudge, wink wink, how about doing a deal?' But nobody [in the U.S.] was interested then," Hill said.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Def. High
Donald Trump has launched
From MSN -
Donald Trump has launched military action against Venezuela and announced the capture of Nicolás Maduro, its autocratic socialist president.
Overnight, explosions rang across Caracas, with US forces targeting the capital’s sprawling Fuerte Tiuna military base that hosts Venezuela’s army top brass. Further blasts were reported in the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guiara.
The Federal Aviation Authority has barred US commercial planes from flying over Venezuela and cited safety risks associated with “ongoing military activity”.
This intensification of military action is the culmination of his years-long desire to oust Maduro from power. In August 2017, the US president declared that he would not rule out a “military option” to resolve political chaos in Venezuela. Thanks to a countervailing intervention from HR McMaster, the then US national security adviser, and warnings that threats would play into Maduro’s hands, Trump’s bellicose rhetoric did not go a step further.
Nonetheless, Trump saw Maduro’s manufactured victory in the May 2018 presidential elections as another opportunity to pursue regime change in Venezuela. Egged on by John Bolton and Mike Pompeo, Trump joined other Western leaders in recognising opposition leader Juan Guaido as Venezuela’s president in January 2019.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Strangha
What could go wrong?
What could go wrong?
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: fishcane
Got some new oil fields
Got some new oil fields overnight
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Philzone Refugee
In other news, the
In other news, the administration announced they have seized and rebranded the Banana Republic retail chain as the Trump Banana Republic.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Mice elf
This shit is unhinged
This shit is unhinged
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: TommyGutt
This Is Not A " Drill Baby
This Is Not A " Drill Baby Drill"..
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: fishcane
First Venezuela misses
First Venezuela misses qualifying for the World Cup by one game, then gets bombed by the winner of the FIFA peace prize.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Mice elf
^Yeah, the "anti-war
^Yeah, the "anti-war president "
In less than a year, and without any congressional consultation, Trump has attacked Iran, Iraq, Syria, Somalia, Nigeria, Yemen, Venezuela, and probably others I'm not aware of. He has threatened military action against Mexico, Canada, Panama, and Denmark (Greenland), which by proxy is also a threat to NATO and the EU, and likely more which don't immediately come to mind.
Not only has he liberally abused this discretion again and again, missiles seem to pretty much be our baseline diplomatic setting in 2026.
This is the president of "peace"
Guy is totally insane
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: fishcane
No question imho it's about
No question imho it's about controlling the oil
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: jazfish
The Trumpstein files must
The Trumpstein files must have some jewels about to be released.
Double fuck him but this was an incredible military operation.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Capt. Optissimo 24/7
Why didn't we think of this
Why didn't we think of this sooner?
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Mice elf
>Double fuck him but this was
>Double fuck him but this was an incredible military operation.<
Its basically rendered the S-300 system (and the more general idea of near peer weapons defense in the western hemisphere) extinct.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Lance HTT Newberry
FUCK 2026!!!
FUCK 2026!!!
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: MarkD
He's trying for another
He's trying for another soccer peace prize.
And of course, OIL.
And hey, we hear from Holier Than Thou.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Ken D.
From a purely tactical level,
From a purely tactical level, it was something else. But watching it going down last night, the anti-aircraft looked docile. Either it was neutralized before hand or there was an agreement not to resist much.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: reverend
Maduro is being charged in
Maduro is being charged in the US as a drug trafficker. Venezuela is not recognized internationally as a drug trafficking nation. But Peru is. Colombia is. Bolivia is. Mexico is. North Korea is.
We cant go after the Sinaloa cartel, bc they supply the world's biggest junkie with a steady stream and buy more US guns than anyone else. If we take them down, Mexico collapses. They own the police,military and government.
Anyway, he just made his rich buddies and his Maga moron contingent happy. And this is all that really matters.
And yes, the Trumpstein files. Look over here everyone, not here
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Sun so hot, clouds so low
What's so funny about peace ,
What's so funny about peace , love , and undermining...
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Druba
Chevron in the only US major
Chevron in the only US major oil company with a contract with Venezuela it seems... also, I saw a report that the only drug found on the blown up boats was weed.
I'm wondering what Russia's getting out of this deal?
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Lance HTT Newberry
It's kind of fascinating when
It's kind of fascinating when the President just ignores all laws and protocols and says, "Whatcha' gonna' do about it, BIOTCH?!?"
Well, we're seeing what.
The answer is, nothing?
The only hope is to find a way to stop "them" from controlling the next and all further elections, which is at the center of "their" focus.
Fuck MAGA, otherwise FUCK ALL future years!
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: MeditateontheQ
THIS !
I liked these memes as they support / explain the colonial strategy...
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Capt. Optissimo 24/7
Trump loves licking oil
Trump loves licking oil executives' genitals, so that's a factor. He also seems fond of carbon (C), yet another bonus. Then there are those pesky perv files that won't go away. Additionally, he would be happy to split up the globe (think BIG deal) with Russia (bye bye Ukraine) and China (bye bye Taiwan), and we get the most significant oil reserves on the planet and a new foothold(puppet) in South America. Hopefully, he grabs a bunch of island nations, so we have numerous secure vacation spots that don't require a passport, and he mitigates the threat of a commie invasion. I would think Trump, at some point, will figure out a profitable arrangement with the cartels. Snatching up Cuba would be a sound strategic move, too; jeez... cigars, rum, and sugarcane are valid reasons for an invasion. It's all starting to make as much sense as anything else he's done. Heck, it would be nothing to annex that adjacent to Venezuela NW Colombian peninsula for "security reasons" and bring back Santa Marta Gold. So many upsides!
