Alan Stamm
@alanstamm.bsky.social
Recovering journalist in Michigan. Upper Manhattan roots.
@elliotkirschner.bsky.social revisits "voices from the past as a way to process what we are seeing now." He quotes 4 examples of "eloquent pleas for limits on American military power."
This 🧵 has parts of his excerpt from a 1966 speech by Sen. J. William Fulbright at Johns Hopkins University. 1/3
This 🧵 has parts of his excerpt from a 1966 speech by Sen. J. William Fulbright at Johns Hopkins University. 1/3
The Arrogance of Power
Pleas from the past
elliotkirschner.substack.com
January 6, 2026 at 2:55 AM
@elliotkirschner.bsky.social revisits "voices from the past as a way to process what we are seeing now." He quotes 4 examples of "eloquent pleas for limits on American military power."
This 🧵 has parts of his excerpt from a 1966 speech by Sen. J. William Fulbright at Johns Hopkins University. 1/3
This 🧵 has parts of his excerpt from a 1966 speech by Sen. J. William Fulbright at Johns Hopkins University. 1/3
"As one of Florida's U.S. senators, Rubio represented millions of Latin American immigrants who had fled civil wars sparked by the U.S. in one way or another.
"Yet he's Trumpworld's biggest cheerleader for Latin American regime change."
"Yet he's Trumpworld's biggest cheerleader for Latin American regime change."
MY LATEST @latimes.com COLUMNA: In Trump's invasion of Venezuela, Marco Rubio is the biggest sellout of all. Share, porfas!
Commentary: In Trump's invasion of Venezuela, Marco Rubio is the biggest sellout of all
By pushing Trump to run rampant over Latin America, Rubio is setting into motion the same old song of U.S. meddling that ties his family and mine.
www.latimes.com
January 6, 2026 at 1:41 AM
"As one of Florida's U.S. senators, Rubio represented millions of Latin American immigrants who had fled civil wars sparked by the U.S. in one way or another.
"Yet he's Trumpworld's biggest cheerleader for Latin American regime change."
"Yet he's Trumpworld's biggest cheerleader for Latin American regime change."
"The capture of Maduro ...is a strategic and moral defeat for the philosophy Trump claimed to represent
"By invading Venezuela to secure oil reserves, Trump has validated the worst caricatures of American imperialism—the very caricatures he once claimed to despise"
— Jeff Nesbit, @contrariannews.org
"By invading Venezuela to secure oil reserves, Trump has validated the worst caricatures of American imperialism—the very caricatures he once claimed to despise"
— Jeff Nesbit, @contrariannews.org
The ‘Peace President’ Goes To War For Oil
And his base cheers him on.
contrarian.substack.com
January 6, 2026 at 12:56 AM
"The capture of Maduro ...is a strategic and moral defeat for the philosophy Trump claimed to represent
"By invading Venezuela to secure oil reserves, Trump has validated the worst caricatures of American imperialism—the very caricatures he once claimed to despise"
— Jeff Nesbit, @contrariannews.org
"By invading Venezuela to secure oil reserves, Trump has validated the worst caricatures of American imperialism—the very caricatures he once claimed to despise"
— Jeff Nesbit, @contrariannews.org
"For the many, many people in the press who wrote that Trump's 'America First doctrine would free the country from foreign entanglements, let's see those 'I was wrong' columns."
-- @jfallows.bsky.social
-- @jfallows.bsky.social
‘Blind Into Caracas.’
Less than 24 hours in, members of the Trump team are celebrating victory. None of them seem to have wondered what happens a day, a month, a decade from now.
fallows.substack.com
January 6, 2026 at 12:07 AM
"For the many, many people in the press who wrote that Trump's 'America First doctrine would free the country from foreign entanglements, let's see those 'I was wrong' columns."
-- @jfallows.bsky.social
-- @jfallows.bsky.social
"It’s a long, long way from the days of Ben Bradlee and Kay Graham to Jeff Bezos, isn’t it? . . .
"Bezos has transformed the Post into a cheering section for the . . . rampaging champion of autocracy, Donald Trump."
-- @lktiv.bsky.social on its editorial praising "Justice in Venezuela"
"Bezos has transformed the Post into a cheering section for the . . . rampaging champion of autocracy, Donald Trump."
