Sam Fellman
@samfellman.bsky.social
Journalist, 🇺🇸 veteran at Business Insider | Giving voice to veterans | Been there, done that: Military Times, Iraq, USS Nimitz, bear pits, shellback🤢 | "Too easy"
Contact me securely:
(Signal) Samfellman.16
(Email) sfellman [at] proton.me
Contact me securely:
(Signal) Samfellman.16
(Email) sfellman [at] proton.me
Pinned
Reposted by Sam Fellman
NEWS: Some U.S. servicemembers suffered non-life threatening gunshot wounds and other injuries during Venezuela operation, per sources. All are in stable condition. No U.S. fatalities. via @ellee_watson and @JimLaPorta @cbsnews.com
January 3, 2026 at 6:24 PM
NEWS: Some U.S. servicemembers suffered non-life threatening gunshot wounds and other injuries during Venezuela operation, per sources. All are in stable condition. No U.S. fatalities. via @ellee_watson and @JimLaPorta @cbsnews.com
Reposted by Sam Fellman
Tulsi Gabbard in 2019:
"The United States needs to keep our hands off Venezuela... end these destructive and wasteful regime change wars... proven to cause more problems, increase suffering, increase instability for the people in the countries where we wage these wars. In Latin America especially".
"The United States needs to keep our hands off Venezuela... end these destructive and wasteful regime change wars... proven to cause more problems, increase suffering, increase instability for the people in the countries where we wage these wars. In Latin America especially".
January 3, 2026 at 5:46 PM
President Trump's foreign threats are coming fast now. Just yesterday, he had threatened Iran ("We are locked and loaded.") He approved the Venezuela capture mission later that day apnews.com/article/iran...
Trump and top Iranian officials exchange threats over protests roiling Iran
U.S. President Donald Trump and top Iranian officials have exchanged dueling threats as widening economic protests sweep across parts of the Islamic Republic.
apnews.com
January 3, 2026 at 5:51 PM
President Trump's foreign threats are coming fast now. Just yesterday, he had threatened Iran ("We are locked and loaded.") He approved the Venezuela capture mission later that day apnews.com/article/iran...
Reposted by Sam Fellman
The US ran a war game during Trump 1.0 to assess what Maduro’s fall might unleash. It found that chaos and violence would likely erupt as military units, rival political factions and even jungle-based guerrilla groups jockeyed for control. @michaelcrowley.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/2025/11/20/u...
U.S. Ran a War Game on Ousting Maduro. Venezuela Fell Into Chaos.
www.nytimes.com
January 3, 2026 at 5:34 PM
The US ran a war game during Trump 1.0 to assess what Maduro’s fall might unleash. It found that chaos and violence would likely erupt as military units, rival political factions and even jungle-based guerrilla groups jockeyed for control. @michaelcrowley.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/2025/11/20/u...
Reposted by Sam Fellman
Rubio: "If I lived in Havana in the government, I'd be concerned"
January 3, 2026 at 5:33 PM
Rubio: "If I lived in Havana in the government, I'd be concerned"
Reposted by Sam Fellman
Just your occasional reminder that Venezuela’s oil reserves are greater than Saudi Arabia’s, and nearly 4X those of the United States
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/05/b...
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/05/b...
January 3, 2026 at 8:50 AM
Just your occasional reminder that Venezuela’s oil reserves are greater than Saudi Arabia’s, and nearly 4X those of the United States
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/05/b...
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/05/b...
Reposted by Sam Fellman
January 3, 2026 at 5:26 PM
Reposted by Sam Fellman
Trump just basically threw the Venezuelan opposition — the ones who evidence shows won the 2023 election — to the side.
January 3, 2026 at 5:26 PM
Trump just basically threw the Venezuelan opposition — the ones who evidence shows won the 2023 election — to the side.
