Trump 2.0 boldly explained how the US intends to restore its “sphere of influence” over the Americas in accordance with the new National Security Strategy, thus representing a Hyper-Realist approach in the sense of explicitly embracing the pursuit of power as a goal instead of denying it like before.
For reminds, France of Sarkozy did exactly the same with legal president of Cote d'Ivoire, Laurent Gbagbo in 2011. There too, a group of french special forces kidnapped this Ivorian president and brought back him in France to judge him. Shameful mascarade.
Nobody in France, médias, officials, politicians, intellectualists said anything.
France would be very bad inspired to condemn that opération.
The real crime of this président was to want creating a new currency with Khadafi, and go out the african Franc. His country represented 80% of Franc CFA. A crash of Franc CFA would have dangerously weaken euro already in danger with the 2008 crash.
On the long run this is not going to fly. As time goes on it will become clear to all that those poor 'narco-terrorists' of Venezuela died for nothing, there is a lot more of them in Colombia and Mexico. It is that black sticky liquid that America wants and Venezuela is literally floating on the top of that stuff. The whole of the planet is looking at an unbroken record of oil producers dragged into wars: Iraq, Iran, Nigeria, Russia, Venezuela and now Trump is threatening Colombia. Less oil there but plenty of White Gold (cocaine) that Americans will pay real gold for.
There is exactly zero chance of a commercial fusion plant operating in 2028. Exclude experimental devices, which produce less than 10MW electrical for less than a few days in a row. Read my lips: ZERO.
Pay attention! Trump media just bought fusion developer TAE. Microsoft has a contract with Helion to deliver and power a data center with fusion power by 2028. See:
Trump Enters the Race for Fusion Power
By Alex Kimani - Dec 22, 2025, 3:00 PM CST
• Trump Media is entering the nuclear fusion sector through a $6 billion merger with TAE Technologies.
• TAE aims to build its first utility-scale fusion plant by 2026.
• The deal highlights intensifying global competition in fusion energy.
Startup begins work on US fusion power plant. Yes, fusion.
By Peter Behr, Christa Marshall | 07/31/2025 06:18 AM EDT
Helion Energy intends to deliver electricity to Microsoft within three years.
In another sign of fusion energy development’s quickening pace, Helion Energy, a startup with $1 billion in private funding, announced Wednesday it has commenced construction of its first planned power production reactor.
The Washington state-based company said the site work keeps it on track to deliver electricity within three years to Microsoft under a 2023 purchase agreement, and “one step closer” to realizing the vision behind its unique fusion energy technology, said David Kirtley, Helion co-founder and CEO, in a statement.
I know about Helion Energy. Their technology is still far from commercial stage. Ambitious deadlines will not make it happen. They have a few major technical problems to solve. I wish them luck, but 2028 is not going to happen.
TAE Technologies plans to deliver electricity to the grid in early 2030s. Their technology is even less likely to work.
Seriously, who are we to believe? Trump media investing $6 billion in purchasing the company and its technology, along with corporate pronouncements from both companies, which in the USA, need to be honest or random internet posters? [lol]
on the contrary, it will leave more oil for petrochemistry, which is even more profitable. and you can't install a fusion reactor on every car, so you still need engines with different principles.
“RTE – Annual electricity review 2024 – Key findings” is hosted on RTE France’s official site under Analyse et données.
Oil is rarely use for electrical power generation - even in major oil-producing countries - except on very small scale or emergency basis - where no other options exist.
In OECD countries, and in China and Russia, oil-fired power generation is essentially negligible (≈1% or less of electricity).
My friend, globally, oil is best used for chem manufacturing, not for power generation. Cars do not run on nat gas. Yes, it is possible to waste oil by burning it to produce electricity but this is inefficient and wasteful. Nat gas is a far cleaner and more plentiful resource for non-nuclear power generation.
"Putin's benign hegemony" is another hilariously oxymoronic Korybkoism. So benign that most countries flee its machinations as soon as feasible - for the "malignant" and "degenerate" West.
"Ideally, it’ll finally behave as a 'benign hegemon' that still profits from those within its sphere (but not as excessively as before) and also genuinely provides for their security, since this Putin-pioneered model is the most sustainable way to ensure stability within a Great Power’s region."
Delicious! There's nothing benign about the impulsive orange crybaby bully, except (for you) his putin-appeasement, and playing along with "sphere of influence" games.
