Venezuela

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BrawlMan

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"Considers" doing a lot of heavy lifting in that headline
Quit considering and actually get off your currently asses do something useful, Senate.
 

Agema

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"Considers" doing a lot of heavy lifting in that headline
Yes, Congress won't seriously tackle this at all.

Congress and the White House have never butted heads that badly over military action: mostly it's just the president doing stuff and some legislator grandstanding. Congress like to talk a lot about the White House needing to ask their permission, but they never, ever really force the issue, and probably never will. The reason for this is partly that it is just grandstanding, but also that if they ever test where the boundary is by sending it to SCOTUS, they might find SCOTUS side with the executive... and that guarantees they no longer have leverage.

Besides, if they object to the president that much, they can just remove him. That's incredibly dramatic, but if the president ever shits the bed badly enough...
 
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Gergar12

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You guys have poor arguments, the better argument is that it won't be enough, and the Maduro regime minus Maduro will remain in power, there will be no transition of power, and the Venezuelan people continue to suffer. Which may happen. And the regime may start killing the opposition.

 

PsychedelicDiamond

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You guys have poor arguments, the better argument is that it won't be enough, and the Maduro regime minus Maduro will remain in power, there will be no transition of power, and the Venezuelan people continue to suffer. Which may happen. And the regime may start killing the opposition.

Oh, killing that traitor Machado should be the first thing they do.
 
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Agema

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Very long article, but an interesting read.

tl;dr:

It wryly contextualises little Marco Rubio's appropriateness as Secretary of State over US policy regarding Latin America given his numerous unfortunate personal associations with drug dealers, and enthusiastic support for other drug dealers. This as a prompt to go through some of the fascinating and detailed links between the American government, its agencies (mostly the CIA), politics and drug dealing, where you could be forgiven for thinking that US activity has not so much been stopping the drugs trade as ensuring its allies are running it.
 

Satinavian

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So Hegseth has just said that Venezuela either sends the oil over, or all measures are on the table to take it.


Just to remove any doubt about the resons for the invasion or any hope that US was ever interested in a democratic transition or something. Have fun with a coming ground invasion to secure the oil fields.
 
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Silvanus

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Just to remove any doubt about the resons for the invasion or any hope that US was ever interested in a democratic transition or something. Have fun with a coming ground invasion to secure the oil fields.
It doesn't currently look like any further action will be needed on America's part to secure the revenue. Trump's explicit threats to "toe the line" have done the job: both Maduro's ex-deputy and Machado have made overtures to the effect that they'll allow American oil conglomerates exploit Venezuelan resources.
 

Hades

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So Hegseth has just said that Venezuela either sends the oil over, all measures are on the table to take it.


Just to remove any doubt about the resons for the invasion or any hope that US was ever interested in a democratic transition or something. Have fun with a coming ground invasion to secure the oil fields.
Surprised he wasn’t drunk when saying it. Or perhaps him even being able to say such things means he had been hitting the bottle
 

Chimpzy

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Link to official travel advisory
They sent in ICE already? Damn!

Jokes aside, it should come as no surprise at least some locals are going to take exception to a foreign power kidnapping their head of state and loudly proclaiming it will take over and plunder their country. Makes for attractive investment opportunities indeed.
 
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Hades

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Link to official travel advisory
They sent in ICE already? Damn!

Jokes aside, it should come as no surprise at least some locals are going to take exception to a foreign power kidnapping their head of state and loudly proclaiming it will take over and plunder their country. Makes for attractive investment opportunities indeed.
I think its telling even the corrupt oil companies were fairly critical at the idea of pillaging Venezuela. Because it was't practical.
 
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The Rogue Wolf

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They sent in ICE already? Damn!

Jokes aside, it should come as no surprise at least some locals are going to take exception to a foreign power kidnapping their head of state and loudly proclaiming it will take over and plunder their country. Makes for attractive investment opportunities indeed.
That's not possible! Trump said he's already making Venezuela safer and wealthier! Could he... GASP!... have lied?!
 
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Chimpzy

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I think its telling even the corrupt oil companies were fairly critical at the idea of pillaging Venezuela. Because it was't practical.
You mean aside from the low quality of the oil and shambolic state of the infrastructure?
That's not possible! Trump said he's already making Venezuela safer and wealthier! Could he... GASP!... have lied?!
We're talking a thing that got up in the middle of a meeting with oil executive things to stare out a window at its as of yet non-existent ballroom.

I don't think it much concerned with what is or is not true, assuming it ever was.
 

Agema

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Fact check: Machado can't 'share' her Nobel Peace Prize with Trump | Euronews

The way Machado is trying to offer Trump all her country's oil and her peace prize achieves little other than to make her look weak, desperate and grasping. And Trump can smell weakness an astronomical unit away: she's got no bargaining power and he knows it, he couldn't care less. I also wonder whether the Nobel Committee didn't hand her a poisoned chalice, because Trump might resent her for having "his" peace prize.
 
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Seanchaidh

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Fact check: Machado can't 'share' her Nobel Peace Prize with Trump | Euronews

The way Machado is trying to offer Trump all her country's oil and her peace prize achieves little other than to make her look weak, desperate and grasping. And Trump can smell weakness an astral unit away: she's got no bargaining power and he knows it, he couldn't care less. I also wonder whether the Nobel Committee didn't hand her a poisoned chalice, because Trump might resent her for having "his" peace prize.
she's a would-be comprador with just a shade above infinitesimal local support anyway.
 

Seanchaidh

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Schadrach

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Funny to bring up freedom from government interference.

...and yet, I'm willing to bet there's an army of MAGA on there defending that because it's ICE under Trump and the thought process extends no further than "Trump good. ICE under Trump so ICE good. Anything less than wholehearted support for Trump and his minions is evil. This video is the good guys winning." ...and that might be giving them too much credit.