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Venezuela

CommodoreMid said:
I’m not saying we “should” do anything. I’m simply saying that if we think the remaining parts of the Maduro regime are going to do everything we want from here on out without more force, we are collectively smoking crack.
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I was just asking an open ended question, springing off your post.
ChuckMK23 said:
SecState…No affirmation of the POTUS statement about "running the country"
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Glad they’re on the same page
 
taxi1 said:
I was just asking an open ended question, springing off your post.

Glad they’re on the same page
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It was quite clear from the tone and defensive nature of Mr. Rubio that the staff process is a bit off the rails. Which as many commentators have observed is not uncommon.

Leo McGarry would never put up with this as Chief of Staff!
 
ChuckMK23 said:
^^^^^ interesting take by Peter Z.
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I’m surprised by this take. While Zeihan is decent at his job, not spectacular, he usually takes the time to research the situation. Here he appears totally unaware of Venezuela’s constitutional rules. Under their constitution (Article 233), the “absolute absence” of the president, which includes abandonment of office, removal, or physical or mental incapacity, the line of succession is clear. The executive vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, assumes the job on an interim basis. More importantly, if the absence occurs within the first four years of the term, elections must be called within 30 days. Interestingly, that requirement applies here, in that the most recent presidential election was held on May 25, 2025.

While I doubt Trump is all that aware of this, I think Rubio is and his call with Rodriguez was to ensure that election will take place. The opposition has already shown they can monitor and accurately assess a national election so, theoretically, the Venezuelan people could force “regime change” at the ballot box. At that point, it is up to them (assuming a U.S. boost) to chart a path forward.
 
Griz882 said:
I think Rubio is and his call with Rodriguez was to ensure that election will take place.
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TBH, you've gotta think that the prospect of being in power in Venezuela with Trumps boot on your neck kinda loses its appeal. I think it's naive to think that the removal of one person in an entrenched corrupt system is going to magically produce good results, but hopefully this will encourage a better outcome for the people there.
 
Brett327 said:
TBH, you've gotta think that the prospect of being in power in Venezuela with Trumps boot on your neck kinda loses its appeal. I think it's naive to think that the removal of one person in an entrenched corrupt system is going to magically produce good results, but hopefully this will encourage a better outcome for the people there.
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Magic has nothing to do with it. As both of us have noted, it is up to the people of Venezuela to fix things. Venezuela isn’t the Middle East and they do have experience with democracy. In any case, the power of Trump’s boot is primarily in the mind of Americans who dislike him. Quite a few world leaders have learned how to deal with Trump’s rhetoric by giving him public “wins” that may boost his ego, but are harmless otherwise. In the end, the best any administration can hope for is a better outcome for the people there.
 
Griz882 said:
Quite a few world leaders have learned how to deal with Trump’s rhetoric by giving him public “wins” that may boost his ego, but are harmless otherwise
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That is an interesting shift in tactics since Trump 1.0... watching world leaders fluffing Trump. Hey, whatever keeps his five year old psyche contained.
 
Griz882 said:
Magic has nothing to do with it. As both of us have noted, it is up to the people of Venezuela to fix things. Venezuela isn’t the Middle East and they do have experience with democracy. In any case, the power of Trump’s boot is primarily in the mind of Americans who dislike him. Quite a few world leaders have learned how to deal with Trump’s rhetoric by giving him public “wins” that may boost his ego, but are harmless otherwise. In the end, the best any administration can hope for is a better outcome for the people there.
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That's an interesting way of saying that Trump is easily played by other world leaders.
 
phrogdriver said:
That's an interesting way of saying that Trump is easily played by other world leaders.
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He often is…so have others in our rather recent past. In Trump’s case it’s simply a matter of giving him something he can sell as a public “win.” I’d bet that if the next government of Venezuela named the main drag of Caracas Trump el Victorioso and he’d give them millions in restructuring dollars. It isn’t hard, he is neither incompetent nor a genius; he is neither evil nor virtuous; he’s just a dude too much in love with his own name. But if I had to measure the removal of an actual dictator (a notable and positive action) against Trump’s self-aggrandizement I’d take it in exchange for putting up with the “Trump Center for Making Stuff Great Again” for the three years it’ll be around.
 
Griz882 said:
He often is…so have others in our rather recent past. In Trump’s case it’s simply a matter of giving him something he can sell as a public “win.” I’d bet that if the next government of Venezuela named the main drag of Caracas Trump el Victorioso and he’d give them millions in restructuring dollars. It isn’t hard, he is neither incompetent nor a genius; he is neither evil nor virtuous; he’s just a dude too much in love with his own name. But if I had to measure the removal of an actual dictator (a notable and positive action) against Trump’s self-aggrandizement I’d take it in exchange for putting up with the “Trump Center for Making Stuff Great Again” for the three years it’ll be around.
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Kinda sounds like the anthesis of this:

"Leadership is a potent combination of strategy and character. But if you must be without one, be without the strategy"
 
Dontcallmegump said:
Kinda sounds like the anthesis of this:

"Leadership is a potent combination of strategy and character. But if you must be without one, be without the strategy"
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Makes sense, Schwarzkopf was a genuinely nice guy but not a great strategist. I certainly wouldn’t give Trump high marks on character but maybe one could consider his strategy “drunk monkey” style.
 
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