Let's extrapolate to the Cuban condition, as sabers are being rattled over that regime as well. I'm Cuban American, and my family home was nationalized when Castro took power; relatives were allowed to live there because they supported the Communist government, likely in name not deed. All we had was a Havana apartment; other Cuban Americans lost much more, and the hardliners have been voting in America for those promising to restore their riches for decades on end. Now, with Marco Rubio a step away from fulfilling that goal, let's ask: What the hell for?
Cuba's economy is in freefall. What would regaining land do for expatriates? Do you think the Miami contingent in any way wants to return to live in Cuba? What value would property with no infrastructure have? How stable would assets really be if the U.S. begins what would be a series of regime changes? It's ridiculous. A pipe dream. What they really want is revenge. Now, do the majority of Americans not of Cuban heritage want to fund a revenge scheme for Marco Rubio's angry pals? Yesterday Trump suggested Rubio could helm Cuba. For what? Do you think that sycophant wants to take responsibility for an impoverished and unstable country? What a fckng joke.
All of the riches that the Loser thinks he can "take" are illusory. Even Exxon doesn't want Venezuela's oil.
We have exposed the scam. Now to do something about it: Midterms!! Unless (of course) 47 calls fraud (as he did in 2020/2021) and sends the military (or more likely, ICE) in to seal the voting machines and cancel the elections.
Backed by an ever pliant GOP Congress.
And a GOP billionaire who just acquired Dominion Voting Machines.
This has nothing to do with anything but how it benefits the Felon. This is simply a distraction from the Felon's complete failures in the United States and potential repayment to the oil companies for their support in the Felon's re-election.
Putin's corruption, like the Felon's, has made him $billions. Russia's economy is in complete shambles, so what to do. Putin attacks Ukraine.
With the full support of the six Christian Nationalists on the Supreme Court and GOP Congressional members the Felon is making the United States an authoritarian theocracy, wit the Felon as leader and the American oligarchs running the Country (Putin's Russia).
"Though Trump and senior White House officials have framed the operation as a restoration of regional stability,"
This is whistling past the graveyard, and another promise based upon a lie. Maduro's removal is not going to help regional stability; Colombia is alredy concerned about the ramifications of his departure and Trump's threats.
Also consider the possible point of view of the oil companies. Unless they are guaranteed any longterm regional stability, are they going to invest heavily in the neglected Venezuelen oil infrastructure to start extracting the oil, or will it come at too high a price? This is, as yet, an unknown. "Oil for blood" could just as easily turn about to "blood for oil". We aren't looking to escalate war there.
"What we’re witnessing is the birth of a new doctrine in which the U.S. military functions as the private security arm of the fossil fuel industry"
With all due respect, this is not the birth of a new doctrine - the U.S. military has been the security arm of the fossile fuel industry since basically forever.
We continue to dilly dally about removing this tyrant from the oval office at our own risk. The longer we ignore this the worse our country will become and the harder it will be to recover it.
Venezuelan oil is not the same quality as Middle Eastern oil or oil off the American Gulf Coast. The costs to properly refine it would get expensive raising the cost per barrel much more than what it is now.
How do you know if one is burning poor quality fuel? If the vehicle on the road is “showering down” on the power and you smell their sulfury exhaust it smells like rotten eggs. If you’re burning poor fuel you can get anything from from knocking and pinging in the engine and if bad enough engine warning lights that is often a bad oxygen sensor. Poor quality oil is called sour crude.
It isn't burned directly by vehicles! The point is that it takes more to refine the sour crude into quasi-useable fuels for use - more in cost and production. This would effectively raise the price per barrel to more than is profitable, and the U.S. Oil Industry is, after all, all about profit.
Like the Post Office, now the military may begin paying for itself. But why in offshore accounts? Pay down the national debt. Where else can our military appropriate its costs?
