The Straits Times Podcasts S2E58: Trump’s Venezuela strike: The good, bad & the ugly
Jan 15, 2026
Join Dr. Joseph Ledford, a foreign policy historian focusing on American influence in the Western Hemisphere, and Carl Larry, an oil industry expert with over 25 years of experience. They dissect U.S. military goals in Venezuela, emphasizing the strategic use of oil rather than immediate supply needs. Discussions include the potential for global petrol price shifts, U.S. concerns over China’s influence, and parallels to Iraq. The duo also explores the costs of reviving Venezuela's oil sector and diplomatic consequences for America.
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Threefold US Objective In Venezuela
- Operation Absolute Resolve aimed to stabilise, recover and transition Venezuela rather than simply seize oil resources.
- The US sought to limit narcotics, migration and remove Venezuela as a beachhead for China, Russia and Iran.
Oil As A Strategic Tool
- Oil is treated as a strategic means, not an end, to isolate Cuba and stabilise Venezuela's economy.
- The US does not need Venezuelan crude for its own supply, but wants oil access to enable recovery and political leverage.
Iraq Comparison On Oil Expectations
- Carl Larry compared expectations from Venezuela to the Iraq experience where anticipated oil output never materialised.
- He warned Venezuela's infrastructure has long declined and production recovery could take years.