Venezuela

[tobetrained]

49 minutes ago, PozBearWI said:

I am hopeful our allies, the real ones we had for decades before Donnie, will sanction us, as they should.  

I don't mind this at all, in terms of a "stick" response back the US.

I would hope more Denmark takes Greenland's defense much more serious. Putin has laid (false) claim to Arctic and only due to Trump threats has it or NATO begun to take its defense seriously.

Denmark, like most of the Europeans, had been shirking NATO requirements until recently...they had been between 1% and 1.5% of GDP until Russia's invasion of UKR, minimum requirement was 2%. Now they plan to hit 3% - with the updated 5% agreement by 2030.

[think before following links] https://apnews.com/article/denmark-defense-spending-nato-russia-ukraine-3b499b12cebd1c09535c03085527f9e3

For myself, if they Europeans don't take their own self defense seriously -- which they are starting to do -- coupled with an expansionist Russia (with support from China) we can't stick our head in the sand.

[Erik62]

9 hours ago, tobetrained said:

@Pozzible you word-policed me above and on the word "push" is a separate thread. But on kidnapping and the statement by @Erik62 of "Kidnapping might be a too soft solution" which is clearly implied violence you equivocate. Interesting lines you've drawn.

Clearly, you didn't even bother to read my comment made earlier than your post, copied below:

 

@Erik62 then enlighten, in your mind what is less "soft" than kidnapping beside violence? I'll again call B.S. on this.

You can call BS all you like BUT, the fact remains that the vast majority of the Western World, leaders included, would just like to see him disappear. Taking away his incontinence pads would be a softer way (LITERALLY). He clearly wears them (photos of people standing behind) & I doubt very much he would want to be in public when the inevitable happens. Complete & utter PERSONAL embarrassment would put him out of public discourse. Soft enough 🤣🤣🤣???? 

[tobetrained]

@Erik62 I didn't ask you to make it softer or rewrite. I asked you to admit to what you meant by "Kidnapping might be a too soft solution."

That quote meant you were implying something more. But you avoided that. Probably for the best.

[Erik62]

41 minutes ago, tobetrained said:

@Erik62 I didn't ask you to make it softer or rewrite. I asked you to admit to what you meant by "Kidnapping might be a too soft solution."

That quote meant you were implying something more. But you avoided that. Probably for the best.

I meant exactly what I said. Kidnapping would solve the problem very easily but create a major headache for both the US & the WEST. It would also fail to give Trump the humiliation he needs to experience. A much harsher penalty would be Trumps complete humiliation in public, such as his incontinence panties being hidden. He would not dare go out in public with an explosion 💥 obvious in his pants. Kidnapping is a softer solution. Trump will only disappear when his humiliation is total. 

I might add you are talking to a supporter of capital punishment & you are perfectly within YOUR RIGHTS to interpret my words however you choose & disagree but, you are not entitled to abuse me (verbally). You are obviously extreme LEFT & I fully understand where you are coming from. I can also see how this political group is destroying western cohesion, which is in turn leaving us open to INCREASING right wing activity. 

I have made my comments & answered your questions. I DO NOT need to say anymore. This line of discussion is NOW FINISHED. 

[hntnhole]

16 hours ago, Erik62 said:

A much harsher penalty would be Trumps complete humiliation in public,

I laughed my way through much of your post, Erik62; you possess a "gift" for insinuation.  That said .....

I'm not sure the man is capable of being humiliated, in the sense that a person would need some sense of self-worth to even feel humiliated, and he possesses not a shred of it.  He knows he's utterly without any measure of merit, he knows he's nothing but yesterdays turd. 

Yet, he craves endorsement of his craven neediness - surely a learned response to his self-knowledge of how desperately he has failed as a human being.  For instance, t's pitiful how he - or any leader - would beg for justification by receiving the Nobel Peace Prize.  If there were such a disgrace as the "Hitler Murder-Millions Prize," his craven thirst for recognition would probably want that one too.  This miscreant - this "accident of nature" - knows his worthlessness deep in the rotten recesses of his mind, which allows him to engage in outrage after outrage; ever deeper, ever more odious. 

There is only one answer, but I doubt my spelling it out would be at all proper.   

 

 

[tallslenderguy]

Lots of discussion with Senator Warner on Venezuela.

 

[PozBearWI]

Maybe @hntnhole.  But I think he truly believes he is the most perfect human to walk the earth.  