Reposted by Sam Fellman
One thing to lookout for is Trumpworld telling any critics on the right that you don’t support America First if you don’t support these military actions
January 3, 2026 at 5:12 PM
One thing to lookout for is Trumpworld telling any critics on the right that you don’t support America First if you don’t support these military actions
Reposted by Sam Fellman
Make Venezuela Great Again (MVGA), the pinnacle of America First
January 3, 2026 at 5:21 PM
Make Venezuela Great Again (MVGA), the pinnacle of America First
Reposted by Sam Fellman
APNewsAlert: CARACAS, #Venezuela (AP) — No visible signs yet that US is running Venezuela after Trump claims, as country's security forces control key sites.
January 3, 2026 at 5:04 PM
APNewsAlert: CARACAS, #Venezuela (AP) — No visible signs yet that US is running Venezuela after Trump claims, as country's security forces control key sites.
Reposted by Sam Fellman
Venezuela’s population: 29.9 million.
TRUMP on Venezuela: "We're going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition."
January 3, 2026 at 4:49 PM
Venezuela’s population: 29.9 million.
Reposted by Sam Fellman
President Trump posts photo of Maduro held aboard a US Navy ship.
January 3, 2026 at 4:28 PM
President Trump posts photo of Maduro held aboard a US Navy ship.
Reposted by Sam Fellman
“Asked last week whether Noriega’s capture might serve as a model for the Trump administration’s current planning, Rubio deflected, saying he had been in high school at the time.”
Read this excellent NYT piece on what’s next.
Free link.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/20/u...
Read this excellent NYT piece on what’s next.
Free link.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/20/u...
U.S. Ran a War Game on Ousting Maduro. Venezuela Fell Into Chaos.
www.nytimes.com
January 3, 2026 at 4:24 PM
“Asked last week whether Noriega’s capture might serve as a model for the Trump administration’s current planning, Rubio deflected, saying he had been in high school at the time.”
Read this excellent NYT piece on what’s next.
Free link.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/20/u...
Read this excellent NYT piece on what’s next.
Free link.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/20/u...
US claims to have cut electricity to Caracas. Also one of its helicopters took fire (of what kind is unclear): www.businessinsider.com/us-forces-he...
Trump says 'a couple of guys' and a helicopter were hit as US forces stormed a 'fortress' to capture Maduro
The US military carried out a "large scale strike" in Venezuela earlier on Saturday, the president said.
www.businessinsider.com
January 3, 2026 at 4:16 PM
US claims to have cut electricity to Caracas. Also one of its helicopters took fire (of what kind is unclear): www.businessinsider.com/us-forces-he...
This justification rings a bell. In 2020, Trump officials said the killing of Iran's top general came as his forces were preparing an "imminent attack" among other shifting explanations: www.businessinsider.com/trump-admini...
January 3, 2026 at 4:04 PM
This justification rings a bell. In 2020, Trump officials said the killing of Iran's top general came as his forces were preparing an "imminent attack" among other shifting explanations: www.businessinsider.com/trump-admini...
Even in the darkest days of the military's recruiting crisis, the Marine Corps was always a bright spot. BI's Kelsey Baker found that came at high cost: Shattered careers, document forgery, broken marriages and apparent suicides.
www.businessinsider.com/marines-recr...
www.businessinsider.com/marines-recr...
Inside the Marine Corps' hidden recruiting crisis
Marine Corps recruiters say they face crushing quotas, long hours, and stress to enlist 30,000 Marines a year.
www.businessinsider.com
January 3, 2026 at 3:44 PM
Even in the darkest days of the military's recruiting crisis, the Marine Corps was always a bright spot. BI's Kelsey Baker found that came at high cost: Shattered careers, document forgery, broken marriages and apparent suicides.
www.businessinsider.com/marines-recr...
www.businessinsider.com/marines-recr...
Reposted by Sam Fellman
A deluge of work on regime change after the 2003 invasion of Iraq yielded strong (and rare) agreement in IR: it doesn't work & has terrible consequences. @profdownes.bsky.social's book Catastrophic Success lays it out, but it's right there in the title. www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501...
