Friday Morning Foreign News
Are we heading for another war in Southeast Asia? https://www.reuters.com/article/us-southchinasea-vietnam-china-idUSKBN1AD1FB
I hope not. China and Vietnam are in a dispute over Vietnam’s right to drill for oil in its own territorial waters.
This is silly. Oil is in a ‘glut’ state now, and some auto companies like Volvo and Tesla are planning to go all-electric within a decade or two. The UK has announced it will ban all diesel and gasoline-powered vehicles by 2040. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/07/25/new-diesel-petrol-cars-banned-uk-roads-2040-government-unveils/
The practical factors involved in something like this aren’t being addressed, but that is not my problem or yours. It’s theirs. Idealism is a wunnafulla thing, isn’t it?
Meantime, the US government has ordered family members of its embassy employees in Venezuela to leave that country, while violence in the streets increases as the elections draw near.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-venezuela-politics-idUSKBN1AC1S9
Caracas is possibly the worst hit by more and more crowd violence. That rogue police officer firing at government buildings a week or so is a mere symptom of what is going on down there. Maduro has raised the minimum wage by 50%, but if the bolivar is worthless, well…. That entire country is imploding. The coming election is meant to revoke Venezuela’s constitution and install Maduro as dictator, plain and simple.
I think we should get all of our people out, not just their families. Remember Carter’s Iranian fiasco? I don’t think we need to be forced to ransom our own people. Just get them out now.
Category: Politics
We could just make an announcement to any and all in Venezuela that, under our new management, messing with our embassy would make us very angry, and they won’t like us when we’re angry.
The Caribbean is a small pond on our doorstep, and if we feel like projecting force over it, the Marines will be drying their feet in Caracas, the Paratroopers will be locking down the inland roads, and the locals will be wondering why everything suddenly blew up before they even realize what’s going on. Hell, the Air Force could even flatten Cuba for practice on the way.
Few things would rally South American support to the Caracas Thugocracy faster than handing them a silver plated “Repel the Gringo Invasion!” card to play.
Unless we want to get caught up in a major bog, our best bet is to assist any friendly neighboring countries, and funnel resources through one or more of them. SF support of neighboring local forces should be the max involvement, unless and until there is -major- “Welcome USA” sentiment locally.
Allowing Venezuela to implode will also serve as an irrefutable object lesson in the stupidity of Socialism.
The world has already had multiple irrefutable lessons about the end result of socialism. They just don’t learn. Something in there about the definition of insanity.
As for the suggestion, it’s not so much a “let’s occupy Venezuela,” as it is “no more Benghazi.” They can cause whatever trouble they like for themselves, but if the sovereign soil of the embassy gets violated, then they should be made to pay a terrible price. No occupation, just show up, fuck them right up, and leave them in a Hobbesian state. Then announce that this is what happens when you break that rule. Overkill? Maybe. But I doubt there would be too many threats to our diplomatic facilities abroad afterwards.
Admittedly, there could be a bit of post-Benghazi revenge fantasy at play here.
From what I’ve read, even some of Maduro’s supporters have been slipping away from him for a while.
It’s gonna REALLY suck to be him whenever it all comes crashing down.
Even the military could turn on him.
One, or more, of his supporters should slip up behind him and place a double bladed knife between his 5th and 6th rib, next to his spine. All the way to the hilt.
If anyone is smart, they’ll get out of Venezuela last year.
Lose my job? I can get another.
Attacked by a mob or the “police” in a country where I cannot legally possess a gun and folks disappear into the prison system? Could be the last problem I ever faced.
The old saying “Can’t fix Stupid” applies here. Let it implode.
There is just no way this doesn’t end with conflict given China effectively expanded its territory to contested waters and international waters while now claiming control over the richest ship lanes in the area. We have seen this coming since bonehead looked the other way while they built fortresses in the middle of the f’ing ocean.
Well, then, do we step in between China and the Vietnamese government, or let them duke it out? That’s why I said ‘are we in for it again?’
I don’t think we should be the world’s policemen, but this contention between VN and China goes back into really old history.
Red China claiming the South China Sea as their own private puddle is bad for everyone. The communist Vietnamese suck, but they’ve been mostly content to mind their own lately.
China’s adventures into Vietnam throughout history haven’t ended well for them, but that was on land (the old “land war in Asia” problem applies to them, too). In this fight, the Vietnamese barely even have a navy, while the Chicoms have a big one.
Chinese hegemony there is bad for everyone, and if they succeed, then it’s only a matter of time before they start reaching further out to see what they can snatch. On the other hand, there’s the very real threat that escalation will spiral out of control. Nobody wants that, but it doesn’t make it any less likely.
Either way, war with Red China is probably inevitable sooner or later, unless some major change affects the landscape first. Victory in that war will costly. Defeat will be unthinkable. Whether the Russians will decide that it’s a good opportunity to go for low-hanging fruit, or even go all-in, is another major question.
America has been the World Police for a long time now.
They even made a documentary about them 😉
If only Kimmy Il met his fate in real life the way he did on film…..
In other news, the Norks have launched another missile:
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/4122050/north-korea-kim-jong-un-missile-test-launch-japan/
Well well. The Dork from da’ Nork managed to hit the SOJ again.
