It's also a war crime and unconstitutional- though finding one of the leaders of the 'opposition' to say so is difficult when they're holding their fingers in the air to see which way the wind blows.
I was trying to understand why the Venezuelan operation disturbed me so much, given all the war crimes of the US over the last century. Then, I read Moon of Alabama's post from yesterday (https://www.moonofalabama.org/2026/01/why-might-makes-right-is-dangerous-for-all-of-us.html) and that made me understand why I was feeling what I was. We have finally burst through all the self images and deceptions to the naked use of violence - and they will be coming for us too.
The ghosts of many millions slain by US military aggression since 1898 would remind you the use of unbridled violence is hardly anything new. What's escalated is the arrogance with which all laws, domestic re: the Constitution, and International, have been rendered moot for all intents and purposes.
Trump, et al, are boldly showing us that they have no respect for any laws. What is happening in Venezuela, Sudan, Gaza (how many more places) is barbaric. So many of our politicians are consumed by greed and power, and barely pretend to even care about suffering and human lives.
The fossil fuel industry started this whole thing/lobbied for it for a long time (likely way before Trump). Trump is their useful idiot. That's why they keep him in power.
Also among “history’s actors” that we study — Al Capone. Benito Musselini. Bonnie Prince Charlie. Richard Nixon….History has included a lot of actors, and not all of them got what they went after. We the People are also actors on this stage!!!
Interesting, or more likely inevitable, that you should mention Iraq in 2003 and Karl Rove (by the way, where is he nowadays?), as just the other days I received from the library and watched the "Buying the War" episode from the "Bill Moyers Journal" series on all the shenanigans, duplicity, hoodwinking, and abrogation of responsibility on the part of the Congress and the press (media) in that debacle. Could easily have changed just a few words and names and it would be current to yesterday.
Remember from math about interpolation - figuring out unknown points between known points - and extrapolation, figuring out the next point in a series given the pattern beforehand? Well, historians have done a lot of interpolation for us showing how the same general theme of "big stick" empire has played out in our past. Now, with the complete irrelevance of Congress in getting real about the "defense" budget devouring our treasure, talent, economy, and society, as well as its inability to rein in the latest, and now most unabashed, iteration on war by presidential whimsy, there is nothing to keep us from extrapolation to explosion, of the nuclear variety.
How will China, Russia, India, and others respond to this situation, with Rottweiler Israel barely on a leash? Obviate, accommodate, negotiate, or obliterate? Just one week into the New Year, essentially a carryover from the last, and the extrapolation into the remaining fifty-one looks as though there'll be an endpoint among them.
No empire lasts forever, despite the delusions of their rulers. Neither do republics last forever. And our own has been replaced by a dictatorship in all but official declaration (on "TruthSocial" I suppose). So we have the answer to the question posed in recent years: "Will American 'democracy' survive until the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence?" The answer is a resounding NO!!
I double-checked how long on average empires last, I had come across somewhere it was about 300 years, the first response to my online query was 250, so you're spot on! I was hoping for a little more time just so I wouldn't have to be here when the collapse comes, but guess I'll have a front row seat, collateral damage possible.
The only question is just how orderly, peacefully it will go, velvety as with the Czech Republic and Slovakia revolution, or a la French Revolution, with heads rolling. Ghoulish, personally I'd like to see the latter happen, provided it's the right (Right?) heads that roll, carried live on CNN and live streamed, the sense of revenge is primordial.
I am afraid that there will be a draw down of our nuclear arsenal though, I'm not being entirely facetious in this. When there's a lot of (stolen) money - and Israel - at stake, take cover, for whatever that'd be worth.
