Olivia
Online
Adam Coates
@Croppius
Being, passionate about design, philosophy and regenerative technologies.
Tasmania, Australia
Joined December 2016
342 Following
77 Followers
3.6K Posts
Marco Rubio 2 days ago: “Imagine if Iran funded the well-being of its people, rather than its military”
Trump today: “We can’t fund daycare or Medicaid, we need more money for our military”
Sometimes the jokes write themselves.
If there was any doubt that Australia must urgently decouple from the US and its violent global war-making, coercion and domination then surely it is now. End AUKUS, close US bases and chart Australia’s path in the world, not follow Washington’s.
Honestly? I think you may have missed a few particularly important aspects of history...
If we really want to understand the world, we need to be willing to invest enough time to appreciate the intricate complexity of it all.
We are entering a period of major geopolitical changes, on a scale that simply hasn't been seen for generations. It's been building for decades and it's far bigger than just Iran, but this will be the trigger that kicks it all off. This isn't going to just wrap up with a "Maximum Pressure" campaign or a single diplomatic pivot. We are witnessing the tectonic end of US military adventurism.
A Civilisation, Not a "Regime"
Iran is not just some "crazy Islamic state." It is the modern manifestation of the ancient Persian civilisation—a culture whose deep history and sophisticated statecraft dwarf almost everything in the West. When we look at Tehran, we see a "regime." When they look at themselves, they see a 2,500-year-old empire that has survived Greeks, Mongols, and Arabs by absorbing them.
Two Centuries of Humiliation
China speaks of its "Century of Humiliation" to explain its modern drive for respect as a major world player. But Iran has endured two, defined by a relentless cycle of foreign interference:
* The "Great Game" Betrayal: In the 19th and early 20th centuries, the British and Russians treated Persia like a rug. In 1907, they signed the Anglo-Russian Convention, dividing the country into "spheres of influence" without even consulting the Iranian parliament.
* The 1953 Ghost (Operation Ajax): This is the wound that never healed. When the democratically elected Mohammad Mossadegh nationalised Iran’s oil to benefit his own people, the CIA and MI6 orchestrated a coup to topple him. We traded Iranian democracy for a Western-friendly brutal dictator (the Shah) and cheap oil.
* The "Poisoned Chalice" of the 80s: During the brutal Iran-Iraq War, the West didn't just stand by; we actively fueled the fire. The US provided intelligence and dual-use technology to Saddam Hussein, even while knowing he was using chemical weapons against Iranian troops. To Iranians, the 1988 downing of Iran Air Flight 655—a civilian airliner shot down by the US Navy—wasn't a "mistake"; it was a message.
The Nuclear Irony
Even in our own decade, the pattern holds. In 2015, Iran signed the JCPOA (the Nuclear Deal). The IAEA confirmed 15 times that Iran was in full compliance. They dismantled centrifuges and shipped out their enriched uranium in good faith.
The reward? The US unilaterally tore up the deal in 2018, followed by "Maximum Pressure" sanctions that targeted medicine and food for ordinary citizens. And now, after the massive 2025 strikes of Operation Midnight Hammer, we act surprised that Tehran has finally decided the "diplomatic path" is a dead end.
The 2026 Turning Point
Why is this the "trigger"? Because for the first time, Iran isn't standing alone.
The military buildup we see now isn't just about one country. The "Axis of Upheaval" (Iran, Russia, and China) has created a strategic depth that didn't exist twenty years ago. When we strike at the Strait of Hormuz, the ripples no longer stay in the Middle East; they vibrate through the energy markets of Beijing and the drone factories of Moscow.
This is the "wake-up call." We are moving from a unipolar world, where one superpower could dictate terms through "adventurism," to a multipolar world where ancient civilizations are reclaiming their seats at the table.
The Conclusion
The era of the "global policeman" is hitting a wall of historical resilience and new alliances. We can continue to view these shifts through the narrow lens of "good guys vs. bad guys," or we can finally acknowledge that the world is re-centering itself.
The question isn't whether the world is changing—it’s whether we are humble enough to learn the history required to survive it.
#auspol #Geopolitics #Iran #MultipolarWorld #ForeignPolicy #WakeUpCall #OperationAjax
@JudeoChristianZ @RealScottRitter @Ostrov_A "Allah" and "Eloah" are the same word evolved through different branches of the Semitic family.
Amazing Grace.
“Albanese has let us all down by capitulating to foreign powers who crave hegemony, profit from endless chaos, whose interests conflict with our own — how quickly the government moved to show support for Iran war initiated by US & Israel.” https://t.co/1aJCQddZcx
BREAKING
Australia’s politician Penny Allman-Payne:
“Australia should not be involved in this illegal war in Iran.
A war started by a genocidal maniac who has overseen the genocide of Palestinians in Gaza.
