White House: Former Citgo executives are 'hostages' in Venezuela

Washington Examiner ^ | March 19, 2018

[Balding_Eagle]

I hope President Trump gives a green light to a secret team of our military to go get them.

We all know that not only are they ready to do so, but they’re probably chomping at the bit.

[blueunicorn6]

Send a sandwich to Venezuela and you feed a man for a day.

Send an automatic weapon to Venezuela and you solve the problem.

[Thibodeaux]

or do nothing

if you lie with dogs, you get fleas

[Vendome]

Thought they were released last year.

Guess not...

[Reno89519]

They are dual citizens? Given US citizenship why/when? I'd really prefer we not get involved in Venezuela. What a mess, like Haiti. Remind ourselves of Powell's guidance, "You break it, you own it." In this case it is already broken. We step in, we'll get mired in it.

Now, a team to go in a rescue them? Maybe. How many Americans are still in Venezuela? Real ones, not dual citizenship.

[Reno89519]

Let me ask this question for discussion. Do and should dual citizens get full protection of our laws, our might? Consider that they become US citizens, under whatever pretenses that that occurred. They then return to their home country. While in Venezuela, are they US citizens or Venezuelans. I say the latter, they did not renounce their citizenship. I bet they took advantage of whichever citizenship gave them a better deal at any given point in time. I say if they are in Venezuela, as their citizens, that is an internal affair that is not our concern. If they are in the US, they will likewise, since they have US citizenship, then be treated as US citizens. Their bad luck to remain in Venezuela, to not renounce that citizenship. NOT OUR PROBLEM.

[GoldenPup]

Entebbe redux ?

[GoldenPup]

Entebbe redux ?

[Sam Gamgee]

I thought CITGO was just an arm of the Venezuelan government?

[Sam Gamgee]

Sort of what I was thinking. If you were scumbag enough to work for a front of the Chavez government, then why do we care?

[BobL]

They were fat, dumb, and happy getting rich while financing Chavez. Hard for me to feel sorry for them.

[Hot Tabasco]

. NOT OUR PROBLEM.

What do you suppose the attitude of the oppressed Venezuelan population would be towards the U.S. if we were instrumental in the removal of Maduro and his cronies from power?

But then again, we would be accused by the leftists of doing it for the oil companies......

Tough call.......

[shanover]

Venezuela: THE model of liberal utopia as proclaimed by Bernie Sanders and many on the left. Obama had a kindred socialist brother in the pig Chavez.

That country has the oil riches to be self sustaining and modern but the country is a failed state like most.

[Reno89519]

And how much would it cost? Money and lives to first liberate Venezuela, then rebuild it. Would we get ownership? Would be nice to put the country in receivership and run it, draw off profits to pay for recovery and all. New colonialism I guess, but why not? If we are stuck helping sh1th013 countries like Venezuela, Haiti, Mexico, etc., might as well get something for our effort.

[Chode]

so what?

[Enchante]

Maybe time to reprise a version of that famous line Teddy Roosevelt used with the North African bandits... “XXXXXX alive or Maduro dead.” We don’t need to risk any of our own forces.... a few cruise missiles can punish Maduro quite effectively.

[DoughtyOne]

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[Honest Nigerian]

Sort of what I was thinking. If you were scumbag enough to work for a front of the Chavez government, then why do we care?
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I pretty much agree with the above. Relevant facts are missing..............

[neverevergiveup]

"I hope President Trump gives a green light to a secret team of our military to go get them. We all know that not only are they ready to do so, but they’re probably chomping at the bit."

Agreed. I would also make a statement that those who feel they are being held hostage in socialist Venezuela, and who want to escape socialism, can apply for political asylum.