Melania Trump already told us to "eat cake," years ago, when she was seen in public wearing a coat that said on the back "I really don't care." Unfortunately, in today's USA if heads are gonna roll, they're much more likely to be the heads of progressives. :-(
I am currently reading recently published book "Fateful Hours--The Collapse of the Weimar Republic," by Volker Ullrich, translated from the German. Here is the Oath of Office sworn by Hindenburg upon becoming Chancellor in 1925: "I swear by God Almighty and Omniscient that I will devote my strength to the welfare of the German people, increase their benefit, avert harm from them, uphold the constitution and the laws of the Reich, conscientiously fulfill my duties, and do justice to all. So help me God." Not that different from what a POTUS swears at inauguration. But of course Trump is devoted solely to the welfare of the Billionaire Class, and above all himself and his family. Herr Ullrich holds Germany's Social Democrats primarily to blame for the Nazi rise to power, with blunder after blunder and failure to act against Hitler's gang while it could (by dint of controlling the federal government). Substitute US Democratic Party today for Germany's Social Democrats? Seems valid to me. (With difference, of course, that the Dems are "out" of government control at the moment. But just roll back the clock a bit and they held the presidency, with a Cabinet consisting of practical, fairly sane officers.) I imagine Hitler swore this same oath when appointed Chancellor in 1933, but wasted no time in unleashing devastating repression against the opposition. In our present USA situation, "The System" has been devastated by the Trump Thugocracy, lies crumpled on the ground, unable to remove the worst actor ever from the presidency for his innumerable crimes.
Well, now we know exactly what the 2026 Congressional Elections will be all about...
The Question is: Will there even BE Congressional Elections on November 3? And if there are, will the results be accepted by the Losers?
TRUMP TO HOUSE REPUBLICANS: IF WE DON'T WIN MIDTERMS, I'LL GET IMPEACHED
by Trevor Hunnicutt / Reuters 06Jan26
WASHINGTON, Jan 6 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that Republicans must win the 2026 congressional midterm elections - or else he will get impeached by Democrats.
"You gotta win the midterms 'cause, if we don't win the midterms, it's just gonna be - I mean, they'll find a reason to impeach me," Trump told Republican lawmakers at a retreat in Washington. "I'll get impeached."
Ahead of the November elections, which could stall his agenda and expose him to congressional investigations, Trump teased and prodded allies who narrowly control the U.S. House of Representatives. He told them to put aside their differences and sell his policies on gender, healthcare and election integrity to an American electorate angry about the cost of living.
"They say that when you win the presidency, you lose the midterm," Trump said. "I wish you could explain to me what the hell's going on with the mind of the public."
Jeff, I had read some of your previous comments about the 2026 midterms and was somewhat skeptical they'd go that far. I no longer have that opinion - I don't think they will allow them as the cost of losing control of Congress will be too much for Trump and the criminals surrounding him.
As it is, Congress is useless anyway (passing only 38 bills last year). May as well go all the way and end the pretense - we live in an authoritaran kleptocracy.
I have zero faith that there will be midterms, Tom. I think Miller and company will invent an excuse to have orange man invoke the Insurrection Act (the ICE shooting in MN today may be the lead-up), and that will be that. If by chance there are midterms, Dems will lose bigly, courtesy of vote suppression tactics and Elon.
But ssshhhh! Don't say "no midterms" aloud, lest you be labeled a downer and an alarmist. I can testify to that!
So what would it take to cancel the Election, Denise? A War with Russia and/or China and/or Iran precipitated by another 9/11? Another Pandemic? Energy, Food, and Water shortages precipitating widespread rioting?
Invocation of the Insurrection Act, OR, if they wanted to go all the way, martial law. At this point, I think any excuse would do, even if wholly fabricated. There was zero reason to send the Guard in anywhere, and yet they're just being pulled out of L.A., after all these months. If a car driving by kicked a rock up against an (unidentified) ICE vehicle, that could bring all hell raining down. If an executive order was put under Donnie's pen, I doubt the rethug Congress critters would say, "boo!"
And there can be false flags to create the conditions for martial law. Or, if the elections are outlawed to go through, harassment and rigorous screening at polling locations (in blue states of course) by ICE to ensure no illegal voting.
Just found out about this---two days ago, Rump "joked" about canceling the midterms, which is damning. That's his perennial M.O.: float an idea to test the waters, in preparation for carrying it out.
After all the vote suppression/elimination dirty tricks have been employed, of course. And maybe Elon has been invited to release his hacker posse to alter results.
Happening in real time a Mom american citizen was shot & killed by ICE in Minneapolis Mn. in to me was not (I saw the Video) grounds for use of deadly force... If I pulled that when I was a Base Sky-Cop I'm sure I'd be in Leavenworth as we speak making little ones out of big ones, and glueing them back together!!