A war driven by a deluded fascist President in the US.
A President who has been found to be a sexual predator.
A President who has illegally kidnapped the leader of another nation.
A President who is illegally denying food and fuel to the people of Cuba.”
While the media is flooded with images of yesterday’s “Operation Absolute Resolve” and the capture of Nicolás Maduro, there is a massive amount of context being left on the cutting room floor. If you’re only following the mainstream narrative, you’re missing the three biggest pillars of this story:
1. The "Invisible" History of Social Success 🇻🇪
Long before the current crisis, the "Bolivarian Revolution" achieved what decades of US-backed leaders couldn't. Through the Misiones, Venezuela slashed poverty from 48% to 27%. They built millions of homes for the poor (GMVV), established free neighborhood clinics with thousands of doctors, and achieved a 95%+ literacy rate. Mainstream media calls it "mismanagement," but for millions, it was the first time they were actually seen by their government.
2. 20 Years of Systematic Sabotage 📉
The collapse didn't happen in a vacuum. The US has been interfering since the 2002 coup attempt. For years, "Maximum Pressure" sanctions have acted as a blockade—suffocating the oil industry, cutting off food imports, and freezing billions in Venezuelan assets. It’s not just "socialist failure"; it’s an orchestrated economic war designed to make the country uninhabitable until the government falls.
3. A Massive Breach of International Law ⚖️
Yesterday’s military raid in Caracas isn't just an "arrest"—it’s a violation of the UN Charter (Article 2) and the OAS Charter. Under international law, you cannot invade a sovereign nation to abduct a sitting head of state, regardless of your opinion of them. By bypassing the UN Security Council, this sets a dangerous precedent: any leader the US dislikes can now be "extracted" by force.
The Bottom Line:
We are being told this is about "democracy" and "drugs," but we’ve seen this script before (Panama '89, Iraq '03). When we ignore the history of social progress and the illegality of the intervention, we aren't getting the news—we’re getting the justification for a power grab over the world's largest oil reserves.
#Venezuela #InternationalLaw #Maduro #Chavez #MediaBias #OperationAbsoluteResolve
Honestly, what a gutless effort. How about we just call a spade a spade? "Democracy" and "International Law" you say...
Legal scholars and international bodies point to several foundational violations of International Law:
1. Violation of National Sovereignty (UN Charter Article 2)
The most significant breach cited by legal experts is of Article 2(4) of the UN Charter, which is considered the "supreme rule" of modern international relations.
* The Rule: It prohibits the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state.
* The Violation: By sending elite special forces (Delta Force) into Caracas without the consent of the Venezuelan government, the US conducted an armed invasion. Under international law, this is categorized as a "Crime of Aggression." * **The Precedent: Experts from the Guardian and WOLA note that the US did not claim "self-defense" (Article 51), nor did it have a UN Security Council resolution. This makes the operation an illegal use of force against a sovereign nation.
2. Breach of "Head of State" Immunity
International law generally grants sitting presidents absolute immunity from the jurisdiction of foreign courts while they are in office.
* Customary Law: This principle exists so that leaders can travel and perform diplomacy without fear of being arrested by political rivals.
* The Violation: By "abducting" a sitting president to face trial in New York, the US has ignored the doctrine of extraterritoriality. Even if the US does not recognize Maduro's 2024 election as legitimate, he was the de facto head of state in control of the country's territory.
3. Violation of the OAS Charter (Non-Intervention)
As a member of the Organization of American States (OAS), the US is bound by a charter that is even stricter than the UN's regarding interference.
* Article 19: "No State or group of States has the right to intervene, directly or indirectly, for any reason whatever, in the internal or external affairs of any other State."
* The Violation: The US has been in violation of this for years through its "Maximum Pressure" sanctions, which the UN recently labeled as "illegal coercive measures." The January 3rd capture is seen as the ultimate violation of this regional treaty.
4. Illegal Maritime Blockades
In the weeks leading up to the capture (December 2025), the US imposed a "partial blockade" on Venezuelan oil tankers.
* The Violation: UN experts have denounced this as a violation of the International Law of the Sea. Under the 1974 Definition of Aggression, a blockade of the ports or coasts of a state by the armed forces of another state is an act of war.
5. Denial of Self-Determination
The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which the US ratified in 1992, guarantees all peoples the right to self-determination.
* The Violation: By announcing that the US will "run" Venezuela during a transition and involving US companies in the oil industry (as President Trump stated yesterday), the US is seen as imposing a "colonial" or "tutelage" status on Venezuela, stripping its citizens of the right to resolve their own political crisis.
True to form @abcnews via
@luke__cooper starts manufacturing consent for events in 🇻🇪
Might as well just be a press release from the 🇺🇸 State Department
No criticism of 🇺🇸 actions
No reference to the UN Charter
No critical analysis
Just stenography
https://t.co/W1UySDFhfs
How about a mention of the severe violations of International Law by the US? What do you think @latingle?
