Preparation for war or a Trumpian bluff?
The Wall Street Journal reports U.S. Moves Troops and Additional Special Operations Aircraft Into Caribbean
The U.S. moved large numbers of special-operations aircraft, troops and equipment into the Caribbean area this week, giving Washington additional options for possible military action in Venezuela, according to U.S. officials and open source flight-tracking data.
“We have a massive armada formed, the biggest we’ve ever had, and by far the biggest we’ve ever had in South America,” he said Monday. Referring to the possibility of land strikes in Venezuela, he said: “Soon we will be starting the same program on land.”
The White House and the Department of Defense didn’t return requests for comment.
At least 10 CV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft, which are used by special-operations forces, flew into the region Monday night from Cannon Air Force Base in New Mexico, according to an official. C-17 cargo aircraft from Fort Stewart and Fort Campbell Army bases arrived Monday in Puerto Rico, according to flight-tracking data. A different U.S. official confirmed that military personnel and equipment were transported on planes.
It isn’t clear what types of troops and equipment the aircraft were transporting. Cannon is home to the 27th Special Operations Wing, while the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, an elite U.S. special operations unit, and the 101st Airborne Division are based at Fort Campbell. The first battalion of the 75th Ranger Regiment is based at Hunter Army Airfield, at Fort Stewart.
The 27th Special Operations Wing and 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment are trained to support high-risk infiltration and extraction missions and provide close air and combat support. Army Rangers are trained to seize airfields and provide security for specialized forces, such as SEAL Team Six or Delta Force, during a precise kill or capture mission.
“They are prepositioning forces to take action,” said David Deptula, a retired Air Force lieutenant general and dean of the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, an aerospace think tank. The movement of such assets indicates that the administration already has decided on a course of action. “The question that remains is to accomplish what?” he said.
Meanwhile, the U.S. has been pouring additional firepower into the region, including a squadron of F-35A jet fighters, EA-18G Growler electronic warfare planes and HH-60W rescue helicopters. They have joined an armada of warships, including five destroyers, an aircraft carrier strike group and a Marine amphibious ready group.
Ready for War? For What?
“The question that remains is to accomplish what?” said said David Deptula, a retired Air Force lieutenant general and dean of the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies.
It’s a standard ploy to rally around the president when there is a war, at least initially.
“It is crucial for the wider world to note, this great transformation has not come from Western interventionists flying in with lectures on how to live or how to govern your own affairs,” Trump said, declaring that “the so-called ‘nation-builders’ wrecked far more nations than they built.”
Did you vote for more warmonger meddling? I suspect if you voted for Trump you did not.
But now that Trump is doing that, what’s your current position?
At least one person sees the light.
War Already Started
Senator Rand Paul says Seizure of Oil Tankers in Caribbean Is a ‘Prelude to War’
“I’m not for confiscating these liners. I’m not for blowing up these boats of unarmed people that are suspected of being drug dealers. I’m not for any of this,” Paul told ABC News’ “This Week” co-anchor Jonathan Karl.
Paul also described the administration’s policy of handling suspected drug traffickers as “bizarre and contradictory.”
“And then why is the former president [Juan Orlando] Hernandez of Honduras, who was in jail for 45 years, why is he released?” Paul asked. “So, some narco-terrorists are really OK and other narco-terrorists we’re going to blow up. And then some of them, if they’re not designated as a terrorist, we might arrest them.”
I disagree with Paul.
An Act of War, Not a Prelude
The Encyclopedia Britannica notes that a naval blockade is legally considered an act of war under international law.
Blockade, an act of war whereby one party blocks entry to or departure from a defined part of an enemy’s territory, most often its coasts. Blockades are regulated by international law and custom and require advance warning to neutral states and impartial application.
Yesterday, I noted US Oil Blockade of Venezuela Pushes Cuba Into Economic Collapse
Cuba was already in dire straits. Oil is the finishing touch.
Republican Congresswoman Calls Trump’s Immigration Policies Un-American
In case you missed it, please note Republican Congresswoman Calls Trump’s Immigration Policies Un-American
Miami Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar rips Trump.