BTW: Oil is used to make plastic and micro-plastic pollution is a serious and growing problem across the world. The less use that we can make of oil, the better.
Yep. What's good for the goose is good for the gander. No reason exists why China and Russia or India cannot replicate Trump's move. And I'm personally fascinated by his move and waiting to see the repercussions before joining any bandwagon for or against. Indeed, most countries need to WTFU and realize--particularly given the Israeli example of Gaza extinction--that you can do what the hell you want as long as you have the military power to back up your actions. It's a wild, wild world.
The only country agreeing with what Trump did was Israel. The rest of the world hates what he did. As to the Ukraine : Russians & Ukrainians are identical people. Same DNA , Orthodox Religion, same alfabet, , Every day words are identical. Common history, same enemies they both fougt against.
I am very hopeful that Andrew is correct and we are slowly wending our way to a multi-polar world. But, I am reserving judgement about the peaceful part until we see Russia/China's response to what I personally view as Trump's abhorrent betrayal of President Putin, who in my view negotiated with Trump in good faith.
Russia would now seem to have a dilemma of how to re-establish "proper boundaries of super rival conduct" versus escalating the conflict not just in retaliation but to lay a claim to its own sphere of influence.
With US threatening Russia with terrorism, with Europe squirming in the lurch, with Iran seemingly the next victim/target, and with an arrogant well-prepared rising China, it's hard to see how peace can be maintained going forward.
Much will likely be revealed in Russia/ China's next move and I would never bet against one alone versus this alliance.
In any event, all I can say is that I have no stomach for this game after watching the destruction of Ukraine and Palestine along with the disgusting betrayal of what I view as a decent, honorable, who thus far has saved us all from nuclear destruction.
Richard Werner (via X) points out future sales of oil in dollars (versus Yuan or BRICS transaction) is likely an important consequence of Venez. Wonder how the Saudi's are viewing this?
“A wolf, meeting with a Lamb astray from the fold, resolved not to lay violent hands on him, but to find some plea to justify to the Lamb the Wolf’s right to eat him. He thus addressed him: “Sirrah, last year you grossly insulted me.”
“Indeed,” bleated the Lamb in a mournful tone of voice, “I was not then born.”
Then said the Wolf, “You feed in my pasture.”
“No, good sir,” replied the Lamb, “I have not yet tasted grass.”
Again said the Wolf, “You drink of my well.”
“No,” exclaimed the Lamb, “I never yet drank water, for as yet my mother’s milk is both food and drink to me.”
Upon which the Wolf seized him and ate him up, saying, “Well! I won’t remain supperless, even though you refute every one of my imputations.”
Moral: The tyrant will always find a pretext for his tyranny.”
So far this is exactly how I would have conducted Iraq!! Rubio has learned from past mistakes!! I’m loving this!! Remember, we had been engaged with Iraq in military operations with a no-fly zone for over a decade and so the use of force was justified…it just wasn’t wise. Delta Force exists and these guys join Special Operations to see action…they got action and glory!
From everything I’ve read we could have removed Saddam by bribing him but Bush was intent on using military force in large part because he believed the show of force served our geopolitical interests in the aftermath of 9/11. So we could have spent a billion dollars bribing Saddam instead of spending $3 trillion dollars along with 4500 killed in action that was eventually spent. Trust me, Rubio understands this math even if he would never say it out loud because as recently as 2016 he was a proud Republican that believed some pretty crazy things like Elian Gonzalez should have remained in America against the wishes of his father in Cuba.
But only a Superpower can claim a sphere of influence and there is really only one Superpower in the world today and that is the USA.
Russia, as we have seen with Ukraine and how their weapon coverage was so easily circumvented in Venezuela, has always been a paper tiger trying to punch up at Uncle Sam. China wants to be a Superpower but clearly isn't because it can ;ay no claim to any bubble of influence outside its own borders.
Canada doesn't have a sphere of influence, does it? No does the EU.
I'll be glad when the AI Overlord takes over and erases all national borders!
As usual, there are a lot of different versions of what happened . I will write those I know. It could be interesting and even funny to add those which could be running in MSM or AMC.
1: the best army ever in the history of galaxy kidnapped Maduro in killing of his guards and without even one wounded nor one plane or helicopter crash. USA rules now venezuelian oil.