I listened to a retired deputy sheriff who said he went through the video frame by frame and cited the DHS manual on six violations of procedure for LEO's. At a minimum, he said ICE might argue the first shot was reactive due to perceived danger (though he didn't sound as if he believed that) but the second and third shots were after the danger had passed. In other words, murder.
I think we have our Horst Wessel moment - though in this case, the Trump regime will turn the ICE goon into Horst Wessel, the hero and martyr of the cause.
There's no way I could watch the video, but the initial reports I read said that the woman had done nothing at all aggressive, and had been shot through the windshield. 🤬
Trump is just trying to scare and rally his GOP forces. I cannot conceive of Dems turning around enuf seats in House and Senate to lead to a successful impeachment!! These matters are not decided by a single vote majority, they require significant majorities. The House initiates an impeachment process, then the matter is decided in the Senate (firstly, question of should the matter proceed at all?).
Even if they did have the majorities, the Democrats' "leadership" would be out spouting that they want to focus on 2028 and not get wrapped up in impeachment issues.
But maybe we'd get Chuckles Schumer promising to write another 'strongly worded letter'.
Stephen Miller gave an extended rant on Jake Tapper's program the other day. I heard about it from Jeff Tiedrich's Substack. I could only stomach about the first 20 seconds, but Miller went on and on about "our" hemisphere and "our" resources. He was talking in personally possessive terms about the entire hemisphere. Disgusting and creepy.
Useful Factoids... Senator Tim Sheehy, former Navy Seal, was on CNN today rationalizing this Decapitation Strike... Seems that the Rationale is Evolving... The latest Rationale is that by essentially leaving the Venezuelan Regime in place, the Chaos of Iraq 2003 can be avoided therefore avoiding a large USA occupying force... The success, or failure of this approach will be determined by the Venezuelans... Another Factoid... Seems that the only Oil Executive that consulted Pre-Strike was Paul Singer... In 2024, Paul Singer, an 81-year-old with a net worth of $6.7 billion, donated $5 million to Make America Great Again Inc., Trump’s Super PAC. Singer donated tens of millions more in the 2024 cycle to support Trump’s allies, including $37 million to support the election of Republicans to Congress. He also donated an undisclosed amount to fund
Trump’s second transition. Paul Singer is also a major pro-Israel donor, with his foundation having donated more than $3.3 million to groups like the Birthright Israel Foundation, the Israel America Academic Exchange, Boundless Israel, and others in 2021, according to tax filings. Paul Singer ia a notorious Vulture Capitalist... In the past, Singer has forced the sale of Venezuelan Petro Assets at a discount... It purchased Citgo, the US-based subsidiary of Venezuela’s state-owned oil company, for $5.9 billion — a sale that was forced by a Delaware court after Venezuela defaulted on its bond payments....
The court-appointed special master who forced the sale, Robert Pincus, is a member of the board of directors for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).
Elliott Management hailed the court order requiring the sale in a press release, saying it was “backed by a group of strategic US energy investors.”... ... NET: This Reeks... I hope that DJT's Dementia Brain doesn't open Quagmires in Venezuela, Mexico, and Cuba... I hope that DJT doesn't shatter NATO by seizing Greenland, and handing Putin an Astromatical Return on his Investment in DJT...
Right now (mid-afternoon Eastern Time Jan. 7), Mr. Putin must be quite unhappy with his supposed pal Trump. The US has seized an oil tanker on the high seas that was being given symbolic "protection" by Russia. A new act of brigandage by USA.
Hello Gregory... Putin may be finding that DJT is Out-Of-Control... BTW: The Norwegians are finding Russian Spec Ops Teams inside their Northern Territories...
I read that Singer has also been buying up Gulf Coast refineries that can handle....heavy Venezuelan crude. Even the 30 million barrels that Rump just bragged about!!
Thanks Denise... I wonder if Netanyahu was informed about the Venezuelan Decapitalization Strike before the US Congress... Netanyahu was in Mar-a-Lago for a Week over the Holidays... Upon Arrival, Netanyahu was dressed exactly like DJT... Scary... The Washington Post reported this AM, that there is Street Fighting in Caracas...
