The New Year started with a large US raid to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The US justifies this military intervention based on allegations that Maduro supports cartels trafficking illegal drugs into America. The raid was swift and successful demonstrating that the US is very good at tactics. But does the White House have a wider strategic plan?
Background
Since January 2025, the US has increased pressure on the Maduro regime. President Trump has a history of tension with Venezuela and in March 2025, Al Jazeera noted that In his previous term he “…implemented a “maximum pressure” campaign against the South American country, imposing heavy sanctions on its government.”[i]
In early 2025, the Trump White House pressured Maduro to accept more people deported from the US. Later, the White House stopped US oil companies working in Venezuela and threatened countries buying oil from it with sanctions. Pressure on Maduro’s regime continued to increase throughout 2025, starting with a US blockade policing Venezuela’s access to the Caribbean.
By August 2025, the US had started a military build-up in the Caribbean that was followed by lethal attacks on small boats alleged to be transporting drugs into America. By October 2025, Reuters reported that there had been 14 air strikes, killing 61 people.[ii] Later in November 2025, Reuters reported on the US military build up in the Caribbean including the re-activation of Roosevelt Roads military base in Puerto Ricos.[iii]
Additionally, Reuters described a range of other US activity including flights by B-52 and B-1 bombers over the Caribbean. Intelligence gathering using P-8 Poseidon aircraft, dozens of logistics flights and the movement of key amphibious warfare ships into the area. The situation continued to escalate into December when the US seized two oil tankers leaving Venezuela.
What we know about the US raid on 3 January 2025
On 3 January, the US executed a fast well-planned raid, codenamed Operation Absolute Resolve, and captured Maduro. The operation involved a series of strikes across Venezuela’s capital, Caracas and in surrounding areas. The fact that Maduro was captured alive indicates use of a highly trained special forces team. Probably, Delta Force soldier inserted by helicopter from a US amphibious warfare ship like USS Iwo Jima.
The speed and success of the operation also indicate the US has invested heavily in infiltrating Maduro’s inner circle and was also likely to be using drones, satellite and electronic intelligence to track his location. However, nothing beats ‘human intelligence’ (HUMINT) or a well-placed ‘source’ able to confirm a target’s location.
Currently, not much is known about the attack plan but the BBC reported US strikes on the following sites:
- Generalissimo Francisco de Miranda Air Base. A small airfield located within Caracas.
- Port La Guaira. Caracas’s port on the Caribbean Sea.
- Higuerote Airport. A larger airport approx. 150km east of Caracas.
- Fuerte Tiuna. A Venezuelan Army base in the capital.
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At this stage, few details are available but it seems likely the strikes against Higuerote and Generalissimo Francisco de Miranda were designed to knock out Venezuelan air defences. Venezuela has a strong air defence net work that includes modern Russian weapons like S-300VN long-range missiles, Buk-M2 medium-range missiles and Pantsir-S1 combined gun and medium-range missile systems. [iv] Air fields provide large, secure, open spaces that make them good places to deploy air defence. The attacks on the La Guaira may be similar because the Venuzaelan Navy has a small frigate with air defence missiles, or there may be land-based air defence missiles stationed there. The attack on Fuerte Tiuna army base was probably to stop soldiers there from intervening in the operation.
Substacker, Wes O’Donnell, pointed out that a US Airborne Early Warning and Command (AWAC) plane was operating near Venezuela on 1 January.[v] The AWACs plane is likely to have collected electronic intelligence about local radar frequencies, and this information would have been used by the attacking forces.
The attack’s first stage probably involved suppression or destruction of these defences and was likely to be led by carrier-based F-18 Growler electronic warfare aircraft. The Growler’s role is to jam or trick Venezuelan air defence radar and radio communications. Then stealthy aircraft like carrier-based F-35s, cruise missiles or long-range drones attacked key targets opening a ‘window’ in Caracas’s air defence for the ground teams to transit Venezuelan air space and capture Maduro.
