Expanding a bit . . . to the whole song . . . please, all, feel free to improve upon this version . . . I guess there are length limits so splitting across two comments . .
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The Star-Spangled Oil Rig (O Say, Can You Drill?)
Verse 1 —
O say can you drill, by the drone’s early light,
What so proudly we seized at the briefing’s last gleaming,
Whose crude stripes and bright rigs through the perilous fight,
O’er the ports that we watched were so profitably streaming?
And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that the oil was still there.
O say does that banner of freedom still wave,
O’er a nation “liberated,” its people now "saved"?
Verse2 —
On the shore dimly seen through the sanctions and flame,
Where the raid was declared “precision” and “clean,”
Stood a ruler renamed an international shame,
Till he vanished by dawn into planes unforeseen.
Then a leader appeared, interim by decree,
Recognized by the markets before the TV,
And the flag that she raised with a trembling hand
American oil companies built Venezulea's original oil infrastructure, and will need to help rebuild it. I don't see how that gets done without American oil companies getting compensation unless we prefer China or Russia doing the job.
I understand that the Venezulean people are good with the deal. I think the estimate is like $170 trillion in value that they cannot access without help.
They do need help, especially with the type of oil that Venezuela produces. Of course they'll need help and those companies, American or otherwise, should be compensated. But a substantial amount of the profit, however that's defined, should go to helping Venezuelans. Otherwise it's just theft of another country's resources.
A JetBlue missed a US military refueling jet crossing in front of its path a few seconds ahead at exact 34,000ft altitude, collision avoidance not working because military jet transponder was off, because it was flying to a war zone . . . who knew that was a thing? I might be rethinking my next vacation.
Progressive march passed in blue town over the weekend -- from the signs not sure if they were protesting this for this, or because it was connected to Trump . . .
Venezuela's VP, currently in charge (last anyone checked), said the raid had a 'Zionist tint', so apparently Trump secretly installed Candice Owens to rule the country.
Seeing interviews of Venezuelans, dancing in the streets, excited about this, I wonder if it as bad as CNN and PBS are portraying. After all, who knows better than those from the country in question if "good thing" or "bad thing" ? But these days, people are chosen for interviews based on the political message to be TRUMPeted, so who knows?
A bad guy has been deposed. Billions of barrels of oil will come our way and we can all bathe in the riches.
Not a whole lot with change for the average Venezuelan unless the U.S. does the right thing and uses all that oil money to actually help the Venezuelan people, which is highly unlikely.
What will be our excuse to invade Greenland, where the prime minister is a polar bear beloved by the natives.
Well there is Sadam Hussein, Muammar Gaddafi. Also we have been taking out terrorist leaders everywhere for decades. And don't leave out all the covert National Security spook work to effect regime change in several countries.
The difference here is that Trump did and that erases any attempt at any moral equivalency.
My assessment of Trump is that he lacks the filter of the professional politician to steer clear of the midfield of media sensationalism, that at its extremes becomes a form of emotional terrorism. He is thinking just pragmatically and business like and stating the facts. This is so unusual to the media chattering class and the people they routinely brainwash that he sounds unintelligent. But it actually the opposite. Trump is brilliant in his business sense for getting things done, and just honest and transparent about his motivation because he believes it to be the right thing to do.
A routine politician in his position would couch the honest truth... delivering a well-versed story that steers clear of the oil story while it being 100% of the background reason that the government actions happened. It is weird how educated, intelligent and informed people seem to prefer that dishonesty, I guess because it calms the senses with a form of denial.
China and Russia were going for the oil. The US plan is to benefit BOTH the Venezuelan people and the US oil companies that will need to help Venezuela rebuild its oil infrastructure. Isn't that what good foreign policy should be about... a win-win for both countries?
Verse 3 —
And where is that vow we so solemnly swore,
That we’d never again run a land from afar?
It’s consulting offshore, through a revolving door,
Drafting laws for a nation now managed by war.
And the drug boats at sea, always timely to find,
Justified every strike long approved in Trump's mind,
While the lights flickered out and the currency bled,
But the oil flowed on, so a strike-force was led.
Verse 4 —
Oh thus be it ever, when markets decide
That a tyrant’s misrule has grown awkwardly costly,
Not chosen by vote, not by people supplied,
Just useful till suddenly deemed unholy.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is “right,”
And this be our motto, rehearsed every night:
That the star-spangled drill rig forever shall wave
O’er the leased and extracted, ruled afar by a knave.
Expanding a bit . . . to the whole song . . . please, all, feel free to improve upon this version . . . I guess there are length limits so splitting across two comments . .
-
The Star-Spangled Oil Rig (O Say, Can You Drill?)
