Not going to happen. This Administration doesn’t give flying f’ about Venezuelans or democracy. This is about Rubio’s fantasy of becoming Emperor of Cuba and Trump’s dated fascination with oil.
You are full of crap. We arrested a wanted felon and leader of a major crime syndicate. and his felonious wife. Now the Venezuelan Vice President gets to take her shot at squaring away her country.
This whole past weekend has been nothing but Grade Z Trump BS. What's going on is the senile old fartsack is terrified of the Trump-Epstein Files - none of his previous crap has distracted anyone from the files, which must be radioactive Kryptonite to him to go this far with his "Look! A shiny object!" baloney.
People who know how you go about running a snatch op like was allegedly done in Caracas are now pointing out that the details of the story do not fit such an operation. Staying on the ground for 2 hours? Doesn't happen. No china broken? doesn't happen. Nobody bleeding out? Doesn't happen - the so-called "claim" by the Defense Minister of "40 deaths" is not backed up by any evidence.
What it does look like is a collaborative internal coup - the Trumpers and the rest of the Maduro regime together. On Saturday, Sundowning Grampa woke up long enough to say that VP Rodriguez had agreed to "cooperate", followed by her state TV denial denouncing the "raid." That’s how she covers her posterior on this. Gramps then attacked 2025 Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Machado (who he thinks "stole" his award), and has said not one word about Edmundo González, the real winner of the 2024 election.
Instead, the Maduro regime (minus Maduro) is still in power and the US has not sent anyone to Caracas. That, my friends, is what a collaborative internal coup looks like. Trump then tops it off by doing his big bad wolf impression, "I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house down!" with a threat against Greenland, one of his "greatest hits" from 2025.
C'mon folks, the squid is blowing squid ink to get Democrats to lose the plot and miss the continuing refusal to cooperate on the Trump-Epstein Files - the Department of Injustice Report about why they made the redactions they did was due last Saturday. Coincidence? There are no coincidences with these worthless traitors. Also the “indictment” of Maduro is really thin, according to legal observers. Look for the case to be thrown out the week after the November elections.
Trump hasn't told the truth about anything once in his worthless life. When seeing his BS on the net, operate from the idea that it's a lie until it's confirmed by two independent sources. You'll never go wrong. Don't let him mess with your heads! Look at what's really happening!
With all due respect, I do not understand how Trump's path is unclear when he has not once mentioned promoting democracy in Venezuela. If I missed something in the flurry of news the last 3 days, please fill me in.
War is a racket referencing Venezuelan Dictator Maduro's rendition to USA
"War is a Racket" by Major General Smedley Butler United States Marine Corps bears reading.
The fungible fragile nature entailed in State Sovereignty is being made clear evinced by the recent extraction of Venezuelan Dictator Maduro by American Special Forces.
May I suggest the book “Gangsters of Capitalism” exploring the making and breaking of America’s empire in the early 20th century authored by Jonathan Katz.
US Marine Major General Smedley Butler twice awarded the Congressional Medal of Honour is the book subject and focus.
In retirement, Major General Butler wrote a monograph based on his experiences in post conflict state building in the southern hemisphere of the Americas.
Butler details in this monograph--War is a racket!
War always has been a for profit racket.
This Venezuelan intervention can be considered precursor to the most profitable, the most vicious crime racket benefiting for profit both Members and Associates of The Trump Crime Family under direct aegis of Mob Boss Trump presenting as POTUS.
We are kidding ourselves if we think there is any chance at all that Trump and his advisers are seeking democracy in Venezuela. They are seeking oil. If you are skeptical, just look at what happened yesterday (Sunday, January 4).
The idiocy of our current policy, and its lack of a plan for what happens next, was on display during the Sunday network news shows. Marco Rubio was made to look especially silly, as he should know better. We want to "run" Venezuela, but according to Secretary Rubio, this will be done by threatening the decapitated Maduro regime. Not likely. We also want to get "our" oil back. Also not likely, unless someone can occupy the oil fields and come up with $100 billion to repair them. At the moment, we have no troops in Venezuela, which in my view is a good thing.
Faced with the practical problems of ruling a country without a plan, what do Trump and his acolytes do instead? They start threatening more countries in our hemisphere, among them Greenland/Denmark, Colombia, Cuba, and Mexico. One hopes that, in Trump's case, these are just the idle meanderings of an increasingly incapable mind, but one never knows.
If, by some chance, Trump does act on his impulses once again, the results could be catastrophic. Occupying Greenland would effectively end the NATO alliance, something the Russians have been praying for. Attacking Colombia, Cuba, cartels in Mexico, or other follies would effectively end our influence not just in the Western Hemisphere, but all over the world. Others would view us as a rogue state, which, at that point, we would be.