The ground operation probably involved hundreds of soldiers. A small team of elite soldiers to capture Maduro backed by a larger force of less well-trained personnel to cordon and secure the area. Built into the larger security and support operation would be securing an extraction point, and alternative landing sites in case the operation did not go to plan. US fighter and attack aircraft would have supported the ground operation by preventing the Venezuelan Air Force from intervening and being prepared to attack targets requested by the ground troops.
This operation was a large, well-planned and well-executed joint operation that involved close cooperation between all branches of the US military. It is a demonstration of capabilities unique to the US. Russia’s unsuccessful attempt to capture Ukraine’s president at the start of the 2022 invasion provides a useful contrast to this operation.
What next?
Currently information is limited, Trump has made a statement but Secretary of State Marco Rubio provided more detail in early morning interviews with the media. [vi] Rubio’s statements can be summarised as follows.
· Rubio positioned the US intervention as a legitimate act of law enforcement. He stated that the operation is “not a war against Venezuela” and reminded listeners about Maduro’s existing criminal indictments and his dubious political mandate, saying “We don’t believe that this regime in place is legitimate via an election, and that’s not just us. It’s 60-something countries around the world that have taken that view as well, including the European Union.”
- Notably, Rubio used the term ‘raid’ to describe the operation rather than ‘attack,’ ‘special military operation’ or similar warlike terminology. Police conduct raids, and Rubio’s statements aim to reinforce the law enforcement motivation. Further, a raid is temporary indicating that Rubio does not envisage a long-term US presence in Venezuela.
- The aim is to position the operation as legitimate for both the international community and for domestic audiences. Internationally there is concern about the US taking unilateral action for example; the Guardian reported that Spain, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Uruguay have issued a joint-statement that starts “We express our profound concern and rejection of the military actions carried out unilaterally on Venezuelan territory, which contravene fundamental principles of international law, particularly the prohibition of the use and threat of force, and respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of States, enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations.”[vii] A sentiment many smaller nations will share. Rubio is also aiming to counter legal questions within the US about the White House’s right to conduct an operation of this nature without reference to Congress.
- Regardless of Trump’s statements about ‘running the country’ Rubio was keen to push responsibility for future decision-making back to Venezuela. He discussed the US judging the country by “what they do next“ and reinforced that the US still retains “multiple levers of leverage“ to protect its interests. Rubio indicating that a potentially expensive occupation of Venezuela is off the table but that economic sanctions are being considered.
Based on Rubio’s statements it appears that the White House’s aim is to achieve regime change with a ‘light touch’ rather than by invading Venezuela. Maduro’s regime is not popular or regarded as legitimate either at home or abroad. This means there are potential leadership contenders including Nobel Peace Prize winning opposition leader María Corina Machado. However, she has already said that Edmundo González, the widely recognised legitimate winner of the 2024 presidential election should lead Venezuela. Machado’s Nobel Prize is notable because it demonstrates the lack of international support for Maduro’s regime.
It appears unlikely that US forces will be committed to Venezuela beyond the special force units already operating in the country to provide intelligence and liaison with local parties. Instead, the US will continue to apply economic pressure, retaining its ‘oil quarantine’ and financially punishing Venezuelans unless a pro-American government is elected. The CIA’s HUMINT operations have probably already identified a range key players in the political and military spheres that are being groomed, and supported to ensure this outcome.
But winning the strategic battle could be harder than expected
The US achieved its tactical goal; Maduro is gone but now the US must ‘win the peace.’ Pragmatically, this means bringing local politicians, the Venezuelan military and US oil companies together to create a new, legitimate and economically sustainable regime. The key determinant of success will be creating a secure environment that encourages US oil companies to invest in rebuilding Venezuela’s oil industry.
Venezuela has the largest oil reserves in the world and although the US is currently the world’s largest oil producer, its product is mostly lighter crude harvested by ‘fracking’ in shale deposits. Venezuela’s oil is more valuable thick, heavy crude and there is an enormous amount of it. US oil companies have the financial muscle, technical knowledge and infrastructure to profitably extract this oil. However, a recent Politico article[viii] reminds us that a prerequisite for oil company investment in Venezuela is security. Essentially, Venezuela is riddled with well-organised paramilitary drug cartels and guerilla movements like the cross border Columbian guerilla group – National Liberation Army – Ejército de Liberación Nacional, so. If the nation’s military becomes ineffective or becomes part of a resistance movement safe access to the oil fields will be impossible.
