He may as well be. By the time the US has sold the oil and subtracted the cost of transport, storage, security, processing, marketing, management and taxes; there will be no profit Venezuela will be lucky not to owe the US.
It wasn't that long back that the Chinese couldn't make a ball point pen. That's not a criticism, it's actually very hard to create a ball bearing that small that works. The trouble is now they are becoming the leaders in technology simply because they nab the best graduates and pay them amazing salaries, to train their own. Since they now make everything they are becoming very capable. They can massive out build everything as well. The new class of US navy ships will need to be extremely capable because the sad truth is that the Chinese can out build military ships, compared to the US, by 250:1. They are also clever because they consider the military use in everything they build, like their ferries can be used as landing craft. We would be incredibly out numbered if a conflict where ever to happen but they seem more intent on dominance through economics than war, and have a patient leader.
Trump is attempting to introduce a ban on corporations buying up housing stock in the US. I am all for this. However, if it gets banned there but not here, the corporations may just shift to our market. US asset management companies already hoover up new builds here.
It will be like the 'Lease Lend' system the USA used when providing equipment for Allied troops etc during WWII. It took 60 years for the UK to repay.
I agree that the Chinese can build and get things done quicker than western countries as it is more about economics, but is that down to their capability or are we equally to blame for off shoring to them and letting it happen. Trump signed off, restoring America's maritime dominance in 2025 mainly due to China building and putting to sea 1000 commercial ships in 2024 compared to 8 in the US. There is no doubt the Chinese are quite capable of building military vessels quicker than the US but that 250:1 ratio was based on commercial vessels. The US is just like the UK, our dominance in ship building ended along time ago. Restoring America's Maritime Dominance
Trump is respecting the Monroe Doctrine. Which was written way before his time. The Monroe Doctrine, articulated by President James Monroe in 1823, is a cornerstone of U.S. foreign policy that opposes European colonialism in the Western Hemisphere. It asserts that the United States will not tolerate further colonization or military intervention by European powers in the Americas. The doctrine's basic tenets include:The U.S. will not interfere in the political affairs of European states.The U.S. will not interfere with existing European colonies.The U.S. will not recognize any attempt by a European power to colonize territory in the Western Hemisphere as an act of aggression.The U.S. will not intervene in the internal affairs of European countries. 3 The doctrine was drafted to prevent European powers from encroaching on the U.S. sphere of influence and to assert U.S. influence in the hemisphere. It has been invoked repeatedly by subsequent U.S. presidents to justify U.S. intervention in the region, including the 1904 Roosevelt Corollary, which extended the doctrine's reach to include other foreign interventions. 3 The Monroe Doctrine continues to influence U.S. foreign policy, particularly in the context of regional security and the protection of U.S. interests. 6
And does Greenland get to remind him of the second bullet point before he invades? Bullet point being an apt term, methinks. And does this not sound a lot like “interfering”? By god, I’m glad I’ll be dead soon.
Well he obviously never had that one read to him. Which European country threatened Venezuela? Requiring the US to intervene. Now why does the US not want Jamaica, Trinidad, etc two reasons first they play cricket (beyond US comprehension) and secondly not a lot of natural resources.
Quote,The U.S. will not recognize any attempt by a European power to colonize territory in the Western Hemisphere as an act of aggression.Its that some kind of riddle, to me that suggests we could take over the US, Again, and it would not be recognized an act of aggression.
Thank you for that clarification of the Monroe doctrine @redstar. Much appreciated, I'd not heard much about it until recently.
Another reason that China has become so dominant technology wise, is their full scale theft of information, and a complete disregard for such niceties as copyright law. Of course, lots of foreign countries have taken advantage of cheaper labour costs, and kindly delivered all their expertise and knowledge into the hands of what is now an economic enemy. As for Trump and Vance, what can one say? The only country Greenland needs protecting from is the USA. It already has an agreement for the USA to have military bases there, so obviously this is another blatant plan to pillage any natural resources for the personal enrichment of Trump and his circle of rich friends. Some of them have already been benefitting from inside knowledge about the ‘coup’ in Venezuela. If it was justifiable to unseat a criminal who was exploiting his country for his own personal gain, then both Trump and Putin certainly qualify to be next on the list.
Your welcome. And I put this out there so folks would stop thinking that Trump just comes up with all things originally out of his own thought process. He many times looks back to past "approved" policies approved by past Presidents and uses those. Including Democrat Presidents, which is what I find humorous, when the Democrats don't like it, and then they find out it was approved by one of their own. Certain laws have been on the books for many years, he's just enacting them.