Legal scholars and international bodies point to several foundational violations of International Law:
1. Violation of National Sovereignty (UN Charter Article 2)
The most significant breach cited by legal experts is of Article 2(4) of the UN Charter, which is considered the "supreme rule" of modern international relations.
* The Rule: It prohibits the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state.
* The Violation: By sending elite special forces (Delta Force) into Caracas without the consent of the Venezuelan government, the US conducted an armed invasion. Under international law, this is categorized as a "Crime of Aggression." * **The Precedent: Experts from the Guardian and WOLA note that the US did not claim "self-defense" (Article 51), nor did it have a UN Security Council resolution. This makes the operation an illegal use of force against a sovereign nation.
2. Breach of "Head of State" Immunity
International law generally grants sitting presidents absolute immunity from the jurisdiction of foreign courts while they are in office.
* Customary Law: This principle exists so that leaders can travel and perform diplomacy without fear of being arrested by political rivals.
* The Violation: By "abducting" a sitting president to face trial in New York, the US has ignored the doctrine of extraterritoriality. Even if the US does not recognize Maduro's 2024 election as legitimate, he was the de facto head of state in control of the country's territory.
3. Violation of the OAS Charter (Non-Intervention)
As a member of the Organization of American States (OAS), the US is bound by a charter that is even stricter than the UN's regarding interference.
* Article 19: "No State or group of States has the right to intervene, directly or indirectly, for any reason whatever, in the internal or external affairs of any other State."
* The Violation: The US has been in violation of this for years through its "Maximum Pressure" sanctions, which the UN recently labeled as "illegal coercive measures." The January 3rd capture is seen as the ultimate violation of this regional treaty.
4. Illegal Maritime Blockades
In the weeks leading up to the capture (December 2025), the US imposed a "partial blockade" on Venezuelan oil tankers.
* The Violation: UN experts have denounced this as a violation of the International Law of the Sea. Under the 1974 Definition of Aggression, a blockade of the ports or coasts of a state by the armed forces of another state is an act of war.
5. Denial of Self-Determination
The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which the US ratified in 1992, guarantees all peoples the right to self-determination.
* The Violation: By announcing that the US will "run" Venezuela during a transition and involving US companies in the oil industry (as President Trump stated yesterday), the US is seen as imposing a "colonial" or "tutelage" status on Venezuela, stripping its citizens of the right to resolve their own political crisis.
Also this would have been handy, if you really wanted to explain the context of the situation.
US interference in Venezuela is a long-running saga that has evolved from "strategic partnership" during the Cold War to the most direct military intervention in recent Latin American history:
To understand how we got to this point, it is helpful to view the history in four distinct phases:
1. The Pre-Chávez Era (1895–1998)
For over a century, the US viewed Venezuela as a vital but often turbulent partner.
* The Monroe Doctrine (1895): The US intervened in a border dispute between Venezuela and British Guiana, essentially telling Britain that the US was the dominant power in the hemisphere.
* The "Catfish" Coup (1908): The US Navy helped Juan Vicente Gómez seize power. He became a long-term US ally, opening the country to US oil companies like Standard Oil.
* The 1950s Dictatorship: The US supported Marcos Pérez Jiménez, even awarding him the Legion of Merit, because he was "anti-communist" and kept the oil flowing, despite his brutal repression of Venezuelans.
2. The Chávez Era (1999–2013)
When Hugo Chávez was elected, the relationship shifted from partnership to open hostility.
* The 2002 Coup Attempt: When a military coup briefly ousted Chávez for 47 hours, the US was the only major power to immediately recognize the new government. Declassified documents later showed the CIA had prior knowledge of the plot.
* **Early Sanctions (2006): Following Chávez's "socialist turn," the US began banning arms sales and accusing Venezuela of "not cooperating fully" in the war on terror.
* Expulsions: Diplomats were repeatedly expelled from both countries as Chávez forged alliances with US adversaries like Iran, Russia, and Cuba.
3. The Maduro Era: "Maximum Pressure" (2014–2024)
Under Maduro, the US shifted from targeting individuals to targeting the entire Venezuelan economy.
* 2017 Sectoral Sanctions: The Trump administration banned US persons from dealing in new debt or equity from PDVSA (the state oil company), effectively cutting off Venezuela's access to international finance.
* The Juan Guaidó Project (2019): The US recognized opposition leader Juan Guaidó as "Interim President," seized Venezuela's US-based assets (like CITGO), and handed control of them to Guaidó’s team.
* The Narco-Indictments (2020): The US Department of Justice indicted Maduro and his inner circle for "narco-terrorism," offering a $15 million reward (later increased to $25 million in 2025) for his capture.