2: in killing 82 civilians and all the Maduro's guard, USA has kidnapped Maduro, but government remain safe and with the glorious people of Venezuela will ousted Yankees home.
3: the venezuelian vice-president and a strong faction in army and security was fed-up with Maduro and gave him to USA and want know negociations with USA.
4: Maduro has deliberately surrender to USA following a secret agreement. Now, he will be able to give all the secrets which will allow USA to rule Venezuela.
Rather than power itself, I would suggest this is pursuit of a "safe" ecosystem or resource base from which power is built. No superpower can tolerate having critical resources supplied by a competitor let alone an adversary.
For reminds, France of Sarkozy did exactly the same with legal president of Cote d'Ivoire, Laurent Gbagbo in 2011. There too, a group of french special forces kidnapped this Ivorian president and brought back him in France to judge him. Shameful mascarade.
Nobody in France, médias, officials, politicians, intellectualists said anything.
France would be very bad inspired to condemn that opération.
The real crime of this président was to want creating a new currency with Khadafi, and go out the african Franc. His country represented 80% of Franc CFA. A crash of Franc CFA would have dangerously weaken euro already in danger with the 2008 crash.
Yes, the applicable verb “kidnapped” is much more accurate than “captured”.
On the long run this is not going to fly. As time goes on it will become clear to all that those poor 'narco-terrorists' of Venezuela died for nothing, there is a lot more of them in Colombia and Mexico. It is that black sticky liquid that America wants and Venezuela is literally floating on the top of that stuff. The whole of the planet is looking at an unbroken record of oil producers dragged into wars: Iraq, Iran, Nigeria, Russia, Venezuela and now Trump is threatening Colombia. Less oil there but plenty of White Gold (cocaine) that Americans will pay real gold for.
Since "drugs" was a flimsy pretext..
Once we get fusion power up and up and running (2028 for 1st commercial plant?) then the need for oil evaporates.
THAT is going to change world power dynamic's radically!
There is exactly zero chance of a commercial fusion plant operating in 2028. Exclude experimental devices, which produce less than 10MW electrical for less than a few days in a row. Read my lips: ZERO.
Pay attention! Trump media just bought fusion developer TAE. Microsoft has a contract with Helion to deliver and power a data center with fusion power by 2028. See:
Trump Enters the Race for Fusion Power
By Alex Kimani - Dec 22, 2025, 3:00 PM CST
• Trump Media is entering the nuclear fusion sector through a $6 billion merger with TAE Technologies.
• TAE aims to build its first utility-scale fusion plant by 2026.
• The deal highlights intensifying global competition in fusion energy.
...
https://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Nuclear-Power/Trump-Enters-the-Race-for-Fusion-Power.html
AND
Startup begins work on US fusion power plant. Yes, fusion.
By Peter Behr, Christa Marshall | 07/31/2025 06:18 AM EDT
Helion Energy intends to deliver electricity to Microsoft within three years.
In another sign of fusion energy development’s quickening pace, Helion Energy, a startup with $1 billion in private funding, announced Wednesday it has commenced construction of its first planned power production reactor.
The Washington state-based company said the site work keeps it on track to deliver electricity within three years to Microsoft under a 2023 purchase agreement, and “one step closer” to realizing the vision behind its unique fusion energy technology, said David Kirtley, Helion co-founder and CEO, in a statement.
...
https://www.eenews.net/articles/startup-begins-work-on-major-us-fusion-power-plant-yes-fusion/
I know about Helion Energy. Their technology is still far from commercial stage. Ambitious deadlines will not make it happen. They have a few major technical problems to solve. I wish them luck, but 2028 is not going to happen.
TAE Technologies plans to deliver electricity to the grid in early 2030s. Their technology is even less likely to work.
There are a few good comments here: https://www.reddit.com/r/fusion/comments/1ltj5lb/tae_technologies_approach_to_fusion/
Seriously, who are we to believe? Trump media investing $6 billion in purchasing the company and its technology, along with corporate pronouncements from both companies, which in the USA, need to be honest or random internet posters? [lol]
Honest corporate behavior? In the USA? This is a laughing matter, indeed.
on the contrary, it will leave more oil for petrochemistry, which is even more profitable. and you can't install a fusion reactor on every car, so you still need engines with different principles.
Jojo, I'm really interested by what you say. Can you please give us a link or tell me more about this power plant ?