[hntnhole]

You're probably right ... isn't it stunning how a person's mind can enable such poor behavior ???

[tobetrained]

It takes extreme behavior to create change, right.

Here's a possible benefit:
[think before following links] https://www.politico.com/news/2026/01/08/senate-votes-to-restrict-trump-on-venezuela-00716127

Congress has spent decades abdicating its authority then grandstanding on outcomes, for electoral purposes. Maybe, just maybe, they will get their act together now and reclaim their constitutional duty.

[tobetrained]

3 hours ago, hntnhole said:

There is only one answer, but I doubt my spelling it out would be at all proper.

Free speech is a good thing.

But thick skin to handle those who will call you out while exercising their right free speech is also important.

[Pozzible]

[think before following links] https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/08/us/politics/trump-interview-power-morality.html?unlocked_article_code=1.DlA.NABi.OjeHm7QsK8mc&smid=nytcore-ios-share

”I don’t need international laws,” he says.

[tobetrained]

2 minutes ago, Pozzible said:

”I don’t need international laws,” he says.

I can't see the article, no NYT subscription. But, for instance, the US does not acknowledge ICC...many administrations, multiple from both parties. At least in some small part, this is nothing new...he just says it in his bloviated way.

On a good note, the "new" Venezuela gov't has begun to release (political) prisoners. 
[think before following links] https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0mkwl2g499o

[Pozzible]

On 1/8/2026 at 3:01 PM, tobetrained said:

Congress has spent decades abdicating its authority then grandstanding on outcomes, for electoral purposes. Maybe, just maybe, they will get their act together now and reclaim their constitutional duty.

They may have the nerve to pass this law but no way they will override his veto.

[Pozzible]

8 minutes ago, tobetrained said:

I can't see the article, no NYT subscription. But, for instance, the US does not acknowledge ICC...many administrations, multiple from both parties. At least in some small part, this is nothing new...he just says it in his bloviated way.

It’s a gift article, so should be able to read without subscribing. Sorry I didn’t mention that.

I realize that US isn’t a signatory, but, theoretically, the ICC could indict him. US wouldn’t recognize a warrant. The US might impose sanctions against ICC, but his travel might be restricted. It would be a tragedy if he couldn’t travel to Oslo to pick up his award. 

[SDCumPup]

On 1/6/2026 at 5:51 PM, tobetrained said:

I really don't care who it is. Comments like this are out of bounds. No, kidnapping is too strong of a solution. Get your head checked.

How can anyone here makes (rightful) negative comments about Trump and support this kind of comment. Sick.

Actually, there are several issues at play here. 
First, 50 US Code 1542 requires the president to consult with Congress before sending the US Armed Forces into another sovereign country for any sort of emergency action, Trump failed to do so, thus violating federal law.

Second, by ordering US Armed Forces to enter Venezuela and engage in aggressive operations in order to abduct the head of state of Venezuela and his wife, Trump has committed an overt act of a war of aggression, thus violating international law.

Third, add in all of the blatant and unprovoked attacks against the smaller vessels leading to the sinking of said vessels in international waters, yet more violations of international law.

Fourth, sanctioning the second strikes against the shipwrecked vessels with survivors in international waters, which is not only a violation of international law but also a clear crime against humanity.

Finally, and this is actually the keystone, Trump, in his idiocy, has placed Maduro on trial in US federal courts, forcing Maduro to actually enter a plea. Maduro is a recognized head of state for a sovereign nation, meaning that he has diplomatic immunity granted to him automatically and isn’t subject to any courts of law outside those of Venezuela or the International Criminal Court. That’s why Safdam Hussein was put on trial in Iraq. That’s why all of the various defendants from WWII Axis countries were tried in their own home countries. Rudolf Hess had been held in prison in Britain since 1941, but was still returned to Germany for trial. Nicholas Maduro isn’t subject to the laws of the United States nor to our judicial system. However, because Trump, a fellow head of state, refuses to honor the sovereignty of other nations and the diplomatic immunity granted to the heads of state of other nations, he’s effectively forfeiting his own. That means the next time he wants to go play golf at one of his resorts in Scotland, the Scottish can nab him and drop him at the ICC before anyone else can respond. Quite frankly, if they did, pretty much all of Europe, North America, South America, Oceania, Australia, New Zealand, Africa, East Asia, Western Asia, and I’m pretty certain Central Asia would defend Scotland.