My name for the turd is the little dick nork dork…
Fat Boy Kim
There shouldn’t be any United States citizens in Venezuela. Period. Even the CIA should skedaddle before they end up permanent guests of Juan, Julio, and Angelo.
China will still need the oil not only for their antiquated vehicles and factory machinery, but to run their ever-expanding naval fleet. Don’t see China going green until it glows green.
I thought all those maritime disputes were solved by the Law of the Sea Treaty (UNCLOS), to which China is a signatory.
Yes, but that assumes that China doesn’t have short-term memory loss about such things.
Or that they give a shit…
Vietnam needs to produce rubber not oil. Gas or electric, cars need tires. Like Jonn said there’s a glut of oil now, so why produce what grows like a weed in your country and something very exportable. The British on the other hand saying all electric by 2040 is a pipe dream since although under another name, Lucas is still in the electronics business. In case you don’t know about Lucas, here’s some Lucas jokes for you. The Lucas motto: “Get home before dark.” Why do the English drink warm beer? Lucas made the refrigerators, too. Lucas denies having invented darkness. But they still claim “sudden, unexpected darkness” Lucas–inventor of the first intermittent wiper. Lucas–inventor of the self-dimming headlamp. The three-position Lucas switch–DIM, FLICKER and OFF. The other three switch settings–SMOKE, SMOLDER and IGNITE. Lucas dip-switch positions: LOW and BLOW The original anti-theft devices–Lucas Electric products. “I’ve had a Lucas pacemaker for years and have never experienced any prob… If Lucas made guns, wars would not start either. Did you hear about the Lucas powered torpedo? It sank. It’s not true that Lucas, in 1947, tried to get Parliament to repeal Ohm’s Law. They withdrew their efforts when they met too much resistance. Did you hear the one about the guy that peeked into a Land Rover and asked the owner “How can you tell one switch from another at night, since they all look the same?” “He replied, it doesn’t matter which one you use, nothing happens!” Back in the ’70s Lucas decided to diversify its product line and began manufacturing vacuum cleaners. It was the only product they offered which didn’t suck. Quality Assurance phoned and advised the Lucas engineering guy that they had trouble with his design shorting out. So he made the wires longer. Alexander Graham Bell invented the Telephone. Thomas Edison invented the Light Bulb. Joseph Lucas invented the Short Circuit. Recommended procedure before taking on a repair of Lucas equipment: check the position of the stars, kill a chicken and walk three times sunwise around your car chanting: “Oh mighty Prince of Darkness protect… Read more »
OH MY GOD! That is too goddam funny…ummm wait I have a Triumph motorcycle with Lucas electrics and an Amal carb. That’s one of the reasons it is sitting in the garage and ride my Kawasaki to work.
The guy across the street has five Triumphs, one Norton and two Harleys. I think he babies the Norton, uses four of the Triumphs to keep number 5 alive and if he has to really ride someplace he rides one of the Harleys.
Funny cause it’s true!
Reminds me of Harley’s too.
Their trademark sound is the result of sub-par engineering and obsolete tech. I happen to own a ’80 Shovelhead FLT as well as a Suzuki.
Old Brit bikes arent much better.(lockwire is your friend)
They sure look beautiful though, just not 20k+ beautiful.
Jap bikes may not have the same appeal; but they are inexpensive and VERY reliable.
People forget that Vietnam effectively defeated China, when China invaded to end Vietnamese intervention against China-favored Khmer Rouge Cambodia.
China ran all over them, but somehow failed to defeat them, eventually pulling out after accomplishing little that lasted. (Hmmm. Sounds familiar.)
China surely has not forgotten that -huge- loss of face.
Good luck getting the mainstream media interested in informing people about this. I watched the Chief of Staff of the Army on cspan yesterday talking at the national correspondents lunch. He spent 30 minutes talking about various threats this country faces. The first four questions afterwards were all about transgender crap.
It may continue until there is an actual tangible threat that was already beginning to show, but was ignored by the media.
And then – the shock! The horror! The cries of ‘why weren’t we told???’
Well, they were told but ignored it.
Was this written by an unknown marsupial hominid species?
Ignore this woman, she never pays off her bets when she loses at arm wrestling.
So you finally found a job as an Uber driver, huh? Glad to know you’re making an honest living again, Dave Hardin.
In re: Venezuela, Ex-PH2 writes, “I don’t think we need to be forced to ransom our own people. Just get them out now.” Wise advice. The Venezuelans bought it (socialism); they own it; now let them enjoy its “fruits.” Let their country implode. The poorer they become, the lower their price for their oil may be also…maybe we can pick some up for cheap.
It won’t be long until this country will be turning away a whole lot of Citgo station managers. They’ll be wading ashore in Florida, after traversing the seas in inner tubes, and “boats” made of inner tubes, rope and plywood.
I’m rooting for CA to meet their goals for electric vehicles.
It’s going to be hilarious as they reduce their electric generation while they’re drastically increasing demand.
Mostly cuz I live in AZ and they aren’t walking here when the state goes toes up.
Rather, they won’t be able to walk the whole way here.
Oregon and northern Nevada won’t be so lucky.
I had to get up OILY to read this.
It’s so bad in Venezuela now that it’s making the local evening news.