4 ms·

Well the genie is out of the bottle now. Every petty tyrant or so called leader in Africa, Middle east, Asia and who knows where else now know that going to an

Well the genie is out of the bottle now. Every petty tyrant or so called leader in Africa, Middle east, Asia and who knows where else now know that going to another country, snatching the leader and kidnapping them can be done without much consequences at any time so long as they go in guns blazing. The EU who usually likes to parade around by giving lessons of democracy to everyone is basically completely silent on the whole affair besides Spain who came out saying that they would not recognize whoever ends up taking Maduro's place as the legitimate leader of Venezuela. And to top it all off you have numerous people who believe that if you have a problem with what the US did then you must be some sort of closeted commie supporter. I can't wait to see the mental gymnastics that these people will do if and when the PRC decides to do the same thing to the leaders of Taiwan in the future. Will they be so quick to agree that this isn't such a big deal? I think not.

innagadadavida 10mo ago
I’m curious which specific African countries have the capability to pull off what US did with this level of precision and literally no casualties. Moreover these countries already hate US, so shouldn’t they logically hate the US actions as well?
- rdm_blackhole 10mo ago
  It's not about the feasibility itself, it's about the precedent that was set. Can you look in the eye someone and forbid them from doing something that you just did? It makes zero sense. > no casualties 40 people died > Moreover these countries already hate US, so shouldn’t they logically hate the US actions as well? It doesn't matter if they hate the US or not. That is not the point. The point is that it makes this sort of actions completely legitimate.
  - toomanyrichies 10mo ago
    > Can you look in the eye someone and forbid them from doing something that you just did? It makes zero sense. It sounds like you're assuming the goal is moral coherence. It isn't; Trump and MAGA have always been completely philosophically untethered. The goal here is demonstrating that Trump is exempt from the rules he enforces on others. The more obviously hypocritical it is, the clearer the message: "We're strong enough that we don't need to be consistent." It's posturing and dominance signaling, nothing more.
  - innagadadavida 10mo ago
    > actions completely legitimate So if I'm a dictoator in Africa who hates US and the west, I'd first think oh that evil empire already did that so I can also do it too? Why would they even care what US does? This makes no sense.
  - __turbobrew__ 10mo ago
    > Can you look in the eye someone and forbid them from doing something that you just did? It makes zero sense. American exceptionalism, not a new concept
- ZeroGravitas 10mo ago
  I thought I'd read there was 40 deaths, is there an official source for no casualties?
  - kelseyfrog 10mo ago
    GP means US casualties. As in the other guys lives don't count.
    - innagadadavida 10mo ago
      No I did not. Moreover the bodyguards were Cuban mercenary, not civilian nor Venezuelan military.
      - kelseyfrog 10mo ago
        My mistake, you're right, Cuban mercenaries don't count.
  - lawrencejgd 10mo ago
    The NYT reports that there are now 80 dead and that the number may rise.
    - bschmidt25004 10mo ago
      [dead]
satvikpendem 10mo ago
> now know that going to another country, snatching the leader and kidnapping them can be done without much consequences at any time so long as they go in guns blazing. This sort of thinking was always true in history and geopolitics, as consequences come from those who enforce them. These other countries could try but they might have their own leader snatched soon enough if that's the case.
cassianoleal 10mo ago
> The EU who usually likes to parade around by giving lessons of democracy to everyone is basically completely silent on the whole affair It's actually worse than staying silent. Von der Leyen has basically said "good job, now let's figure out the regime change". [0] Kaja Kallas has parroted the made up drug trafficking lies. [1] > besides Spain who came out saying that they would not recognize whoever ends up taking Maduro's place as the legitimate leader of Venezuela. Spain at the very least had the decency of co-signing the joint Latin American statement condemning the act. [2] [0] https://xcancel.com/vonderleyen/status/2007440364135674172 https://xcancel.com/vonderleyen/status/2007440364135674172 [1] https://xcancel.com/kajakallas/status/2007902058876448897 https://xcancel.com/kajakallas/status/2007902058876448897 [2] https://www.euronews.com/2026/01/04/spain-and-5-latin-american-countries-reject-us-attack-on-venezuela-in-joint-communique https://www.euronews.com/2026/01/04/spain-and-5-latin-americ...
carlosjobim 10mo ago
> Every petty tyrant or so called leader in Africa, Middle east, Asia and who knows where else now know that going to another country, snatching the leader and kidnapping them can be done without much consequences at any time so long as they go in guns blazing. You can be 100% sure that the only thing they are thinking about is that it can happen to them, and this is what they will be thinking about during many nights ahead.