Verse 1 —
O say can you drill, by the drone’s early light,
What so proudly we seized at the briefing’s last gleaming,
Whose crude stripes and bright rigs through the perilous fight,
O’er the ports that we watched were so profitably streaming?
And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that the oil was still there.
O say does that banner of freedom still wave,
O’er a nation “liberated,” its people now "saved"?
Verse2 —
On the shore dimly seen through the sanctions and flame,
Where the raid was declared “precision” and “clean,”
Stood a ruler renamed an international shame,
Till he vanished by dawn into planes unforeseen.
Then a leader appeared, interim by decree,
Recognized by the markets before the TV,
And the flag that she raised with a trembling hand
Was approved in advance by a foreign command.
The Pulitzer is on its way to your door, Alan
Cracked up my sister and me. Only reason to laugh about this situation!
I wish it were funny.
Largest oil reserve in the world now operated by Trump and Company.
Profits from that oil should go strictly to benefit the people of Venezuela. It will go instead to American oil companies.
I'm sure Trump will declare a "Venezuela Dividend" and sent us all 50 bucks in the mail.
American oil companies built Venezulea's original oil infrastructure, and will need to help rebuild it. I don't see how that gets done without American oil companies getting compensation unless we prefer China or Russia doing the job.
I understand that the Venezulean people are good with the deal. I think the estimate is like $170 trillion in value that they cannot access without help.
They do need help, especially with the type of oil that Venezuela produces. Of course they'll need help and those companies, American or otherwise, should be compensated. But a substantial amount of the profit, however that's defined, should go to helping Venezuelans. Otherwise it's just theft of another country's resources.
Oligarchy wants the oil, oligarchy gets the oil.
You nailed it Joe
Shortest article ever?
Dunno what to make of this . . .
Capturing foreign presidents seemed unpresidented . . .
A JetBlue missed a US military refueling jet crossing in front of its path a few seconds ahead at exact 34,000ft altitude, collision avoidance not working because military jet transponder was off, because it was flying to a war zone . . . who knew that was a thing? I might be rethinking my next vacation.
Progressive march passed in blue town over the weekend -- from the signs not sure if they were protesting this for this, or because it was connected to Trump . . .
Venezuela's VP, currently in charge (last anyone checked), said the raid had a 'Zionist tint', so apparently Trump secretly installed Candice Owens to rule the country.
Seeing interviews of Venezuelans, dancing in the streets, excited about this, I wonder if it as bad as CNN and PBS are portraying. After all, who knows better than those from the country in question if "good thing" or "bad thing" ? But these days, people are chosen for interviews based on the political message to be TRUMPeted, so who knows?
A bad guy has been deposed. Billions of barrels of oil will come our way and we can all bathe in the riches.
Not a whole lot with change for the average Venezuelan unless the U.S. does the right thing and uses all that oil money to actually help the Venezuelan people, which is highly unlikely.
What will be our excuse to invade Greenland, where the prime minister is a polar bear beloved by the natives.
"Capturing foreign presidents seemed unpresidented."
Well there is Sadam Hussein, Muammar Gaddafi. Also we have been taking out terrorist leaders everywhere for decades. And don't leave out all the covert National Security spook work to effect regime change in several countries.
The difference here is that Trump did and that erases any attempt at any moral equivalency.
In his rambling justification for taking out Maduro, Trump mentioned "oil" 25 times. I guess Maduro was oily along with everything else.
My assessment of Trump is that he lacks the filter of the professional politician to steer clear of the midfield of media sensationalism, that at its extremes becomes a form of emotional terrorism. He is thinking just pragmatically and business like and stating the facts. This is so unusual to the media chattering class and the people they routinely brainwash that he sounds unintelligent. But it actually the opposite. Trump is brilliant in his business sense for getting things done, and just honest and transparent about his motivation because he believes it to be the right thing to do.
A routine politician in his position would couch the honest truth... delivering a well-versed story that steers clear of the oil story while it being 100% of the background reason that the government actions happened. It is weird how educated, intelligent and informed people seem to prefer that dishonesty, I guess because it calms the senses with a form of denial.
China and Russia were going for the oil. The US plan is to benefit BOTH the Venezuelan people and the US oil companies that will need to help Venezuela rebuild its oil infrastructure. Isn't that what good foreign policy should be about... a win-win for both countries?
Truly, we’ve stepped through the looking glass…😶
With no idea what's on the other side.
Of course, it did drive Epstein off the front page again.
“Change the story, change the lead.”(Conrad Brean, in “Wag The Dog”)
D.T. has opened the biggest can-of-worms ever.
Amen