USA just sunk a drug boat from Venezuela

[UltraBudgie]

Not to belabor the point...

Venezuela has been on the Big Energy hate list for some time.
Remember... seizing property for the state?  They were never forgiven.

Hence the "hate" aura around the subject...

What the cartel does is "useful" in that regard...

Next you're going to start in with crazy conspiracy theories like we're really there to protect Exxon-Mobile's payday in neighbouring Guyana from evil Venezuelan communism, which means Venezuela has to be crushed into a Western-compliant pulp.

The petroleum industry in Guyana is rapidly expanding. The country has emerged as one of the newest petroleum-producing nations in the world, achieving its first commercial grade crude oil draw in December 2019. Crude oil is sent abroad for refining.

Since the onset of production, Guyana has experienced a rapid increase in oil output, with production levels reaching approximately 660,000 barrels per day by 2024. With plans to further increase production to about 1.3 million barrels per day by 2027, Guyana is set to significantly expand its influence in the global oil market, presenting new economic opportunities and challenges for the country.

In 2022, a Guyanese petroleum training facility was launched, with investments in staff training amounting to US $20 million.The training centre is located in Lusignan, Demerara-Mahaica. In December 2024, Guyana became the world's third largest petroleum-producing country per capita.

The discovery of oil has also reignited the border dispute with Venezuela which claims most of Guyana's territory, leading to a crisis in late 2023.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petroleum_..._in_Guyana

Oh, who am I kidding. Yes of course we are. If God had meant them to keep their oil, He would have given them the military might to withstand us.

[CriticalStinker]

[Image: https://media0.giphy.com/media/3oz8xzM4q.../giphy.gif]

Iraq and Afghanistan were about rebuilding both countries

 [Image: https://media0.giphy.com/media/24y2gUQ3vZsg8/giphy.gif]

AND pillaging/controlling natural resources, a tale as old as time...
Bottom line, if UncleSammy doesn't, somebody else will: China, Russia, and Iran

Besides, if it wasn't Venezuelan oil, it would be [Image: https://media0.giphy.com/media/WRgVnafE5.../giphy.gif]lithium mines in the Congo 

 

Uncle Sam doesn’t ever get the oil. Oil companies get the oil. We pay for the military to do their thing, then oil companies get to go cash in. Oil doesn’t get cheaper, debt doesn’t go down.

I say let someone have the thick crude. We don’t need it anyways.

[Maxmars]

Uncle Sam doesn’t ever get the oil. Oil companies get the oil. We pay for the military to do their thing, then oil companies get to go cash in. Oil doesn’t get cheaper, debt doesn’t go down.

I say let someone have the thick crude. We don’t need it anyways.

Truth is, we could have been much "less" dependent of oil than we are now... without doubt.

Their scam is to engineer technological constraints to maintain the 'spice' flow.

And I agree... nothing "U.S. Citizens" is a net gain.... ever; plus we get to die AND suffer... bonus.

[putnam6]

Again, till the world has an abundance of energy, water, and food distributed to all corners of the earth, there will be conflicts and wars because of its scarcity

[RichardHurt]

Again, till the world has an abundance of energy, water, and food distributed to all corners of the earth, there will be conflicts and wars because of its scarcity

The world has plenty of food for every person on this planet. Not sure why you think there is not though. My guess is because rich nations more often then not horde food for geopolitical reasons. If those are just or not is not for me to decide nor any living person. But we all as of right now have to just go along.
Wars are fought because of greed and ego. i know that you are aware of that. What would really go a long way is for us to stop megalomaniacs from obtaining power.
Also if we could maybe as a world collectively reduce waste we would be just fine on all those front you mentioned.

[UltraBudgie]

Uncle Sam doesn’t ever get the oil. Oil companies get the oil. We pay for the military to do their thing, then oil companies get to go cash in. Oil doesn’t get cheaper, debt doesn’t go down.

I say let someone have the thick crude. We don’t need it anyways.

I think you are correct; we have enough of that kind of garbage crude with the Alberta tar sands. But having what you need is only half the equation, the other half of maintaining hegemony is making sure that those who may oppose you are maintained in a state of deprivation. That forces them into the calculus of scarcity, which constrains their possible actions. They become predictable and nonthreatening. If they are able to marshal their resources to their own benefit, they could possibly amplify that autonomy into opposition, which could become contagious. Libya was a good example of that.

[RichardHurt]

I think you are correct; we have enough of that kind of garbage crude with the Alberta tar sands. But having what you need is only half the equation, the other half of maintaining hegemony is making sure that those who may oppose you are maintained in a state of deprivation. That forces them into the calculus of scarcity, which constrains their possible actions. They become predictable and nonthreatening. If they are able to marshal their resources to their own benefit, they could possibly amplify that autonomy into opposition, which could become contagious. Libya was a good example of that.

Control the supply even if that supply is not needed by the defenders then you control the seeker.

It's a fun game big government plays! I wanted to be a king yet I am only a pawn.

[CriticalStinker]

Again, till the world has an abundance of energy, water, and food distributed to all corners of the earth, there will be conflicts and wars because of its scarcity

That’s the rub. Trump campaigned like Massie but governs like Bush.

Its a running theme of our politicians, they run saying they’re going to be different than the previous guys… and they keep that rhetoric right until they win.

Hes not unique in that sense. The left agreed with Iraq too.

It just goes to show that the deep state stays in power by changing their figure heads. Things like Iran and Venezuela, no matter how unpopular will be forced on the American people. We will pay for it while others reap the benefit.

[putnam6]

That’s the rub. Trump campaigned like Massie but governs like Bush.

Its a running theme of our politicians, they run saying they’re going to be different than the previous guys… and they keep that rhetoric right until they win.

Hes not unique in that sense. The left agreed with Iraq too.

It just goes to show that the deep state stays in power by changing their figure heads. Things like Iran and Venezuela, no matter how unpopular will be forced on the American people. We will pay for it while others reap the benefit.

Yeah, it's just all downhill for us now, what are gonna do...of well the blue wave will save us in 2026

FFS, we've blown up a few boats, and you have the US already losing a war to Venezuela and being Dubya and Cheney combined

Im not saying, suggesting, or inferring Trump will be mistake-free, only that I prefer his mistakes to the potential errors of a 4th Obama Presidency and potentially a first Presidency for Gavin.



If you have JFK or RFK reincarnates ready for the DNC I'll listen... but let's face it, they couldn't win a Democratic Primary with how it now operates

[CriticalStinker]

Yeah, it's just all downhill for us now, what are gonna do...of well the blue wave will save us in 2026

FFS, we've blown up a few boats, and you have the US already losing a war to Venezuela and being Dubya and Cheney combined

It’s best not to wait for something to happen before you speak out against it. 

We didn’t take any other president at their word. We would criticize trajectories they were on that were suspicious.

I don’t see why now should be any different. If other people want to blindly trust the plan, that is their right. I’m anti dumb wars, if we start to get war footing I’m simply just going to point out how bad of an idea it would be. Am I going to shift the needle? No. Will I lose sleep? Nope.

I just feel better about things if I say my piece. People are welcome to criticize how meaningless that is, I’m self aware and agree.