Natural Resource Wars!

There are mounting signs of military planning for Venezuela

President Donald Trump has been talking about ordering a military operation targeting Venezuela since 2017. 

At first, that was widely dismissed as a rash threat, but the idea of a U.S. effort to force“regime change” in the oil-rich South American country may be gaining momentum in Washington. 

Many experts believe the White House’s hawkish statements are not a sign of an imminent military attack but instead a signal to the Venezuelan opposition that the U.S. would support an internal coup. 

The United States has had a checkered history in Latin America that dates back centuries, including a series of campaigns to control natural resources and covert actions that resulted in assassinations and coups or attempts across the region, the recent history has a different look.

DYI:  The last paragraph starts out with a surprising amount of truth from the Military Times being up front regarding the U.S. checkered history of bending Latin America to our will.  However right at the end almost as an afterthought the author attempts to sell the idea that this time is different.  Well it’s not; the U.S. is once again back in the game of natural resource grab especially Venezuelan oil.  Despite the success here in the States with fracking all that has done is extend out the life of existing pockets of oil/gas.  There has not been a major find of oil/gas since Alaska or the North Sea.          

 

Over the short term oil/gas prices are very volatile.  Over the long haul unless energy efficiency or alternatives improve at a faster rate than what is being consumed prices will be in a secular uptrend.  The days of easy to find oil and gas are now long gone.  What is happening the U.S. is using its military/intelligence services muscle to obtain oil and gas the old fashioned way and that is by theft.  Ugly I know but true.

 DYI