# Countdown to war with Venezuela **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [November 28, 2025, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countdown-to-war-with-venezuela/1025201 "2025-11-28T06:19:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2025, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countdown-to-war-with-venezuela/1025201/41 "2025-11-30T22:36:21Z")
Actually… in a bit of irony, the top Venezuelan rum is Diplomatico. [https://imgur.com/a/wDhvGfU#6PPNv09](https://imgur.com/a/wDhvGfU#6PPNv09) ---
**Author:** ![DWMarch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwmarch/32/1010_2.png) [@DWMarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DWMarch)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2025, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countdown-to-war-with-venezuela/1025201/42 "2025-11-30T22:39:45Z")
Well he sure ain’t drinking that one! ---
**Author:** ![Crane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crane/32/3495_2.png) [@Crane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crane)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2025, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countdown-to-war-with-venezuela/1025201/43 "2025-12-01T00:28:50Z")
If the joint Chiefs are managing an invasion plan they created, we may succeed in capturing the national control centers. Good luck on whatever follows. Is there a goal? Are we going to occupy Venezuela? Ever drive in Caracas traffic? ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2025, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countdown-to-war-with-venezuela/1025201/44 "2025-12-01T00:36:51Z")
> [@Crane](#): > > Is there a goal? The goals (I believe) are three-fold: 1. Create a massive distraction away from the Epstein Files 2. Raise Trump’s popularity rating, which is currently headed to the toilet 3. Replace Maduro with an “American Friendly” regime that will welcome corporations into Venezuela with open arms to exploit the resources for pennies. Mainly, they want to get Maduro out, declare victory, install a puppet and then leave the country to the corporate billionaires. ---
**Author:** ![Crane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crane/32/3495_2.png) [@Crane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crane)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2025, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countdown-to-war-with-venezuela/1025201/45 "2025-12-01T00:39:30Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > Mainly, they want to get Maduro out, declare victory, install a puppet But, is there a puppet apparent? One with the power to govern? ---
**Author:** ![Zoobi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/13edae/32.png) [@Zoobi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoobi)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2025, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countdown-to-war-with-venezuela/1025201/46 "2025-12-01T00:43:24Z")
Yes. She just won the Nobel Peace Prize. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2025, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countdown-to-war-with-venezuela/1025201/47 "2025-12-01T00:49:21Z")
I don’t think she’ll pass the “Trump Sycophant” test. ---
**Author:** ![Zoobi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/13edae/32.png) [@Zoobi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoobi)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2025, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countdown-to-war-with-venezuela/1025201/48 "2025-12-01T00:52:24Z")
She was clever enough to already do it. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2025, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countdown-to-war-with-venezuela/1025201/49 "2025-12-01T00:56:25Z")
Two reasons why Trump will never, ever accept her: 1. She’s a woman 2. She beat him out for a Nobel prize ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2025, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countdown-to-war-with-venezuela/1025201/50 "2025-12-01T00:58:52Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > Mainly, they want to get Maduro out, declare victory, install a puppet and then leave the country to the corporate billionaires. I’m not sure they’d _want_ it. The oil is bad and requires purpose-built refineries to even refine (and IIRC America retooled the ones it had years ago), and the place in general is a wreck thanks to Maduro’s kleptocracy. Not that I’d be willing to assume that Trump actually _knows_ any of that, of course. Trump is ignorant, irrational and stupid so figuring out his actual motives and intentions is largely guesswork. But they’re unlikely to be very reality based, whatever they are. ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2025, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countdown-to-war-with-venezuela/1025201/51 "2025-12-01T01:48:47Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > - Create a massive distraction away from the Epstein Files > - Raise Trump’s popularity rating, which is currently headed to the toilet These are minor factors (well the second one is, Epstein is significant). The main reason Trump is slowly declining towards death (and I think understands that at some level) and wants to be remembered as a glorious war leader. This all about Trump’s ego, even the usual bad reasons for US wars (American hegemony, oil, economic interests in latin America, etc) don’t apply here. > [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > Replace Maduro with an “American Friendly” regime that will welcome corporations into Venezuela with open arms to exploit the resources for pennies. He’s not going to be doing regime change. Venezuela is 2x the size of Iraq and large parts of it are covered in dense tropical rainforest. No one is installing anyone. Trump doesn’t have the paitence to assemble an invasion force of 100s of thousands and plan a very difficult invasion. He may put boots on the ground so he can have the thrill of being a commander in chief of a “ground invasion”. But it will be the most token invasion possible. e.g. some “fentanyl smuggling hub” (i.e. small fishing village) on the coast will get flattened, victory will be declared and everyone will go home to take PR pics next Trump in the golden ballroom. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2025, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countdown-to-war-with-venezuela/1025201/52 "2025-12-01T02:11:15Z")