"Russia, China, etc.) should feel empowered by Trump’s actions to do whatever they want in their defined spheres of influence"
Every country large or small has 'it's sphere of influence'. it's a rather murky expression. Kinda meaningless in the sphere of things. My envisionment of a multipolar world is not a vision of a few bullies (Russia, China, etc.) bullying small nations. It was more of a UN DEI vision. What a crazy world is in store for us if a few of the major bullies exclude trading goods and socializing (thoughts, ideas) and living together (peace brother and sisters) but instead stiffle all that cause of the barriers imposed by their ( Russia, China, USA) vision of multipolarity....
That Russian, Chinese, and American version of multipolarity sounds a bit like Orwell's 1984, eh Jazzme?
To use Orwell's terms: What we have here and now is a Eurasia with its Putin, and an Eastasia with its Xi, and now, an Oceania with its Big Brother-For-Life Wannabe.
Shouldn't that visual of the "Caribbean Sea" in the political cartoon above be called now the "american sea" in the Gulf of America formerly known as-- the Gulf of Mexico!? :/ :o) Time for a new 9" Replogle World Classic Globe....
It's also a war crime and unconstitutional- though finding one of the leaders of the 'opposition' to say so is difficult when they're holding their fingers in the air to see which way the wind blows.
I was trying to understand why the Venezuelan operation disturbed me so much, given all the war crimes of the US over the last century. Then, I read Moon of Alabama's post from yesterday (https://www.moonofalabama.org/2026/01/why-might-makes-right-is-dangerous-for-all-of-us.html) and that made me understand why I was feeling what I was. We have finally burst through all the self images and deceptions to the naked use of violence - and they will be coming for us too.
Thank You for sharing Moon of Alabama's piece, TomR.
i have been dealing with the same being disturbed by all this, and Mr Moon's analysis explains it perfectly.
The ghosts of many millions slain by US military aggression since 1898 would remind you the use of unbridled violence is hardly anything new. What's escalated is the arrogance with which all laws, domestic re: the Constitution, and International, have been rendered moot for all intents and purposes.
See "The U.S. Has Killed More Than 20 Million People in 37 'Victim Nations' Since World War II" by James A. Lucas and Prof Michel Chossudovsky at https://michelchossudovsky.substack.com/p/us-killed-more-than-20-million-people-37-victim-nations .
All such numbers are estimates, but I find this one very, very plausible. Death, destruction and chaos are US's prime exports, "gifts," to humanity.
Here's another useful viewpoint on the handlers' latest actions, from Mother Jones:
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/01/trump-neo-royalism-abe-newman-greenland/?utm_source=mj-newsletters&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily-newsletter-01-06-2026
Trump, et al, are boldly showing us that they have no respect for any laws. What is happening in Venezuela, Sudan, Gaza (how many more places) is barbaric. So many of our politicians are consumed by greed and power, and barely pretend to even care about suffering and human lives.
Well, in truth, they do obey one law, "He who dies with the most toys wins." Trouble is, they're not gonna die soon enough.
AMEN!!!
The fossil fuel industry started this whole thing/lobbied for it for a long time (likely way before Trump). Trump is their useful idiot. That's why they keep him in power.
Their meeting with him now is the postlude.
Also among “history’s actors” that we study — Al Capone. Benito Musselini. Bonnie Prince Charlie. Richard Nixon….History has included a lot of actors, and not all of them got what they went after. We the People are also actors on this stage!!!
Interesting, or more likely inevitable, that you should mention Iraq in 2003 and Karl Rove (by the way, where is he nowadays?), as just the other days I received from the library and watched the "Buying the War" episode from the "Bill Moyers Journal" series on all the shenanigans, duplicity, hoodwinking, and abrogation of responsibility on the part of the Congress and the press (media) in that debacle. Could easily have changed just a few words and names and it would be current to yesterday.
Remember from math about interpolation - figuring out unknown points between known points - and extrapolation, figuring out the next point in a series given the pattern beforehand? Well, historians have done a lot of interpolation for us showing how the same general theme of "big stick" empire has played out in our past. Now, with the complete irrelevance of Congress in getting real about the "defense" budget devouring our treasure, talent, economy, and society, as well as its inability to rein in the latest, and now most unabashed, iteration on war by presidential whimsy, there is nothing to keep us from extrapolation to explosion, of the nuclear variety.
How will China, Russia, India, and others respond to this situation, with Rottweiler Israel barely on a leash? Obviate, accommodate, negotiate, or obliterate? Just one week into the New Year, essentially a carryover from the last, and the extrapolation into the remaining fifty-one looks as though there'll be an endpoint among them.