-- @lktiv.bsky.social on its editorial praising "Justice in Venezuela"
A long, long way from Watergate
Every time an American president wakes up in the morning and decides this would be a good day to dispatch the American military to a foreign land for reasons of alleged national security masking plund...
luciantruscott.substack.com
January 5, 2026 at 10:51 PM
"It’s a long, long way from the days of Ben Bradlee and Kay Graham to Jeff Bezos, isn’t it? . . .
"Bezos has transformed the Post into a cheering section for the . . . rampaging champion of autocracy, Donald Trump."
-- @lktiv.bsky.social on its editorial praising "Justice in Venezuela"
"Bezos has transformed the Post into a cheering section for the . . . rampaging champion of autocracy, Donald Trump."
-- @lktiv.bsky.social on its editorial praising "Justice in Venezuela"
"People back home understand that an important thing happened. A good thing. But they also know that on Sunday, Venezuela was just as much a dictatorship as it had been on Friday. ... People aren't celebrating. Because they can't. They’re not free yet"
— Quico Toro, a Caracas writer who fled earlier
— Quico Toro, a Caracas writer who fled earlier
Why nobody in Caracas is celebrating
Ten years ago, Venezuelans learned what happens when the regime is down but not out
substack.com
January 5, 2026 at 10:10 PM
"People back home understand that an important thing happened. A good thing. But they also know that on Sunday, Venezuela was just as much a dictatorship as it had been on Friday. ... People aren't celebrating. Because they can't. They’re not free yet"
— Quico Toro, a Caracas writer who fled earlier
— Quico Toro, a Caracas writer who fled earlier
"Trump & his advisors seem to want the political gains of a war without actually having to fight one. ...
"Even assuming that Trump's base & Americans generally support this Venezuela action, which is doubtful, it will be forgotten within days - unless it is escalated."
- @timothysnyder.bsky.social
"Even assuming that Trump's base & Americans generally support this Venezuela action, which is doubtful, it will be forgotten within days - unless it is escalated."
- @timothysnyder.bsky.social
Venezuela: The Precedents
And America: The Future
substack.com
January 5, 2026 at 8:54 PM
"Trump & his advisors seem to want the political gains of a war without actually having to fight one. ...
"Even assuming that Trump's base & Americans generally support this Venezuela action, which is doubtful, it will be forgotten within days - unless it is escalated."
- @timothysnyder.bsky.social
"Even assuming that Trump's base & Americans generally support this Venezuela action, which is doubtful, it will be forgotten within days - unless it is escalated."
- @timothysnyder.bsky.social
@elliotkirschner.bsky.social revisits "voices from the past as a way to process what we are seeing now." He quotes 4 examples of "eloquent pleas for limits on American military power."
Next in this 🧵 is part of his excerpt from an 1821 foreign policy address by Secretary of State John Quincy Adams.
Next in this 🧵 is part of his excerpt from an 1821 foreign policy address by Secretary of State John Quincy Adams.
The Arrogance of Power
Pleas from the past
elliotkirschner.substack.com
January 5, 2026 at 7:22 PM
@elliotkirschner.bsky.social revisits "voices from the past as a way to process what we are seeing now." He quotes 4 examples of "eloquent pleas for limits on American military power."
Next in this 🧵 is part of his excerpt from an 1821 foreign policy address by Secretary of State John Quincy Adams.
Next in this 🧵 is part of his excerpt from an 1821 foreign policy address by Secretary of State John Quincy Adams.
"Given Trump's belief that he can always out-deal, out-bully and out-cheat everyone else, it's easy to see how he interpreted some conciliatory conversations with [Venezuelan Vice President Delcy] Rodriguez as a signal that she would be his obedient puppet."
— @pkrugman.bsky.social [1/2]
— @pkrugman.bsky.social [1/2]
The Real Donroe Doctrine
Seeking cash and an ego boost, not regime change
substack.com
January 5, 2026 at 5:43 PM
"Given Trump's belief that he can always out-deal, out-bully and out-cheat everyone else, it's easy to see how he interpreted some conciliatory conversations with [Venezuelan Vice President Delcy] Rodriguez as a signal that she would be his obedient puppet."
— @pkrugman.bsky.social [1/2]
— @pkrugman.bsky.social [1/2]
"A leading right-leaning media outlet is suggesting that Trump is not up to the task of the presidency.
"This, in turn, suggests . . . the danger for the Republican Party of having Trump at its head going into the 2026 midterm elections."
-- @hcrichardson.bsky.social
"This, in turn, suggests . . . the danger for the Republican Party of having Trump at its head going into the 2026 midterm elections."
