Reports over the last few days of the Trump Administration gearing up
for attacking Venezuela militarily are growing considerably. National
Security Adviser John Bolton greatly added to that by brandishing a
legal pad in front of reporters with the words “5,000 troops to Colombia” written on it.
This, combined with days of reports about military intervention, started
immediate speculation that the US is preparing to station large numbers
of troops in Colombia, on the border of Venezuela. Officials, including
Bolton, made no attempt to discourage this idea, saying “all options
are on the table.”
Fox News quoted “sources” who confirmed this actually is a plan under consideration, to pre-position troops ahead of a war. They did, however, say that no such move is “imminent.”
Though officials are trying to pass Bolton’s notepad off as a mistake,
that seems difficult to believe. Bolton, after all, is among the most
hawkish members of an administration that’s being very keen to engage in
military intervention in Venezuela. This seems tailor-made as a trial
balloon.
Indeed, over the course of the weekend administration officials were
already making it clear that war is on the table to impose regime change
in Venezuela. Bolton himself emphasized that there would be sanctions
attempted first, but officials are so hawkish on Venezuela that even Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) expressed surprise at it.
As a longtime resident here in Colombia, I have this to say to Bolthead: You and your troops can go to hell!
Okay, we know where you stand (and I whole-heartedly agree). But that aside, I assume there is a spectrum of political views in Colombia. So what do you, as a person there on the scene with first hand experience, assess the wider attitude toward Bolton’s “5,000 troops” bully bluster will be?
We’ll see what tomorrow’s El Tiempo has to say – but in general, from past experiences, Colombians want the US to butt out, including drug wars…
xxx
@ yomama: Well, there is no mention in El Tiempo of Bolton and his army. The front page and the next were full of articles about Venezuela, but no Bolton. There are about 1,000,000 Venezulanos here. Saludos…
I appreciate your front line report.
If you would — as someone on the scene — please help again with some first hand information.
Those 1,000,000 Venezulanos,… what sector of society do they come from? As I understand it, Venezuelan society is “stratified”: Indios at the bottom, mestizos in the middle, and the petro-oligarchs and more modest, yet still privileged descendants of the European colonial (formerly) ruling class.
So who is fleeing Venezuela? And by all means feel free to correct my rudimentary notions of the composition of Venezuelan society.
Everyone from prostitutes to medical doctors (and petroleum engineers). I really haven’t seen any surveys, just my impressions from the news. I have been in Venezuela several times, but in the 80’s before Chavez. The society was heavily weighted with lower class and poor, one of the reasons that Chavez came to power. Petro dollars went in the bank accounts of the elite. Gasoline was and is heavily subsidized. Hope that was helpful…
If Trump had said up front that Bolton would be in his administration, he would have lost millions of votes. Bolton needs to be arrested, given a fair trial and hung.
Nah, use some experimental drugs that leave him writhing in agony for a few hours. And bring in an audience of people from countries we’ve bombed to smithereens and let them enjoy the show. Then hang him.
Why bother? Just gift wrap him and deliver him to any of hundreds of places around the globe. Let the people there know when the delivery is being made and….. well, I’m sure they can figure out what to do.
Perhaps a lottery could be used to determine who gets him. Proceeds going to Bolton’s numerous victims.
Yeah, or that.
Right you are! When I sent my campaign contribution to the Trump campaign, I sent a note with it telling Trump to not appoint Bolton to anything. I won’t be sending anymore money to the Trump 2020 campaign.
It was Bibzy Nutty&Yahoo in Tel Aviv who actually appointed Bonkers Bolton as Trump’s closest adviser. Trump wouldn’t have done it on his own, since he doesn’t even like the man.
Bonkers Bolton and Bibzy Nutty&Yahoo are quite close buddies; so, it’s quite certain that he’d insert this lunatic in the White House as Trump’s adviser.
I think Sheldon Aldesen likes bonkers too. He likes his loyalty.
Absolutely, Vic. If Trump said up front that Bonkers Bolton would be in his administration, he would’ve lost millions of votes .. Therefore, Bonkers must’ve been foisted on him by the corrupt Israeli PM, Bibzy Nutty&Yahoo. I wholeheartedly agree, Bonkers must be arrested, given a fair trial and hanged .. so must Pompous Pompeo. They’re both evil traitors.
So why did Bolton have to write “5000 troops to Columbia” on a notepad? Does he have dementia and has to remind himself? And why would he be so f**king stupid to be “brandishing” that notepad in front of reporters? Makes one wonder.
It’s called “trolling.” Old-style, but same concept.
Next on the agenda, another “humanitarian” fictitious “coalition of the willing” or some such to save Venezuela. Venezuelan expatriates will surface explaining how 99% of the people are going to be thrilled to see American troops marching through the streets. The groundwork has been laid.