However, the position of Venezuela’s military is currently uncertain with its leaders expressing their support for Vice President, Delcy Rodríguez. An indication that Maduro’s political allies still have power. It may also indicate that America has not read the local political situation accurately or conducted sufficient covert political activity to secure the support it needs for a smooth transition. And, what is the US plan if the nation does descend into chaos? A larger military intervention? Only time can tell how this situation will evolve.
Conclusion
The US intervention in Venezuela is another indicator of recent changes in US foreign policy. The BBC’s International Editor, Jermey Bowen summed up the situation in Venezuela as follows “With the seizure of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, Donald Trump has demonstrated more powerfully than ever his belief in the power of his will, backed by raw US military power.”
The raid involved the US operating unilaterally to achieve its own geopolitical goals as per its 2025 National Security Strategy with little regard for international law. It indicates that for the Trump White House diplomacy is ‘transactional,’ bi-lateral and that ‘might is right.’ Messages that are likely to empower authoritarian regimes, and will concern US allies and partners that rely on the stability provided by the current ‘rules-based order.’
In conclusion, Maduro’s removal from power was a difficult operation and its success demonstrated the US military’s skill and tactical excellence. However, the unintended strategic consequences of this type of direct and violent intervention are harder to predict.
[i] https://www.aljazeera.com/
[ii] https://www.reuters.com/world/
[iii] https://www.reuters.com/
[iv]. https://www.msn.com/en-us/
Eyes Only with Wes O’Donnell[vi] https://www.state.gov/
[vii] https://www.theguardian.com/
[viii] https://www.politico.com/news/
Ben Morgan is a bored Gen Xer, a former Officer in NZDF and TDBs Military Blogger – his work is on substack
It’s not an ” INTERVENTION ” LOL LOL It’s a criminal invasion to shore up the U$$$’s decline with the demise of the petrodollar. The U$ is the biggest terrorist state in the World today! Israehell destroyed 100% the US rep as a decent society and government! eg Congress giving mass murderer Netanyahu a standing ovation!!???
100% correct
So Maduro is supposedly a narco terrorist (whatever that means) but he did that all on his own? That’s what Trump and Rubio are suggesting by saying his team should carry on running the country. Actually Trump just flat out says it’s about the oil so he’s given up pretending I guess. These guys are criminals so I am not sure where the moral high ground comes from.
Words missing from Ben Morgan’s latest military update. Illegal, immoral, indefensible, breach of international law.
Ben Morgan does not use these words, unless it is against an enemy of the US
Unlike many of his previous ‘Up Dates’ Ben Morgan also does not mention the protection of the International rules based order, or international law, words he often uses to support New Zealand joining the AUKUS nuclear pact, or in his support for the NZDF participation in US led war games alongside IDF war criminals.
Just like the supporters of Russian imperialist aggression that infest these pages, Ben’s morality is transactional and partisan.
“Notably, Rubio used the term ‘raid’ to describe the operation rather than ‘attack,’ ‘special military operation’ or similar warlike terminology.” Ben Morgan
Putin like like Rubio also dressed up the crime of aggression against a smaller independent country as a ‘special military operation’ as a fig leaf to cover the fact that they are in breach the UN Charter against committing the crime of aggression.
Article 2(4) of the UN Charter is a cornerstone of modern international law, prohibiting the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state. It demands that member states resolve disputes peacefully and refrain from actions inconsistent with the UN’s purposes.
Key Aspects of Article 2(4)
Core Prohibition: All members must refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force.
Even before the founding of the UN committing the crime of aggression was considered a serious war crime.
In Nuremburg war crime trial, Count 2 on the charge sheet was the committing of the crime of aggression.