An overwhelming majority of Americans disapprove of our Venezuela policy, such as it is. It will be another black mark against the Trump administration and Republicans in the run-up to the 2026 midterms. We must hope -- and work -- for better times.
I have been looking forward to your opinion of Mr. Trump's actions ever since I first heard of the capture of President Madurno. After reading today's article, I went back and read your interpretation of Presidential Trump's "National Security Strategy." Just my humble opinion, but I believe the actions this weekend are in direct line to the goals established in the current "National Security Strategy." Human rights and democratic principles, are not core values of the Trump administration. Thank-you for sharing your knowledge on this complex situation. I am looking forward to reading your next post. Don't mean to upset anyone, just the rambling thoughts of an old hermit.
Good commentary on the current situation. I fear democracy will be much harder to achieve than you hope. Significant foreign investment will be required for not only the oil industry, but all other infrastructure which has suffered under the Chavista banner. There are apparently many more armed factions, including a highly effective Cuban force that will require security assistance from pro democracy nations. Let's not do another Ukraine by slow walking Venezuela support. Unfortunately that also requires a strong US which now seems like a contradiction in terms.
Trump's actions in Venezuela are about as valid as Putin's invasion of Ukraine. Trump set some staging for his capturing Maduro and having the US "run" Venezuela by his pitiful campaign of sinking small boats (with no evident proof) claimed to be running drugs to the U.S. It is interesting that the "drug danger" seems no longer to be in discussion, but rather taking over Venezuela's oil reserves is now the priority for further US action. Trump claims that the US deserves compensation for the American oil companies losing their holdings in Venezuela. Trump is willing, however, to let the rest of Maduro's government stay in charge as long as they do what they're told by the US. He has certainly made no effort whatsoever to try to install the democratic opposition, who legitimately won the 2024 election, in Maduro's place. In fact Trump''s willingness to work with officials of Maduro's government, make me wonder whether those officials were in fact working hand in hand with Trump to grab more power for themselves.
Trump's motivation in kidnapping Maduro seems to have nothing whatsoever to do with the welfare of the Venezuelan people. The only motivations that Trump has displayed are inordinate greed and a love of power. His success here seems to be setting him on a course of other coups or invasions to take over other countries in America's "interest", as he defines it. The "Donroe Doctrine" appears to aim at making the whole of the North and South American continents dominated by America.
In no way does Trump show concern for the United States government, people, or principles as embedded our constitution and history. He only serves himself.
I really don’t think there is enough duct tape in the world to repair what the Republicans have wrought with their fanciful regime change mission in Venezuela.
McFaul's writing is always fact-based and therefore edifying in these times of rampant slop.
This framing of what is good and bad from the national security point of view is useful in some respects, but what might be more insightful is adding an overlay of what is personally good and bad for the president's self-perceived power, self-image, and wallet. This resulting grid would attach probabilities to the actions and outcomes. (It's not looking good for democracy, I'm afraid.)
You have no right to label yourself a Liberal. Don't sully their group by it. McFaul is a world recognized intellect and former ambassador with many other tiles of honor. What are your claims to those? Checkmate!
Strong arguement here. The part about how the 2024 election already gave Venezuela a democratically-elected leader really underscores how rare these circumstances are for a succesful transition. Most regime collapses dont come with that kind of clarity, but Gonzalez won by 30 points, we got receipts from the PVT. Its almost handed to us on a plate if we dont blow it.
This was an excellent evaluation of The US's role in the invasion breaching Venezuela's sovereignty. I found your book "Autocrats vs. Democrats" most enlightening and interesting. The evidence against Maduro is weak for the violations claimed: ( danger to our security, what danger?); ( stealing our oil? Not ours to steal; (Drug trafficking? Drugs aimed for Surinam not US); (trafficking most dangerous drug for US is Fentynal, which comes from China not Venezuela).If Maduro is not found guilty, what would Trump do? Release him? You think?
McFaul: “Most alarmingly, in his first press conference after the military operation, Trump mentioned oil a dozen times but did not utter the word democracy once.” Alarming but not surprising.
He doesn't want democracy at any cost. He wants to be ruler or dictator. I noticed and warned my friends before the 2016 election. They laughed at me. But I had the superior knowledge at the time as a California Judge. Their expertise was medicine and real estate.
Not going to happen. This Administration doesn’t give flying f’ about Venezuelans or democracy. This is about Rubio’s fantasy of becoming Emperor of Cuba and Trump’s dated fascination with oil.
