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Venezuela under attack (n/t) on 09:01 - Jan 3 by Guthrum
The "New Monroe Doctrine". Trump's advisors are very much into the 19th century colonial view of spheres of influence. That means political dominance as much as control of resources. The strategy document put out by the USA recently spelled all that out pretty clearly.
Trump himself doesn't care so long as he's on the front page of the papers.
With tariffs on the whole world, interest in the resources of places like Ukraine and strikes on places like Nigeria, Syria and Iraq, it is not clear to me that there is any limit on the US's sphere of influence.
Perhaps the only real surprise is that, apart from tariffs, there has been much less of a focus on China and the western Pacific than I had anticipated.
[Post edited 3 Jan 9:32]
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Venezuela under attack (n/t) on 09:34 - Jan 3 with 1057 views
Venezuela under attack (n/t) on 09:31 - Jan 3 by DJR
With tariffs on the whole world, interest in the resources of places like Ukraine and strikes on places like Nigeria, Syria and Iraq, it is not clear to me that there is any limit on the US's sphere of influence.
Perhaps the only real surprise is that, apart from tariffs, there has been much less of a focus on China and the western Pacific than I had anticipated.
[Post edited 3 Jan 9:32]
This is simply disgusting and a huge further step into fascism.
Trump is now attacking its neighbours for financial gain.
Not difficult to see why he wont condemn Russia or Israel.
Its not even being seen as massive news, because it is so predictable and just part of a line of things which would have been inconceivable even 2 years ago.
The world needs to stand up to this dictator asap. But it wont.
Sanctions are the obvious starting point. There is no way that we shoudl be continuing any substantive relationships with the US.
Venezuela under attack (n/t) on 09:45 - Jan 3 by DanTheMan
Happy new year...
Have to assume his military sold him out? They've waltzed in, kidnapped a head of state and got out in like 3 hours.
[Post edited 3 Jan 9:50]
I understand why Starmer has trodden carefully with Trump, with a firm eye on this country's interests.
However, there are lines which are now crossed which we must not turn a blind eye to. The western world needs to stand up now, else we are seriously fecked.
That footage of helicopters flying over Caracas during the bombardment did strike me as indicative of a ground operation. There's no rationale in the Venezuelans themselves having put a whole squadron of helicopters up in the middle of an air raid.
Venezuela under attack (n/t) on 09:45 - Jan 3 by DanTheMan
Happy new year...
Have to assume his military sold him out? They've waltzed in, kidnapped a head of state and got out in like 3 hours.
[Post edited 3 Jan 9:50]
With good, real time intelligence, the element of surprise and overwhelming force (including very experienced and highly trained troops), every advantage is with the attacker.
Venezuela under attack (n/t) on 09:50 - Jan 3 by redrickstuhaart
I understand why Starmer has trodden carefully with Trump, with a firm eye on this country's interests.
However, there are lines which are now crossed which we must not turn a blind eye to. The western world needs to stand up now, else we are seriously fecked.
The world needs a new European Alliance like yesterday.
All the bullsh!t petty squabbles (Brexit etc.) need to be lain aside without any prevarication and the peoples of Europe need to come together to stand up for the democracy and civilisation we gained over so many centuries, otherwise it will all disappear under the jackboots of modern fascism.
Good work by Philogene...... GREAT WORK BY PHILOGENE!!!
Venezuela under attack (n/t) on 09:56 - Jan 3 by SWLondonBlue93
So will the US face the same fate as Russia and be sanctioned and booted out of international sport? I won't hold my breath.
Who is going to back any country which does so? China, Russia and India have the same interest in carving up the world between themselves. The EU lacks unity, military strength and has worms gnawing from within.
As a trading partner, investor and wealthy marketplace, the USA is too big to ignore, even if we ignore their capacity for power projection. That last including funds for foreign political and media entities to further their agenda.
Venezuela under attack (n/t) on 10:08 - Jan 3 by Guthrum
Who is going to back any country which does so? China, Russia and India have the same interest in carving up the world between themselves. The EU lacks unity, military strength and has worms gnawing from within.
As a trading partner, investor and wealthy marketplace, the USA is too big to ignore, even if we ignore their capacity for power projection. That last including funds for foreign political and media entities to further their agenda.
At this point, the EU has to take the hit and say enough is enough.
I'm not sure that capturing Maduro is going to effect regime change in Venezuela. He was the figurehead, successor to Chavez, but there will be plenty of other people fighting to keep their position, knowing things will go very badly for them if it does fall.
Plus a foreign intervention is just as likely to rally the populace behing the national government - upon subsidies and hand-outs from whom many are dependent - as to cause them to rise up. There's a lot of memories in Latin America of (often US-supported) right-wing regimes which oppress the people and plunder the wealth.
Venezuela under attack (n/t) on 10:18 - Jan 3 by Guthrum
I'm not sure that capturing Maduro is going to effect regime change in Venezuela. He was the figurehead, successor to Chavez, but there will be plenty of other people fighting to keep their position, knowing things will go very badly for them if it does fall.