This morning NZ time, in a theatric Show Trial that would make the Russian Soviet leader Stalin blush, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was dragged into a kangaroo court in New York in chains, at midday Monday EST, 5am this morning Tuesday NZ standard time.
No statement from President Maduro was allowed from the dock.
Only allowed to speak to answer to the question, ‘How do you plea?’
Both President Maduro and Cilia Flores Maduro pled “Not Guilty!”
The court appointed US lawyers reportedly were only given a short briefing bdore the trial and did not ask for bail for President Maduro or his wife until the full hearing is heard, likely to be years away.
Under the terms of the sanctions imposed on them and their country, it is illegal for President Maduro or his wife Cilia Flores to hire any American citizen, and so President Maduro and Cilia Flores were not able to hire a defence attourney. , Lawyers and diplomats from the Venezuelan government attached to the UN and present in New York were also not allowed in the court room.
The hearing was short, still in chains President Maduro and his wife were ushered from the court and into long term imprisonment.
Show trials and long term imprisonment without trial are the hallmark of all repressive states.
President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores are to be locked up in a New York Federal prison and never heard from again for years.
Poor old Pat ,,,,, the contradiictions that infest his brain leaves him about as credible as a NATO stooge opposing NATO ……
https://ddgeopolitics.substack.com/p/gaza-to-donbass-how-israel-and-ukraine
“In 2022, an officer of Ukraine’s Azov Regiment, toured Israel after surviving the siege of Mariupol. ” ,,,, “In April 2022, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, himself a stalwart ally to the Zionist cause, declared that he envisioned Ukraine becoming “a big Israel.” In doing so, he abandoned the pretense of liberal reform and embraced a future defined by permanent militarization, domestic surveillance, and an ideologically mobilized citizenry. Ukraine, he suggested, would survive not by joining Europe’s post-national dream, only by imitating the ethos of a heavily securitized Middle Eastern state.
Zelenskyy’s statement didn’t emerge in a vacuum. It followed decades of quietly intensifying Ukrainian–Israeli ties, in historical memory, military cooperation, tech integration, and shared narratives of victimhood. But it also exposed a deeper and more disturbing fusion. When the president of a country still reckoning with the legacy of the Holocaust and its own fascist collaborators calls for the building of a “Big Israel,” he is not just invoking a model of defense, he is invoking a model of justified violence, permanent siege, and a long tradition of selective memory, one that both Ukraine and Israel have wielded to reconcile uncomfortable historical alliances of culpability.” …..
…. “This article maps the ideological, military, economic, and cultural architecture of the Ukraine–Israel relationship. From Soviet-era tensions to the post-2014 reconfiguration of alliances, we explore how pragmatic imperatives have forged a new axis of ethno-nationalist power, increasingly central to NATO’s long-term vision of regional dominance.” https://ddgeopolitics.substack.com/p/gaza-to-donbass-how-israel-and-ukraine
In Bed with a Ped? | The West Report https://youtu.be/NnE6QYmndJs Has the final nail been hammered into the coffin of the Global Rules Based Order?
*sheep-dog , formaly known and posted as B Awakesky,,,,,,, woof woof 😉
You actually read his post?
very good. the debasement will continue until moral improves.
NZ
INTERVIEW: Complete disregard for international law
We know what this is about, says Chris Hedges, it’s the same thing that the invasion of Iraq was about, the seizure of vast reserves of oil
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyHmY2P8toU
@SA-km3oh
38 minutes ago
International law has been buried under the rubble of Gaza
@ssarim
30 minutes ago
Definitely, the USA is a rogue state now. What a sham and breaking international law. This is not the first time; they did the same to Noriega in the past.
@zbestofalldreams
4 minutes ago (edited)
Don’t forget there was a 50 million $ reward on Maduro’s head – makes it a lucrative incentive to betray Maduro from within… So, who got paid out ?!?
@zaidal-hindawi1784
6 minutes ago (edited)
No wonder Russia don’t want America and NATO in their backyard in Ukraine.
Putin was right all along..
