Final Word from Thursday, December 8, 2022

As the CR and EU are cutting off supplies of seaborne oil from the terrorist Russian regime and preparing to add Russian pipeline oil to the list, the U.S. is relaxing its sanctions against another supporter of terrorism, Venezuela, so it can import more of its crude. The U.S. Treasury Dept. issued a mining license to Chevron at the end of Nov. and said that, "This action reflects longstanding U.S. policy to provide targeted sanctions relief based on concrete steps that alleviate the suffering of the Venezuelan people and support the restoration of democracy." Where there's a will, there's a way to justify it. As Groucho Marx once said, "Those are my principles, and if you don't like them... well, I have others." Joe Biden isn't alone in repositioning himself with regard to Nicolás Maduro. Juan Guaidó is still widely recognized as the legitimate Venezuelan leader, but Emmanuel Macron met with Maduro briefly in Egypt and addressed him as "president." Henry Kissinger is often quoted as saying that, "America has no permanent friends or enemies, only interests." Thanks to this, it will also have petroleum, while some of its friends will not. [ Czech Republic European Union France COP27 ]