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When Donald Trump’s skilled kidnappers snatched up Nicolás and Cilia Maduro, there was instantly confusion and a trove of questions on what was occurring, why, and the place it was all going to guide.
I put out a couple of theories on what was driving all of it for Donald Trump. These have been reiterated at the moment by others. They included that it was all concerning the oilit was a distraction from points which are a giant menace to Donald Trump’s fame and approvaland my third possibility: he’s a power-hungry dictator wannabe who idolizes folks like Putin and has a dream of taking different international locations or territories for america, leaving a mark like that of a former land-conquering king.
On that third one, my subsequent line was: He didn’t get to purchase Greenland, and he isn’t making Canada right into a 51st state, however might he take over the nation of Venezuela?
Loopy sufficient, that third possibility might not be too off. Right here’s extra information from at the moment, courtesy of CBS:
“Denmark on Sunday made its displeasure recognized after the spouse of certainly one of President Trump’s most influential aides posted a social media image of Greenland painted within the colours of america flag.
“Katie Miller — spouse of Mr. Trump’s deputy chief of workers Stephen Miller — put the contentiously altered picture of the Danish autonomous territory on her X feed late Saturday, hours after the U.S. army operation towards Venezuela.
“Her submit had a single phrase above it: ‘SOON.’
“Denmark’s ambassador to the U.S., Jesper Moeller Soerensen, reacted on Sunday along with his personal submit saying ‘we count on full respect for the territorial integrity’ of Denmark, above a hyperlink to Katie Miller’s picture.”
Severely?
A reader, “john,” wrote the next earlier at the moment beneath Steve Hanley’s article: “We now have bombed Iran, and are threatening it once more, we now have bombed Nigeria and are threatening extra assist, we now have threatened Canada. In case you have oil you’re beneath menace.” A remark additional down the thread from “Scott” added: “In 12 months Trump has: attacked Venezuela, Iran, Yemen, Syria, Nigeria. He has threatened annexation of NATO allies Greenland, Canada. He has undermined Ukraine and threatened Panama, Mexico and Columbia. He has threatened to ethnically cleanse Gaza.”
Frankly, I didn’t actually wish to assume my third concept was the actual reply, the actual purpose Trump had gone in and successfully taken over Venezuela.
Donald Trump is an influence hungry egomaniac who’s obsessive about “rising his model.” He’s been often known as this for many years. Think about him an authentic social media influencer. He used to let filmmakers use his properties to movie motion pictures so long as he was included within the film in a roundabout way — therefore his temporary position in Residence Alone 2. Now, along with his life coming towards an finish, is he simply doing what different notorious power-hungry politicians have performed prior to now? Napoleon Bonaparte, Alexander the Nice, Adolf Hitler, Vladimir Putin.
As I used to be ending up this text, a notification popped up about one thing an actor I really like — however haven’t actually seen something from for years — stated in response to the information. It’s good. Right here’s the textual content (and video on Reddit):
Ethan Hawke: I used to be already upset concerning the Kennedy Middle honor, and now we’re bombing some—
Interviewer: May you make sense of any of it?
Ethan Hawke: No, I could make sense out of it in that, , I’ve performed sufficient Shakespeare performs to know that energy corrupts.
Interviewer: Shakespeare proper subsequent to you.
Ethan Hawke: I do know, I do know, precisely. However, , it’s a standard theme of mankind—nothing that’s occurring to us, as Individuals, as civilians, isn’t something that hasn’t occurred to humanity. I imply, we’re surrounded—historical past’s suffering from despots and egocentric folks and grasping folks, and so they make the foundations for the sort folks. And I preserve eager to say what an odd time we’re dwelling in, however then I—the beauty of being an actor is you get to do all these interval motion pictures, and you then understand that each time interval is unusual, ?
That is some—my mom calls it the battle between the mysterious pressure for good and the mysterious pressure for darkness. And it’s that—it’s that some interaction, it’s at all times occurring. And that’s why I consider in motion pictures. I sort of—I consider in a collective consciousness that if we will inform—if we will—it’s sort of like at Thanksgiving. You’ll be able to sit down and have a bunch of actually silly conversations, or you’ll be able to sit down and have some actually productive, wholesome conversations.
And it’s as much as the creative group to sort of be like dialog starters. And are we guiding the dialog in a manner that’s wholesome and pushing us ahead to be our greatest self, or are we descending? So God is aware of many household Thanksgivings have gone bitter and a few have gone nicely.
I don’t know tips on how to conclude this. I don’t know the place that leaves us. However I’m involved, like many, that Donald Trump goes to attempt to proceed a campaign to take land and energy from international locations with numerous pure sources. The US has — by far — the most important army on the earth, and Trump has renamed the Division of Protection the Division of Warfare.
All of it appears loopy, however trying again on historical past and what highly effective, narcissistic, grasping males have performed, is it inconceivable?
Circling again to the CBS story, they added: “In Greenland’s case, Mr. Trump has claimed that making the Danish territory a part of america would serve U.S. nationwide safety pursuits, given its strategic location within the Arctic. Greenland can be wealthy in key crucial minerals utilized in high-tech sectors.”
Photograph by Jean-Christophe André, through Pexels
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