No empire lasts forever, despite the delusions of their rulers. Neither do republics last forever. And our own has been replaced by a dictatorship in all but official declaration (on "TruthSocial" I suppose). So we have the answer to the question posed in recent years: "Will American 'democracy' survive until the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence?" The answer is a resounding NO!!
I double-checked how long on average empires last, I had come across somewhere it was about 300 years, the first response to my online query was 250, so you're spot on! I was hoping for a little more time just so I wouldn't have to be here when the collapse comes, but guess I'll have a front row seat, collateral damage possible.
The only question is just how orderly, peacefully it will go, velvety as with the Czech Republic and Slovakia revolution, or a la French Revolution, with heads rolling. Ghoulish, personally I'd like to see the latter happen, provided it's the right (Right?) heads that roll, carried live on CNN and live streamed, the sense of revenge is primordial.
I am afraid that there will be a draw down of our nuclear arsenal though, I'm not being entirely facetious in this. When there's a lot of (stolen) money - and Israel - at stake, take cover, for whatever that'd be worth.
Melania Trump already told us to "eat cake," years ago, when she was seen in public wearing a coat that said on the back "I really don't care." Unfortunately, in today's USA if heads are gonna roll, they're much more likely to be the heads of progressives. :-(
I am currently reading recently published book "Fateful Hours--The Collapse of the Weimar Republic," by Volker Ullrich, translated from the German. Here is the Oath of Office sworn by Hindenburg upon becoming Chancellor in 1925: "I swear by God Almighty and Omniscient that I will devote my strength to the welfare of the German people, increase their benefit, avert harm from them, uphold the constitution and the laws of the Reich, conscientiously fulfill my duties, and do justice to all. So help me God." Not that different from what a POTUS swears at inauguration. But of course Trump is devoted solely to the welfare of the Billionaire Class, and above all himself and his family. Herr Ullrich holds Germany's Social Democrats primarily to blame for the Nazi rise to power, with blunder after blunder and failure to act against Hitler's gang while it could (by dint of controlling the federal government). Substitute US Democratic Party today for Germany's Social Democrats? Seems valid to me. (With difference, of course, that the Dems are "out" of government control at the moment. But just roll back the clock a bit and they held the presidency, with a Cabinet consisting of practical, fairly sane officers.) I imagine Hitler swore this same oath when appointed Chancellor in 1933, but wasted no time in unleashing devastating repression against the opposition. In our present USA situation, "The System" has been devastated by the Trump Thugocracy, lies crumpled on the ground, unable to remove the worst actor ever from the presidency for his innumerable crimes.
ps: Regarding ELECTION2026 ~ if it happens ~ remember what Papa Joe Stalin once so eloquently and elegantly said...:
“It’s not Who votes that counts, but Who counts the votes.”
Well, now we know exactly what the 2026 Congressional Elections will be all about...
The Question is: Will there even BE Congressional Elections on November 3? And if there are, will the results be accepted by the Losers?
TRUMP TO HOUSE REPUBLICANS: IF WE DON'T WIN MIDTERMS, I'LL GET IMPEACHED
by Trevor Hunnicutt / Reuters 06Jan26
WASHINGTON, Jan 6 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that Republicans must win the 2026 congressional midterm elections - or else he will get impeached by Democrats.
"You gotta win the midterms 'cause, if we don't win the midterms, it's just gonna be - I mean, they'll find a reason to impeach me," Trump told Republican lawmakers at a retreat in Washington. "I'll get impeached."
Ahead of the November elections, which could stall his agenda and expose him to congressional investigations, Trump teased and prodded allies who narrowly control the U.S. House of Representatives. He told them to put aside their differences and sell his policies on gender, healthcare and election integrity to an American electorate angry about the cost of living.
"They say that when you win the presidency, you lose the midterm," Trump said. "I wish you could explain to me what the hell's going on with the mind of the public."
Full article at https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-house-republicans-if-we-dont-win-midterms-i-will-get-impeached-2026-01-06/ .
###
As you know, Jeff, even when we have elections, they're mostly a sham. You get military lethality or military lethality x 2.
Heh. Well, this one shapes up to be the shamiest yet. Especially if it actually happens.
