The media and much of the US government are giving the Trump administration a free pass on rapidly increasing escalations against Venezuela. The cover story that this was part of the drug war hasn’t held up for a while now.
The operations in the Caribbean theater meant to intimidate and eventually target Venezuela even have a name now: Operation Southern Spear. It’s beyond time for the media to demand to know why.
To date there has still been no evidence whatsoever that the so-called “drug boats” Pete Hegseth ordered destroyed at sea were actually trafficking cocaine. Hardball follow-up questions have basically been non-existent. Most of the press simply accepts the president’s and Defense Secretary’s word, airs the Pentagon video footage on their respective platforms, and move on without scrutinizing any further.
No one is asking the obvious question: Why is Venezuela, a relatively minor player in the cocaine trade, being targeted for this terrifying escalation in America’s war on drugs?
The Role of Venezuela in the Drug Trade Is Overstated
Contrary to the narrative painted by the administration, Venezuela is not a cocaine superpower, but more of a bit player. Cocaine production is overwhelmingly dominated by Colombia, Peru, and Bolivia.
Meanwhile, the United States’ overdose crisis is driven largely by fentanyl and methamphetamine, which are both sourced from Mexico, not cocaine. Targeting cocaine smuggling from Venezuela is a political prop, not a public health strategy.
Big Oil’s Agenda
Let’s call a spade a spade: this isn’t just about drugs. It’s about oil.
The U.S. may have only recently exploded into becoming the world’s biggest oil producer, but our limited proved reserves ensures that this will not be a lasting position. Most estimates say that we have 10-15 years of production remaining if prices remain stable. Every barrel of oil we pump out of the ground brings us closer to that eventuality.
Venezuela, on the other hand, has the largest proved oil reserves in the world (more than Saudi Arabia), but those reserves have so far been under-exploited: much of its oil is extra-heavy crude, which requires advanced technology to extract and refine.
U.S. sanctions, underinvestment, and lack of foreign expertise have kept Venezuelan oil production depressed, with vast oilfields ready to be untapped. Whoever winds up controlling Venezuela when sanctions are lifted will eventually wield enormous international leverage.
Proved Reserves: Proved reserves is the amount of oil that is economically feasible to extract. If prices decline, then proved reserves decline, since some oilfields would not longer be able to operate profitably. Conversely, if prices increase, reserves would increase as a result, since oil could be extracted from places that are currently unprofitable. Take the term “proved reserves” with a grain of salt.
Technically Recoverable Oil which is the amount of oil that is accessible if price was no object. More or less a meaningless number – cost is always an object. If we ever live in a world that oil costs $1000 a barrel to extract, then we’ll live in a world that has moved beyond oil for all but the most esoteric of use cases.
Getting Ready to Kill For Oil
Technology has allowed our military to advance to the point that the risk of U.S. soldiers dying in conflict is more or less negligible compared to the wars we were involved in decades ago. Make no mistake – wars are still cruel and lethal, but primarily to the people in the countries we target and whose stories we’ll never hear.
Unfortunately for Venezuela and the people living there, the country also checks a few other boxes that would make it a prime target for U.S. aggressions – its status as the only full member of OPEC in our hemisphere, and its close economic and military ties with Russia and China. It’s certain Russia would do all they could to support Venezuela, given how the U.S. and NATO have supported Ukraine in its own war of aggression.
If the White House and Pentagon are gearing up for regime-change in Venezuela, the American public deserves to know BEFORE bombs start falling. Not to mention, how many Venezuelan citizens are expected to die as a result? It’s always civilians who pay the price.
What we’re seeing in the Caribbean and Pacific aren’t counter-narcotics operations, they are executions at sea that showcase our ability to conduct strikes with impunity.
Why is the White House redeploying major military assets to the region? Why the escalating rhetoric? If this is just about a relatively small amount of cocaine, these actions are wildly disproportionate. Every time the Pentagon brags about saving American lives by taking out drug vessels with drone strikes, the media should be hammering them for the proof, accountability, and transparency that they have so far refused to provide.
A Diversion From the Epstein Files?
I admit, I was off course. I thought the aggressions against Venezuela were meant to distract us from the Epstein Files. And maybe they were, originally. But the demands to release the Epstein Files turned into an inferno that even Trump couldn’t control.
Once he got word that his strategies to keep suppressing the Epstein Files were going to fail – that there would be overwhelming Republican support in a vote to release the Epstein Files – Trump turned on a dime and suddenly became a proponent of releasing the files.
Could it be that the President, his minders, his sponsors and his benefactors are trying to pull a fast one? Supporting the release of the Epstein Files in order to draw the public’s attention away a coming war with Venezuela?
If that’s where we’re headed – well, Americans deserve answers. Not more theater.
By the way, the House vote in favor of releasing the Epstein Files passed by an even more spectacular margin that anyone anticipated: 427-1. The Senate followed by providing unanimous consent for the bill. I can’t remember such unity in our government since 9/11. Begs the question of just who the fuck is Representative Clay Higgins (the lone vote against)?
Bottom Line
Venezuela isn’t the drug kingpin Trump portrays. The current excuse that they are being targeted and threatened because of their role in the drug trade holds no water.
With escalation apparently imminent, the media needs to work overtime to demand truth and transparency from the Pentagon. This discussion needs to happen NOW, not once the bombs are falling.
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