I appreciate these knowledgeable insights. I would be interested to know whom the author believes is in charge in this country, because it's a head-scratcher. Even the George Bushes understood the context of military aggression, but Donald Trump does not. What is the impetus? To make investment money for his sons? To be like Vladimir Putin? Or is it Marco Rubio sensing a lifelong achievement in Cuba, with this move as precedent? Stephen Miller or a donor outside of the government with imperialist motives? Because it sure ain't the will of the people at play here. And Donald Trump has issued conflicting rationales for what others are pulling off.
As I said elsewhere, Congress STAND UP! This is no time to be pusillanimous. Can we see Russia being involved in this? Do we see T calling for martial law? Can we see him trying to go after Mexico or Canada or Greenland? Can we see elections being canceled? Too many questions. Too few answers. Absolutely no solutions to his traitorous behavior. (imho)
Someone who has a dog as a pet is known as a dog owner. Someone who purchases a home is known as a homeowner. But it's actually much the opposite: the dog or the home actually owns the person, who spends large amounts of time and money tending to the dog's or home's needs.
Following the attack on Venezuela and the capture of Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro, Presidunce Trump confidently declared that the U.S. will run Venezuela ("We're going to run it properly and make sure the people of Venezuela are taken care of" [https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/03/us/politics/maduro-trump-base-america-first.html?smid=url-share]). More likely, though, as with the "owners" of dogs and homes, Venezuela will run the U.S.
Re Venezuela, Donald Higgins commented in Robert Reich’s 1/4 post “Sunday thought: Even worse”….
“Trump and his gang… conduct(ed) a covert action where kidnapping was the end goal of their efforts, what is stopping (others) from doing the same thing to Trump for the crimes he has committed(?).”
This statement to which I applied slight edits for clarity, warrants serious consideration. The reality is it would be difficult (but not impossible) for anyone not on the inside to get to Trump while he’s in office - much easier to grab his family members, his cabinet members and top advisers, their family including CEOs that are backing Trump and their families. Some of those most at risk have young children (a particularly chilling scenario). Our short-sighted foolish president has just increased the personal risks and dangers facing everyone around him! And they don’t seem to get it.
Consider how close we are to a major escalation from a regional act of aggression into a much larger and vastly more deadly global war if any such attempt was made and Trump blamed it on a foreign power. It would not be the first time such a tragic self-inflicted tragedy unleashed hell on earth.
We have made a grave error in electing Trump to the highest office in America! His actions make it more likely that China will soon invade Taiwan AND that Russia will now throw everything it has left into the utter destruction of Ukraine.
We are closer to chaos than ever before. Some will criticize me for such statements but in truth I am afraid and I ‘see’ what’s coming. It’s not a dream. It’s a real possibility and we must put an end to the madness Trump, the Supreme Court, the GOP, the Christian Nationalists, MAGA cultists and all of Trump’s coat-tail riders have wrought.
Note to all law enforcement: I am not advocating violence. I support non-violent peaceful resistance protected under the law.
Professor O'Neill seems to be captured by a Machiavellian world where there is no right or wrong, just power and statecraft.
The entire post is all from the US point of view - which I think is revealing. No mention of what is lost when the US no longer considers itself as a member of a world community which requires not only cooperation but compromise.
Basically, our regime has just given every other country on earth to do the same thing:
1. not happy with what's going on in another country? Invade, kidnap the titular head of state, take over, or let that country go to hell in a hand basket.
2. covet another country's natural resources? Invade, kidnap the titular head of state and let your benefactors pay you personally billions for the right to steal that country's property.
3. don't like another country's head of state? Not a problem, just invade and kidnap him and his family.
This list could go on ad infinitum, the point being any country now has the right to do to any other country whatever it wants - if it has the might.
