Politics

[observe]

?

 

[WAB]

1-2 months ago, I was watching a documentary on the collapse of Venezuela. The most interesting part was an economist for the oil industry explaining what Hugo Chavez did that caused lasting damage. Due to the nationalization of all portions of the oil industry, the economist stated that 130,000 working years of oil and gas expertise left Venezuela during the Chavez era. He stated it would be the #1 obstacle to turning Venezuela back into a first world country because those capabilities cannot be easily recreated or reimported.

I had a fair amount of interaction with PDVSA pre-Chavez. I knew many oil industry professionals there. They didn’t all leave, many simply disappeared.

I disagree with the capability assessment. Given certainty and a fair playing field, multinationals would be there tomorrow with all the expertise necessary to rebuild.

 

[TTundra]

Like Noreiga, him and maybe his wife will die in a U.S. prison. Classic FAFO.

Maduro is eerily calm and almost relieved in all his images and video now in custody.
My bet:
He will strike a deal and give up more information than the US hoped for. Ties to Iran, China, Russia, Hezbollah....all their communications, plans, logistics...everything. Let's also not forget the Venezuelan ties to certain voting machines.

At least he'll try for a deal and hope the US doesnt already know his secrets.

 

[Tanks]

I was seeing the organized protest posters etc. pretty fast all over Reddit and other social media. Now, I know why.

Second front: How a socialist cell in the US mobilized pro-Maduro foot soldiers within 12 hours

A Fox News DIgital analysis of mobilization efforts to support Maduro reveals a coordinated campaign by a transnational network of self-proclaimed socialist, communist and Marxist groups.

www.foxnews.com

 

[Brent in Az]

Geez Brent while you're at it, why don't you add China and Russia?

They just need to figure out how to get Delta Force into the Kremlin

 

[Brent in Az]

Those america hating protest groups are definitely networked and organized. A couple dozen of them were protesting outside of DMAFB within 10 hours of the news being released

 

[Brent in Az]

Once the Democrats and the media unleash the rallying cry, you get this. Protesters in NYC, no doubt who are Mamdani voters. Take a good look at what type of people they are.
Signs and professionally made banners within 24 hours.
We have many enemies within our own borders, that could end being just as dangerous as any foreign country

 

[observe]

This is the official ANC Mafia minority government of South Africa's reaction....
NOT IN MY NAME!

 

[skydiver386]

Once the Democrats and the media unleash the rallying cry, you get this. Protesters in NYC, no doubt who are Mamdani voters. Take a good look at what type of people they are.
Signs and professionally made banners within 24 hours.
We have many enemies within our own borders, that could end being just as dangerous as any foreign country

Oh their communication and coordination is well known, but the last jackwagon to occupy the White House along with the intelligence agencies had members of Congress under surveillance.

 

[Brent in Az]

Oh their communication and coordination is well known, but the last jackwagon to occupy the White House along with the intelligence agencies had members of Congress under surveillance.

The enemy within

 

[coreydb]

Wonder when he will be making a Trump memorial about himself being the greatest president ever etc, and if so will he then just change the Lincoln memorial into the Trump-Lincoln memorial like he did with the Kennedy center?

I wouldn't doubt it if Trump tries to change the name of America to the United States of Trump. I like what he's doing, just not his super-duper ego.

 

[spike.t]

Not great

The Daily Post Newspaper

US PRESIDENT HAS BANNED PRESIDENT HH AND ZAMBIAN PEOPLE FROM TRAVELING TO AMERICAN AFTER MINERAL DEAL REJECTION======================================= President of America Donald Trump has with...

www.facebook.com

OK so been confirmed false bullshit ....elections this year and time for fun and games.................

 

[Betterinthebush]

OK so been confirmed false bullshit ....elections this year and time for fun and games.................

Ok, that’s a relief. Thanks.

 

[Red Leg]

This is the most thorough summary of events that I have read this morning.