Plus a foreign intervention is just as likely to rally the populace behing the national government - upon subsidies and hand-outs from whom many are dependent - as to cause them to rise up. There's a lot of memories in Latin America of (often US-supported) right-wing regimes which oppress the people and plunder the wealth.
There is no dispute that Maduro is a dodgepot.
Equally, Putin is not properly elected and doing far more harm than Maduro is. Trump will not apply the same logic and approach. Wonder why?
Or indeed why Trump would pardon a Honduran drug trafficker, whilst going after the President of oil-rich Venezuela...
Leaving aside the mercurial nature of Trump actions, I suppose one difference between his approach and that of past US presidents is that he appears to be more overt than covert when it comes to pursuing US interest outside the US.
[Post edited 3 Jan 10:25]
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Venezuela under attack (n/t) on 10:25 - Jan 3 with 796 views
Venezuela under attack (n/t) on 10:20 - Jan 3 by redrickstuhaart
There is no dispute that Maduro is a dodgepot.
Equally, Putin is not properly elected and doing far more harm than Maduro is. Trump will not apply the same logic and approach. Wonder why?
Or indeed why Trump would pardon a Honduran drug trafficker, whilst going after the President of oil-rich Venezuela...
[Post edited 3 Jan 10:21]
Because Russia is too powerful to attack directly and because Trump's advisors are, in many ways, ideologically aligned with the Moscow regime*. There is no need for the rumoured dodgy photographs.
* Nationalist (verging on its ethno- variant), ultra-conservative, 19th century view of global diplomacy.
Venezuela under attack (n/t) on 10:25 - Jan 3 by Guthrum
Because Russia is too powerful to attack directly and because Trump's advisors are, in many ways, ideologically aligned with the Moscow regime*. There is no need for the rumoured dodgy photographs.
* Nationalist (verging on its ethno- variant), ultra-conservative, 19th century view of global diplomacy.
Venezuela under attack (n/t) on 10:23 - Jan 3 by DJR
Leaving aside the mercurial nature of Trump actions, I suppose one difference between his approach and that of past US presidents is that he appears to be more overt than covert when it comes to pursuing US interest outside the US.
[Post edited 3 Jan 10:25]
And that's because he knows he can get away with literally anything. The Republicans in the Senate will never vote to convict him or remove him. The old 'shoot someone on Fifth Avenue' in action.
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Things could get very messy on 10:27 - Jan 3 with 784 views
Venezuela under attack (n/t) on 10:11 - Jan 3 by redrickstuhaart
At this point, the EU has to take the hit and say enough is enough.
"The hit" involves half a trillion Euros worth of exports. Vast amounts of technology and the licences to run it. All military and diplomatic support (the US holds a veto in the UN Security Council). Potential aggressive push-back in areas of interest (e.g. Africa, the Middle East), which could dramatically exacerbate issues such as migration. Perhaps even encouragement for Putin to nibble at the edges, with no NATO any more.
Not convinced that the EU, in its current state, would survive the experience. Certainly not unscathed.
Edit: We have eight decades and more of deep integration across the Atlantic. That cannot be undone in a moment. Not from our end, at least.
Venezuela under attack (n/t) on 07:33 - Jan 3 by Axeldalai_lama
I don't know much at all about the country or politics of Venezuela, so should probably stop there but... Didn't the opposition leader win the Nobel Peace Prize for fighting a dodgy rigged election against a corrupt regime?
I obviously realise that Trump is complete scum and it's nothing to do with that necessarily, but is there any tiny bit of this having some vague positive? Probably not and it's just another sh1t show attempt to pseudo colonise the place and/ or just have a war to show America is big and tough. Just a thought.
Venezuela under attack (n/t) on 10:31 - Jan 3 by Guthrum
"The hit" involves half a trillion Euros worth of exports. Vast amounts of technology and the licences to run it. All military and diplomatic support (the US holds a veto in the UN Security Council). Potential aggressive push-back in areas of interest (e.g. Africa, the Middle East), which could dramatically exacerbate issues such as migration. Perhaps even encouragement for Putin to nibble at the edges, with no NATO any more.
Not convinced that the EU, in its current state, would survive the experience. Certainly not unscathed.
Edit: We have eight decades and more of deep integration across the Atlantic. That cannot be undone in a moment. Not from our end, at least.
[Post edited 3 Jan 10:33]
It does.
But the alternative appears to be a real risk of a real life dystopian world, run by two or three large agressive dictatorships. At which point, it will be too late to resist.
Venezuela under attack (n/t) on 10:05 - Jan 3 by NthQldITFC
The world needs a new European Alliance like yesterday.
All the bullsh!t petty squabbles (Brexit etc.) need to be lain aside without any prevarication and the peoples of Europe need to come together to stand up for the democracy and civilisation we gained over so many centuries, otherwise it will all disappear under the jackboots of modern fascism.
Unfortunately, there are elements within Europe - both in power and strong opposition - who favour the latter over the former. They have forgotten what our parents and grandparents went through. Or, worse, they hanker after a rosy-tinted (and often nationalistically-slanted) view of events.
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