Today on the Flash Traffic Podcast we talk about Operation Absolute Resolve to remove Venezuelan ex-president Nicolás Maduro. We discuss the tactics, the historical precedents for regime change, and what it means for international politics. Plus, we have a guest CH-47 Chinook helicopter pilot drop in to answer questions!

Watch this episode on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/WgPvH4XLYTQ

Episode 185—Venezuela Armada and the EU’s Ukraine Deal

Today on the Flash Traffic Podcast we talk about the Venezuela Armada, the EU actually doing something, Ukraine strikes Russia, a Suburban SUV with a mini-gun, and more!

Content:

00:00 Venezuela's Oil Crisis and U.S. Military Presence

03:21 Trump's Ignorance and Military Leadership

06:20 Operation Southern Spear and Venezuelan Naval Escorts

09:06 The Real Reasons Behind U.S. Actions in Venezuela

12:04 U.S. Reputation in Latin America

15:04 Ukraine's Strategic Military Developments

18:02 European Support for Ukraine

20:41 Ukraine's Military Innovations and Challenges

23:34 Recent Ukrainian Strikes on Russian Assets

38:39 Analyzing Drone Warfare and Air Defense Systems

44:30 The CIA's Lost Nuclear Device

50:41 The Search for the Missing Nuclear Device

53:36 The Goofy Space Force and Military Innovations

59:15 Graphic Videos and the Absurdity of War

Articles and Videos:

1. Trump Orders Blockade of Some Oil Tankers to and From Venezuela - The New York Times — https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/16/us/politics/trump-blockade-venezuela-oil-tankers.html?searchResultPosition=1

2. Inside Congress Live — https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2025/12/17/congress/house-gop-narrowly-defeats-boat-strike-limits-00696784

3. With New E.U. Loan, Ukraine Avoids Budget Crunch and Can Plan War Effort - The New York Times — https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/19/world/europe/ukraine-russia-frozen-assets-loan.html

4. Ukraine Plan Calls For Enhanced Military, With U.S. and European Backup - The New York Times — https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/16/world/europe/ukraine-security-guarantees-talks.html?searchResultPosition=1

5. Ukraine ‘blows up £300m Russian submarine’ with underwater drones — https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/12/15/ukraine-blows-up-300m-russian-submarine-underwater-drones/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

6. Satellite Pix: Russian Missile Sub Hit by Ukraine Undersea Drone Is Stationary, Leaking Oil — https://www.kyivpost.com/post/66611

7. Strike in Belgorod Region Eliminates Two russian S-400 Air Defense Systems (Video) | Defense Express — https://en.defence-ua.com/news/strike_in_belgorod_region_eliminates_two_russian_s_400_air_defense_systems_video-16865.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com

8. How Did the C.I.A. Lose a Nuclear Device in the Himalayas? - The New York Times — https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/12/13/world/asia/cia-nuclear-device-himalayas-nanda-devi.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share

9. Space Force unveils new themes for weapon systems to boost identity — https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2025/12/12/space-force-unveils-new-themes-for-weapon-systems-to-boost-identity/

10. DVIDS - Video - Chief of Space Operations Guardian Motion Graphics — https://www.dvidshub.net/video/989521/chief-space-operations-guardian-motion-graphics

11. PATINA RESEARCH on X: "The Dillon Aero Convoy Escort Vehicle CEV offers VIP protection with CNC machined, aerospace grade components, including a concealed Dillon Aero M134D housed within the cabin. While the M134 remains completely undetectable, the system can be fully deployed in under three seconds https://t.co/Qf44cWUZiF" / X — https://x.com/patinaresearch/status/2001731740159635556

12. MAKS 25 🇺🇦👀 on X: "🔥 Impressive fire show! Two Russian "camels" carrying fuel to positions were destroyed using an FPV drone of the operator of the 414th brigade "Birds of Magyar". Pokrovsk direction, Donetsk region. https://t.co/4FJ7MKWcSa" / X — https://x.com/maks_nafo_fella/status/2000524897164874113?s=46

It's War We Friday, and Eric and I talk about basically whatever we want to talk about. We talk about Venezuela, Cambodia and Thailand, U.S. Army drones, Ukrainian drones, prediction markets, and more!