In the statement, Salazar — one of only a few Cuban Americans in Congress — said the new policy amounted to “collective punishment” of “the innocent for the sins of the guilty.”
Punishment of the innocent. That’s what blockades do.
And “the so-called ‘nation-builders’ wrecked far more nations than they built,” said Trump. Indeed.
The best thing about the Caribbean is there are so many little islands you can invade.
My best friend since grade school is a retired marine and his kid is in the Air Force and is part of the 3 man crew flying that crazy looking thing. I pray he isn’t down there but since his team is really good I wouldn’t be surprised and i’m almost too afraid to ask his dad as I know he already has sleepless nights over it. Just flying the damn thing is a major health hazzard, let alone going to combat in it. God help us, we’re going to need it.
The Osprey will have to do until Americans can build an even more complicated aircraft with even more complex and disastrous mechanical and electrical issues.
I wonder if this is posturing to protect exon and chevron Guyana projects.Maduro has threatened to seize that land.
Maduro will end up with an Exxon Flag stabbed on top of his grave. But Maduro is only a small part as the new Vietnam 10x will prove.
The Nuremberg Tribunal established international law: starting an unprovoked war is the worst crime against humanity. The penalty then was hanging until they were dead.
Mish they deployed the Vermont Air Natl Guard F-35s to P. Rico. Doesn’t the regular Air Force have these planes? The whole thing is a clown show
The base in Vermont was one of the first National Guards to get the F-35.? On the other side of the lake at Plattsburg there is a repurposed air base that can take the biggest bombers and aircraft. Perhaps you don’t know it but through the Lake Champlain Valley there has been the only major invasions of US territory. There were three major ones and several minor ones. It has been the scene of armies numbering tens of thousands on each side and fleets of ships armed with up to 40 cannon. The burning of Washington was just a raid but the ones coming down from Canada were true large-scale invasions that fortunately failed.
Yes. The US declaration of war against Britain in June 1812. Which led to US attacks and British reprisals. Here are the most important British incursions.
Detroit (August 1812): British General Isaac Brock, with Indigenous allies led by Tecumseh, forced the surrender of Detroit. This was one of the earliest and most humiliating defeats for the U.S.Lake Champlain & Plattsburgh (1814): British forces invaded New York from Canada, aiming to cut off New England. They were repelled at the Battle of Plattsburgh, but it was a major offensive.Niagara Frontier (1813–1814): Repeated raids and battles occurred along the Niagara River, including the burning of Buffalo by British and Canadian forces in December 1813.Lake Erie & Ohio frontier: British and Canadian forces fought U.S. troops in attempts to control the Great Lakes, though they lost naval supremacy after the Battle of Lake Erie (1813).Chesapeake Bay raids (1813–1814): Before and after the burning of Washington, British forces raided towns along the Chesapeake, including Havre de Grace, Maryland, and Hampton, Virginia.Maine (1814): British forces from Canada occupied parts of northern Maine (then part of Massachusetts), holding territory until the war’s end.
Thanks for this!
My pleasure. History is fascinating.
You must add the Battle of Saratoga during the Revolutionary War and it was perhaps the most important one because it turned the tide and got France to come out on the side of the US. The British invasion force came down the Champlain Valley. Before that there was the French and Indian War in 1754-1753. The French and Indian forces under Montcalm descended the Champlain Valley taking fort after fort with the aim of capturing Albany but ran out of supplies (Last of the Mohicans movie). There were earlier French lead raids during the King William’s War and Queen Anne’s War as well. The Battle of Valcour Island during the early Revolutionary War was a masterpiece of defense by an inferior force and is still studied today. Benedict Arnold was a military genius. Too bad he turned his coat. One of my daughters lives in Vermont and we have been over there looking at battle sites. Quite impressive and a very beautiful area.
I visited Ft. Ticonderoga as a child.
It was in a beautiful location.
Nice! Thanks!
It was the first to get the F-35s, 20 of them. But the point was more about why they are being called up instead of our regular AF? (Which has many F-35s)
“At least one person sees the light.”