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Alan R
Eric Trump announces Trump
Eric Trump announces Trump Tower Caracas.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Capt. Optissimo 24/7
Maduro was accepting oil
Maduro was accepting oil payments in currencies other than the dollar. That is no small
matter. It chips away at the dollar's value and our influence globally.
Sounds like Trump is servicing notice he's not afraid to ruffle feathers, take action elsewhere too.
This is bound to get more interesting.
.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: intentionally blank
> take action elsewhere too
> take action elsewhere too
Next stop, Greenland.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: MeditateontheQ
Extractive imperialism at its
Extractive imperialism at its finest.
Just heard on NPR that China is the biggest buyer of Venezuela's oil.
MAGAs, who continue to fear immigrants from the south, perhaps don't realize that it was the US who destabilized those countries in the first place, like starting in the 1950s, which increased immigration northward.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: intentionally blank
(No subject)
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Briank
But now there'll be no more
But now there'll be no more cocaine in the US. Suuuure....
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: MeditateontheQ
Updating my latest post --
Updating my latest post -- actually not the 50s, many years before that, like the 1800s... initially I was thinking of the CIA ops in Guatemala in the 50s. For example, in the mid 1800s, a US gunboat leveled a town in Nicaragua!
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: El Nino
I have seen so much
I have seen so much speculation as to why we are doing it and if you look at the picture they released from their make shift war room in a country club the thing that was on the screen was Twitter. It's government by and for what will look cool to a select group of people on Twitter. That is it.
There is no strategy. The oil is plentiful but it's shit oil that will cost billions to refine. It's a puny narco state. We replaced Socialist Maduro and the President said the government will now be run by Maduro's Socialist buddies who are all also indicted in the US.
Also the political betting markets saw several large bets from accounts with no history on the removal of Maduro so there is always the grift.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: MeditateontheQ
Political betting markets?
Political betting markets? Tell me more....
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: El Nino
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: MeditateontheQ
wow, thanks. ^^^
wow, thanks. ^^^
i don't bet except for the occasional holiday lotto ticket -- had no idea!
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: MarkD
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: MarkD
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: jazfish
Mark, I lold at that comic.
Mark, I lold at that comic. Thought crossed my mind too.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: MeditateontheQ
I like your posts, Mark! If
I like your posts, Mark! If only Canada would help us out.
Wonder if Trump even realizes the irony.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Strangha
Great stuff Mark, echoing the
Great stuff Mark, echoing the thoughts about 200 million Americans had in the last day. Thanks for posting them.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Def. High
>>>>>Next stop, Greenland.
>>>>>Next stop, Greenland.
Hmm - Greenland, by virtue of it being a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark,is therefore part of a NATO country. I don't think NATO has a protocol of what to do if one NATO country attacks another.
Could NATO even survive this eventuality as a politically and militarily relevant entity?
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: intentionally blank
Denmark Tells Trump to ‘Stop
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: El Nino
What this does is single to
What this does is single to the world that might makes right and there are no norms to stop you from stomping on your neighbors.
I can see Maduro becoming a trivia question like Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria 100 years from now.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Philzone Refugee
We are rapidly devolving into
We are rapidly devolving into a rogue nation led by a lunatic.
The Age of American Neo-Imperialism.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Def. High
Xi is very happy.
Xi is very happy.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: reverend
>>>What this does is signal
>>>What this does is signal to the world that might makes right....
The Native Americans are shocked at this revelation. ;)
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: fishcane
^^Xi is very happy.
^^Xi is very happy.
not so sure about that
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: OO
I think they made a deal,
I think they made a deal, Venezuela for Taiwan
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Ken D.
Something going down in
Something going down in Caracas right now? Coup?
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Def. High
Can't find anything. What
Can't find anything. What have you got?
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Dr. Benway
Mike Wallace/60 Minutes - The
Mike Wallace/60 Minutes - The CIA-Venezuela Cocaine Connection (1993)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IF-IYdsFGrw
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Bobstar
"Xi is very happy." >>> I
"Xi is very happy." >>> I doubt this very much. China has invested billions in Venezuela and seemingly lost everything overnight.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Def. High
Pretty sure Trump gets
Pretty sure Trump gets Venezuela and Xi gets Taiwan.
And Putin gets Ukraine.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Def. High
From MSN -
From MSN -
Russian officials indicated in 2019 that the Kremlin would be willing to back off from its support for Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela in exchange for a free hand in Ukraine, according to Fiona Hill, an advisor to President Trump at the time.
The Russians repeatedly floated the idea of a “very strange swap arrangement between Venezuela and Ukraine," Hill said during a congressional hearing in 2019. Her comments surfaced again this week and were shared on social media after the U.S. stealth operation to capture Maduro.
Hill said Russia pushed the idea through articles in Russian media that referenced the Monroe Doctrine — a 19th-century principle in which the U.S. opposed European meddling in the Western Hemisphere and, in return, agreed to stay out of European affairs. It was invoked by Trump to justify the U.S. intervention in Venezuela.
Even though Russian officials never made a formal offer, Moscow's then-ambassador to the United States, Anatoly Antonov, hinted many times to her that Russia was willing to allow the United States to act as it wished in Venezuela if the U.S. did the same for Russia in Europe, Hill told the Associated Press this week.
“Before there was a ‘hint hint, nudge nudge, wink wink, how about doing a deal?' But nobody [in the U.S.] was interested then," Hill said.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Def. High
From MSN -
...
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: MeditateontheQ
Senate just voted to advance
Senate just voted to advance a bill to restrict the dictator's actions in Venezuela.
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/senate-moves-to-restrict-trump-from-ta...