A CIA team, steel doors and a fateful phone call: How the U.S. captured Maduro in Venezuela

President Donald Trump approved the strike before Christmas after months of planning, including troops training using a model of Maduro’s compound.

www.nbcnews.com

 

[ActionBob]

Above all, oil is the main reason. Combined with immense gold and mineral wealth, Venezuela is arguably one of the most resource-rich countries on the planet, yet corruption and mismanagement have prevented that wealth from benefiting its people.

Edit: see a lot of others have already posted similar.

Question. Why take home to NY? Why not another state city in the USA?

Rubbing a new mayors nose in it?

I assume because he was indicted in the Southern District Court of NY back in 2020. Legally it makes a ton of sense and makes the arrest legitimate. They had FBI agents embedded with Delta to perform the actual arrest. This certainly looks very well planned and defensible to the World and certainly to our legal system. They basically executed an outstanding arrest warrent that has been pending since the incompetent prior administration began.

Reports are that this was planned since August.

I've got to believe that our so far very competent Secretary of State was involved in planning for how to run Venezuela and help it land softly into a legitimate government after the mop up of the criminals.

 

[Nyati]

View attachment 736607

Nah , I want him as Cuba´s President, that would be nice

 

[SaintPanzer]

The invasion of Iraq, my friend, was hardly an "ad hoc operation," and yest CENTCOM had neither enough troops nor an implementable occupation plan for the day after the government fell. The US military scrambled to deal with that oversight, always with inadequate troop strength and no clear intent, thanks largely to the hubris of one man. Donald Rumsfeld had not merely ignored the advice of the US Army, whose leadership had extensive peace enforcement experience in Eastern Europe, he publicly ridiculed it and those officers - most notably the Army Chief of Staff.

With respect, that's not entirely how I remember it, because you are leaving out one very important part:

Up front, I am no fan of that particular SecDef. But you can't let SecState off the hook for that one. Remember there was no love lost between the two, and SecState let it be known that the "breaking" was a DoD function, but the "rebuilding" properly belonged to the DoS. SecDef, in a fit of pique, said "OK, your ball (or words to that effect)" and directed his department to stop planning. Of course, SecState forgot, or did not know (ok, full disclosure: he's not on my Christmas Card list either) that DoS has very little training in that area. It doesn't help that the guy he did put in charge has publicly stated he wouldn't have changed a thing. And here we are.

If memory serves, the first six to eight weeks were reasonably stable. Giving those to the east of Iraq time to spin up the IGRC. DoS wouldn't have changed a thing, and SecDef was too busy doing the "I told you so", and blunder followed blunder.

See also the need to go into Falujah twice.

But I'm not bitter....

 

[PARA45]

I remember in the 80s that if you were a member of the Communist or Socialist party, you were likely asking for a visit of men in dark suits. SMH in disbelieve that I’m actually seeing this in our country.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

 

[Betterinthebush]

Gentlemen and ladies, I’ve been cruising around the interweb, watching google tube and a lot of commentary is flying around about who is “next”, who needs to “watch their ass”, etc.

I don’t know how many are aware, but right now there is a nation that is dear, I’d say, to many of our hearts here on this forum. Whenever a politician directs me to look “over here!” i.e. Mexico, Cuba.. I look in a different direction. In this case the Republic of South Africa for the following reasons:

1) The meeting between Trump and Ramaphosa was obviously uncomfortable to say the least.

2) MTN is still (as far as I can see) under investigation by a FEDERAL GRAND JURY for violations of anti-terrorism laws that resulted in the deaths of scores of American servicemen from 2005-10 through Irancell communications networks which MTN has 49% controlling stake in and during this time period Ramaphosa was the Chairman of the Board of MTN.

3) The USA didn’t participate in the G20 in RSA last year and Trump further announced that RSA would not be invited to participate in the G20 next year in Fla.

4) the BRICS launched “the unit” (the irony of naming a currency that, lol!) as their gold backed currency to settle debt outside the SWIFT. South Africa is the “S” in BRICS.

So, for those four reasons I’m putting “Trump invades South Africa and arrests Ramaphosa on charges of aiding terror organizations” on my 2026 bingo card.