2025 U.S. - Venezuela conflict

[Altair]

China and Russia are cruel dictatorships. AT least Trump was elected, and honestly the USA is far from a dictatorship (who got thrown into jail for protesting Trump?)

You're absolutely right. It's also completely irrelevant. Democracies can do evil things. Belgium in the congo, France in Algeria, being a democracy is not a carte blanche

And for the record, I have not liked and still don't like Trump's total of diplomacy. If Barak Obama had just done what Trump did, he would have put a very nice political spin on it to sell it to the American people. and the world.

If Barrack Obama did this, and I don't think he would have, but if he did, I would say its just as illegal. No whataboutism because hes a democrat.

Trump should like not speak in front of a mic when times are delicate.

Trump is the most honest president when it comes to things like this.

It's about oil, he doesn't give a damn about the opposition, he runs Venezuela, he wants their oil. Everyone who talks about, oh the Venezuelan people, oh, the elections, oh, Maduro is a dictator, oh the drugs....Trump tells the world he didn't give a damn. He wants their oil.

Makes talking here so much easier, Trump is nakedly obvious about his intentions, and people cannot handwash his actions away.

 

[ArmyRick]

Give him time. He's mused about taking Panama back'. He just said Cuba is a failed state and needs his attention. Let's not forget Greenland. He's only one man; give him time.

I will believe that about as quick as I believe he will actually invade or attack us.

Cuba is a failed state.

 

[HavokFour]

And after? Canada, Greenland, Panama?

Trump says Venezuela attack ‘wasn’t meant to be’ warning to Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum

In a live interview with Fox News on Saturday, President Trump said that the attack on Venezuela and capturing of dictator Nicolas Maduro “wasn’t meant to be” a warning to President Claudia Sheinba…

nypost.com

 

[brihard]

So the U.S. has removed Maduro but are allowing his Vice a President to stay on and will ‘work with’ her. They are doing so with the explicit understanding that the U.S. will oversee the exploitation of Venezuela’s oil reserves.

The Maduro regime has not collapsed; it’s still the regime, it’s just no longer Maduro’s. It’s now Trump’s via a puppet. That puppet has no more democratic legitimacy than Maduro did himself; it’s just “2ic take over”. Trump is explicitly excluding the opposition leader in exile who enjoys popular support… Guess she shouldn’t have stolen his Peace Prize?

Everyone who spent the past few hours defending this because Maduro’s election was illegitimate (and I agree that it was) can sit down now.

 

[daftandbarmy]

 

[ArmyRick]

f Barrack Obama did this, and I don't think he would have, but if he did, I would say its just as illegal

In 2011, I remember when President Obama announced the killing of Osama Bin Laden (I was delighted) BUT believe me there was a crowd of never-do-anything-wish-washy people who called murderer, a tyrant, cruel, etc.

When President Clinton ordered the bombing campaign in the former Yugoslavia, people belly ached then too.

When Reagan invaded Grenada, people cried foul on President Reagan.

Hell when Great Britain declared war on Nazi Germany, many in British parliament opposed it.

End the weakness and inaction. Kick ass when needed. If you wait for a Feel-good committee ala UN or something similar, it never gets done.

I don't care how much you think the USA is wrong, they did it. And in my OPINION (again thats all you have here is an opinion), the world is better off for it.

 

[MilEME09]

Odd thing to say about the opposition leader given she likely won the last election that was rigged.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2007509050062455119

 

[Altair]

In 2011, I remember when President Obama announced the killing of Osama Bin Laden (I was delighted) BUT believe me there was a crowd of never-do-anything-wish-washy people who called murderer, a tyrant, cruel, etc.

Terrorist. That's fine.

When President Clinton ordered the bombing campaign in the former Yugoslavia, people belly ached then too.

UN resolution. Technically legal.

When Reagan invaded Grenada, people cried foul on President Reagan.

Blatant imperialism.

Hell when Great Britain declared war on Nazi Germany, many in British parliament opposed it.

War on a nation state.

End the weakness and inaction. Kick ass when needed. If you wait for a Feel-good committee ala UN or something similar, it never gets done.

So when Russia and China do it?

I don't care how much you think the USA is wrong, they did it. And in my OPINION (again thats all you have here is an opinion), the world is better off for it.

Yes, I'm sure every smaller nation being eyed up by their bigger neighbours is feeling warm and fuzzy right now.

 

[Brad Sallows]

I don't think anybody is arguing that Maduro is great or even tolerable.

The concern here is that this is yet another stop on the train to ending global norms and going to some might makes right world where countries like ours would be absolutely f'd.

We aren't "going to" that. We have always been there.

For those who may have forgotten, Manuel Noriega.

Is there not an obvious pattern? A Trump administration makes brief statements to send messages. Assassination of Soleimani. Strike on Iran. Strike on Nigeria. Kidnapping of Maduro. It does not invade Iraq or Afghanistan.

 

[Altair]

Odd thing to say about the opposition leader given she likely won the last election that was rigged.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2007509050062455119

Trump Supporters on the internet: What about the Venezuelan people, what do they think? Think of the Venezuelans!

Trump: I don't give a fuck.

 

[Nvlgzr]

Odd thing to say about the opposition leader given she likely won the last election that was rigged.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2007509050062455119

The leader that Trump is going to install is standing behind him in that press conference.

 

[QV]

Are we even 24hrs into this yet? Quite the speculation going on; from invading Canada to the US propping up the remnants of Muduros regime for oil profits!

 

[QV]

So they attack Venezuela because of anti oil provincial governments?

Christ…

no. But dragging ass on resource exports might bite harder into Canada’s future.

 

[Altair]

Are we even 24hrs into this yet? Quite the speculation going on; from invading Canada to the US propping up the remnants of Muduros regime for oil profits!

Trump himself said it's about the oil.

Trump himself said he and his government will run Venezuela.

Trump himself said the opposition who won the elections don't have a role to play.

What speculation?

 

[Altair]

The leader that Trump is going to install is standing behind him in that press conference.

That's generous.

The leader trump is going to install is standing at the podium in that photo.

 

[brihard]

to the US propping up the remnants of Muduros regime for oil profits!

Trump literally said it out loud on a press conference shortly after his Secretaries of State and Defense reinforced that Trump means and acts on what he says. What part of that are you struggling with?

 

[MilEME09]

Trump himself said it's about the oil.

Trump himself said he and his government will run Venezuela.

Trump himself said the opposition who won the elections don't have a role to play.

What speculation?

Exactly but unless the government plays ball, the only way he could control is with occupation, and i suspect congress wont approve an endless occupation of Venezuela

 

[Cloud Cover]

The thing about these strikes is that if Trump gets a further notion about drug smuggling and drug production from here, he’s going to start threatening to do the same to Pajeet and Iqbal in the fentanyl precursor supply labs situated on Indian reserves up here in BC.
I know many in Canada still hold a false notion that the juice isn’t worth the squeeze up here, but everybody knows the Canadian and especially the BC government has let this get out of control domestically.

 

[McG]

End the weakness and inaction. Kick ass when needed

Not really a defence that resonates coming from a country that still seems afraid to stand-up to Russia.

 

[brihard]

Exactly but unless the government plays ball, the only way he could control is with occupation, and i suspect congress wont approve an endless occupation of Venezuela

The government will play ball with Trump. Will the population continue to play ball with the illegitimate government?