@KultureShock
23 minutes ago
I have met and love and respect Chris Hedges and George Galloway but how can people who are as painfully aware of the evil of USA and Israel still believe the utter nonsense that AL Quaida did 9/11?
Following a farcical indctiment hearing where the President of Venezuela was admonished by judge Alvin Hellerstein for trying to speak.
And a clumsily staged, supposedly dramatic anonymously shouted denouncment of Maduro from the public gallery, somehow fell flat.
The defence attourney who will be assigned to represent President Maduro’s wife, Celia Flores Madjuro, has been named, as Mark E. Donnelly.
A bail hearing for Celia Flores has been set for March 17
At this stage it is not clear whether Counselor Donelly is also representing Cilia Flores husband President Nicolas Maduro, or if is he will be included in the bail hearing.
It is possible that holding out the possibllity for bail foir Flores is a clumsy attempt by the court to pressure Cilia Flores to testify against her husband as condition of her release from custody.
Who is Mark E. Donnelly?
Can a US federal state prosecutor be an unbiased lawyer for the defence in a case brought by the state?
From the Houston Chronicle:
Houston lawyer Mark Donnelly files to represent Venezuela First Lady Cilia Flores in Nicolás Maduro case
By Jarrod Wardwell,
Staff Writer
Jan 5, 2026
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/trending/article/cilia-flores-mark-donnelly-21277555.php
…..Mark Donnelly — an attorney at Parker Sánchez & Donnelly downtown and a former federal prosecutor — filed Monday to serve as Flores’ counsel through a motion that would allow an out-of-state attorney to litigate the case. Flores has pleaded not guilty and is charged with cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices as part of the federal indictment against her….
…..National news reports state he [Donnelly] was present for Flores’ first court appearance Monday, where she and Maduro pleaded not guilty. He said she received “significant injuries” during her capture and suggested she may have fractured or bruised ribs and would need a physical evaluation, the reports state….
…..Federal court records showed an order approving Donnelly’s motion to serve as Flores’ defense was awaiting a judge’s signature. Court records had yet to be updated Monday afternoon, but Donnelly said the judge indicated from the bench that his motion was granted.
It would be really funny if US prosecutors lost this case on their own soil. But as you imply, the game is likely rigged.
A personality cult, a fanatic mob, a show trial – What else do you need for an American (MAGA style) cultural revolution?
“It is possible that holding out the possibllity for bail for Flores is a clumsy attempt by the court to pressure Cilia Flores to testify against her husband as condition of her release from custody….”. P@
Reminds me of the opening scene of the Netflix scifi drama, The 3 Body Problem.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aS8c6hLj7uA
Farcical, satirical almost unbelievable:
Following a farcical indictment hearing where the President of Venezuela was admonished by judge Alvin Hellerstein for trying to speak.
An overview attempting to be cool but as historic events pile upwards, becoming impassioned for the need of realisation and change. The need to truly become pan-globe for more than trading purposes is pressing it seems.
https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL2601/S00006/the-choice-before-us.htm
The Choice Before Us
…A new architecture urgently needs to be built, beyond the obsolete 20th century international order, and the 17th century Westphalian* order. Sovereignty means “supreme principle,” and there cannot be 200 supreme principles in a global society, or raw power will continue to rule and ruin the earth and humanity.
Besides, the sovereignty of nation-states has been severed from the self-determination of peoples. Sovereignty now belongs to humanity, and multilateralism can only function within a political philosophy and framework that reflects the reality of a global society…
What can one person do? Make space beyond the personal dimension. Our true power is as undivided individuals, not in organizing and mass movements. The task of
human beings is to question and ignite insight together wherever we are —
to meet all facets of the polycrisis facing humanity. Martin LeFevre
* The Treaty of Westphalia given a light, once-over coverage by Monty Python.
Of course we all know it is humourous satire but it was felt keenly then. We are feeling keenly about our times now; I fear that there will be no-one capable of understanding any similar matter or laughing much in 300 years time. Let’s get doing now with clever, thoughtful and practical things. Or as Kurt Vonnegut said, ‘So it goes.’
