Lone Senate Voice Criticizes Trump's Bombing Of Boat Near Venezuela
Lone Senate Voice Criticizes Trump's Bombing Of Boat Near Venezuela
Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) on Thursday 
to bomb a boat near Venezuela over claims that it was carrying drugs, an action that was taken without providing any evidence.
"It’s hard to have any sympathy for drug dealers trying to import product into our country," Paul said in an appearance on Newsmax. "But at the same time, I guess, you might ask the question, ‘Where does it end? Are we the world’s policemen?"
The Kentucky senator said that US authorities wouldn’t bomb a boat if it were off the coast of the US and suspected of running drugs. “We all assume these people were bad people and drug dealers, but if they were caught off the coast of Miami, we would stop the boat. If they don’t shoot at us, we don’t shoot at them,” he said.
Paul said that the “reason we have trials and we don’t automatically assume guilt is what if we make a mistake and they happen to be people fleeing the Venezuelan dictator?”
He added that in the US, even the “worst people” accused of terrible crimes are entitled to a trial.
President Trump claimed that the strike on the boat killed 11 people who were members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan gang the US government has labeled “narcoterrorists.”
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and other US officials have said more strikes are coming and are 
the possibility of pursuing regime change in Venezuela, which may be the real purpose of the deployment of multiple US Navy warships to the Southern Caribbean.
Rand Paul: "The reason we have trials and we don't automatically assume guilt is what if we make a mistake and they happen to be people fleeing the Venezuelan dictator? ... off our coast it isn't our policy just to blow people up ... even the worst people in our country, if we… 
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar)
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has denied the US accusations that he’s involved in drug trafficking and is vowing to fight if the US attacks his country.
Other Venezuelan officials have downplayed the US strike on the boat, claiming that the video Trump released purporting to show the bombing https://www.aa.com.tr/en/americas/venezuela-accuses-us-of-faking-drug-ship-attack-video/3678308
Fri, 09/05/2025 - 21:45
News From Antiwar.com
Sen. Rand Paul Criticizes the Trump Administration's Bombing of Boat Near Venezuela - News From Antiwar.com
Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) on Thursday criticized the Trump administration's decision to bomb a boat near Venezuela over claims that it was carryin...
Yahoo News
Rand Paul Slams Trump For Unilateral Strike On Suspected Drug Vessel: 'Where Does It End?'
The Kentucky Republican sharply criticized Tuesday's lethal attack on suspected traffickers and said that "even the worst people in our country" ge...
The Kentucky senator said that US authorities wouldn’t bomb a boat if it were off the coast of the US and suspected of running drugs. “We all assume these people were bad people and drug dealers, but if they were caught off the coast of Miami, we would stop the boat. If they don’t shoot at us, we don’t shoot at them,” he said.
Paul said that the “reason we have trials and we don’t automatically assume guilt is what if we make a mistake and they happen to be people fleeing the Venezuelan dictator?”
He added that in the US, even the “worst people” accused of terrible crimes are entitled to a trial.
President Trump claimed that the strike on the boat killed 11 people who were members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan gang the US government has labeled “narcoterrorists.”
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and other US officials have said more strikes are coming and are News From Antiwar.com
Hegseth Doesn't Rule Out Regime Change in Venezuela, Suggests More US Strikes on Boats Are Coming - News From Antiwar.com
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Wednesday didn't rule out the possibility of the US military pursuing regime change in Venezuela and sugg...
X (formerly Twitter)
Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) on X
Rand Paul: "The reason we have trials and we don't automatically assume guilt is what if we make a mistake and they happen to be people fleeing the...
X (formerly Twitter)
Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) on X
Rand Paul: "The reason we have trials and we don't automatically assume guilt is what if we make a mistake and they happen to be people fleeing the...