-- @hcrichardson.bsky.social
January 5, 2026 at 4:45 PM
"A leading right-leaning media outlet is suggesting that Trump is not up to the task of the presidency.
"This, in turn, suggests . . . the danger for the Republican Party of having Trump at its head going into the 2026 midterm elections."
-- @hcrichardson.bsky.social
"This, in turn, suggests . . . the danger for the Republican Party of having Trump at its head going into the 2026 midterm elections."
-- @hcrichardson.bsky.social
"Power that answers only to appetite doesn't stay pointed at villains. ... You cheer the shortcut because the man on the receiving end is awful. ...
"And then you wake up to discover you've normalized the exact behavior you said justified intervention in the 1st place."
— @jojofromjerz.bsky.social
"And then you wake up to discover you've normalized the exact behavior you said justified intervention in the 1st place."
— @jojofromjerz.bsky.social
You Don’t Get to Break the Constitution Just Because the Bastard Had It Coming
Because “he deserved it” has never been a constitutional argument
substack.com
January 5, 2026 at 4:01 PM
"Power that answers only to appetite doesn't stay pointed at villains. ... You cheer the shortcut because the man on the receiving end is awful. ...
"And then you wake up to discover you've normalized the exact behavior you said justified intervention in the 1st place."
— @jojofromjerz.bsky.social
"And then you wake up to discover you've normalized the exact behavior you said justified intervention in the 1st place."
— @jojofromjerz.bsky.social
@jfallows.bsky.social sees the Venezuela attack without congressional OK as an impeachable act, while noting that "actual impeachment will go nowhere in a quisling-run GOP Congress."
"But recognition that this is flat impeachable needs to become part of standard press and political discussion."
"But recognition that this is flat impeachable needs to become part of standard press and political discussion."
‘Blind Into Caracas’
Less than 24 hours in, members of the Trump team are celebrating victory. None of them seem to have wondered what happens a day, a month, a decade from now.
fallows.substack.com
January 5, 2026 at 1:16 PM
@jfallows.bsky.social sees the Venezuela attack without congressional OK as an impeachable act, while noting that "actual impeachment will go nowhere in a quisling-run GOP Congress."
"But recognition that this is flat impeachable needs to become part of standard press and political discussion."
"But recognition that this is flat impeachable needs to become part of standard press and political discussion."
"The U.S. isn't very good at nation-building, and seldom has the patience or expertise to bring it about. ...
"I am not counting on it to be either wise or effective in its management of a post-Maduro Venezuela. On behalf of my Venezuelan friends, I hope that I will be wrong."
-- Francis Fukuyama
"I am not counting on it to be either wise or effective in its management of a post-Maduro Venezuela. On behalf of my Venezuelan friends, I hope that I will be wrong."
-- Francis Fukuyama
Trump Is Going For Regime Change in Venezuela
Sadly, it's unlikely to end well.
www.persuasion.community
January 5, 2026 at 12:28 PM
"The U.S. isn't very good at nation-building, and seldom has the patience or expertise to bring it about. ...
"I am not counting on it to be either wise or effective in its management of a post-Maduro Venezuela. On behalf of my Venezuelan friends, I hope that I will be wrong."
-- Francis Fukuyama
"I am not counting on it to be either wise or effective in its management of a post-Maduro Venezuela. On behalf of my Venezuelan friends, I hope that I will be wrong."
-- Francis Fukuyama
"This weekend was a reminder of how dependent we are on a few humans for good information.
"Serious news outlets with old-school reporting values and on-the-ground sources kicked into gear & began driving the conversation" about Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro's capture"
- @maxtani.bsky.social
"Serious news outlets with old-school reporting values and on-the-ground sources kicked into gear & began driving the conversation" about Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro's capture"
- @maxtani.bsky.social
January 5, 2026 at 2:44 AM
"This weekend was a reminder of how dependent we are on a few humans for good information.
"Serious news outlets with old-school reporting values and on-the-ground sources kicked into gear & began driving the conversation" about Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro's capture"
- @maxtani.bsky.social
"Serious news outlets with old-school reporting values and on-the-ground sources kicked into gear & began driving the conversation" about Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro's capture"
- @maxtani.bsky.social
"The questions around Venezuela are too many to count, but they boil down to variations of the same thing: What happens next? . . .
"How many illegal wars of choice do we have to launch before we learn the lesson that starting the bombing is the easy part?"
-- @elliotkirschner.bsky.social
"How many illegal wars of choice do we have to launch before we learn the lesson that starting the bombing is the easy part?"