For those wishing to be regarded as Intelligentsia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westphalian_system
plus
Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Peace_of_Westphalia
Peace of Westphalia – Wikipedia
They ended the Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648) and brought peace to the Holy Roman Empire, closing a calamitous period of European history that killed approximately eight million people.
also
Britannica https://www.britannica.com › event › Peace-of-Westphalia
Peace of Westphalia | Definition, Map, Results, & Significance – Britannica
Dec 12, 2025Peace of Westphalia, European settlements of 1648, which brought to an end the Eighty Years’ War between Spain and the Dutch and the German phase of the Thirty Years’ War. The peace was negotiated, from…
Follow The Money.
The President of Venezuela and his wife Cilia Flores were not allowed to hire an attourney for their defence.
So the question has to be asked; Who is paying Houston DOJ Prosecutor Mark Donnelly to be Cilia Flores defence attourney?
That the Houston DOJ prosecutor flew all the way from Houston to New York out of the kindness of his heart to defend Cilia Flores pro bono, is highly unlikely.
Is the Venezuelan expat community in Houston picking up the tab?
How about the Houston oil company with interests in Venezuela, are they footing the bill?
These are reasonable questions.
“Harris County has the fourth largest Venezuelan population in the U.S., and a majority Latin American population,” Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, a native of Colombia, said in a statement. “Our energy industry, with obvious ties to Venezuela, is a major part of our economy, jobs, and the stability of energy prices nationally. I know that folks in Harris County are watching President Trump’s actions regarding Venezuela this morning.”
https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/local/2026/01/03/539818/venezuela-houston-oil-and-gas-chevron-citgo-nungaray-trump/
From Houston Media, a service of the University of Houston:
Here’s what we know about the Houston attorney representing Nicolás Maduro’s wife in federal court
Mark Donnelly is representing Cilia Flores, the wife of the ousted Venezuelan president, as they face criminal charges in New York.
By Kyle McClenagan
Posted onJanuary 5, 2026
https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/houston/2026/01/05/539887/venezuela-maduro-cilia-flores-attorney-houston-mark-donnelly/
….Flores and Maduro appeared in court Monday in New York, where both pleaded not guilty to the charges against them. ABC News reported that Donnelly was next to Flores in court and that Flores told Judge Alvin Hellerstein that she is “completely innocent.”
…..”We look forward to reviewing and challenging the evidence the government has,” Donnelly wrote in an email Monday to Houston Public Media. “While we would love to present our side now, we will wait to do so in court at the appropriate time. The first lady is aware that there is a long road ahead and is prepared.”….
[This last part is highly unlikely, it has been reported that the defense had received only a short ‘briefing’ from the prosecutors just before the hearing]
…..Donnelly did not provide details about how he became involved in the defense of Flores in a case that has international political implications…..
….Donnelly’s involvement is the latest Houston-area connection to the escalated tension between Maduro and U.S. President Donald Trump. The Trump administration in December seized an oil tanker near the coast of Venezuela and sent it to the Galveston area. [an obvious conflict of interest]
…..A Houston native, Donnelly previously worked at the U.S. Department of Justice, serving as the senior advisor to the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas, according to the law firm. He also ran the Southern District’s fraud division for more than two years….
[it’s a strange inverted twist of the poacher turned game keeper story]
…..Before joining the DOJ, Donnelly was a prosecutor with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office for eight years, prosecuting cases ranging from DWI to capital murder and ultimately becoming a chief felony prosecutor…..
Donnelly has publicly expressed his faux concern at Flores “significant injuries”, and that they needed to be assessed, but has not publicly condemned the perpetrators or called for them to be identified and held to account.
P.S.
How long before Mayor Mamdani gets fed up with the legal farce being played out in his city. And asks Ramzi Kassem to step in?
Trump quoting the Monroe Doctrine, another 200-year-old foreign policy agenda for their justification of their foreign soil operation.