4. Recent Escalation & Capture (2025–2026)
Following a 2024 election that the US and UN deemed fraudulent, the US returned to a "Maximum Pressure 2.0" strategy under the second Trump administration, which has culminated in the current crisis.
* January–March 2025: The US reimposed all oil sanctions and began maritime "interdiction" operations to stop Venezuelan oil from reaching Cuba.
I think you missed a few important details... Why leave these out?
It’s important to acknowledge that the "Bolivarian Missions" were not just slogans; for a decade, they fundamentally changed the lives of millions of the most marginalized Venezuelans.
The benefits can be broken down into four main "pillars" that defined the Chávez era and continued, albeit under extreme strain, under Maduro.
1. Healthcare: Misión Barrio Adentro
Before Chávez, poor Venezuelans in the "barrios" (slums) had to travel hours to overcrowded public hospitals where they were often turned away.
* Neighborhood Clinics: The government built over 13,000 neighborhood dispensaries directly inside impoverished communities.
* Cuban Doctors: Through the "oil-for-doctors" swap with Cuba, thousands of physicians lived in these communities, providing free 24/7 care.
* Specialized Care: New specialized hospitals were built, such as the Children’s Cardiology Hospital, which performed thousands of free heart surgeries that were previously unaffordable for the poor.
* Results: Infant mortality rates dropped significantly, and for the first time, millions had a doctor within walking distance.
2. Housing: Gran Misión Vivienda (GMVV)
This is perhaps the most visible legacy. After massive floods in 2010, Chávez launched a program to relocate people from dangerous shanty towns into formal apartments.
* The Scale: The government claims to have built and delivered over 5 million homes since 2011. While independent fact-checkers dispute the total (placing it closer to 1.5–2 million), the visual impact on Venezuelan cities is undeniable.
* Terms: These apartments were often provided fully furnished and were sold to families on long-term, interest-free payment plans based on their income, rather than market value.
* Security: For many, this meant moving from a tin shack with a dirt floor to a concrete apartment with running water and electricity.
3. Education: Missions Robinson, Ribas, and Sucre
Chávez viewed education as "the tool for liberation." He created three specific tiers of missions:
* Robinson (Literacy): Focused on teaching adults to read and write. In 2005, UNESCO recognized Venezuela’s efforts, and the literacy rate climbed to over 95%.
* **Ribas (Secondary): Allowed millions of adults who had dropped out of school to finish their high school diplomas in the evenings.
* **Sucre (Higher Ed): Abolished university entrance exams, which Chávez argued were biased against the poor. He founded dozens of new "Bolivarian Universities" and provided scholarships to ensure that the children of workers could become doctors, lawyers, and engineers.
4. Food Security: Mercal and CLAP
Recognizing that food prices were a barrier, the government created subsidized distribution networks.
* Mercal/PDVAL: State-run grocery stores that sold basic goods (flour, oil, rice) at 40–50% below market price.
* CLAP (Maduro Era): In response to the economic crisis and sanctions, Maduro created the CLAP box—a monthly delivery of basic food items directly to 7 million families.
* Impact: During the 2004–2012 boom, these programs significantly reduced malnutrition and helped the poverty rate.
@elonmusk Geez, if only there were some relevant examples we could draw from... Hang on a minute, do you remember that time you started a Space Rocket Company?
Listen carefully to George Yeo, former foreign minister of Singapore.
He displays a far deeper understanding of European history and its conflicts than most Western politicians ever have.
It’s rare to see a high-ranking official speak with this level of depth, clarity, and insight in an interview.
INSANE (audio fixed)
The AFP (Australia's FBI) was grilled in Australian Parliament last year about inciting autistic Muslim children to become snipers and plant bombs.
Were the alleged Bondi Beach shooters also incited by the AFP???
Last Seen Users on Sotwe
Trends for you
Most Popular Users
Elon Musk
@elonmusk
241.8M followers
Barack Obama
@barackobama
119M followers
Cristiano Ronaldo
@cristiano
114.5M followers
Donald J. Trump
@realdonaldtrump
111.9M followers
Narendra Modi
@narendramodi
107.2M followers
Rihanna
@rihanna
98.7M followers
NASA
@nasa
92.4M followers
Justin Bieber
@justinbieber
91.8M followers
KATY PERRY
@katyperry
90.1M followers
Taylor Swift
@taylorswift13
84M followers
Lady Gaga
@ladygaga
75.5M followers
Virat Kohli
@imvkohli
73.5M followers
Kim Kardashian
@kimkardashian
70.9M followers
YouTube
@youtube
68.8M followers
Neymar Jr
@neymarjr
66.5M followers
Bill Gates
@billgates
65.2M followers
Selena Gomez
@selenagomez
63.1M followers
The Ellen Show
@theellenshow
62.3M followers
CNN
@cnn
61.8M followers
X
@x
60.7M followers