Sep 2, 2026 · 1h 24m
War, corruption and tariffs expose a fraying global order
The Art of the Venezuela Oil Deal
The episode connects the Iran war, opaque defense investments and Canada’s trade rupture with the wider costs of permanent crisis politics.
- 1The Iran war is imposing human and economic costs while straining U.S. military readiness for future confrontations.
- 2A Pentagon-backed Venezuelan oil investment raises questions about transparency, conflicts of interest and modern imperialism.
- 3Trump’s tariffs and annexation rhetoric are pushing Canada to retaliate, strengthen its identity and diversify alliances.
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The hosts dissect the Pentagon-backed Venezuelan oil investment as a possible corruption scheme and a modern form of imperialism.
The brief
Tommy and Ben assess six months of war with Iran, from missile exchanges and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz to casualties, economic disruption and a military stretched thin.
They question whether a permanent “mow the grass” strategy would turn escalation into policy, while examining Iran’s cooperation with Russia and China and the strain on U.S. readiness.
The hosts scrutinize the Pentagon Office of Strategic Capital’s investment in a Venezuelan oil company, focusing on opaque warrants, possible conflicts and ties to Trump-world.
The wider briefing covers politicized G20 diplomacy, extremist conduct by Itamar Ben-Gvir, glacier disasters, Iceland’s EU vote and South Korea’s corruption scandals.
In an interview, British Columbia Premier David Eby describes Canada’s retaliation against Trump’s tariffs, Alberta separatism and efforts to build stronger ties beyond the United States.
Itamar Ben-Gvir
Donald John Trump
Strait of Hormuz
North KoreaListen to the full episode and explore every guest, topic, and moment on PodLume.