JelloPuddingPop wrote: ↑Sun Jan 04, 2026 7:34 pm
Tciso wrote: ↑Sun Jan 04, 2026 7:22 pm
But JPP, that was all bullshit and optics. Hell, we have been so successful in Cypres, the UN mission is still going strong 60 years later with no end in sight. Africa. The Golan heights. We have had troops on UN missions for ever, yet, have we really made a difference? And, our foreign aid has never made any long term differences. It just feeds the people that the 3rd world dictators can't or won't feed, and the root problems are maintained.
Maduro was an illegitimate dictator that ruined his country, and killed his own people. Given the option of the status quo vs the devil you don't know, I'd pick Trump's option.
I have always supported getting rid of Maduro, as he a brutal dictator. I guess the question is have for people is if you believe it was morally right to leave Maduro in power, or was it morally right to replace him. I believe it was morally right to replace him. But, as there is no legal way to do it, if you agree he should have been removed, but not Trump's way, the question is how?
I'm saying the way Trump went about it was wrong. Timing is all wrong. He has no plan for what comes next. Reactionary.
Do you know this, or are you just assuming?
Playing devil’s advocate with that.
I agree, if there is no follow up plan then the question does remain: what was really accomplished?
If this is such a big win. Why not do the same for Putin? Lukashenko, Jingping, Khamenei?
Location. Location. Location.
This was just across the Gulf of
Trump err
Mexico err America….maintaining projected influence after something like this is much easier.
With the investment that China had in Venezuela, this move strategically sends them a message that they are not yet on equal footing with the US. It also gives the US leverage in the Taiwan situation…..you want Venezuelan oil? Back off of Taiwan.
North Korea is a Chinese puppet and America isn’t going to poke the bear too hard by fucking around in China’s backyard.
On Iran, probably because the Middle East has cost the US dearly, and Iran is currently a hot mess that may actually depose their own tyrant (with some help) rather than actually get US boots dirty. But certainly things are happening there and the US is not simply an observer.
Who knows, maybe there’s a deal with China in place already. They can have Iran and own Russia so long as they keep their noses out of South America.
Its about resources. Greed. And idiocy.
Always is.