Tyler Durden | Zero Hedge
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Lone Senate Voice Criticizes Trump's Bombing Of Boat Near Venezuela | ZeroHedge
ZeroHedge - On a long enough timeline, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero
His book offers a contemporary approach to timeless wisdom. The nonfiction work incorporates practical tips and methods that are immediately applicable to a range of situations, from business decisions to everyday problems. But before Mr. Lee explains just how we can learn to think better, he first takes us into the high-speed professional life of a fighter pilot.
Author Hasard Lee. St. Martin's Press
An Exhilarating Read
From dogfights during some of combat’s most hazardous conditions to training sessions as one of the Air Force’s most skilled pilots, Lee’s extensive experience flying the world’s most complex combat jets, including the F-16 and F-35, is highly impressive. Through his debut book, he helps readers see that the pressure and chaotic environments he’s lived through are highly relatable.
Several of the book’s chapters begin with anecdotes of some of Lee’s most high-stakes missions. These riveting, eye-opening stories offer a bird’s-eye view of what it’s like to be an Air Force fighter pilot in the U.S. military. And this unique author experience is what sets “The Art of Clear Thinking” apart from the rest.
He takes us back in time to some of history’s most historic battles, including the American military’s invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944. As it turns out, this historic mission was supposed to happen the day before. However, Royal Air Force Captain and meteorologist James Stagg, who worked closely with President Eisenhower during the mission, noticed weather radar had picked up stormy conditions that would directly affect the operation. The high winds alone, making the sea especially choppy, would make it tough for landing craft to successfully reach Normandy’s coastline. Heavy cloud coverage would also make navigation difficult for aircraft. A tough call had to be made. Troops needed to be instructed to either go forward with the mission despite inclement weather or postpone it to June 6, when a possible break in the storm was forecast.
General of the Army Dwight David Eisenhower circa December 1943. Public Domain
A little-known factor played a key role in the ultimate success of this foray: U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s quick decision-making abilities and ability to prioritize a multitude of pressing tasks. His mental toughness and skill allowed his team to adapt to the situation and make the hard, risky decision to postpone the operation for 24 hours. It was met with much criticism. Any delay gave the Germans a chance to find out about the planned attack. Despite pushback, Eisenhower’s strategic thinking and ability to take vast amounts of information and prioritize what was necessary helped put American soldiers in an advantageous position.
A First-of-Its-Kind Program
With many combat missions and flight hours under his belt, Lee ultimately became an instructor. Instead of limiting his teaching solely to flight instruction, he became part of a group of fellow instructors who developed a “first-of-its-kind program” that treated mental toughness not as an innate character trait but as a skill that could be harnessed and learned.
During the program’s development, he drew on his years of experience as a fighter pilot. He also incorporated lessons learned during his time as a boxer while attending the Air Force Academy. While at the academy, he was introduced to the concepts behind sports psychology for the first time, which he continued to build upon throughout his professional career.
The visionary program he helped spearhead was such a success for the Air Force that it is now an integral part of every pilot’s training. The book features several of the program’s lessons that are easily adaptable to everyday life. Lee has spent time teaching the lessons included in “The Art of Clear Thinking” to people involved in many disciplines, from business executives to athletes on professional sports teams.
Lee understands why this type of wisdom is accessible to humans from all walks of life. In “The Art of Clear Thinking,” he states, “High performance isn’t something that can be turned on and off—to thrive in the cockpit, the pilots needed to thrive in their personal lives.”
This mentality built for success easily translates to anyone who wants to better themselves personally, accomplish goals professionally, and live all-around more fulfilling lives.
X-35B flying over Edwards Air Force Base. Public Domain
Inspiration for Every Reader
Athletes and other performance-based professionals can take advantage of Lee’s simple yet highly effective tactics to remain calm amid adversity. Tried-and-true breathing techniques and resetting one’s internal dialogue are included in the text, along with an easily digestible section on the science behind this type of sports psychology-based training. The book briefly delves into the science of the brain, its chemical reactions, and how that affects us physiologically.