Latin American nations will be signing up for loot provided by DC. Cash will flow into the pockets of the powerful. The msm will have the opportunity to breathlessly gush over how beautiful the bombs and missiles are.
What’s not to like? And it’s all being done to help those poor Venezuelan people. One big virtue signal coming right up.
And if you oppose it; …… why do you hate the Venezuelan people?
I really hope I’m wrong.
I already believe you’re wrong, and that has to do with Russia (and possibly China) coming to Venezuela’s aid. The US isn’t going to risk a war with either Russia or China, and definitely not both. There won’t be US troops marching down the streets of Caracas; the Venezuela military’s behind the twice democratically elected Nicolas Maduro.
Trump already told Maduro he wants to negotiate, not invade. He’ll have to fire both Bonkers Bolton and Pompous Pompass and hand them over to the DOJ for indictments and prosecution – and hand over the worst traitor, Elliot Abrams, as well. It would be a great day to see the 3 of them hanging from a lamp post or a tree for people to view.
Not a chance that either Russia or China will intervene.
No money for healthcare here
Plenty of money to end healthcare there
So what form will the “false flag” event take, and how many innocent Americans will have to die in order for the Deep State to get yet another profitable war?
This is about oil, and the US feels that if we don’t get the oil China will and that messes up our plans for continued world domination. The tactics are similar to New York mob strong arm threats and tons of cash to those who cooperate and Hell to pay to those who don’t. We have become a criminal nation.
To add Abrams the mass murderer to Bolton who would love to be makes a fitting trio of tyranny with Pompass the saintly Christian.
Naw, war weariness is rampant, it wont make it thru congress. Cant use the war on terror authorization, or NATO. Perhaps a proxy war using the new fascists in Brazil, with the usual CIA/mercenary 5th column.
They’ve given the oil revenue to the fascist puppet nobody already so now all they have to do is wait until enough people starve and jump ship.
If Maduro is smart he’ll sell that oil to China or Russia and cut off the US altogether. Otherwise just resign and allow this guy to finish off the country since the whole idea is to make the entire country a plantation for US oligarchs anyway.
the actual president can legally arrest the new pretender under the same laws every nation has for impersonating a government official, nothing dramatic just a con man going to prison, no need for a trial there are a dozen videos where he does it publicly. see what happens then. all countries have the right to govern their own nations without interference from the US, where is the US when Zimbawe killed 2 million people where is the US now preventing the buddist from slaughtering the muslims???? oh that right no oil no interference, just world invading nazi scum are all American governments, china and russia need to send troops now to end this world invading reign of terror and slaughter of children as in every country they have attacked to date. this is chinas chance to save the world from america
“the actual president can legally arrest the new pretender”
According to the National Assembly, acting under color of article 233 of the Venezuelan Constitution, the actual president is Juan Guaido.
that act is not valid without actual court accepted proof, and no such hearings or submission were ever made much less heard, sorry everyone would be president if simply citing the constitution were enough
I’m not an expert on the Venezuelan constitution. Perhaps their system is different from everyone else’s. Everywhere else that I know of, when Congress acts it isn’t automagically held in abeyance until the courts get around to approving it. It’s law until and unless it is successfully CHALLENGED in court.
Has Maduro filed any challenge to the Assembly’s action with any Venezuelan court?
actually congress cannot oust the US president summarily either, he would have to be impeached and that would require a proof of a criminal act, it is no different there than the US, and if so only someone from his party, not the opposition would and could take his place, even under the British system the only thing it would do is trigger an election and still not oust the leader, only his own party can do that under a British system, under a presidential system it would require an impeachment, their country still requires the same actions for a court held trial for a noted crime, unfortunately shitty governance is not a crime or the world would be a better place everywhere.
Impeachment/removal in the US doesn’t require proof of a criminal act.
yes it does and a court trial https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impeachment_in_the_United_States
Nope. No court trial. The trial is held by the US Senate, and a “high crime or misdemeanor” is whatever the House decides that day it wants one to be. Impeachment is a political process, not a criminal process.
yes, but it is simply a word for being charged it does not remove them without a court trial “At the federal level, Article I, Section 2, Clause 5 of the Constitution grants to the House of Representatives “the sole power of impeachment”, and Article I, Section 3, Clause 6 grants to the Senate
“the sole Power to try all Impeachments”. In considering articles of
impeachment, the House is obligated to base any charges on the
constitutional standards specified in Article II, Section 4: “The President, Vice President, and all civil Officers of the United States shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, “and conviction” of, ”
The impeached official remains in office until a
is held. That trial, and their removal from office if
, is separate from the act of impeachment itself.”
Which part of “impeachments are tried by the Senate, not a court” isn’t clear?