“All of these actions were in gross violation of the core principles of American foreign policy, dating back more than two centuries,” Trump said. “All the way back, dated to the Monroe doctrines. And the Monroe Doctrine is a big deal, but we’ve superseded it by a lot, by a real lot. They now call it the Donroe doctrine.”
It declares that the U.S. government could “exercise international police power” to end what U.S. called “chronic unrest or wrongdoing” in the Western Hemisphere.
Gives an idea what century these guys think they’re in. So rather than being the world’s international policeman, the US might as well rebrand to something else. “Donroe” sounds much more like a pirate name.
Fair article and conclusion. A question does hang over Trump having the patience to deal with the longer term challenges in reforming Venezuela. Particularly when the success of the operation could inspire him to go after other countries in the region. The wow-factor of the military strikes and another domino falling would likely appeal to Trump more than the mundane business of running a foreign country.
What has become clear is that Trump has learnt that history books are filled with interventionists rather than isolationists. One year in his second term has possibly made more impact globally than his whole first term. “Only” three years to go.
Like most bullies at some point they overstep their power gained by money or size and come crashing down to earth , I do not know enough to say if this is that point but surely it must be getting closer , After Vietnam and Iraq not many Americans want a boots on the ground compain .
cant happen quickly enough the Orange Hitler has lost the plot
“If we normalize the kidnapping of a head of state, no country is safe. Today, it’s Venezuela. Tomorrow, it could be any nation that refuses to submit.
This is not a regional problem. It is a direct threat to global political stability.” Nicolás Maduro Jnr.
President Putin of Russia will be jotting down notes on conducting his own show trial of Ukraine’s leader, the number of helicopters and jets needed, the number of bombs to drop, the level of innocent civilian deaths required, the number of Kyiv power stations to knock out, the number of collaborators to scope out and bribe or blackmail. Full details of Zelensky’s travel arrangements.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky for his part will be taking extraordinary special precautions, to guard against being kidnapped by Russia’s Spetsnaz elite special forces. These highly trained, secretive forces specialize in reconnaissance, sabotage, counter-terrorism, and unconventional warfare behind enemy lines. They are known for brutal training and high-stakes operations.
Zelensky also knows that he can no longer reliably count on the US for logistical and intelligence support or pre-warning.
Another person taking notes, President Zelensky.
Turns out Russian air defence is vulnerable to cyber warfare
Venezuela had Russian supplied air defence systems.
The US first sent in electronic warfare drones which bombarded the airwaves with electronic static which weakened Russian air defence radars, in response the operaters turned up the power, the stronger radar signature allowed US anti-radar missiles to home in on their signals blinding the system and leaving Caracas completely undefended.
Over 150 US helicopters and aircraft entered Venezuelan airspace completely undetected.
From Google AI
Electronic warfare (EW) drones are unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) equipped todetect, disrupt, or deceive enemy electronic systems (like communications, radar, and GPS) and protect friendly forces, adding a crucial layer to modern electromagnetic spectrum dominance through jamming,
.
Could the same cyber warfare strategy be effective against the Moscow’s air defences?
I guess we will find out.
A definite own goal for the empire. Can they be trusted to transact honestly and openly? So let’s not buy or hold T Bonds or US$s. Let’s settle trade outside of the US system say the Global majority. All I’m seeing is the decline of one empire that refuses to go calmly into the night. Dangerous times for us all.
The US confirms again that it is a mafia state.
Maduro’s courtcase will be paraded like a gladiator trophy as an obscene tv ratings spectacle so Trump can 1) bask his ego in the cult success adulation of his base, 2) attempt spectacle distraction from the epstein files and 3) bait democrats and the left into the trap of supporting a dictator. What would be really funny though is if his legal case backfires.
‘I am inspired by the beauty of our weapons, I am inspired by the orange of my skin’,
‘First we take Caracas, then we take Greenland’
(Sung to the tune of ‘First we take Manhattan, then we take Berlin.’)
The top brass at the NZDF must be having a bit of an identity crisis.
The US MoW, or Nato?
The MoW provides more all expenses paid junkets than Nato.
And the buffet is much better at the Pentagon than Nato HQ in Brussels.