You are full of crap. We arrested a wanted felon and leader of a major crime syndicate. and his felonious wife. Now the Venezuelan Vice President gets to take her shot at squaring away her country.
This whole past weekend has been nothing but Grade Z Trump BS. What's going on is the senile old fartsack is terrified of the Trump-Epstein Files - none of his previous crap has distracted anyone from the files, which must be radioactive Kryptonite to him to go this far with his "Look! A shiny object!" baloney.
People who know how you go about running a snatch op like was allegedly done in Caracas are now pointing out that the details of the story do not fit such an operation. Staying on the ground for 2 hours? Doesn't happen. No china broken? doesn't happen. Nobody bleeding out? Doesn't happen - the so-called "claim" by the Defense Minister of "40 deaths" is not backed up by any evidence.
What it does look like is a collaborative internal coup - the Trumpers and the rest of the Maduro regime together. On Saturday, Sundowning Grampa woke up long enough to say that VP Rodriguez had agreed to "cooperate", followed by her state TV denial denouncing the "raid." That’s how she covers her posterior on this. Gramps then attacked 2025 Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Machado (who he thinks "stole" his award), and has said not one word about Edmundo González, the real winner of the 2024 election.
Instead, the Maduro regime (minus Maduro) is still in power and the US has not sent anyone to Caracas. That, my friends, is what a collaborative internal coup looks like. Trump then tops it off by doing his big bad wolf impression, "I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house down!" with a threat against Greenland, one of his "greatest hits" from 2025.
C'mon folks, the squid is blowing squid ink to get Democrats to lose the plot and miss the continuing refusal to cooperate on the Trump-Epstein Files - the Department of Injustice Report about why they made the redactions they did was due last Saturday. Coincidence? There are no coincidences with these worthless traitors. Also the “indictment” of Maduro is really thin, according to legal observers. Look for the case to be thrown out the week after the November elections.
Trump hasn't told the truth about anything once in his worthless life. When seeing his BS on the net, operate from the idea that it's a lie until it's confirmed by two independent sources. You'll never go wrong. Don't let him mess with your heads! Look at what's really happening!
https://michaeldsellers.substack.com/p/maduros-slow-motion-two-hour-bloodless
No, Michael, the priority should be to get out and stay out of Venezuela.
With all due respect, I do not understand how Trump's path is unclear when he has not once mentioned promoting democracy in Venezuela. If I missed something in the flurry of news the last 3 days, please fill me in.
War is a racket referencing Venezuelan Dictator Maduro's rendition to USA
"War is a Racket" by Major General Smedley Butler United States Marine Corps bears reading.
The fungible fragile nature entailed in State Sovereignty is being made clear evinced by the recent extraction of Venezuelan Dictator Maduro by American Special Forces.
May I suggest the book “Gangsters of Capitalism” exploring the making and breaking of America’s empire in the early 20th century authored by Jonathan Katz.
US Marine Major General Smedley Butler twice awarded the Congressional Medal of Honour is the book subject and focus.
In retirement, Major General Butler wrote a monograph based on his experiences in post conflict state building in the southern hemisphere of the Americas.
Butler details in this monograph--War is a racket!
War always has been a for profit racket.
This Venezuelan intervention can be considered precursor to the most profitable, the most vicious crime racket benefiting for profit both Members and Associates of The Trump Crime Family under direct aegis of Mob Boss Trump presenting as POTUS.
No, Ambassador. The priority in Venezuela is to get the fuck out, and to stay the fuck out.
We are kidding ourselves if we think there is any chance at all that Trump and his advisers are seeking democracy in Venezuela. They are seeking oil. If you are skeptical, just look at what happened yesterday (Sunday, January 4).
The idiocy of our current policy, and its lack of a plan for what happens next, was on display during the Sunday network news shows. Marco Rubio was made to look especially silly, as he should know better. We want to "run" Venezuela, but according to Secretary Rubio, this will be done by threatening the decapitated Maduro regime. Not likely. We also want to get "our" oil back. Also not likely, unless someone can occupy the oil fields and come up with $100 billion to repair them. At the moment, we have no troops in Venezuela, which in my view is a good thing.
Faced with the practical problems of ruling a country without a plan, what do Trump and his acolytes do instead? They start threatening more countries in our hemisphere, among them Greenland/Denmark, Colombia, Cuba, and Mexico. One hopes that, in Trump's case, these are just the idle meanderings of an increasingly incapable mind, but one never knows.
