Source: Responsible Statecraft
by Eldar Mamedov

“When Russia invaded Ukraine, the EU high representative for foreign affairs Kaja Kallas said that ‘sovereignty, territorial integrity and discrediting aggression as a tool of statecraft are crucial principles that must be upheld in case of Ukraine and globally.’ These were not mere words. The EU has adopted no less than 19 packages of sanctions against the aggressor — Russia — and allocated almost $200 billion in aid since 2022. Surely one would expect, then, the EU to condemn the U.S. unilateral attack on Venezuela in early days of 2026, resulting in an abduction of its leader Nicolás Maduro? Yet, nothing of the sort happened. In fact, the EU has already demonstrated its selective approach to the international legality when it failed to condemn its violations in Gaza half as vociferously as it did in Ukraine, shredding Europe’s credibility in the Global South and among many European citizens as well.” (01/06/26)

https://responsiblestatecraft.org/europe-venezuela/

Source: The American Conservative
by David Brady

“Bari Weiss gate-keeps the right against antiwar conservatives. Sound familiar?” (01/06/25)

https://www.theamericanconservative.com/the-new-neoconservatives/

Source: Orange County Register
by Patrik S Ward & Abigail R Hall

“In the early hours of January 3, U.S. forces entered and carried out strikes in Venezuela, removing Nicolas Maduro from power. The operation was swift, decisive, and framed as a necessary act — an intervention to combat narco-trafficking, restore order, and free a population suffering under an entrenched dictatorship. We’ve seen this movie before; we know better than to think it will be ‘smooth sailing’ from here. It is worth stating what is obvious: Maduro was a dictator. His government repressed political opposition, hollowed out democratic institutions, and oversaw an economic collapse that drove millions of Venezuelans to flee. Many Venezuelans — though not all — are celebrating his removal. The question is not whether Maduro was a problem. The question is whether the U.S. invasion and forced regime change can provide a long-term solution. History offers a sobering answer.” (01/05/26)

https://archive.is/S1TZh

Source: Town Hall
by Derek Hunter

“Is there any media outlet in the country that does actual journalism? I’ll save you the time, the answer is a resounding ‘no!’ None, not one, is worth their weight in post-digested food, and neither are the people who work there (and I say this as someone who knows a lot of people who work there, and likes some of them). It is getting harder and harder to come away from consuming any ‘news’ from anywhere and not be dumber for the experience. No matter how much you dislike these people and that profession, you cannot hate them enough. How many ‘journalists,’ upon seeing the original video about fraud in the Minnesota welfare system committed by Somalis, set out to report on the substance of the story versus how many reports did you see of reporters calling Nick Shirley’s reporting ‘a viral video’ by ‘a right-wing blogger?'” (01/06/25)

https://townhall.com/columnists/derekhunter/2026/01/06/you-cant-hate-the-media-enough-n2668939

Source: The Atlantic
by Jonathan Chait

“President Donald Trump’s fans like to cheer on his most audacious moves by declaring, ‘I voted for this.’ It is safe to assume, though, that very few people who pulled the lever for Trump in 2024 expected that he would soon announce that he had seized control over Venezuela. One of Trump’s most popular qualities has always been his supposed opposition to foreign wars, his anti-imperialist isolationism. Yet J. D. Vance, who once wrote an op-ed headlined ‘Trump’s Best Foreign Policy? Not Starting Any Wars,’ now declares the new war in Venezuela to be a glorious and necessary exercise of America Firstism. MAGA is primarily a personality cult, the objectives of which evolve to suit Trump’s capricious moods. Yet his pivot to new wars of conquest is not some shocking reversal.” (01/05/26)

https://archive.is/26cB1