Considering that US oil companies played a major role in developing the Venezuelan oil industry before Hugo Chavez nationalized the oil industry and booted the oil companies out and drove the oil industry in Venezuela into the ground, American oil company re-investment there makes sense in my mind. The Feds need to get out of private company holding business and leave business to private industry.
As for Mr. Trump he is much more akin to the Putin's, Xi's and Jung's of the world than anyone else. Taiwanese have every right to get skittish with Trump in office and the situation will be worse if Vance somehow finds a path to the presidency.
I agree. If the plan is to exploit the country for it's oil without a negotiated deal that helps Venezuela develop an economy that supports their people it's wrong.
It’s hard to get worked up about this when the previous regime sold its oil to China and Cuba at an extreme discount, all while its once mighty oil infrastructure crumbled. No word on that in this piece, and whatever you do, do ‘t you dare point out Chinese Communist Party imperialism or Cuba’s typical communistic leeching.
I didn’t mention it because it’s not material to the current deal. The fact that VZ was oppressed in the past is no excuse for us to oppress them. I think most Americans wan to be better than that. That’s moral relativistic thinking or Trump’s brand of “if they’re going to be oppressed, it might as well be by us.
…as is a relative comparison to what/who might offer VZ more.
I see the US and US O&G companies as much more likely to offer more to VZ than China/Cuba which was pure resource extraction (robbery) with no investment and crumbling infrastructure.
Does the US have imperialistic skeletons in its closet all over the globe, yes. Will the US offer more to VZ than the leeches who have been sucking the resources out of the country in recent years/decades, also yes. Will it be perfect or even close to perfect for VZ, no. Will the US O&G companies push the greed factor as far as they can. Also, yes. Welcome to capitalism.
First of all, Maduro was not lawfully elected. As discussed, Chavez had already nationalized the oil industry then let the oil industry simply become inoperable while the Communists looted the country, ran it into the ground, and imprisoned, kidnapped killed all their opponents. Then the Chinese and Russians joined Maduro and his friends and started camping out in our hemisphere , turning it into the Western drug and human trafficking hub of the globe. So yes, it is hard to get worked up about Trump’s response. He only has two years left, less if the Socialists win the midterms. Then we will have a lot more to worry about and you will have less to bash Trump about and you can wave your red and green victory banner Mr Thornton
Any moral standing we had to criticize the Chinese and Russians was torched with this deal. That's not something that magically reconstitutes itself once the US removes the bad actors running this country.
It's also not "our hemisphere". (Who is this "we", Kemosabe?)
We do not possess a claim on the Venezuelan land, the Venezuelan resources, or what the Venezuelan people decide to do with those resources. After toppling Maduro - an illegal act in its own right - our first order of business should have replacing the infrastructure that allowed Venezuelans to make their voice heard about their future in their land, with their resources. But given how this Administration views fair elections for Americans, there's no hope that Venezuelans would receive something different.
This is mafioso crap, and we don't need apologists, gaslighters, or people trying to diminish that fact.
Trump captured Maduro not Chavez
Oops. Thanks.
Considering that US oil companies played a major role in developing the Venezuelan oil industry before Hugo Chavez nationalized the oil industry and booted the oil companies out and drove the oil industry in Venezuela into the ground, American oil company re-investment there makes sense in my mind. The Feds need to get out of private company holding business and leave business to private industry.
As for Mr. Trump he is much more akin to the Putin's, Xi's and Jung's of the world than anyone else. Taiwanese have every right to get skittish with Trump in office and the situation will be worse if Vance somehow finds a path to the presidency.
If private businesses want to make a fair deal, I’m fine with that.
I agree. If the plan is to exploit the country for it's oil without a negotiated deal that helps Venezuela develop an economy that supports their people it's wrong.
It’s hard to get worked up about this when the previous regime sold its oil to China and Cuba at an extreme discount, all while its once mighty oil infrastructure crumbled. No word on that in this piece, and whatever you do, do ‘t you dare point out Chinese Communist Party imperialism or Cuba’s typical communistic leeching.
I didn’t mention it because it’s not material to the current deal. The fact that VZ was oppressed in the past is no excuse for us to oppress them. I think most Americans wan to be better than that. That’s moral relativistic thinking or Trump’s brand of “if they’re going to be oppressed, it might as well be by us.
Sorry, hit send mistakenly…will pick it up here.
…as is a relative comparison to what/who might offer VZ more.
I see the US and US O&G companies as much more likely to offer more to VZ than China/Cuba which was pure resource extraction (robbery) with no investment and crumbling infrastructure.
Does the US have imperialistic skeletons in its closet all over the globe, yes. Will the US offer more to VZ than the leeches who have been sucking the resources out of the country in recent years/decades, also yes. Will it be perfect or even close to perfect for VZ, no. Will the US O&G companies push the greed factor as far as they can. Also, yes. Welcome to capitalism.
What's the problem with giving the Venezuelans a voice and letting THEM decide who they want to work with, instead of forcing ourselves on them?
I miss the America that other countries would willingly choose to engage in trade and commerce with freely.
Thank you for the reply. Respectfully, I think the previous Chinese/Cuban relationship relevant, as is a relative comparison to
First of all, Maduro was not lawfully elected. As discussed, Chavez had already nationalized the oil industry then let the oil industry simply become inoperable while the Communists looted the country, ran it into the ground, and imprisoned, kidnapped killed all their opponents. Then the Chinese and Russians joined Maduro and his friends and started camping out in our hemisphere , turning it into the Western drug and human trafficking hub of the globe. So yes, it is hard to get worked up about Trump’s response. He only has two years left, less if the Socialists win the midterms. Then we will have a lot more to worry about and you will have less to bash Trump about and you can wave your red and green victory banner Mr Thornton
Any moral standing we had to criticize the Chinese and Russians was torched with this deal. That's not something that magically reconstitutes itself once the US removes the bad actors running this country.
It's also not "our hemisphere". (Who is this "we", Kemosabe?)
We do not possess a claim on the Venezuelan land, the Venezuelan resources, or what the Venezuelan people decide to do with those resources. After toppling Maduro - an illegal act in its own right - our first order of business should have replacing the infrastructure that allowed Venezuelans to make their voice heard about their future in their land, with their resources. But given how this Administration views fair elections for Americans, there's no hope that Venezuelans would receive something different.
This is mafioso crap, and we don't need apologists, gaslighters, or people trying to diminish that fact.