> [@griffin1977](#): > > But it will be the most token invasion possible. e.g. some “fentanyl smuggling hub” (i.e. small fishing village) on the coast will get flattened, victory will be declared and everyone will go home to take PR pics next Trump in the golden ballroom. Can’t actually argue with any of this… distinctly possible. ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2025, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countdown-to-war-with-venezuela/1025201/53 "2025-12-01T02:43:53Z")
Kegsbreath actually posted this on Twitter. > ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2025, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countdown-to-war-with-venezuela/1025201/54 "2025-12-01T03:45:59Z")
You are being governed by 14 year old boys who draw exploding bombs on their textbooks instead of reading them. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2025, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countdown-to-war-with-venezuela/1025201/55 "2025-12-01T03:51:06Z")
I think you’re ascribing a whole lot more forethought to all this than there probably is. AFAIK, both Trump administrations seem to be rather fly by the seat of their pants, and as far as I can tell, they don’t really think much past the initial “The people in the boonies will think we look strong for doing this.” I’m thinking this is likely a combination Epstein distraction and something that looks tough and hostile toward drugs. I doubt there’s any actual thought behind what to do afterward, or even beyond just striking unarmed boats in the Caribbean. ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2025, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countdown-to-war-with-venezuela/1025201/56 "2025-12-01T04:00:30Z")
> [@ekedolphin](#): > > Kegsbreath actually posted this on Twitter We are in the stupidest fucking timeline. I bet he won’t even delete it when he sobers up. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2025, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countdown-to-war-with-venezuela/1025201/57 "2025-12-01T04:09:05Z")
> [@bump](#): > > I doubt there’s any actual thought behind what to do afterward, or even beyond just striking unarmed boats in the Caribbean. I still think they’re going to lob some Tomahawk missiles to land targets in Venezuela. **griffin1977** may have it correct - blow up a fishing village, declare victory, Trump gets some kind of Golden Medal. ---
**Author:** ![aurora\_maire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aurora_maire/32/328_2.png) [@aurora\_maire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aurora_maire)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2025, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countdown-to-war-with-venezuela/1025201/58 "2025-12-01T04:51:32Z")
> [@griffin1977](#): > > We are in the stupidest fucking timeline. I bet he won’t even delete it when he sobers up. The creators are Canadian. I hope they sue the fuck out of him. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2025, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countdown-to-war-with-venezuela/1025201/59 "2025-12-01T10:30:46Z")
> [@bump](#): > > AFAIK, both Trump administrations seem to be rather fly by the seat of their pants, and as far as I can tell, they don’t really think much past the initial “The people in the boonies will think we look strong for doing this.” > > I’m thinking this is likely a combination Epstein distraction and something that looks tough and hostile toward drugs. I doubt there’s any actual thought behind what to do afterward, or even beyond just striking unarmed boats in the Caribbean. This is the correct take. And to echo something I said in a different thread (or maybe this one), the Trump presidency is a reality show being directed by Trump. Reality shows don’t have any particular goal, they just try to keep ratings high. Trump very much wants his show to be about anything but Epstein right now, so he’ll do just as much “I’m not touching you” feints toward war as needed until the distraction is complete. If you want a model for what will happen in Venezuela, look how Trump behaved toward Iran. Drop a few bombs, declare the problem solved, leave any diplomatic complications for a future administration. I would not be surprised to see a fake news story about them blowing up a secret underground fentanyl laboratory/terrorism command center. Trump _might_ move to assassinate Maduro (probably from the air, not boots on the ground). But that’s as far as it will go, until his hand is forced. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2025, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countdown-to-war-with-venezuela/1025201/60 "2025-12-01T14:04:21Z")
I suspect a lot of the people he has killed where just human traffickers kidnapped victims. Way to go. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countdown-to-war-with-venezuela/1025201.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countdown-to-war-with-venezuela/1025201.md?page=4)