John Mearsheimer

I mean, we're gonna be very clear on this.

The American media, the mainstream media will not say this, right?

They will not say that this was a colossal failure, which just happened in Iran.

And of course, there is a possibility that at some point in the future, the regime in Iran will be toppled.

So we can't say it will never happen, but it has not happened so far.

With regard to Venezuela, they think this was a great victory.

But I think that you want to remember that after we toppled the regime in Iraq, President George W. Bush landed on an aircraft carrier and he declared mission accomplished.

I think that the Trump administration is duplicating what the Bush administration did

back in 2003.

They're declaring that the mission has been accomplished.

We're going to live happily ever after vis-a-vis Venezuela.

I would not bet a lot of money on that.

The idea that a bunch of gringos from up north can come down and run Venezuelan politics.

And you want to remember that this is what President Trump said he was going to do.

He said he was going to run Venezuelan politics.

And furthermore, we're going to steal their oil and we're going to get away with that?

In a country where there is a powerful sense of nationalism, I would not bet a lot of money on this.

There's a long road ahead for the United States and Venezuela.

And I believe that the mission accomplished argument will not look like a good one a year or two from now.

And with regard to blowback, there is obviously lots of blowback in the system.