See above.
Jojo, I see a very hard glass ceiling here where quality people keep bumping their heads without a real breakthrough for decades now.
Oil is used for transportation fuels and petro chemicals, not power generation.
Sure it is. All the power plants in France which are not nuclear work with oil.
No, they do not. France for 2023:
Nuclear: ~67.1%
Hydroelectric: ~13.9%
Wind: ~8.7%
Solar: ~4.6%
Gas: ~3.2%
Other renewables & waste: ~2%
Coal: ~0.1%
Fuel OIL & other thermal: ~0.3%
https://assets.rte-france.com/analyse-et-donnees/2025-11/RTE%20-%20Annual%20electricity%20review%202024%20-%20Key%20findings.pdf
“RTE – Annual electricity review 2024 – Key findings” is hosted on RTE France’s official site under Analyse et données.
Oil is rarely use for electrical power generation - even in major oil-producing countries - except on very small scale or emergency basis - where no other options exist.
In OECD countries, and in China and Russia, oil-fired power generation is essentially negligible (≈1% or less of electricity).
Thank you for that information
My friend, globally, oil is best used for chem manufacturing, not for power generation. Cars do not run on nat gas. Yes, it is possible to waste oil by burning it to produce electricity but this is inefficient and wasteful. Nat gas is a far cleaner and more plentiful resource for non-nuclear power generation.
Cars in fact do run on natural gas (actually, LPG) in much of the world.
i am not sure if you received the message, because mr. darras replied to me, but he asks you for links about this first commercial fusion plant.
Jojo, what I know is that fusion is absolutely not commercialisable ready before decades and that it will be the most expensive way to produce energy.
And your qualifications to make such a statement are?
"Putin's benign hegemony" is another hilariously oxymoronic Korybkoism. So benign that most countries flee its machinations as soon as feasible - for the "malignant" and "degenerate" West.
"Ideally, it’ll finally behave as a 'benign hegemon' that still profits from those within its sphere (but not as excessively as before) and also genuinely provides for their security, since this Putin-pioneered model is the most sustainable way to ensure stability within a Great Power’s region."
Delicious! There's nothing benign about the impulsive orange crybaby bully, except (for you) his putin-appeasement, and playing along with "sphere of influence" games.
Hey M. Troll , before sneering dumbly, you better read. Unless you're so ignorant that you don't know the meaning of quotation marks.
You know, that sign: " "
Andrew write with those sign .
BTW: Oil is used to make plastic and micro-plastic pollution is a serious and growing problem across the world. The less use that we can make of oil, the better.
Have you seen the cuddles of Rodriguez , the new president, to Trump? 😂
Excuse me, it's a nervous laugh.
"Ho my gringo lord, we want cooperation to USA, we promise to be a good US's bitch".
Countries with oil and no nukes need to rethink their security strategies.
Yep. What's good for the goose is good for the gander. No reason exists why China and Russia or India cannot replicate Trump's move. And I'm personally fascinated by his move and waiting to see the repercussions before joining any bandwagon for or against. Indeed, most countries need to WTFU and realize--particularly given the Israeli example of Gaza extinction--that you can do what the hell you want as long as you have the military power to back up your actions. It's a wild, wild world.
The only country agreeing with what Trump did was Israel. The rest of the world hates what he did. As to the Ukraine : Russians & Ukrainians are identical people. Same DNA , Orthodox Religion, same alfabet, , Every day words are identical. Common history, same enemies they both fougt against.
Somebody has a man crush on Trump! So creepy...
I am very hopeful that Andrew is correct and we are slowly wending our way to a multi-polar world. But, I am reserving judgement about the peaceful part until we see Russia/China's response to what I personally view as Trump's abhorrent betrayal of President Putin, who in my view negotiated with Trump in good faith.
Russia would now seem to have a dilemma of how to re-establish "proper boundaries of super rival conduct" versus escalating the conflict not just in retaliation but to lay a claim to its own sphere of influence.
With US threatening Russia with terrorism, with Europe squirming in the lurch, with Iran seemingly the next victim/target, and with an arrogant well-prepared rising China, it's hard to see how peace can be maintained going forward.
Much will likely be revealed in Russia/ China's next move and I would never bet against one alone versus this alliance.