January 3, 2026 at 1:41 PM
A deluge of work on regime change after the 2003 invasion of Iraq yielded strong (and rare) agreement in IR: it doesn't work & has terrible consequences. @profdownes.bsky.social's book Catastrophic Success lays it out, but it's right there in the title. www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501...
Reposted by Sam Fellman
As with (much smaller) Delta raids in Libya a decade ago to capture Benghazi attackers, there were likely FBI HRT agents attached to do the actual arrest.
The idea that protecting those FBI agents was the legal justification under Article II for bombing a bunch of air defense sites seems…novel.
The idea that protecting those FBI agents was the legal justification under Article II for bombing a bunch of air defense sites seems…novel.
January 3, 2026 at 2:28 PM
As with (much smaller) Delta raids in Libya a decade ago to capture Benghazi attackers, there were likely FBI HRT agents attached to do the actual arrest.
The idea that protecting those FBI agents was the legal justification under Article II for bombing a bunch of air defense sites seems…novel.
The idea that protecting those FBI agents was the legal justification under Article II for bombing a bunch of air defense sites seems…novel.
This chart shows how the scales have tipped towards China — one of its warships near Taiwan is nestled under layers of *thousands* of missiles
via @chrispanella.bsky.social www.businessinsider.com/new-pentagon...
via @chrispanella.bsky.social www.businessinsider.com/new-pentagon...
January 2, 2026 at 6:03 PM
This chart shows how the scales have tipped towards China — one of its warships near Taiwan is nestled under layers of *thousands* of missiles
via @chrispanella.bsky.social www.businessinsider.com/new-pentagon...
via @chrispanella.bsky.social www.businessinsider.com/new-pentagon...
China's new anti-ship ICBM is a formidable threat to a warship:
*5,000-mile range
*Large warhead, possible MIRV
*Possible hypersonic terminal maneuvers
www.businessinsider.com/china-fielde...
*5,000-mile range
*Large warhead, possible MIRV
*Possible hypersonic terminal maneuvers
www.businessinsider.com/china-fielde...
The Pentagon says China has fielded a new long-range missile. Here's why the DF-27 is unusual.
The DF-27, a conventional strike missile believed to be able to target ships, has an estimated range that reaches parts of the continental US.
www.businessinsider.com
January 2, 2026 at 5:40 PM
China's new anti-ship ICBM is a formidable threat to a warship:
*5,000-mile range
*Large warhead, possible MIRV
*Possible hypersonic terminal maneuvers
www.businessinsider.com/china-fielde...
*5,000-mile range
*Large warhead, possible MIRV
*Possible hypersonic terminal maneuvers
www.businessinsider.com/china-fielde...
Looking to fly in the iconic 747 this year? @trainsonplanes.bsky.social has the map of where the remaining double-deckers are flying in 2026: www.businessinsider.com/boeing-747-f...
Here's where you can still fly on the iconic Boeing 747
The Boeing 747 has become a rareity in the skies these days. Only four global airlines are still operating the iconic double-decker jumbo jet in 2026.
www.businessinsider.com
January 2, 2026 at 5:29 PM
Looking to fly in the iconic 747 this year? @trainsonplanes.bsky.social has the map of where the remaining double-deckers are flying in 2026: www.businessinsider.com/boeing-747-f...
"I'm pretty sure whatever it is, we could defeat it with what we have," a major in the British Army said. from BI's Sinéad Baker: www.businessinsider.com/uk-expected-...
The British military expected to see more of Russia's 'prestige equipment,' like T-14 tanks, fighting in Ukraine, officer says
The UK military expected to see more high-end Russian equipment, like T-14s and Su-57s, in Ukraine, an officer said. They're not there though.
www.businessinsider.com
January 2, 2026 at 5:25 PM
"I'm pretty sure whatever it is, we could defeat it with what we have," a major in the British Army said. from BI's Sinéad Baker: www.businessinsider.com/uk-expected-...