A retired U.S. Army Colonel just dropped a hot take that's got people talking: America's hardline stance on Venezuela might be shooting itself in the foot. Colonel Douglass Macgregor argues that refusing to come to the table with Maduro is costing the U.S. big time—especially when there's serious skin in the game.

Here's the kicker: Venezuela's sitting on massive oil reserves, and Maduro's apparently dangled access as part of an amnesty deal. But with Washington holding firm on its current approach, that energy opportunity stays locked away. For anyone watching macro trends and commodity flows, this geopolitical standoff matters. Oil supply dynamics ripple through everything—from inflation expectations to risk asset sentiment. When major energy sources stay offline due to diplomatic freeze-outs, markets feel it. And right now, that Venezuelan crude isn't flowing to American refineries while the two sides stay dug in.