In any event, all I can say is that I have no stomach for this game after watching the destruction of Ukraine and Palestine along with the disgusting betrayal of what I view as a decent, honorable, who thus far has saved us all from nuclear destruction.
Richard Werner (via X) points out future sales of oil in dollars (versus Yuan or BRICS transaction) is likely an important consequence of Venez. Wonder how the Saudi's are viewing this?
Trump is simply the empire dropping any remaining pretense that it is anything other than an empire.
No, my friend, you're wrong. No more an empire, just a pirates hideout.
What's the difference? A more colorful flag?
No, the mask. An empire do pretend ruling. A bunch of pirates only loot.
When USA pretended to bring freedom, security, order and peace it was able to pretend to be an empire.
Now it's only looting without rule, without responsibility, without mask.
An empire has two faces, one righteous, noble and dignified and another hideous, vicious and sinful.
This Janus's face is that of the power .
Now, thanks to Trump ,USA only show the hideous and vicious face of a pirate.
Oh, very well then....
“A wolf, meeting with a Lamb astray from the fold, resolved not to lay violent hands on him, but to find some plea to justify to the Lamb the Wolf’s right to eat him. He thus addressed him: “Sirrah, last year you grossly insulted me.”
“Indeed,” bleated the Lamb in a mournful tone of voice, “I was not then born.”
Then said the Wolf, “You feed in my pasture.”
“No, good sir,” replied the Lamb, “I have not yet tasted grass.”
Again said the Wolf, “You drink of my well.”
“No,” exclaimed the Lamb, “I never yet drank water, for as yet my mother’s milk is both food and drink to me.”
Upon which the Wolf seized him and ate him up, saying, “Well! I won’t remain supperless, even though you refute every one of my imputations.”
Moral: The tyrant will always find a pretext for his tyranny.”
Yes, but a pirate don't even look after a pretext. It's the difference: the pretext.
Axtually, you'd be surprised how often they do.
So far this is exactly how I would have conducted Iraq!! Rubio has learned from past mistakes!! I’m loving this!! Remember, we had been engaged with Iraq in military operations with a no-fly zone for over a decade and so the use of force was justified…it just wasn’t wise. Delta Force exists and these guys join Special Operations to see action…they got action and glory!
Seemingly, in Irak, USA didn't succeeded in finding enough corrupted SOB traitor bastards to allow Delta Force to do their job without danger.
More over, in Irak, USA has absolutely no right to act like they did. Absolutely no right.
From everything I’ve read we could have removed Saddam by bribing him but Bush was intent on using military force in large part because he believed the show of force served our geopolitical interests in the aftermath of 9/11. So we could have spent a billion dollars bribing Saddam instead of spending $3 trillion dollars along with 4500 killed in action that was eventually spent. Trust me, Rubio understands this math even if he would never say it out loud because as recently as 2016 he was a proud Republican that believed some pretty crazy things like Elian Gonzalez should have remained in America against the wishes of his father in Cuba.
Right has nothing to do with it.
But only a Superpower can claim a sphere of influence and there is really only one Superpower in the world today and that is the USA.
Russia, as we have seen with Ukraine and how their weapon coverage was so easily circumvented in Venezuela, has always been a paper tiger trying to punch up at Uncle Sam. China wants to be a Superpower but clearly isn't because it can ;ay no claim to any bubble of influence outside its own borders.
Canada doesn't have a sphere of influence, does it? No does the EU.
I'll be glad when the AI Overlord takes over and erases all national borders!
It could also erase the human kind
As usual, there are a lot of different versions of what happened . I will write those I know. It could be interesting and even funny to add those which could be running in MSM or AMC.
1: the best army ever in the history of galaxy kidnapped Maduro in killing of his guards and without even one wounded nor one plane or helicopter crash. USA rules now venezuelian oil.
2: in killing 82 civilians and all the Maduro's guard, USA has kidnapped Maduro, but government remain safe and with the glorious people of Venezuela will ousted Yankees home.
3: the venezuelian vice-president and a strong faction in army and security was fed-up with Maduro and gave him to USA and want know negociations with USA.
4: Maduro has deliberately surrender to USA following a secret agreement. Now, he will be able to give all the secrets which will allow USA to rule Venezuela.
Other?
Rather than power itself, I would suggest this is pursuit of a "safe" ecosystem or resource base from which power is built. No superpower can tolerate having critical resources supplied by a competitor let alone an adversary.