Let's extrapolate to the Cuban condition, as sabers are being rattled over that regime as well. I'm Cuban American, and my family home was nationalized when Castro took power; relatives were allowed to live there because they supported the Communist government, likely in name not deed. All we had was a Havana apartment; other Cuban Americans lost much more, and the hardliners have been voting in America for those promising to restore their riches for decades on end. Now, with Marco Rubio a step away from fulfilling that goal, let's ask: What the hell for?
Cuba's economy is in freefall. What would regaining land do for expatriates? Do you think the Miami contingent in any way wants to return to live in Cuba? What value would property with no infrastructure have? How stable would assets really be if the U.S. begins what would be a series of regime changes? It's ridiculous. A pipe dream. What they really want is revenge. Now, do the majority of Americans not of Cuban heritage want to fund a revenge scheme for Marco Rubio's angry pals? Yesterday Trump suggested Rubio could helm Cuba. For what? Do you think that sycophant wants to take responsibility for an impoverished and unstable country? What a fckng joke.
All of the riches that the Loser thinks he can "take" are illusory. Even Exxon doesn't want Venezuela's oil.
Exactly they want clean crude!
And they sure don't want to have to go to war to get it.
Everything is so very true, especially the last paragraph..
We have exposed the scam. Now to do something about it: Midterms!! Unless (of course) 47 calls fraud (as he did in 2020/2021) and sends the military (or more likely, ICE) in to seal the voting machines and cancel the elections.
Backed by an ever pliant GOP Congress.
And a GOP billionaire who just acquired Dominion Voting Machines.
This has nothing to do with anything but how it benefits the Felon. This is simply a distraction from the Felon's complete failures in the United States and potential repayment to the oil companies for their support in the Felon's re-election.
Putin's corruption, like the Felon's, has made him $billions. Russia's economy is in complete shambles, so what to do. Putin attacks Ukraine.
With the full support of the six Christian Nationalists on the Supreme Court and GOP Congressional members the Felon is making the United States an authoritarian theocracy, wit the Felon as leader and the American oligarchs running the Country (Putin's Russia).
I liked the wording of the first paragraph, and the article just got better. Thanks, Jeff, for a clear and no holds barred explanation.
"Though Trump and senior White House officials have framed the operation as a restoration of regional stability,"
This is whistling past the graveyard, and another promise based upon a lie. Maduro's removal is not going to help regional stability; Colombia is alredy concerned about the ramifications of his departure and Trump's threats.
Also consider the possible point of view of the oil companies. Unless they are guaranteed any longterm regional stability, are they going to invest heavily in the neglected Venezuelen oil infrastructure to start extracting the oil, or will it come at too high a price? This is, as yet, an unknown. "Oil for blood" could just as easily turn about to "blood for oil". We aren't looking to escalate war there.
Nice, clear explanation of what we suspected 47 was doing. Thank you.
"What we’re witnessing is the birth of a new doctrine in which the U.S. military functions as the private security arm of the fossil fuel industry"
With all due respect, this is not the birth of a new doctrine - the U.S. military has been the security arm of the fossile fuel industry since basically forever.
We continue to dilly dally about removing this tyrant from the oval office at our own risk. The longer we ignore this the worse our country will become and the harder it will be to recover it.
Arrest him immediately. Don't forget his cronies.
Venezuelan oil is not the same quality as Middle Eastern oil or oil off the American Gulf Coast. The costs to properly refine it would get expensive raising the cost per barrel much more than what it is now.
How do you know if one is burning poor quality fuel? If the vehicle on the road is “showering down” on the power and you smell their sulfury exhaust it smells like rotten eggs. If you’re burning poor fuel you can get anything from from knocking and pinging in the engine and if bad enough engine warning lights that is often a bad oxygen sensor. Poor quality oil is called sour crude.
It isn't burned directly by vehicles! The point is that it takes more to refine the sour crude into quasi-useable fuels for use - more in cost and production. This would effectively raise the price per barrel to more than is profitable, and the U.S. Oil Industry is, after all, all about profit.
Like the Post Office, now the military may begin paying for itself. But why in offshore accounts? Pay down the national debt. Where else can our military appropriate its costs?