Business professionals and goal-oriented individuals can particularly benefit from the author’s section on Humans as Decision-Makers, which highlights the importance of developing one’s critical thinking skills as opposed to only relying on technology to do all of the forecasting that often comes with trying to anticipate market conditions.
The core of this book revolves around conceptual thinking. Lee helps you understand how to apply an integrated system of ideas to a problem when information is sometimes either too abundant or too scarce and come up with a quick, effective solution. This is a big reason why it’s such a well-rounded work on mental fortitude. Man is only as good as his grasp of concepts, and Lee eloquently elaborates on this important point of reality in his chapter Fast-Forecasting:
“When we rashly turn over our decision-making to external aids, such as committees or computers, we lose the ability to bring the full power of our brain to bear on a problem. We, in essence, have carved out a hole in our understanding and replaced it with someone else’s solution. If we don’t learn the underlying concepts behind that new information, then we’re blindly trusting that it’s correct. We lose the ability to quickly reconfigure concepts into creative solutions, which is one of the great strengths of the human mind.”
Assess, Choose, Execute
Many more tips, tricks, and thought-provoking stories are discussed throughout this entertaining and helpful read. The book itself is laid out across three different overarching sections: Assess, Choose, and Execute, which make up a concept fighter pilots learn early on that is vital to their success: the Ace Helix. This method involves assessing the problem at hand, swiftly choosing the proper “course of action,” then prioritizing tasks that aid in the execution of decisions that will help reach the goal or solution efficiently.
The book’s readability and layout make it an easy read and one you can treat as a guide you can come back to over and over again. It’s a helpful reference tool that aids in navigating life’s complex situations that require quick, effective decisions.
Equal parts practical wisdom and philosophy, 
The Times report describes the mission's purpose as likely to give the White House a huge leg up as Trump tried to engage Kim on the nuclear front, to achieve hoped-for historic denuclearization on the Korean peninsula. "The objective was to plant an electronic device that would let the United States intercept the communications of North Korea’s reclusive leader, Kim Jong-un, amid high-level nuclear talks with President Trump," it says. But the report notes that the hidden surveillance objective may have had a broader purpose.
"The mission had the potential to provide the United States with a stream of valuable intelligence," 
Given the lack of real-time intelligence and communications black-out, intelligence analysts had studied and monitored the intended landing spot for months prior via satellite, to ensure no North Korean soldiers or bystanders could detect the operation. But it turns out there was a fishing boat very near the 
People who received the azelastine nasal spray in a randomized, placebo-controlled trial in Germany were less likely to test positive for COVID-19, researchers 
Israel's military has also been regularly destroying tunnel networks under the city, as Hamas has frequently use these for guerilla warfare tactics. Hamas has been ambushing IDF infantry units by sending small teams from these tunnels.
At the previous tender last week, IOC bought as many as 5 million barrels of U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude.
But this week, the biggest refiner in the world’s third-largest crude importer bought 2 million barrels of West African crude, another one million barrel of Nigeria’s Agbami and Usan crudes, and two million barrels of Middle East crude, including one million barrels of Abu Dhabi’s Das from Shell, according to Reuters’ sources.
Competitive prices for U.S. crude in an 
But costs are rising. Industrial land in Bac Ninh is pricier than in many Chinese regions, and wages are catching up. Some firms now produce goods costlier than their Chinese equivalents, relying on tariff gaps that could vanish overnight. In April, the U.S. slapped a 46% tariff on Vietnamese exports, later trimmed to 20%.
Despite these pressures, northern Vietnam is emerging as a “world assembler.” Samsung, which has invested over $23 billion since 2008, anchors a cluster of electronics producers, joined by Apple suppliers like Foxconn, Goertek, and Luxshare. “Over the past few years, we’ve seen a surge in supply chain companies, logistics providers, and packaging firms entering Vietnam, following in the footsteps of their major clients,” said Anchalee Prasertchand of Thailand’s WHA Group.
