Venezuela Seizes US Oil Rigs

[airboy]

I agree with Dolan50 - this is not a reason for the USA to go to war.  Venezuala has been going down the tubes quite rapidly.  Their inflation rate has gone nuts.  With the US now increasing oil production due to fracking - this hurts the only export Venezuala has.  Their oil is also difficult to refine - and the US has the main refinary structure to handle their oil (along the US Gulf Coast).   Also, oil production in the neocommunist country has been falling rapidly since they nationalized the oil industry under Chavez.

Dolan50 is right - if you do business with regiems like this you run a high risk of the government stealing your money and other assets.  When contracts are not honored, business collapses. 

The US stopped invading/threatening military actions against other countries for private contracts/companies in the 1920s.  I think that a military response here would be devistating to US relations in much of the world.

[bayonetbrant]

The US stopped invading/threatening military actions against other countries for private contracts/companies in the 1920s.  I think that a military response here would be devistating to US relations in much of the world.

If we were going to start invading based on governments disregarding signed contracts to dictate more favorable terms to private business for the regimes proletariat cronies, we would have assaulted Washington DC for their forced handover of Chrysler to the UAW.

[Dolan50]

Big stick diplomacy,robber barons and yellow journalism.
The good ole days from the late 19th and early 20th century.
Let's keep those little banana republics in line and show them who's boss.

Wonder how you would feel yourself invading one these two bit countries if you were in the first assault helicopter flying into a hot LZ for the honor and glory of Superior Energy Services.

I'm pretty sure our military wasn't created to be a private international strong arm for privately owned and operated businesses.

[bayonetbrant]

Wonder how you would feel yourself invading one these two bit countries if you were in the first assault helicopter flying into a hot LZ for the honor and glory of Superior Energy Services.

Probably a lot like 2-time CMOH awardee Smedley Butler

I spent 33 years and four months in active military service and during that period I spent most of my time as a high class muscle man for Big Business, for Wall Street and the bankers. In short, I was a racketeer, a gangster for capitalism. I helped make Mexico and especially Tampico safe for American oil interests in 1914. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the National City Bank boys to collect revenues in. I helped in the raping of half a dozen Central American republics for the benefit of Wall Street. I helped purify Nicaragua for the International Banking House of Brown Brothers in 1902–1912. I brought light to the Dominican Republic for the American sugar interests in 1916. I helped make Honduras right for the American fruit companies in 1903. In China in 1927 I helped see to it that Standard Oil went on its way unmolested. Looking back on it, I might have given Al Capone a few hints. The best he could do was to operate his racket in three districts. I operated on three continents.

[Dolan50]

You forgot to include this part.

In 1933, he became involved in a controversy known as the Business Plot, when he told a congressional committee that a group of wealthy industrialists were planning a military coup to overthrow Franklin D. Roosevelt, with Butler selected to lead a march of veterans to become dictator, similar to other Fascist regimes at that time. The individuals involved all denied the existence of a plot and the media ridiculed the allegations. A final report by a special House of Representatives Committee confirmed some of Butler's testimony.

In 1935, Butler wrote a book titled War Is a Racket, where he described and criticized the workings of the United States in its foreign actions and wars, such as those he was a part of, including the American corporations and other imperialist motivations behind them. After retiring from service, he became a popular activist, speaking at meetings organized by veterans, pacifists and church groups in the 1930s.

[Windigo]

Big stick diplomacy,robber barons and yellow journalism.
The good ole days from the late 19th and early 20th century.
Let's keep those little banana republics in line and show them who's boss.

Wonder how you would feel yourself invading one these two bit countries if you were in the first assault helicopter flying into a hot LZ for the honor and glory of Superior Energy Services.

I'm pretty sure our military wasn't created to be a private international strong arm for privately owned and operated businesses.

Just depends on the "Old Money" you talk to.

[Dolan50]

Some things never change.
Some of these extremely wealthy thugs think just because they pocketed a few politicians they also have the right to dictate foreign policy and command the military to do its private bidding and enforce its will.