Posted on 10/25/2025 5:16:13 PM PDT by RandFan
There are a few reasons to doubt the American government's stated aim of wiping out these so-called "narco terrorist" gangs threatening the US from Venezuela, even after one takes out of the equation the sort of equipment the military is deploying - which isn't what they would need for effective drug smuggling interdiction.
While the president acknowledges that the synthetic opioid fentanyl is a huge killer in the US (which it is) and is supplied by drug gangs (which it is), to blame Venezuela for fentanyl production is simply incorrect.
Mexican cartels produce fentanyl with precursors largely supplied from China, and it is from Mexico - America's neighbour - that the fentanyl is smuggled directly into the United States across its southern border.
Venezuela isn't involved in this fentanyl business in any meaningful way, and I know this because I have reported from the Sinaloa cartel's fentanyl production labs in Mexico.
The Mexican cartels are very proud of their business, and from my experience covering this story over the years, when the drugs cartels are proud of something, and it makes them a lot of money - which fentanyl does - they don't share the market with anyone, and certainly not with Venezuela.
President Trump is right that Venezuela is now a large supplier of other illegal drugs, especially cocaine, but they come from countries like Colombia, Peru, and Bolivia, which are the largest producers of the coca leaf in the world (the coca leaf is what cocaine is made from).
Venezuela, which borders Colombia, is largely a transit country to the Caribbean in the same way that Ecuador, which also borders Colombia, is a transit country to the Pacific.
Neither Venezuela nor Ecuador are significant drug producers.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.sky.com ...
He should perhaps be looking there in the first place? They’re the bigger culprits in any case
Clearly these are just sailboats out for slow and innocent Sunday cruises. I think I saw three spinnakers or something on the back of the ones on the Skynews videos.
there are a lot of motives going into this war. Primary is that they want to boot Maduro.
There are many reasons why it’s not a good policy
I think the anger and policy is misdirected
“I’m a bit confused as to why you are so focused on where the narcotics are going. Maybe one boatload really was headed for Europe.”
My thinking is that the drugs are fungible in that if we cut off the flow to Europe, prices will skyrocket in Europe and drive more efforts to supply Europe. Guess who loses in that scenario - the US, and that’s a good thing, regardless of what Libertarians want us to think.
We'll see how brave you are. We'll see how fast you'll be running. We'll see how brave you are. We'll see.
I didn’t say they were
Many are up to no good im sure but this journalist says they’re going to Europe when they go via Caribbeann
“What has that got to do with the now and present”
Precedent!
Think Marbury vs. Madison. The legal system worships precedent.
Drug wars can be fought by military means.
I, probably like Rand, would like to see these boats flared [Stop!] first.
The journalist is saying the most deadly stuff is from Mexico cartels
So this is a waste of time/resources
The picture is not clear. The motives are: Make money from an apetite for escape from reality. That transcends boundaries.
“The journalist is saying the most deadly stuff is from Mexico cartels. So this is a waste of time/resources.”
Any word on what you guys will claim when we start bombing Mexican drug operations, since that is likely next? Perhaps you guys will then shift the blame to Canada? or Lichtenstein?
The Mexico cartels are the worst of the worst. I’m sure the journalist is right. Focus should be there..
China has been allowed to gain a major foothold in both Central and South America. The raw ingredient can be delivered from China to anywhere South of the border. That walk/drive in border has been closed since Trump became president. It only makes sense for them to find another way to bring it it, by boat to Cali for instance. Which Central/South American country’s leader is corrupt and insane enough to allow that? I give you Madurno.
It’s a load of bullshit. The author reveals his profound ignorance in nearly every sentence.
It shouldn’t happen without Congress involvement whatever the case
I haven’t watched his report yet but it’s not BS and he has no axe to grind as far as I know
“It shouldn’t happen without Congress involvement whatever the case”
That horse left the barn after World War 2.
Perhaps time to put it back in
Like I am going to Dox RF... lol
All I can say is that it was a Libertarian forum and we were both way way too Conservative for them. The Libertarians have been infiltrated by the left and neither of us wanted it anymore... We both had much more in common with the folks here at the Free Republic and ended up here. This was many years back now. And this forum is who RF is absolutely loyal to.
In fact RF will not even come join my forum own because he is loyal to the FR. But... He is not going to be forced to conform to strict mob guardrails and group think. And neither am I, nor should we be forced to. Does the FR require that everyone be absolutely lockstep with the group think and herd mentality? That would be an echoboard like Bluesky wouldn’t it?
Sure he has.
Two Al Qaeda American hostages were killed in one of the raids.
Refute these.
Rand Paul defends Obama, drone strikes
Rand Paul Defends Obama's Drone Mistake
Rand Paul stands by Obama over drone attack
Rand Paul Defends Obama on Drones
Rand Paul Compared Trump Cartel Strike To Lynching, Backed Obama Accidentally Droning Two Americans
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