Does she really?
It’s strange that someone who would have observed the U.S. executive branch during the president’s first term would have gone into the 2024 campaign thinking that his actions would match his words. Portraying herself as duped implies she is a fool, but absolves herself of any responsibility. Perhaps it’s a marketing ploy to get a few left-leaning followers in her social media harem.
That aside, the whole ‘no new wars’ gambit was an effective one. The general population does not want war, they are led to it. The desire for peace is especially strong this time of year, as history showed during the Franco-Prussian war in 1870 and, much more famously, during the Christmas Truce in 1914.
Preparation for a war crime.
When I was a kid I always though Medieval castle sieges were barbaric. Ahead to the past.
You’ll need a significant false flag attack to get most Mericans behind an invasion. But then again, they stopped the viewing of dead service men and women returning in caskets, so who knows?
When Madoro will wake up about the trade of empires?
Can t he realize that he isn t getting gehran drones from Russia that could be used to attack mainland Ukraine?
The Us drops Taiwan and Ukraine. In exchange, he gets Venezuela. Meanwhile, all the sheeps in this world of empire of wolves get false reassurance from their allies they are protected.
And don’t forget that Israel gets Iran
Under UNCLOS Article 110, warships may board if there are reasonable grounds to suspect a vessel lacks nationality. That was the justification for the three vessels stopped that they were not officially linked to any state and are therefore considered illegal especially dangerous since they are carrying oil. In a mishap who pays for the cleanup for example? Obviously, this is the way to cut off the shadow fleets. Don’t know if it will work but there is no officially declared blockade and since the ships are stateless, they are fair game. In the meantime I see no invasion happening, just threats of invasion.
Yet they were announced as “seized Venezuelan tankers”.
Sorry that the lid just got slammed on your hand in the cookie jar…
There you are showing your ignorance. The US government said they were transporting oil from Venezuela only and never said the ships were themselves Venezuelan. I am sure though the media you follow did call them Venezuelan but that is because they did not read what the US government lawyers actually said. The lawyers strictly stuck to the wording of the international law regarding stateless ships. Perhaps you do not know but there are sister efforts in Europe to cut down the stateless “shadow fleet” especially in the Baltic. It is an international effort. Your error comes from not researching before you write. Next time do the research before.
Oil!
For close to two hundred years there has been war and suffering of regular folks to have control of oil. The people of the middle east has been raped and burned to gain control by the colonialist.
So it isn’t about drugs? I agree.
And you think it is about oil? That is a possibility. Or is this how you justify Trump attacking Venezuela and taking their oil? Which is interesting since Trump often proclaims (incorrectly) that the US has more oil than any other country and just needs to “drill baby drill”.
Others think it is about regime change. Or to distract from the Epstein files. Or to gain support during the mid-term elections. Or to be at war and then stop elections.
Still, others think Trump simply looks at a map and picks out large countries that might be easy to take over. Then he comes up with a story to justify his ambition to take them over. He isn’t interested in small countries.
It’s all about the oil and a few critical minerals! This is all pretty consistent the same playbook that has been used for several decades and taken to the next level by Bush/Cheney. Today it’s rebranded as “narco-terrorism” and the war on drugs to pacify at least some of the population. A play that could have easily been a chapter out of the Project for a New American Century. It’s not being executed nearly as well as what Cheney/Wolfowitz/Rumsfeld would be doing – nonetheless, the results will be the same. Merry Christmas and how about the those Patriots this year!
This is the least scrupulous administration in all of history, at least in America.
I’m personally 95% sure they’re pursuing war primarily for the sake of winning the midterms next year. Trump has explicitly said it’s great for the party in power when there is war. He only cares about winning. He’s too stupid to see how that general historical trend could backfire in this case.
They’ll use war as an excuse to seize new political power, invent some new emergency powers, and if all else fails they’ll try to suspend elections or overturn unfavorable results.
Mind you, as wild as my assertions are, he or his administration have all said very similar things.
I don’t think your assertions are wild; they may be right-on. Nothing new under the sun, however, as these are pages torn right from the Dumbya playbook. He had a 90% approval rating at one time. Kinda a reflection of the population at the time.
