Spooky

1) I would argue that nothing has changed from a US security perspective, the VZ regime is still in place. Even with respect to drugs if the US had intelligence on drug boats they could have just intercepted them and VZ is not the main source of either cocaine or fentanyl coming into the country. 2) there was a months long military and intelligence process to extract Maduro, I'm not sure the cost involved but I assume it is significant.

Sure but the bombs cost money. There is also the opportunity cost of not having these forces somewhere more important.

Exactly. How many billions were spent bombing boats in the Caribbean?

That would be wonderful haha. Always better to have these debates in person than online.

There was once something called Pax Americana and the peace dividend. It was in the US' strategic interest to provide a global security framework for smaller nations and the US reaped the rewards of a huge increase in global peace and prosperity of the global architecture it created after WW2. The lesson today is now if you don't have nuclear weapons you are just prey for larger countries. Germany is restarting its military. Japan will most likely follow. If I was Japan I would certainly be procuring nuclear weapons imminently. Hell, even in Canada we are asking ourselves why we gave up our nukes. Its sad really, the US, a once mighty and well respected nation, has just become a grotesque caricature of its worse instincts. A president openly admitting they are just going to plunder a nations oil resources. A secretary of war full of false bravado and machismo. Stephen Miller a literal white supremacist and imperialist. It just like everyone assumed with the Iraq war but now it is just plain out in the open. Not to mention corruption on an unprecedented scale. How the mighty have fallen.

It has nothing to do with Trump. The US pulling back its security and nuclear umbrella is leading to a much more unstable world. We have Germany, France and the UK creating a separate nuclear umbrella. Japan and Korea are going to need to re-evaluate their security posture and nuclear strategy. The odds of a global military or nuclear confrontation have increased. The doomsday clock is 89 seconds to midnight: https://thebulletin.org/doomsday-clock/

Then it looks like former allies need to prepare for a world where the US is a military adversary.

You seem to have all the answers. I wish you luck with your military adventurism.

Do you understand how insane that is? Refusing to rule out military action against Denmark, a NATO ally? Would that trigger Article 5 and then NATO is at war with the US?

Alright man. Choose not to believe the evidence of your eyes. The reality is the US left the VZ regime in place and they are cracking down on people in the street. No plan to transition to a democratically elected government.

Like running Venezuela?

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4g0zg974v1o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmnY1Jv21Cw

I don't understand your statement. I barely even listen to Trump anymore he either lies or when he makes a true statement all the republicans come out and say he didn't mean what he said. Should I take him at face value or not? Trump said Venezuela is about the Oil many times. But then people go on Fox and say it is not about the oil but x, y, z reason. Give me a break. Just look at Stephen Miller's recent statements about Greenland. Look at the "Donroe Doctrine".

You are making a lot of assumptions that the US is operating in good faith. The statements I heard from the President and Stephen Miller is that the US must have Greenland and are willing to use military force against a NATO ally. Seems more about territorial expansion and taking resources to me.

Look at the Danes' statements about Greenland. They are willing to co-operate with the US in a manner that respects it is their protectorate. The US apparently has 3 military bases in Greenland: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/07/brief-history-of-us-military-bases-in-greenland Edited: Sorry this is out of date, there is only one operating base in Greenland.

The US already has a presence / military base in Greenland. Denmark is already co-operating with the US for everything they want. I'm not sure what else the US wants except to "own" Greenland so Trump can emulate his hero McKinley.

How did you get Gemini to do this? It's telling me that it is still January 2025

This is my view as well, we know where this leads. We are already in a hybrid / cold world war, the world is a tinderbox right now.

There was a 4 minute clip that was just released by CNBC which was filmed back at the time of the AGM and Buffett's announcement. Maybe there will be more clips released?

I don't know, or care. Taking out Gaddafi turned out to be a mistake. Doesn't make what is happening now the correct course of action.

Good article from Greg Ip: https://www.wsj.com/world/americas/venezuela-ushers-in-the-era-of-trumps-donroe-doctrine-61f9b080?st=hYWjfj&reflink=article_copyURL_share

Some more random thoughts on the topic - the US subscribing to the theory of "spheres of influence" is giving the game away to Russia and China. This is what they have wanted for a long time. At one point China proposed a G2 with the US where they make all the decisions related to Asia together. The US rejected that then since it is better for the US and the world not to make decisions over small countries' heads. Before the US' "sphere of influence" was the whole world - based on appealing to values that every human on the planet wanted. Also, the far right / alt right, however you want to label it, is always going on about immigration destroying Western civilization. Meanwhile they are degrading the true foundations of Western civilization which are democratic capitalism, the rule of law and individual rights.

I hope you are right but it doesn't seem like there is any kind of plan to establish a legitimate government in VZ.

this is just it. Before you could make the argument that Russia’s invasion was illegal under international law and they violated the sovereignty of another country. Now the US just did the same thing.