President Donald Trump's United States of America

[adma]

I suspect Greenland is next. /bleh

I suspect that NYC is next.

 

[kEiThZ]

War sucks. But it's rather hypocritical for Putinists to complain. Remember when y'all were complaining about NATO expansion and the Russian Sphere of Influence? Same logic for America now. Why should Trump allow membership of SCO and BRICS in America's backyard?

This is what happens when America gets to behave like Russia. Enjoy what you advocated for. Or did you think only Putin should get a sphere of influence? You legitimized this by legitimizing the Putin doctrine.

 

[kEiThZ]

If this is deemed to be a violation of international law or turns out to be an Iraq style boondoggle he may yet be ousted.

Where was your concern for international law last week?

By your logic, the US just has to keep fighting for 3 years and you'll say they should have it. Or maybe Trump needs to threaten WWIII more often for you?

Hope yousee how dangerous it is to normalize the Putinist view of sovereignty. Trump is behaving exactly like the double standard people like you hold dictators too.

And nobody cares about international law. People like you and EBT made it irrelevant. What a funny idea to think Trump would constrain himself to actions Putin is allowed.

 

[Richard White]

Where was your concern for international law last week?

By your logic, the US just has to keep fighting for 3 years and you'll say they should have it. Or maybe Trump needs to threaten WWIII more often for you?

Hope yousee how dangerous it is to normalize the Putinist view of sovereignty. Trump is behaving exactly like the double standard people like you hold dictators too.

And nobody cares about international law. People like you and EBT made it irrelevant.

 

[lenaitch]

The oil is fully oil independent (well, including ours). They don’t need Venezuelan oil. Instead, I think Trump is looking for a place to deport all the Venezuelan illegals residing in the US.

I disagree. Off-shore drilling, fracking, arctic exploration are a lot more expensive and disruptive than simply grabbing oil that is a short sail away.

Trump doesn't give rat's behind about drugs. Drug addicts are losers and probably don't vote anyway. This is all about controlling oil.

 

[afransen]

GOP Senator Tom Cotton said that he viewed the attack on Venezuela as a law enforcement action that didn't require advance notification of congress. Would he feel the same way if China used special forces to arrest Trump, or would that be an act of war? I don't mourn the Venezuelan regime, they were not good guys, but I worry about entering a new era of US coups in Latin America will have similar consequences.

 

[afransen]

This probably underscores the need for additional export capacity for AB oilsands as the Texas refineries are about to have an alternate source their required feedstock, leading to a bigger discount imposed on Canadian production without alternative markets.

 

[Richard White]

This probably underscores the need for additional export capacity for AB oilsands as the Texas refineries are about to have an alternate source their required feedstock, leading to a bigger discount imposed on Canadian production without alternative markets.

What we need is more domestic capacity but that will take time

 

[kEiThZ]

I disagree. Off-shore drilling, fracking, arctic exploration are a lot more expensive and disruptive than simply grabbing oil that is a short sail away.

Trump doesn't give rat's behind about drugs. Drug addicts are losers and probably don't vote anyway. This is all about controlling oil.

Both?

I expect a lot of Venezuelans and "Venezuelans" will be deported there.

Venezuela's oil industry also requires tens to hundreds of billions in investment. Who would do that?

Also, the Venezuelan state is still functional. This isn't Iraq 2003. So not sure what the game is.

 

[Richard White]

Also, the Venezuelan state is still functional. This isn't Iraq 2003. So not sure what the game is

For now.

They still believe that Maduro is their president despite being captured and soon arrested.

 

[lenaitch]

Both?

I expect a lot of Venezuelans and "Venezuelans" will be deported there.

Venezuela's oil industry also requires tens to hundreds of billions in investment. Who would do that?

Also, the Venezuelan state is still functional. This isn't Iraq 2003. So not sure what the game is.

Perhaps.

Exploration and development in reserves such as shale frakking and opening up the Alaska reserves have environmental and aboriginal pushback. Better to screw up the environment of another country then simply walk away. I suspect the Venezuelan environmental and other related laws are fairly lax, both in their existence and enforcement.

 

[kEiThZ]

GOP Senator Tom Cotton said that he viewed the attack on Venezuela as a law enforcement action that didn't require advance notification of congress. Would he feel the same way if China used special forces to arrest Trump, or would that be an act of war?

This was always the danger in creating a double standard where some are bound by global norms and some are not. When some excuse Putin, others will excuse Trump. That is exactly what we're seeing. I think both American and global reaction to something like this would be very different in a world where Russia had substantially lost in Ukraine and been more globally isolated. There's consequences to fear. What global consequence should Trump (and wider US polity) fear?

I don't mourn the Venezuelan regime, they were not good guys, but I worry about entering a new era of US coups in Latin America will have similar consequences.

I am not too worried about that. Latin America today is not what it was during the Cold War. It's more stable. And more US friendly. But countries that were exceptionally friendly to China and Russia are going to have to wonder if that's a zero cost strategy now. There's a few countries that might have to re-think hosting Chinese listening posts. I think Cuba is probably the place most under threat.

Satellite images reveal FOUR Chinese spy stations stationed in Cuba

The 'electronic eavesdropping' facilities, located just 100 miles off the coast of Florida, could allow China to scoop up a 'treasure trove of data' from U.S. military bases.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[kEiThZ]

Perhaps.

Exploration and development in reserves such as shale frakking and opening up the Alaska reserves have environmental and aboriginal pushback. Better to screw up the environment of another country then simply walk away. I suspect the Venezuelan environmental and other related laws are fairly lax, both in their existence and enforcement.

Sure. But again, who is going to put in the capital to rebuild their industry? American oil majors have literally been cutting back on drilling at home. Pouring 10x more capital into Venezuela to then lower global oil prices doesn't seem like a plan that would appeal to them. And this is literally happening as we get news that Chinese oil demand is peaking. And possibly a global peak this decade. Just in time for so much of that investment to come online.

 

[Richard White]

This seems alot like Iraq in 2003.

 

[Jonny5]

This seems alot like Iraq in 2003.

I'm not sure if you are aware, but when you post screenshots from your phone like this the site makes them gigantic on non-miobile devices. It's about triple the size of my laptop monitor.