Jeff, I had read some of your previous comments about the 2026 midterms and was somewhat skeptical they'd go that far. I no longer have that opinion - I don't think they will allow them as the cost of losing control of Congress will be too much for Trump and the criminals surrounding him.
As it is, Congress is useless anyway (passing only 38 bills last year). May as well go all the way and end the pretense - we live in an authoritaran kleptocracy.
We are living in more than "an authoritarian kleptocracy," TomR.
We are in the preliminary stages of an autocratic, oligarchic, plutocratic, patriarchic, totally totalitarian functional and operational Dictatorship.
I have zero faith that there will be midterms, Tom. I think Miller and company will invent an excuse to have orange man invoke the Insurrection Act (the ICE shooting in MN today may be the lead-up), and that will be that. If by chance there are midterms, Dems will lose bigly, courtesy of vote suppression tactics and Elon.
But ssshhhh! Don't say "no midterms" aloud, lest you be labeled a downer and an alarmist. I can testify to that!
If not a "domestic terrorist."
So what would it take to cancel the Election, Denise? A War with Russia and/or China and/or Iran precipitated by another 9/11? Another Pandemic? Energy, Food, and Water shortages precipitating widespread rioting?
Invocation of the Insurrection Act, OR, if they wanted to go all the way, martial law. At this point, I think any excuse would do, even if wholly fabricated. There was zero reason to send the Guard in anywhere, and yet they're just being pulled out of L.A., after all these months. If a car driving by kicked a rock up against an (unidentified) ICE vehicle, that could bring all hell raining down. If an executive order was put under Donnie's pen, I doubt the rethug Congress critters would say, "boo!"
And yes, I do think it's that bad.
And there can be false flags to create the conditions for martial law. Or, if the elections are outlawed to go through, harassment and rigorous screening at polling locations (in blue states of course) by ICE to ensure no illegal voting.
Just found out about this---two days ago, Rump "joked" about canceling the midterms, which is damning. That's his perennial M.O.: float an idea to test the waters, in preparation for carrying it out.
After all the vote suppression/elimination dirty tricks have been employed, of course. And maybe Elon has been invited to release his hacker posse to alter results.
Happening in real time a Mom american citizen was shot & killed by ICE in Minneapolis Mn. in to me was not (I saw the Video) grounds for use of deadly force... If I pulled that when I was a Base Sky-Cop I'm sure I'd be in Leavenworth as we speak making little ones out of big ones, and glueing them back together!!
I listened to a retired deputy sheriff who said he went through the video frame by frame and cited the DHS manual on six violations of procedure for LEO's. At a minimum, he said ICE might argue the first shot was reactive due to perceived danger (though he didn't sound as if he believed that) but the second and third shots were after the danger had passed. In other words, murder.
I think we have our Horst Wessel moment - though in this case, the Trump regime will turn the ICE goon into Horst Wessel, the hero and martyr of the cause.
There's no way I could watch the video, but the initial reports I read said that the woman had done nothing at all aggressive, and had been shot through the windshield. 🤬
Obviously a full investigation is warranted here.
Trump is just trying to scare and rally his GOP forces. I cannot conceive of Dems turning around enuf seats in House and Senate to lead to a successful impeachment!! These matters are not decided by a single vote majority, they require significant majorities. The House initiates an impeachment process, then the matter is decided in the Senate (firstly, question of should the matter proceed at all?).
Even if they did have the majorities, the Democrats' "leadership" would be out spouting that they want to focus on 2028 and not get wrapped up in impeachment issues.
But maybe we'd get Chuckles Schumer promising to write another 'strongly worded letter'.
OMG, a strongly worded letter!! The Donald will poop in his undies!!! :-)
Stephen Miller gave an extended rant on Jake Tapper's program the other day. I heard about it from Jeff Tiedrich's Substack. I could only stomach about the first 20 seconds, but Miller went on and on about "our" hemisphere and "our" resources. He was talking in personally possessive terms about the entire hemisphere. Disgusting and creepy.