innagadadavida 10mo ago

I’m curious which specific African countries have the capability to pull off what US did with this level of precision and literally no casualties. Moreover these countries already hate US, so shouldn’t they logically hate the US actions as well?

rdm_blackhole 10mo ago
It's not about the feasibility itself, it's about the precedent that was set. Can you look in the eye someone and forbid them from doing something that you just did? It makes zero sense. > no casualties 40 people died > Moreover these countries already hate US, so shouldn’t they logically hate the US actions as well? It doesn't matter if they hate the US or not. That is not the point. The point is that it makes this sort of actions completely legitimate.
- toomanyrichies 10mo ago
  > Can you look in the eye someone and forbid them from doing something that you just did? It makes zero sense. It sounds like you're assuming the goal is moral coherence. It isn't; Trump and MAGA have always been completely philosophically untethered. The goal here is demonstrating that Trump is exempt from the rules he enforces on others. The more obviously hypocritical it is, the clearer the message: "We're strong enough that we don't need to be consistent." It's posturing and dominance signaling, nothing more.
- innagadadavida 10mo ago
  > actions completely legitimate So if I'm a dictoator in Africa who hates US and the west, I'd first think oh that evil empire already did that so I can also do it too? Why would they even care what US does? This makes no sense.
- __turbobrew__ 10mo ago
  > Can you look in the eye someone and forbid them from doing something that you just did? It makes zero sense. American exceptionalism, not a new concept
ZeroGravitas 10mo ago
I thought I'd read there was 40 deaths, is there an official source for no casualties?
- kelseyfrog 10mo ago
  GP means US casualties. As in the other guys lives don't count.
  - innagadadavida 10mo ago
    No I did not. Moreover the bodyguards were Cuban mercenary, not civilian nor Venezuelan military.
    - kelseyfrog 10mo ago
      My mistake, you're right, Cuban mercenaries don't count.
- lawrencejgd 10mo ago
  The NYT reports that there are now 80 dead and that the number may rise.
  - bschmidt25004 10mo ago
    [dead]

satvikpendem 10mo ago

> now know that going to another country, snatching the leader and kidnapping them can be done without much consequences at any time so long as they go in guns blazing. This sort of thinking was always true in history and geopolitics, as consequences come from those who enforce them. These other countries could try but they might have their own leader snatched soon enough if that's the case.

cassianoleal 10mo ago

> The EU who usually likes to parade around by giving lessons of democracy to everyone is basically completely silent on the whole affair It's actually worse than staying silent. Von der Leyen has basically said "good job, now let's figure out the regime change". [0] Kaja Kallas has parroted the made up drug trafficking lies. [1] > besides Spain who came out saying that they would not recognize whoever ends up taking Maduro's place as the legitimate leader of Venezuela. Spain at the very least had the decency of co-signing the joint Latin American statement condemning the act. [2] [0] https://xcancel.com/vonderleyen/status/2007440364135674172 https://xcancel.com/vonderleyen/status/2007440364135674172 [1] https://xcancel.com/kajakallas/status/2007902058876448897 https://xcancel.com/kajakallas/status/2007902058876448897 [2] https://www.euronews.com/2026/01/04/spain-and-5-latin-american-countries-reject-us-attack-on-venezuela-in-joint-communique https://www.euronews.com/2026/01/04/spain-and-5-latin-americ...

carlosjobim 10mo ago

> Every petty tyrant or so called leader in Africa, Middle east, Asia and who knows where else now know that going to another country, snatching the leader and kidnapping them can be done without much consequences at any time so long as they go in guns blazing. You can be 100% sure that the only thing they are thinking about is that it can happen to them, and this is what they will be thinking about during many nights ahead.