I appreciate these knowledgeable insights. I would be interested to know whom the author believes is in charge in this country, because it's a head-scratcher. Even the George Bushes understood the context of military aggression, but Donald Trump does not. What is the impetus? To make investment money for his sons? To be like Vladimir Putin? Or is it Marco Rubio sensing a lifelong achievement in Cuba, with this move as precedent? Stephen Miller or a donor outside of the government with imperialist motives? Because it sure ain't the will of the people at play here. And Donald Trump has issued conflicting rationales for what others are pulling off.
As I said elsewhere, Congress STAND UP! This is no time to be pusillanimous. Can we see Russia being involved in this? Do we see T calling for martial law? Can we see him trying to go after Mexico or Canada or Greenland? Can we see elections being canceled? Too many questions. Too few answers. Absolutely no solutions to his traitorous behavior. (imho)
The special Coffee w/ Contrarians today brings up just those issues. Excellent points.
Someone who has a dog as a pet is known as a dog owner. Someone who purchases a home is known as a homeowner. But it's actually much the opposite: the dog or the home actually owns the person, who spends large amounts of time and money tending to the dog's or home's needs.
Following the attack on Venezuela and the capture of Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro, Presidunce Trump confidently declared that the U.S. will run Venezuela ("We're going to run it properly and make sure the people of Venezuela are taken care of" [https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/03/us/politics/maduro-trump-base-america-first.html?smid=url-share]). More likely, though, as with the "owners" of dogs and homes, Venezuela will run the U.S.
It will certainly run our morality ... into the ground.
Re Venezuela, Donald Higgins commented in Robert Reich’s 1/4 post “Sunday thought: Even worse”….
“Trump and his gang… conduct(ed) a covert action where kidnapping was the end goal of their efforts, what is stopping (others) from doing the same thing to Trump for the crimes he has committed(?).”
This statement to which I applied slight edits for clarity, warrants serious consideration. The reality is it would be difficult (but not impossible) for anyone not on the inside to get to Trump while he’s in office - much easier to grab his family members, his cabinet members and top advisers, their family including CEOs that are backing Trump and their families. Some of those most at risk have young children (a particularly chilling scenario). Our short-sighted foolish president has just increased the personal risks and dangers facing everyone around him! And they don’t seem to get it.
Consider how close we are to a major escalation from a regional act of aggression into a much larger and vastly more deadly global war if any such attempt was made and Trump blamed it on a foreign power. It would not be the first time such a tragic self-inflicted tragedy unleashed hell on earth.
We have made a grave error in electing Trump to the highest office in America! His actions make it more likely that China will soon invade Taiwan AND that Russia will now throw everything it has left into the utter destruction of Ukraine.
We are closer to chaos than ever before. Some will criticize me for such statements but in truth I am afraid and I ‘see’ what’s coming. It’s not a dream. It’s a real possibility and we must put an end to the madness Trump, the Supreme Court, the GOP, the Christian Nationalists, MAGA cultists and all of Trump’s coat-tail riders have wrought.
Note to all law enforcement: I am not advocating violence. I support non-violent peaceful resistance protected under the law.
Sorry, wow!
How about the takeaway that this is WRONG.
Professor O'Neill seems to be captured by a Machiavellian world where there is no right or wrong, just power and statecraft.
The entire post is all from the US point of view - which I think is revealing. No mention of what is lost when the US no longer considers itself as a member of a world community which requires not only cooperation but compromise.
Brilliantly written insight into what is happening now, and what consequences may evolve later. Thank you.
Basically, our regime has just given every other country on earth to do the same thing:
1. not happy with what's going on in another country? Invade, kidnap the titular head of state, take over, or let that country go to hell in a hand basket.
2. covet another country's natural resources? Invade, kidnap the titular head of state and let your benefactors pay you personally billions for the right to steal that country's property.
3. don't like another country's head of state? Not a problem, just invade and kidnap him and his family.
This list could go on ad infinitum, the point being any country now has the right to do to any other country whatever it wants - if it has the might.