If, by some chance, Trump does act on his impulses once again, the results could be catastrophic. Occupying Greenland would effectively end the NATO alliance, something the Russians have been praying for. Attacking Colombia, Cuba, cartels in Mexico, or other follies would effectively end our influence not just in the Western Hemisphere, but all over the world. Others would view us as a rogue state, which, at that point, we would be.
An overwhelming majority of Americans disapprove of our Venezuela policy, such as it is. It will be another black mark against the Trump administration and Republicans in the run-up to the 2026 midterms. We must hope -- and work -- for better times.
I have been looking forward to your opinion of Mr. Trump's actions ever since I first heard of the capture of President Madurno. After reading today's article, I went back and read your interpretation of Presidential Trump's "National Security Strategy." Just my humble opinion, but I believe the actions this weekend are in direct line to the goals established in the current "National Security Strategy." Human rights and democratic principles, are not core values of the Trump administration. Thank-you for sharing your knowledge on this complex situation. I am looking forward to reading your next post. Don't mean to upset anyone, just the rambling thoughts of an old hermit.
Good commentary on the current situation. I fear democracy will be much harder to achieve than you hope. Significant foreign investment will be required for not only the oil industry, but all other infrastructure which has suffered under the Chavista banner. There are apparently many more armed factions, including a highly effective Cuban force that will require security assistance from pro democracy nations. Let's not do another Ukraine by slow walking Venezuela support. Unfortunately that also requires a strong US which now seems like a contradiction in terms.
Trump's actions in Venezuela are about as valid as Putin's invasion of Ukraine. Trump set some staging for his capturing Maduro and having the US "run" Venezuela by his pitiful campaign of sinking small boats (with no evident proof) claimed to be running drugs to the U.S. It is interesting that the "drug danger" seems no longer to be in discussion, but rather taking over Venezuela's oil reserves is now the priority for further US action. Trump claims that the US deserves compensation for the American oil companies losing their holdings in Venezuela. Trump is willing, however, to let the rest of Maduro's government stay in charge as long as they do what they're told by the US. He has certainly made no effort whatsoever to try to install the democratic opposition, who legitimately won the 2024 election, in Maduro's place. In fact Trump''s willingness to work with officials of Maduro's government, make me wonder whether those officials were in fact working hand in hand with Trump to grab more power for themselves.
Trump's motivation in kidnapping Maduro seems to have nothing whatsoever to do with the welfare of the Venezuelan people. The only motivations that Trump has displayed are inordinate greed and a love of power. His success here seems to be setting him on a course of other coups or invasions to take over other countries in America's "interest", as he defines it. The "Donroe Doctrine" appears to aim at making the whole of the North and South American continents dominated by America.
In no way does Trump show concern for the United States government, people, or principles as embedded our constitution and history. He only serves himself.
I really don’t think there is enough duct tape in the world to repair what the Republicans have wrought with their fanciful regime change mission in Venezuela.
McFaul's writing is always fact-based and therefore edifying in these times of rampant slop.
This framing of what is good and bad from the national security point of view is useful in some respects, but what might be more insightful is adding an overlay of what is personally good and bad for the president's self-perceived power, self-image, and wallet. This resulting grid would attach probabilities to the actions and outcomes. (It's not looking good for democracy, I'm afraid.)
McFaul is a warmongering shitbag and a liar.
You have no right to label yourself a Liberal. Don't sully their group by it. McFaul is a world recognized intellect and former ambassador with many other tiles of honor. What are your claims to those? Checkmate!
my fixed income is too low to donate to anything
Strong arguement here. The part about how the 2024 election already gave Venezuela a democratically-elected leader really underscores how rare these circumstances are for a succesful transition. Most regime collapses dont come with that kind of clarity, but Gonzalez won by 30 points, we got receipts from the PVT. Its almost handed to us on a plate if we dont blow it.
This was an excellent evaluation of The US's role in the invasion breaching Venezuela's sovereignty. I found your book "Autocrats vs. Democrats" most enlightening and interesting. The evidence against Maduro is weak for the violations claimed: ( danger to our security, what danger?); ( stealing our oil? Not ours to steal; (Drug trafficking? Drugs aimed for Surinam not US); (trafficking most dangerous drug for US is Fentynal, which comes from China not Venezuela).If Maduro is not found guilty, what would Trump do? Release him? You think?
McFaul: “Most alarmingly, in his first press conference after the military operation, Trump mentioned oil a dozen times but did not utter the word democracy once.” Alarming but not surprising.
He doesn't want democracy at any cost. He wants to be ruler or dictator. I noticed and warned my friends before the 2016 election. They laughed at me. But I had the superior knowledge at the time as a California Judge. Their expertise was medicine and real estate.