Venezuela, Oil, and the Neocon War Machine: Why This Isn’t About Drugs, It’s About Control

EDITOR'S NOTES

They say we’re going to war to stop drugs and tyranny. But what they won’t say out loud is the truth — this is a resource war, plain and simple. Neocons are itching to wave the flag and cash the checks, while libertarian voices are warning that this is another Iraq waiting to happen. In this piece, I’ll break down the facts, expose the hypocrisy, and tell you exactly what’s really at stake — not just in Venezuela, but for the future of American sovereignty.

Sam Clemons Dec 19, 25

Venezuela Has the Oil — And That’s Why It’s a Target

Let’s not bury the lede.

Venezuela holds 303 billion barrels of proven crude oil reserves — the most in the world.
That’s more than Saudi Arabia, Iran, or Russia.
These reserves are concentrated in the Orinoco Belt, made up of extra-heavy crude that’s hard to extract but extremely valuable.

This isn’t about cocaine or cartels. It’s about oil and empire.

When you understand that, everything else falls into place.

The Drug War Excuse Doesn’t Hold Up

Here’s what we’re being told: we need to stop the flow of drugs from Venezuela. But Mexico accounts for the overwhelming majority of illegal drug traffic into the U.S.

So let me ask the obvious question:

If this is about drugs, why aren’t we blockading Mexico?

Because this isn’t about drugs. It’s a cover story for a much older, bloodier tale — regime change for resources, the same one they used in Iraq.

“Tyranny” Is Selective — Always Has Been

We’re also being told Maduro is a dictator and the elections are rigged.

Sure. But so are half the elections around the globe.

Kim Jong Un makes Maduro look like a choir boy, yet we’re not surrounding Pyongyang with warships.

Let’s get honest:

This isn’t a war against tyranny.
It’s a war against any country that won’t hand over its resources to the Western banking cartel.

Trump Orders a Blockade — That’s an Act of War

Trump announced a “total and complete blockade” of all oil tankers going into or out of Venezuela. His words were clear — this is about oil, land, and "assets" that "must be returned to the United States."

But here’s what they won’t tell you on Fox News:

A naval blockade is a belligerent act.
According to a 1961 Justice Department memo, blockades are only legal under international law if a state of war exists.

So ask yourself: Are we at war?

If not, this is illegal under international law — and reckless on the world stage.

China Isn’t Just Watching — They’re Heavily Invested

Here’s where the powder keg gets real.

In 2025, 76% of Venezuelan oil exports went to China.
That’s nearly 700,000 barrels a day — a critical artery for China’s energy grid.
When Trump’s blockade hit, China called it “bullying” and pledged support for Venezuela’s “sovereignty.”

Let me make this crystal clear:

This isn’t just about Venezuela. This is a direct economic confrontation with China.

You really think China is going to sit back and let the U.S. steal their oil? You think this ends with tankers?

It ends with war. It ends with Taiwan. It ends with American troops dying while Wall Street cashes in.

Neocon Response: Flags, Firepower, and Fantasies of Empire

The neocon warhawks are already foaming at the mouth.

They see this as:

A chance to “liberate” Venezuela
A way to “reassert American dominance” in the hemisphere
An opportunity to access cheap oil under the pretense of moral superiority

These are the same folks who said:

Iraq would be a "cakewalk"
Afghanistan would bring democracy
Libya would blossom after Gaddafi

They were dead wrong every time, and we paid the price.

But here they are again — suits on cable news, defense contractors on speed dial, pretending this is patriotism.

It’s not. It’s plunder in disguise.

Libertarian Response: Stay the Hell Out

On the other side, you’ve got folks like Rand Paul, Thomas Massie, and millions of liberty-minded Americans sounding the alarm.

Their message?

No more regime change wars.
No more undeclared conflicts.
No more bankrupting the nation for someone else’s oil.

They know that:

The Constitution doesn’t authorize presidential war-making without Congress.
Blockades are de facto acts of war.
Empires collapse not from external enemies, but from internal rot and overreach.

Sam Clemons’ Position: This Is a Scam, Not a War

Let me be blunt.

I don’t trust this government. I don’t trust this war. And I don’t trust anyone telling me it’s “for our safety.”

We’re being marched into another war for oil, not freedom.

And if history is any guide, you’ll pay the price, while the elites walk away richer.

You’ll pay with:

Higher gas prices
A weaker dollar
Your kids sent off to die
Your freedoms stripped away in the name of “national security”

All while they loot Venezuela’s oil and hand it off to BlackRock and Exxon.

You want to fight tyranny? Start in Washington. Start at the Fed.

This Is the Same Movie, Just a New Scene

Remember Iraq?

Weapons of mass destruction — turned out to be lies.

Remember Libya?

Humanitarian intervention — now it’s a failed state.

Now it's Venezuela.

Same script. New villain.

They wave the flag while they steal your future.

Where This Leads: A War We Can’t Afford

If this spirals, we’re not just looking at Venezuela.

We’re looking at:

A naval conflict with China
A potential invasion of Taiwan
A collapse of the dollar if foreign oil trades bypass U.S. sanctions

And here’s the kicker:

We’re already in a war economy.
We’re already $35 trillion in debt.
And now we’re going to start another war… without congressional approval… in an election year?

It’s insanity.

But maybe that’s the point. Keep the people scared, distracted, and broke.