Caixin 
Even with higher costs, Vietnam’s tariff advantage sustains momentum. Executives estimate Vietnamese goods are 15% more expensive than Chinese ones, but with U.S. tariffs averaging 57.6% on Chinese products versus 20% on Vietnamese, the gap is decisive.
Chinese firms are also eyeing Vietnam’s domestic market of 100 million people. “Trade wars may be the spark, but going overseas is really about tapping global markets — not just the U.S., but also Europe and Southeast Asia,” said Niu Qiang of KCN Investment Consulting. “For Chinese companies, this is the true start of globalization.”
Automakers highlight the shift. Shineray Motors, which entered in 2018, adapted trucks for local roads and weather. Its mini-commercial vehicles now hold 30% of Vietnam’s market. “Now is a good time to lay the groundwork for the passenger car and new energy vehicle market,” said general manager Wang Lu. Giants like Geely and Great Wall are also investing, cementing Vietnam’s role as both a manufacturing hub and consumer battleground.
President Trump remains divisive. While his job approval and favorability ratings are higher than they were eight years ago, they remain low. According to Real Clear Politics’ August 28 average of national polling, Trump’s approval 
Here’s what to know about vaccines and payments.
What Does the Literature Say?
A review of studies confirms that some doctors profit from vaccinating.
In a 2020 
A nurse prepares to give a COVID-19 vaccine to a boy as his mother comforts him in Denver on Nov. 3, 2021. Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images
What About Those Bonuses?
Doctors can make extra money for vaccinating under incentive programs from insurers, as highlighted by Brian Hooker, a senior scientist with Children’s Health Defense—a group Kennedy chaired through 2023—and other witnesses during a 
People attend an American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) conference in Anaheim, Calif., on Oct. 8, 2022. AAP, as well as some other groups and doctors, have said physicians are not motivated by money when vaccinating patients. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times
“It would be near impossible for current pediatric practices to survive if not clearly impossible if they were to suddenly lose half or all their vaccine income, not to mention the catastrophic nature of loss of ‘quality’ bonuses,” Thomas said.
Dr. Renata Moon, who sits on the board of directors for the American College of Pediatricians, said that her former employer in 2020 started tracking the vaccination rate for patients. She was unable to determine why and said she would not be surprised if they were receiving compensation.
“It is unethical for physicians to receive bonuses or monetary compensation for pushing the products of pharmaceutical companies. It’s a massive conflict of interest!” Moon told The Epoch Times via email. “Do they have the patient’s best interest at heart or are they focused on their bank accounts?”
What Do Other Doctors Say?
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), as well as some other groups and doctors, have said physicians are not motivated by money when vaccinating patients.
“Pediatricians do not profit off vaccines,” the AAP 
Doses of H1N1 influenza vaccine sit in a basket at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago on Oct. 6, 2009. Scott Olson/Getty Images
“I have to surprisingly side with the AAP on this one even though I no longer support the AAP on just about everything else,” Porter told The Epoch Times in an email. “As a pediatrician, my recommendation of routine childhood vaccines has nothing to do any reimbursement my office may receive and again I can honestly say I have no working knowledge of what that reimbursement would be.”
Porter says he has been motivated for the more than 20 years he has worked as a doctor to provide vaccines to minimize vaccine-preventable disease. He has never recommended the COVID-19 vaccines and believes the CDC and AAP did not provide adequate details around the risks and benefits of the shots.
“I have become a bit uncertain about the risk/benefit of each of the vaccines. I still would recommend these historical routine childhood vaccines, but with the growing vaccine hesitancy amongst parents I do not push them,” he wrote. “I also have stopped generally recommending the influenza vaccine until I see more rigorous data to show that it really works.”
Vaccination rates among kindergartners have 
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington on June 24, 2025. Madalina Kilroy/The Epoch Times
O'Leary and other AAP officials 