Content:

03:34 Venezuela: The Next Big Conflict?

12:19 AI and the Future of Warfare

15:22 Digital Manipulation in Media

20:14 The Military Industrial Complex: Drones and Defense

25:48 The Switchblade Drone Debate: Efficacy and Relevance

31:48 Prediction Markets: Betting on Global Events

38:44 Insights from Polymarket Bets

45:51 Shooting Drones

1. Visegrád 24 on X: "BREAKING: U.S. soldiers have stormed and seized a sanctioned oil tanker off the Venezuelan coast. It was used to transport sanctioned Venezuelan and Iranian oil. Trump says that the U.S. will keep the oil from the seized tanker. https://t.co/5mRu9QkNw7" / X — https://x.com/visegrad24/status/1998901107066810427?s=46

2. Open Source Intel on X: "Reporter: Yesterday, the U.S. seized a ship off the coast of Venezuela. Would you welcome a U.S. military intervention in Venezuela? María Corina Machado: Look, some people talk about an invasion in Venezuela, the threat of an invasion, and I answer: Venezuela has already been https://t.co/viNJ6gDQuI" / X — https://x.com/Osint613/status/1999071571483165070?s=20

3. Visioner on X: "🇺🇸 The American anti-aircraft "drone" complex Merops has gained the ability to receive information from many different radar systems. Each drone costs approximately 14,500 US dollars, and the Merops system is one of the most promising developments in the C-UAS field. See the https://t.co/s8NwrI2YeB" / X — https://x.com/visionergeo/status/1998848458351063067?s=20

4. The Pentagon Wars | English Full Movie | Comedy War - YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNpGBTU_jt4

5. Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 on X: "Test flight of the Ukrainian high speed Anti-Shahed FPV drone “STING” https://t.co/418LDFrLdm" / X — https://x.com/bayraktar_1love/status/1887521608018911683

6. Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 on X: "The @wilendhornets are presenting their "Hornet Vision" video system, which is used on the "STING" anti-Shahed drones. The video system provides a much higher quality video transmission from the interceptor to the operator. https://t.co/sZoaAGEYTk" / X — https://x.com/bayraktar_1love/status/1997970474710757481?s=20

7. Sprinter Press on X: "The Cambodian army attacked a Thai military post on the border https://t.co/l1FkQVyI5J" / X — https://x.com/SprinterPress/status/1998333858790388134

8. Dr. Anthony Tingle on X: "The Pentagon is restricting reporting. The National Guard moves toward Memphis. The DoD buying expensive knock-off drones. And more! Listen and watch on Spotify: https://t.co/kaiRstHofs Watch on YouTube: https://t.co/tMbHyRkEeN https://t.co/d8qtvETE5w" / X — https://x.com/AnthonyLTingle/status/1970229425594884171?s=20

9. Enezator on X: "I don’t even want to think about how far artificial intelligence will go in a few years https://t.co/YqQdauCvN3" / X — https://x.com/Enezator/status/1998875236390023582?s=20

10. Army pilots face low morale, 'survivor remorse' amid big cuts — https://taskandpurpose.com/news/army-pilots-question-aviation-cuts/

11. A Switchblade launcher now tested on Abrams Tanks. https://t.co/k2zFTr0CnV" / X — https://x.com/casualartyfan/status/1998148351238496601?s=46

12. A War Turned Into a Global Casino: Polymarket Cashes In on Ukraine’s Suffering — https://www.kyivpost.com/post/65449

13. Polymarket | The World's Largest Prediction Market — https://polymarket.com/

14. Ukrainian BMP-1 gunner firing 6 shells in under 20 seconds https://t.co/7CggfijPov" / X — https://x.com/Zoma3mk/status/1998811996725326300?s=20

15. Destruction of the enemy in the Pokrovsk direction. December 10, 2025 https://t.co/z3B3x1UXmx" / X — https://x.com/Heroiam_Slava/status/1999043863663563254?s=20