Makes me think of what happened in Iran in 1953. The installation of the Shah by a CIA and British coup that overthrew the democratically elected Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh, who favored nationalizing oil.
Very timely as we once again intervene in the affairs of a sovereign nation to the south. Is Maduro an evil guy - sure. If that's a justification, why haven't we arrested Putin, Xi or Trump's buddy in N. Korea, Lil Kim?
Trump campaigned on America First, no more foreign wars and an end to nation building. He was lying, as usual.
And it's just possible this is another distraction from the Epstein files...
I can see why the average Joe would have a hard time facing the truth of American intervention. It's hard for me to handle. What do you do when you realize your own government is evil? We still have to get up and walk the dog in the morning.
Trump has a nice little racket going here. He destabilizes Venezuela and Venezuelan flee to the US. Then, he gets kickbacks from the private prison operators who will build the prisons that ICE will fill.
Plus Republicans can continue to make political hay with “chaos at the border”.
the only thing I'll take exception to is the generalization of Ken Burns documentaries. "The American Revolution" is full of the unfuzzy glow of burning and stealing Native American homes and lands. It's actually a primer for your writing.
I generally agree, Hugh. The point I was trying to make is that I think Americans tend to run to Burns' work for reassurances we are okay, which is the overwhelming message he delivers. And, in general, he shows us our scars and flaws. But they sometimes seem framed as side trips to the narrative of American greatness, as if it were inevitable we would, ultimately, conquer our demons and do the right thing. And I don't think that's always the case. His historical record, though, is the best we have on video of the American experience.
I understand. Success is a long way from guaranteed.
I confess I am perhaps over-sensitive to the human tendency when working from the edges of public opinion for colleagues to get lost in a competition to be more true more "legitimate" than the others, to make perfection the enemy of the good. I don't think you meant that, and I'm sorry If I implied it. You are right to point out the shortcomings
I still think that whatever reason people come to Burns, a whole lot more people see what he does than see what you or I or a lot of others write, and we can hope some will find what he has lurking in the corners and search out more in-depth writing. His work is a good thing.
As hard as it is to watch, change--real change--happens slowly. Think glaciers. I hate that as much as the next person, but I try to acknowledge the positive steps that are there even though their extent disappoints me so often. No one, not even Burns, could have gotten "The American Revolution" as it is to any kind of general audience 20 years ago. Could he have pushed it further? Maybe, but it's done now.
We keep on keepin' on, whatever happens,. Despair is not an option. (that's spoken to myself). Thank you for keeping us focused. We'll keep doing what we can to move this beast in the right direction!
Terrific essay, Jim Bob. I was shocked — SHOCKED! — to find out the U.S. has meddled in sovereign Central and South American countries for the last century plus. And now, I am shocked to learn the U.S. intervention in Venezuela has similar motives. Does that mean we will not be greeted as liberators?
Oh so true! Having covered El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Chile and Argentina… I concur with all of this. And, having grown up (from 5 to 13) in Venezuela living in oil camps with a petroleum engineer father… I know the history there, too.
We are a greedy, violent, devious, imperialist nation.
The answer to how the world is responding to the USA invasion of Venezuela: The USA and global markets are all up. Such a pleasure to see our government helping stuff the pockets of our great leader and his cabal. It pretty much confirms that where there is great fortune, there is great crime.
And the American oligarchs will own huge swaths of Venezuela from beachfront to ranches to coffee plantations to oil fields. What will Venezuela get? Nothing.
Makes me think of what happened in Iran in 1953. The installation of the Shah by a CIA and British coup that overthrew the democratically elected Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh, who favored nationalizing oil.
That didn’t turn out well.
Masterful, Jim.
You connected quite a few dots.
Very timely as we once again intervene in the affairs of a sovereign nation to the south. Is Maduro an evil guy - sure. If that's a justification, why haven't we arrested Putin, Xi or Trump's buddy in N. Korea, Lil Kim?
Trump campaigned on America First, no more foreign wars and an end to nation building. He was lying, as usual.
And it's just possible this is another distraction from the Epstein files...
I can see why the average Joe would have a hard time facing the truth of American intervention. It's hard for me to handle. What do you do when you realize your own government is evil? We still have to get up and walk the dog in the morning.
Thanks, Jim Bob.
Trump has a nice little racket going here. He destabilizes Venezuela and Venezuelan flee to the US. Then, he gets kickbacks from the private prison operators who will build the prisons that ICE will fill.
Plus Republicans can continue to make political hay with “chaos at the border”.
the only thing I'll take exception to is the generalization of Ken Burns documentaries. "The American Revolution" is full of the unfuzzy glow of burning and stealing Native American homes and lands. It's actually a primer for your writing.
I generally agree, Hugh. The point I was trying to make is that I think Americans tend to run to Burns' work for reassurances we are okay, which is the overwhelming message he delivers. And, in general, he shows us our scars and flaws. But they sometimes seem framed as side trips to the narrative of American greatness, as if it were inevitable we would, ultimately, conquer our demons and do the right thing. And I don't think that's always the case. His historical record, though, is the best we have on video of the American experience.
I understand. Success is a long way from guaranteed.
I confess I am perhaps over-sensitive to the human tendency when working from the edges of public opinion for colleagues to get lost in a competition to be more true more "legitimate" than the others, to make perfection the enemy of the good. I don't think you meant that, and I'm sorry If I implied it. You are right to point out the shortcomings
I still think that whatever reason people come to Burns, a whole lot more people see what he does than see what you or I or a lot of others write, and we can hope some will find what he has lurking in the corners and search out more in-depth writing. His work is a good thing.
As hard as it is to watch, change--real change--happens slowly. Think glaciers. I hate that as much as the next person, but I try to acknowledge the positive steps that are there even though their extent disappoints me so often. No one, not even Burns, could have gotten "The American Revolution" as it is to any kind of general audience 20 years ago. Could he have pushed it further? Maybe, but it's done now.
We keep on keepin' on, whatever happens,. Despair is not an option. (that's spoken to myself). Thank you for keeping us focused. We'll keep doing what we can to move this beast in the right direction!
Well done. Best read while listening to Bruce Cockburn’s “Call It Democracy” from the 80s.
"United States Marine Corps - The world's most expensive Corporate Security Service".
lol Funny because it's so true.
“We intend to run the country until …”. When Trump says the quiet part out loud it doesn’t make it any less wrong.
Terrific essay, Jim Bob. I was shocked — SHOCKED! — to find out the U.S. has meddled in sovereign Central and South American countries for the last century plus. And now, I am shocked to learn the U.S. intervention in Venezuela has similar motives. Does that mean we will not be greeted as liberators?
Oh so true! Having covered El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Chile and Argentina… I concur with all of this. And, having grown up (from 5 to 13) in Venezuela living in oil camps with a petroleum engineer father… I know the history there, too.
We are a greedy, violent, devious, imperialist nation.
The answer to how the world is responding to the USA invasion of Venezuela: The USA and global markets are all up. Such a pleasure to see our government helping stuff the pockets of our great leader and his cabal. It pretty much confirms that where there is great fortune, there is great crime.
And the American oligarchs will own huge swaths of Venezuela from beachfront to ranches to coffee plantations to oil fields. What will Venezuela get? Nothing.
Seems to be the way of the world.
My god. The horror we have wrought 😢💔