While you are right in listing Russia, Iran, and Venezuela as the core group of countries hostile to the U.S., only Russia has been consistently (both under Putin and the preceding Soviet regimes) directly involved in undermining the U.S. and NATO and building a capability to destroy us.
Maduro's Venezuela is distinct from 10 other South and Central American countries only in that the president is himself involved in narcotics trafficking. But narcotics trafficking and narco‑linked violence are major issues in these other 10 .....far more so in terms of volume and violence. Prosecuting Madura and occupying Venezuela is likely to have a negligible effect on narco-terrorism.
Iran and Russia have had fluctuating relations going back centuries, but their first major partnership goes back only one decade, when they cooperated in Syria to support the odious Bashar al-Assad. Their partnership deepened after Russia invaded Ukraine, and Iran exchanged its drones, while Russia provided advanced military support. They entered into a formal strategic partnership treaty a little over a year ago. And while Iran is a state sponsor of terrorism in supporting Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, and Shia militias in Iraq, they all appear to have only a regional influence and base. Only one of these - the Shia militias - has attacked US positions in recent years.
Although Trump may appear to have some sort of master plan against these three countries (two of which have posed only a remote and readily suppressible threat to the U.S.,) he has no trouble placing Europe and Ukraine at great risk from the third (and the only really serious threat_ by catering to Putin's whims and providing a textbook model of Russian imperialist thinking in his ruminations about Canada and Greenland.
This is a very good analysis - and perhaps Europe needs to look at the very safe record for fracking in the West. It was targeted by the Kremlin very successfully thanks to a litany of lies. Fracking fluid is quite safe - 99.95% water and sand. Oil company execs even drank the stuff at a press conference. The visuals used by the anti drillers were indeed samples of contaminated well water but it was contaminated because the wells were sunk to close to shallow oil deposits - the stuff literally bubbles out of the ground in parts of NY and Pa. https://www.newyorkalmanack.com/2025/10/ny-state-oil-industry-history/
By definition, "fractured" oil production is far deeper - about a mile deep in cracks in solid rock and there is little chance of surface contamination. It has killed far, far fewer critters than has windmills and solar.
This is an optimistic assessment, but for it to come to pass, the USA will have to be shed of the current occupant in the White House. Not only is he too mercurial but he is incapable of thinking of anything other than his own needs. Also he is a Russian asset. The Russians and he have long history which some journalists have investigated and written about.
Meanwhile in Canada, PM Carney is still doing nothing to free up the oil and Gas industry.
Never mind a real business case, he has his Ministers claiming industry and investors need to step up first to influence the government to make changes.
That's backwards. Until Carney and his minions reverse the impediments Trudeau brought in, there is no way investors will claim they trust the government to create the conditions for them to operate profitably and with confidence into the future.
Given the rift between Mexico, Canada and the US (the Trump regime), it's difficult to comprehend a cohesive energy policy. Yes, Canada has wasted 10+ years bringing LNG to markets in Europe and Asia. We can only hope for the new World Order.
Superb analysis. Canada needs to change. It recognizes a 2 state Palestine and Hamas both intent on destroying Israel. Surely Carney should strongly criticise Iran and the support it gives to Hamas and Heizbollah and the Houthis?
While you are right in listing Russia, Iran, and Venezuela as the core group of countries hostile to the U.S., only Russia has been consistently (both under Putin and the preceding Soviet regimes) directly involved in undermining the U.S. and NATO and building a capability to destroy us.
Maduro's Venezuela is distinct from 10 other South and Central American countries only in that the president is himself involved in narcotics trafficking. But narcotics trafficking and narco‑linked violence are major issues in these other 10 .....far more so in terms of volume and violence. Prosecuting Madura and occupying Venezuela is likely to have a negligible effect on narco-terrorism.
Iran and Russia have had fluctuating relations going back centuries, but their first major partnership goes back only one decade, when they cooperated in Syria to support the odious Bashar al-Assad. Their partnership deepened after Russia invaded Ukraine, and Iran exchanged its drones, while Russia provided advanced military support. They entered into a formal strategic partnership treaty a little over a year ago. And while Iran is a state sponsor of terrorism in supporting Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, and Shia militias in Iraq, they all appear to have only a regional influence and base. Only one of these - the Shia militias - has attacked US positions in recent years.
Although Trump may appear to have some sort of master plan against these three countries (two of which have posed only a remote and readily suppressible threat to the U.S.,) he has no trouble placing Europe and Ukraine at great risk from the third (and the only really serious threat_ by catering to Putin's whims and providing a textbook model of Russian imperialist thinking in his ruminations about Canada and Greenland.
This is a very good analysis - and perhaps Europe needs to look at the very safe record for fracking in the West. It was targeted by the Kremlin very successfully thanks to a litany of lies. Fracking fluid is quite safe - 99.95% water and sand. Oil company execs even drank the stuff at a press conference. The visuals used by the anti drillers were indeed samples of contaminated well water but it was contaminated because the wells were sunk to close to shallow oil deposits - the stuff literally bubbles out of the ground in parts of NY and Pa. https://www.newyorkalmanack.com/2025/10/ny-state-oil-industry-history/
By definition, "fractured" oil production is far deeper - about a mile deep in cracks in solid rock and there is little chance of surface contamination. It has killed far, far fewer critters than has windmills and solar.
This is an optimistic assessment, but for it to come to pass, the USA will have to be shed of the current occupant in the White House. Not only is he too mercurial but he is incapable of thinking of anything other than his own needs. Also he is a Russian asset. The Russians and he have long history which some journalists have investigated and written about.
He's a businessman first and foremost -- there's no evidence he's a Russian asset.
Let's hope that Canada will get its act together soon enough to make a difference to the global revamping of the energy industry. So far so good.
A lost decade and only one bitumin pipeline agreed to. But Ottawa has to rein in the indigenous blockaders and BC's lefty anti-resource regime.
Carney's is explicitly anti-fossil fuel and goes into great detail about this is his book
As long as Canada is governed by the Liberals we will cotinue to languish as a second rate nation despite our enormous potential.
So true. Thanks Diane
one can hope
Meanwhile in Canada, PM Carney is still doing nothing to free up the oil and Gas industry.
Never mind a real business case, he has his Ministers claiming industry and investors need to step up first to influence the government to make changes.
That's backwards. Until Carney and his minions reverse the impediments Trudeau brought in, there is no way investors will claim they trust the government to create the conditions for them to operate profitably and with confidence into the future.
Given the rift between Mexico, Canada and the US (the Trump regime), it's difficult to comprehend a cohesive energy policy. Yes, Canada has wasted 10+ years bringing LNG to markets in Europe and Asia. We can only hope for the new World Order.
Superb analysis. Canada needs to change. It recognizes a 2 state Palestine and Hamas both intent on destroying Israel. Surely Carney should strongly criticise Iran and the support it gives to Hamas and Heizbollah and the Houthis?