Show Trump a nation with oil resources, and he will find an excuse to invade.
Salivating to take over Greenland which has abundant resources.
You mean Presidents Bush 1 and 2
Yes, to include both Bush nightmares of offensive – oil centric twisting of our nations priorities.
The immigration gravy train is over.
I voted for the guy specifically because he promised to end the NEOCON’s pathetic mantra of “endless wars”. He sadly is being proven to be a liar on that issue, as he moves our nation closer to another needless war; and this one (as others in the past) are centered around oil…surprise surprise!
Ditto. Their kids and donors and the donors’ kids should go in first. And die first.
Do bone spurs run in his family?
He has me wondering if is playing good cop strategy with Putin. Europe is the bad cop. Could be a military exercise for the actor.
Mish, have a question. As I understand $3 trillions coming due first of the year. How it will get refinanced? What will be consequences of it? What it will do to price of gold and interest rates? Just curious! I think it’s relevant to this thread. USA needs collateral to refinance, and getting Venezuela oil is what they want!
Pardon my English , as always!
My significant other told me commitments for T-bill auctions are exceptionally strong. Some auctions are meeting their commitment goals 2-4 weeks in advanced for 4, 6, and 8 week T-bills. That implies a rotation out of stocks in January and February.
Americans:
Their leaders will cross a frozen river to kill you in your sleep on Christmas Eve.
Don’t laugh, They have done it before…
If Canada and Greenland thought Trump was kidding when he threatened to invade their nations, they better reassess the present leadership of their former ally!
The last bully to threaten to take over the world united most of the world against him
History does not repeat itself, but it sure does rhyme!
<<<>>>
F..king Hessians. Are you a Hessian lover?
I’m all for bombing the hell out of Venezuela as they released their prisoners into the US.
Sending billions of dollars worth of drugs that is killing Americans every day…
May we destroy and kill the drug cartels once and for all…
Of course you are. And don’t forget Canada, Mexico and China.
And the evil island with the penguins that Trump tariffed.
You can still enlist and go bomb women and children to satisfy your bloodlust.
Are you writing from Foggy Bottom or GCHQ? One look at your teeth is all I need.
The big jefe is going to bring the empire to a close soon enough he was hired to do it endless wars tariffs war on citizens 1 trillion to the pentagon ,to make sure you all understand the empire is on his last hurrah the defense is now war department is it clear enough, wars will drain whatever is left……
How do you square that view with the fact Trump pardoned Juan Orlando Hernández of Honduras a few weeks ago, who was convicted by the U.S. of smuggling drugs into the U.S. and sentenced to 30 years in prison?
Not to be confused with the great El Duque.
Plea bargain in exchange for information and cooperation.
Information on how to turn the illicit drug trade into a Trump enterprise?
Another sick and deranged comment by a mentally broken moron.
I get that Trump has the attention span of a kitten. I get that he’s afraid of Rubio for some reason. But hands off Venezuela! Hands off everybody FFS.
Is he trying to imitate the invasion of Panama?
That took place near Christmas.
As an American, I’ll be glad when nations unite to fight the bully of the planet, the Divided States of America.
I do not want that, but unless Trump is removed from office it is becoming a likelihood.
An invasion creates the perfect excuse for a proxy drone war against our oil infrastructure in the gulf by China or Russia.
Trump’s behavior and actions are putting the world on notice to start developing their own nuclear arms and as fast as possible. The alternative is being invaded and having your resources stripped. These nations don’t need hundreds of nukes just two will do just fine. If 50 nations can each build 2 that’s enough to take care of M.A.D business.
I read somewhere Trump is back at it wanting Greenland again. The Danes better start refining uranium from somewhere. Let’s see if Canada is back on the menu too.
All other weapons and armies are irrelevant now. Those nations that can’t afford nukes better start stock piling stealth drones with explosive payloads.
Trump will say that Greenland is the main source of US drugs and use that excuse to attack them.
“Those nations that can’t afford nukes better start stock piling stealth drones with explosive payloads.”
