Perhaps feeling emboldened by a successful operation in Venezuela and strikes against ISIS in Syria, President Trump reacted to nationwide unrest in Iran with threats of military force against Tehran. Fueled by the value of the rial -- the Iranian currency -- reaching a new low against the U.S. dollar at the close of 2025, popular unrest has grown over the past couple of weeks.

In yesterday's post, I included the following comment (among others): Oil is relatively plentiful, given the emergence of EVs. Global demand is down. American oil firms must include this in the calculus of a return to Venezuela. Another consideration: Venezuela's crude is thick, corrosive, and sour. Extraction requires additional skill, advanced metallurgy, and additional refinement. All are added costs. One begins to wonder if investors will be signing up for negative ROI.

Despite Secretary of Energy Wright's obvious flattery of Supreme Leader Trump, U.S. actions in Venezuela seem likely to benefit only one person.

What does "light" and "sweet" have to do with crude oil?

Basic improvements like clean water and reliable electricity would probably be an amazing start to a positive relationship moving forward.

Congress is furious that Operation Absolute Resolve was conducted without consultation, much less approval.

Aggression against Venezuela was foretold The portions of Project 2025 dedicated to the State Department identified five nations which should be monitored for activities counter to U.S.' interests: China, Iran, Venezuela, Russia, and N. Korea. 1 Generally speaking, Project 2025 assumes a much more adversarial position against countries we tend to consider "competition," like China. It advocates for a demonstrably aggressive stance against Iran and Venezuela in particular:

Nearly everything the Trump Administration has done over 2025 can be traced back to ultraconservative policy positions on everything from presidential powers to marriage equality.

The conservative agenda appears to have weaponized the commission against the very people it was established to protect.

Maduro apparently uses the detainees as "bargaining chips" when in negotiations with the United States. At least some detainees were imprisoned, abused, and subjected to horrible living conditions.

People who vote by mail risk having their votes postmarked several days after they were placed in the mailbox.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has long believed the key to regime change in Cuba to fall is regime change in Venezuela.

A goal of the Trump Administration and MAGA is to make America a country led by wealthy whites, unopposed by diversity of any kind. Here are five reasons why.