-- @elliotkirschner.bsky.social
John Roberts’ War
Let's shine a spotlight on the Court’s complicity
substack.com
January 5, 2026 at 1:47 AM
"The questions around Venezuela are too many to count, but they boil down to variations of the same thing: What happens next? . . .
"How many illegal wars of choice do we have to launch before we learn the lesson that starting the bombing is the easy part?"
-- @elliotkirschner.bsky.social
"How many illegal wars of choice do we have to launch before we learn the lesson that starting the bombing is the easy part?"
-- @elliotkirschner.bsky.social
"Venezuela will be like crypto for the Trump family — just bloodier and costlier for you — while bringing about the same returns for an average American, which is zero."
-- @steveschmidt.skystack.xyz
-- @steveschmidt.skystack.xyz
This ain't no "cakewalk"
Nicolás Maduro is a tyrant, a killer, a narco trafficker and a very bad man.
substack.com
January 5, 2026 at 1:01 AM
"Venezuela will be like crypto for the Trump family — just bloodier and costlier for you — while bringing about the same returns for an average American, which is zero."
-- @steveschmidt.skystack.xyz
-- @steveschmidt.skystack.xyz
@timothysnyder.bsky.social sees a possible motive for “the American-backed extraction of Venezuelan opposition leader María Machado 4 weeks ago.
"At the time this seemed to be a move designed to help her be in Norway for the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony. At the moment, it looks much more like...[1/2]
"At the time this seemed to be a move designed to help her be in Norway for the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony. At the moment, it looks much more like...[1/2]
Venezuela: The Precedents
And America: The Future
substack.com
January 5, 2026 at 12:17 AM
@timothysnyder.bsky.social sees a possible motive for “the American-backed extraction of Venezuelan opposition leader María Machado 4 weeks ago.
"At the time this seemed to be a move designed to help her be in Norway for the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony. At the moment, it looks much more like...[1/2]
"At the time this seemed to be a move designed to help her be in Norway for the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony. At the moment, it looks much more like...[1/2]
"This isn’t America standing up to tyranny. This is America trying it on in the mirror. . . .
"You don't get to suspend the Constitution because the target makes you feel morally satisfied. You don't get to shrug at the law."
— Joanne Carducci (@jojofromjerz.bsky.social)
"You don't get to suspend the Constitution because the target makes you feel morally satisfied. You don't get to shrug at the law."
— Joanne Carducci (@jojofromjerz.bsky.social)
You Don’t Get to Break the Constitution Just Because the Bastard Had It Coming
Because “he deserved it” has never been a constitutional argument
substack.com
January 4, 2026 at 10:49 PM
"This isn’t America standing up to tyranny. This is America trying it on in the mirror. . . .
"You don't get to suspend the Constitution because the target makes you feel morally satisfied. You don't get to shrug at the law."
— Joanne Carducci (@jojofromjerz.bsky.social)
"You don't get to suspend the Constitution because the target makes you feel morally satisfied. You don't get to shrug at the law."
— Joanne Carducci (@jojofromjerz.bsky.social)
"We're going to take back the oil that, frankly, we should have taken back a long time ago," Trump said. @jfallows.bsky.social puts that in context:
"In the annals of presidential rhetoric about foreign commitments, it's not quite like 'arsenal of democracy' or 'Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall'"
"In the annals of presidential rhetoric about foreign commitments, it's not quite like 'arsenal of democracy' or 'Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall'"
‘Blind Into Caracas’
Less than 24 hours in, members of the Trump team are celebrating victory. None of them seem to have wondered what happens a day, a month, a decade from now.
fallows.substack.com
January 4, 2026 at 9:44 PM
"We're going to take back the oil that, frankly, we should have taken back a long time ago," Trump said. @jfallows.bsky.social puts that in context:
"In the annals of presidential rhetoric about foreign commitments, it's not quite like 'arsenal of democracy' or 'Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall'"
"In the annals of presidential rhetoric about foreign commitments, it's not quite like 'arsenal of democracy' or 'Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall'"
"Trump's stunning one-day win could be remembered for heralding an even darker stage in Venezuela's path towards totalitarianism.
"At the same time, as the post-9/11 era showed, if the United States did attempt to install a democratic government, that too could go wrong in a million ways."
"At the same time, as the post-9/11 era showed, if the United States did attempt to install a democratic government, that too could go wrong in a million ways."
As usual, journalist, environmentalist, and Venezuelan Quico Toro has the most interesting take on the possible internal effects of last night’s action that I’ve seen so far.