For those with stronger stomachs:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DOEH9nmm3Fw&pp=4gcKEghzdWJzdGFjaw%3D%3D
from The Lever news source re lobbying for Venezuela "intervention"
https://www.levernews.com/they-lobbied-venezuela-burned/
Useful Factoids... Senator Tim Sheehy, former Navy Seal, was on CNN today rationalizing this Decapitation Strike... Seems that the Rationale is Evolving... The latest Rationale is that by essentially leaving the Venezuelan Regime in place, the Chaos of Iraq 2003 can be avoided therefore avoiding a large USA occupying force... The success, or failure of this approach will be determined by the Venezuelans... Another Factoid... Seems that the only Oil Executive that consulted Pre-Strike was Paul Singer... In 2024, Paul Singer, an 81-year-old with a net worth of $6.7 billion, donated $5 million to Make America Great Again Inc., Trump’s Super PAC. Singer donated tens of millions more in the 2024 cycle to support Trump’s allies, including $37 million to support the election of Republicans to Congress. He also donated an undisclosed amount to fund
Trump’s second transition. Paul Singer is also a major pro-Israel donor, with his foundation having donated more than $3.3 million to groups like the Birthright Israel Foundation, the Israel America Academic Exchange, Boundless Israel, and others in 2021, according to tax filings. Paul Singer ia a notorious Vulture Capitalist... In the past, Singer has forced the sale of Venezuelan Petro Assets at a discount... It purchased Citgo, the US-based subsidiary of Venezuela’s state-owned oil company, for $5.9 billion — a sale that was forced by a Delaware court after Venezuela defaulted on its bond payments....
The court-appointed special master who forced the sale, Robert Pincus, is a member of the board of directors for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).
Elliott Management hailed the court order requiring the sale in a press release, saying it was “backed by a group of strategic US energy investors.”... ... NET: This Reeks... I hope that DJT's Dementia Brain doesn't open Quagmires in Venezuela, Mexico, and Cuba... I hope that DJT doesn't shatter NATO by seizing Greenland, and handing Putin an Astromatical Return on his Investment in DJT...
Right now (mid-afternoon Eastern Time Jan. 7), Mr. Putin must be quite unhappy with his supposed pal Trump. The US has seized an oil tanker on the high seas that was being given symbolic "protection" by Russia. A new act of brigandage by USA.
Hello Gregory... Putin may be finding that DJT is Out-Of-Control... BTW: The Norwegians are finding Russian Spec Ops Teams inside their Northern Territories...
That last is frightening, Apache. But not surprising.
I read that Singer has also been buying up Gulf Coast refineries that can handle....heavy Venezuelan crude. Even the 30 million barrels that Rump just bragged about!!
Thanks Denise... I wonder if Netanyahu was informed about the Venezuelan Decapitalization Strike before the US Congress... Netanyahu was in Mar-a-Lago for a Week over the Holidays... Upon Arrival, Netanyahu was dressed exactly like DJT... Scary... The Washington Post reported this AM, that there is Street Fighting in Caracas...
That's a really interesting speculation about Netanyahu. Bet he did know.
Street fighting in Caracas....another evil to lay at the bloated yam's door.
"Russia, China, etc.) should feel empowered by Trump’s actions to do whatever they want in their defined spheres of influence"
Every country large or small has 'it's sphere of influence'. it's a rather murky expression. Kinda meaningless in the sphere of things. My envisionment of a multipolar world is not a vision of a few bullies (Russia, China, etc.) bullying small nations. It was more of a UN DEI vision. What a crazy world is in store for us if a few of the major bullies exclude trading goods and socializing (thoughts, ideas) and living together (peace brother and sisters) but instead stiffle all that cause of the barriers imposed by their ( Russia, China, USA) vision of multipolarity....
That Russian, Chinese, and American version of multipolarity sounds a bit like Orwell's 1984, eh Jazzme?
To use Orwell's terms: What we have here and now is a Eurasia with its Putin, and an Eastasia with its Xi, and now, an Oceania with its Big Brother-For-Life Wannabe.
For details, see "Orwell's '1984' Holds Many Lessons for the New Cold War" posted here on BV two weeks after Putin's SMO into Ukraine at https://bracingviews.substack.com/p/orwells-1984-holds-many-lessons-for-the-new-cold-war .
Shouldn't that visual of the "Caribbean Sea" in the political cartoon above be called now the "american sea" in the Gulf of America formerly known as-- the Gulf of Mexico!? :/ :o) Time for a new 9" Replogle World Classic Globe....