Posted on 11/01/2025 11:27:20 AM PDT by Red Badger
President Trump said on Friday that he’s yet to make a final decision on launching a military attack on Venezuela, but President Nicolás Maduro is not waiting around while taking the US leader’s word on it.
Maduro is reportedly urgently reaching out to Russia, China, and Iran for any possible military aid, including defense items which may have already been negotiated or are in the works. The Washington Post says it’s obtained internal documents showing such recent and high-stakes requests.
“Amid a buildup of American forces in the Caribbean, Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro is reaching out to Russia, China and Iran to enhance its worn military capabilities and solicit assistance, requesting defensive radars, aircraft repairs and potentially missiles, according to internal U.S. government documents obtained by The Washington Post,” the publication reports.
“The requests to Moscow were made in the form of a letter meant for Russian President Vladimir Putin and was intended to be delivered during a visit to the Russian capital by a senior aide this month,” WaPo continues.
And separately, Maduro is said to have sent a formal letter to Chinese President Xi Jinping seeking “expanded military cooperation” between the two countries in order to counter “the escalation between the U.S. and Venezuela.”
Maduro in it seeks to expedite Chinese companies’ production of radar detection systems based on prior deals, in cooperation between Caracas and Beijing which has long been an open secret.
“In the missive, Maduro emphasized the seriousness of perceived U.S. aggression in the Caribbean, framing U.S. military action against Venezuela as action against China due to their shared ideology,” the documents state according to the Post.
Transport Minister Ramón Celestino Velásquez is also reported to have sought military equipment from the Islamic Republic of Iran. He conveyed that his country needs—
“passive detection equipment”
“GPS scramblers”
“drones with 1,000 km [600 mile] range”
Meanwhile the growing list of US naval assets that Maduro is facing in the Caribbean region…
As of today, the following U.S. Navy warships are in the Caribbean:
USS Iwo Jima
USS San Antonio
USS Stockdale
USS Jason Dunham
USS Gravely
USS Lake Erie
USS Wichita
USS Gettysburg
There's also the MV Ocean Trader, a special operations vessel, and the USS Newport News, a submarine.
The Gettysburg arrived in the Caribbean yesterday from Norfolk, VA.
USS Fort Lauderdale was in the Caribbean, but is now in port in Mayport, FL.
The Ford carrier group is still in the Mediterranean at the moment and was ordered west last Friday:
USS Gerald R. Ford USS Mahan USS Winston S. Churchill USS Bainbridge
But the reality is that despite obvious cooperation over the years – including Russian, Chinese, and Iranian military assets and personnel showing up at the occasional Venezuela military parade or state ceremony – these countries have their own problems to worry about, and are unlikely to want to poke Donald Trump at this sensitive moment in America’s “own backyard”.
With US sanctions on, and prior examples of interdictions on the high seas, even if Russia or China wanted to quickly assist Maduro as he’s under the US bullseye it could prove logistically impossible.
I’m not in favor of US nation building, but this guy is not even the legitimate leader of his country; he just orchestrated a coup to get into power. He needs to be taken out. I’m not saying WE should be the ones taking him out.
So Liberty Daily is reporting a Zero Hedge article which is reporting a Washington Post "thingy." Qualifies as Chinese whispers. Which isn't Chinese, also called the "telephone game."
Given the original is Washington Post, yawn.
He had his chance to stop the drugs didn't, F em.
Venezuela will need to rebuild itself. Maybe US businesses can offer to help if it’s both safe and financially beneficial. But boots on the ground to pacify a country controlled by cartels? No effing way.
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Trump is enforcing the Monroe Doctrine. Long past due. This is not nation building.
Maduro will be lucky if he gets their answering machines.
This will only get interesting if the Rooskies, Iranians, Chicoms, and Cubans start pulling people and assets out. If they start putting assets in, then maybe there will be a delay..
I’m all for bombing boats that are trafficking drugs or, maybe, even hitting cartel targets in Venezuela and elsewhere. But, how is a potential military-induced regime change operation any different than the war in Iraq?
So, you want to go to war with Venezuela?
He’ll get an Israeli beeper instead
Do you want the snake to keep striking at a risk that it gets a hit?
One of the most important principles of international law is the prohibition against the use of force. This rule is codified in Article 2(4) of the United Nations Charter. Article 2(4) provides that a UN member state cannot threaten or use force against the territorial integrity or political independence of another state, or in any way that diverges from the purposes of the UN.
Well, if the UN says we can’t defend ourselves, I guess we just have to roll over.
I wish I could, but that is what it will take to stop this crap.
IIRC, the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group was estimated to make it on station off of Venezuela this Monday (3 Nov).
Blowing up drug boats and, perhaps, target cartel assets is sufficient to prevent drugs from flowing from Venezuela to the our borders.
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