It's About the Oil

“The USA is nothing but an oil company with an army.’’ George Carlin

Or is it an army with an oil company? I wish the late great comedian was around to riff about it. But we are left to ourselves.

After Trump’s invasion/kidnapping/takeover in Venezuela, those two statements are more true than ever.

You are going to hear and see a lot in the coming days about the precision military operation where American commandos went into Caracas and took the corrupt thug/dictator Maduro and his wife. The right-wing media will be full of it. Selected video clips bragging about our military might and “kinetic’’ attacks will be led by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The conservative echo chamber media, which now includes CBS News, will be all about it. Its new anchorman Tony Dokoupil is already leading the way.

So we will NOT be discussing the implications of an imperialist invasion of another country on the false premise that they were bringing drugs into our country (not true) or flooding our borders with terrorists (not true).

This dictator snatching was about two things.

1. Returning American oil companies to the country they once controlled to take the oil and sell it so the United States can control that wealth and resource in this hemisphere and around the world.

2. Turn the hemisphere into an American-controlled region. That gives us a secure oil supply for the long-term and sends a message to other countries to stay out of our backyard.

First the oil … At an hour-long press conference, Trump made it clear that the US will run the country. Secretary of State Marco Rubio tried to walk it back the next day. But get ready for a team of American officials like Rubio and Hegseth on Zoom calls with the remnants of the Maduro regime telling them how to run the country and how to welcome back American oil companies. Let’s remember that Hegseth couldn’t even run a small non-profit before this job without being accused of spousal abuse and drunkeness. So the odds of success here - not to mention our own history with Latin America - are slim. (I’ll write about our CIA-led disasters in the area another time)

Trump said the U.S. oil companies will move into the country and rebuild the oil infrastructure.

“The oil companies will be reimbursed,’’ Trump said. “We are going to take a lot of money out.’’

For the best mainstream explanation of the invasion, try this breakdown of different kinds of oil around the world. (Hint: Venezuela has more oil beneath its ground than any country in the world.

If like me you are looking for the journalists who are going to find out what secret deals were made with oil companies, keep your eye on Jane Mayer at the New Yorker and the great Anne Applebaum. She nails it.

Or maybe I’m overthinking it. We all know Trump doesn’t plan beyond the present moment. And whenever he strays from prepared remarks - which he can now barely read - you get what he is really thinking. Trump doesn’t try to hide it. He told a gathering of oil executives during the campaign that in exchange for $1 billion in campaign contributions he would deliver on their wish list. You used to go to prison for such comments. Now it’s a handshake deal.

It is tough to trust anything Trump says. And he looked half asleep at the press conference. But I do take him at his word that U.S. oil companies will now be in charge of the oil business there. And they will make a handsome profit while doing so. Correction: Trump will be in charge of the oil business there. And you can bet that a slice of oil profits will go directly to companies controlled by the Trump family.

Second - The Region.

Control of the region means a message has been sent to China and Russia to stay out. And here is where this gets sticky, complicated and dangerous. By telling everyone we are in charge of the region, Trump is sending a message to Putin and China that they can have their regions. Putin can have Ukraine. China they can have Taiwan.

“We wanna surround ourselves with good neighbors,’’ Trump. If I were in the Cuban government, I would be fleeing that country. Because they are next.

I have to hand it to Trump on this score. He is really good at identifying an issue that plays to his strength - old school, bully language with no plan - and forcing the hapless Democrats to respond. And respond they did - with feigned outrage and staff-prepared talking points while behind the scenes telling reporters they feel OK about Maduro in handcuffs.

As usual, the only voice out there articulating why this was such a bad idea is Bernie Sanders, who called the operation illegal and stupid.

He is right.

But as usual, an enfeebled Congress is unwilling to check the president. (Trump didn’t bother consulting any member of Congress)

The media is playing along. The NY Times and Washington Post BOTH knew about the operation ahead of time and granted the administration’s demand not to publish. CBS anchor Dokoupil - practically an employee of the administration - played along with Hegseth as he refused to answer questions.

Donald Trump has reinvented truth. He has reshaped the American government in his name. He has subjugated the American media into a cowering corner. And he has now remade this country into the dark bully that a majority of us have always resisted. We are now an oil-rich country that places wealth and power over any pretense to morality, democracy and human rights. Our allies - who helped us rebuild Europe after World War II - are left to ponder their future, alone.

We voted for this. And until the Democrats or someone else can articulate a better vision for the country, this is what we have.