They only need one and it can be small.
During Trump’s first term there was a lot of meddling going on in Venezuela’s affairs and now that he’s back in office, the meddling has resumed full scale.
I find it interesting that Venezuela seems to be a pet project of his, but we all know there are influential people behind the scenes actually pushing for it like they did during his first term.
My prediction is that once the US gains control of Venezuela’s oil, the narco-terrorist threat will magically disappear.
Once the oil revenue is back up and the narco money pales next to oil money, yes, the narco terrorists threat will be less influential.
Epstein pal Trump is trying to create the Mother of All Distractions with this Venezuela nonsense. Of course, when we destroy multiple countries throughout the region where do you think all their refugees are going to end up?
Right now the refugees are in neighboring countries surrounding Venezuela
Question is – is the TACO trade on?
Wag the dog.
War is the health of the state.
I have yet to vote, but if I ever do, it will be for Mish.
This is the most f*cked up President and Administration in the history of our country.
Sadly, I cannot do anything about it but watch in horror.
And look for ways to take advantage of the madness.
I feel sorry for our military personnel who will perish so Trump can distract American citizens from all his problems. They deserve better.
And once Venezuela is “accomplished”, the force can move on to Greenland, and after that Canada. /S
I was going to say the same thing.
Anyone who’s joined the U.S. military in the last 20 years hasn’t been paying attention.
May God bless our troops and may God bless our President as we make decisions to destroy the drug cartel that is responsible for killing hundreds of thousands of Americans
Another Foxwashed MAGA killer.
please don’t feed the rage-baiting troll.
Lol!
You forget that when Trump complained about drugs getting into our country over the last year, he blamed China, Mexico and Canada. He never mentioned Venezuela.
On Feb 1 Trump placed tariffs on China, Mexico and Canada over drugs.
On Apr 4, he addressed Congress, and said Canada and Mexico were the source of our drug problem.
On Apr 24, he posted on social media of the huge drug problem that was coming from Canada, Mexico and China.
On Dec 15, he issued an executive order declaring fentanyl a weapon of mass destruction and blamed China as the main source.
Oops. Now it’s Venezuela?
Shouldn’t he attack those other 3 countries first?
Yup!
I read on Zero Hedge Maduro complained to the United Nations concerning the massacre of innocent people of Palestine by Israel and this is why Trump began this we need Venezuela to be free of Maduro.
And the real drug problem isn’t supply it’s demand. End demand production and supply will die a silent death. The drug capitalists and entrepreneurs will find some other unlawful enterprise to invest their billions.
Correct. And demand will never end. Cut off supply from one source and a new source appears.
We’re not invading Mexico or Colombia, dolt.
What a smug fuckin asshole and the typical sentiment of the monied class of this country:
“Sadly, I cannot do anything about it but watch in horror.
And look for ways to take advantage of the madness.”
How about do something to fucking change it instead of looking out for yourself.
You first. Be my guest. And let me know how that works out.
Perhaps you can enlist and go kill innocent women and children to please Trump.
Personally, I’m not interested in doing that.
Sorry, need to disagree, a demented, stumbling, sleepy president with his neocons and kidnapping of the judicial and news outlets will go down in history as USA worse president.
forgot to mention the harm to regular tax payers with his open border policy which we will be paying for many more years in taxes and some in their blood.
No one has made more of a mockery of the Constitution than Trump.
Biden is not even in the ballpark compared to this idiot
Come on Mish.
Not saying that Trump is pushing the envelope, but he is listening and obeying the Courts when they rule against him.
Biden ignored SCOTUS on Student Loan forgiveness. He let 20 million illegal aliens into the country. He oversaw massive graft by allowing federal $$ to flow to NGOs that then donated to the Democrats. He screwed up the withdrawal from Afghanistan while tearing down the Military with DEI programs. The list goes on and on.
Trump has his downfalls but I would say that he and Biden are at least in the same ballpark.
Mish is correct. Biden was bad but Trump is taking things to a new level of horrific. The only thing Trump appears to be good at is brainwashing his cult followers.