I don’t usually post actual news here bc I don’t find social media to be a useful forum for it, but this is worth reading.
I don’t usually post actual news here bc I don’t find social media to be a useful forum for it, but this is worth reading.
Maduro Is Gone—Venezuela’s Dictatorship Is Not
Bloodied and humiliated, the regime could turn even nastier.
substack.com
January 4, 2026 at 8:55 PM
"Trump's stunning one-day win could be remembered for heralding an even darker stage in Venezuela's path towards totalitarianism.
"At the same time, as the post-9/11 era showed, if the United States did attempt to install a democratic government, that too could go wrong in a million ways."
"At the same time, as the post-9/11 era showed, if the United States did attempt to install a democratic government, that too could go wrong in a million ways."
A small step, a big leap . . .
Wordle 1,660 3/6
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January 4, 2026 at 6:33 PM
A small step, a big leap . . .
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Thomas Friedman of @nytopinion.nytimes.com dusts off his prescient 2003 observation below and writes:
"It is hard not to ask that same question today. The Trump administration just broke the leadership of Venezuela; Trump now owns responsibility for what comes next there."
"It is hard not to ask that same question today. The Trump administration just broke the leadership of Venezuela; Trump now owns responsibility for what comes next there."
January 4, 2026 at 5:51 PM
Thomas Friedman of @nytopinion.nytimes.com dusts off his prescient 2003 observation below and writes:
"It is hard not to ask that same question today. The Trump administration just broke the leadership of Venezuela; Trump now owns responsibility for what comes next there."
"It is hard not to ask that same question today. The Trump administration just broke the leadership of Venezuela; Trump now owns responsibility for what comes next there."
"Wars are easy to start — especially by Americans. Our problem as a nation is bringing them to an end."
-- @steveschmidt.skystack.xyz, posting about "a harbinger of chaos"
-- @steveschmidt.skystack.xyz, posting about "a harbinger of chaos"
Trump's lawlessness
The overnight attack on Venezuela and the successful capture of President Nicolás Maduro, an indicted narco trafficker, who had a $50 million dollar bounty placed on him by the Biden administration, w...
substack.com
January 4, 2026 at 3:58 PM
"Wars are easy to start — especially by Americans. Our problem as a nation is bringing them to an end."
-- @steveschmidt.skystack.xyz, posting about "a harbinger of chaos"
-- @steveschmidt.skystack.xyz, posting about "a harbinger of chaos"
@jfallows.bsky.social on this weekend’s military drama:
"Remember when this was about drugs? Hah hah hah! . . . Remember when Trump was all about 'America First' and staying out of other people's battles? Hah hah hah!"
"Remember when this was about drugs? Hah hah hah! . . . Remember when Trump was all about 'America First' and staying out of other people's battles? Hah hah hah!"
‘Blind Into Caracas’
Less than 24 hours in, members of the Trump team are celebrating victory. None of them seem to have wondered what happens a day, a month, a decade from now.
fallows.substack.com
January 4, 2026 at 2:56 PM
@jfallows.bsky.social on this weekend’s military drama:
"Remember when this was about drugs? Hah hah hah! . . . Remember when Trump was all about 'America First' and staying out of other people's battles? Hah hah hah!"
"Remember when this was about drugs? Hah hah hah! . . . Remember when Trump was all about 'America First' and staying out of other people's battles? Hah hah hah!"
A Venezuela possibility not raised elsewhere, from what I've seen:
While criticizing Nicolás Maduro & acknowledging "he has long needed to be removed and held accountable for his atrocities," @charlotteclymer.bsky.social suspects "this may have been a coordinated plan between Trump and Maduro." 1/2
While criticizing Nicolás Maduro & acknowledging "he has long needed to be removed and held accountable for his atrocities," @charlotteclymer.bsky.social suspects "this may have been a coordinated plan between Trump and Maduro." 1/2
Trump Invaded a Country While You Were Sleeping
Illegally and immorally.
substack.com
January 4, 2026 at 1:29 PM
A Venezuela possibility not raised elsewhere, from what I've seen:
While criticizing Nicolás Maduro & acknowledging "he has long needed to be removed and held accountable for his atrocities," @charlotteclymer.bsky.social suspects "this may have been a coordinated plan between Trump and Maduro." 1/2
While criticizing Nicolás Maduro & acknowledging "he has long needed to be removed and held accountable for his atrocities," @charlotteclymer.bsky.social suspects "this may have been a coordinated plan between Trump and Maduro." 1/2