[Note: this article was written for the Unz Review]
Amidst the worldwide pandemic induced scare most of us have probably lost track of all the other potential dangers which still threaten international peace and stability. Allow me to list just a few headlines which, I strongly believe, deserve much more attention than what they got so far. Here we go:
- Military Times: “5 Iran tankers sailing to Venezuela amid US pressure tactics“
- Time: “5 Iranian Tankers Head to Venezuela Amid Heightened Tensions Between U.S. and Tehran“
- Fox News: “Iran tankers sailing to Venezuela in effort to undermine US sanctions“
Notice that Military Times speaks of “US pressure tactics”, Time of “tensions” and Fox News of “efforts to undermine US sanctions”?
I don’t think that this is a coincidence. Folks in the US military are much more in touch with reality than the flag-waving prostitutes which some people call “reporters” or “journalists”.
Furthermore, the USA has embarked on a new policy to justify its acts of piracy on the high seas with something called Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (VBSS) all under the pretext of the war on drugs. To get a better understanding of the context of these developments I asked a specialist of Maritime issues of our community, NatSouth, who replied the following: (stress added)
If a ship does not comply with the request to be boarded, it is usual that the pursuing authorities must gain the permission of the ‘flag’ state prior to boarding, on the high seas and the pursuit has to have started in the coastal state’s jurisdictional waters. The caveat here is that in the Caribbean – Caribbean Regional Maritime Agreement (CRA) – (long name: Agreement Concerning Co-operation in Suppressing Illicit Maritime and Air Trafficking in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances in the Caribbean Area). So, there is an agreement with participating coastal states on boardings and pursuits in EEZs and the like. You can find more on the legal aspects of boardings at sea here: https://scholarlycommons.law.hofstra.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2344&context=hlr and more info on so-called “consensual boardings” here: https://www.lawteacher.net/free-law-essays/international-law/the-legal-implications-of-consensual-boarding-international-law-essay.php
The anti-drug/ counterterrorism angle allows the U.S. Navy and the USCG to carry out interdictions on the high seas. Important point to note whether this approach will be taken to interdict the tankers, given that Venezuela is a declared narco-State. The absurdity is that Venezuela isn’t the primary transit point in the region, Colombia holds that honour. https://orinocotribune.com/narco-state-the-report-that-leaves-venezuela-on-the-sidelines-of-the-cocaine-route/
If I could add at this point, the origins are that Venezuela didn’t wish to play ball with Washington anymore, specifically with the DEA back in 2005, squaring the circle of sorts, (or should that be a vicious circle cunningly used by Washington, because who is going to argue with that narrative, aka the war on terror). March: SOUTHCOM’s Adm. Faller: “There will be an increase in US military presence in the hemisphere later this year. This will include an enhanced presence of ships, aircraft, & security forces to reassure our partners… & counter a range of threats to include illicit narco-terrorism.” At the same time, the State dept released this https://twitter.com/StateDept/status/1260988270302777350 so the US could effectively carry out boardings under the guise of counterterrorism as well.
While the Iranian tankers were in the Mediterranean, Washington released a (delayed) “Global Maritime Sanctions Advisory”, to the maritime industry, setting out guidelines to shipowners and insurers to enable them to avoid the risks of sanctions penalties related to North Korea, Syria and Iran. This also concerns oil exports from Iran, (but doesn’t apply to Iranian flagged ships). This came after the State Dept gave warning notice to oil companies to stop operations, including Rosneft (Russia), Reliance (India) and Repsol (Spain).
Then NatSouth concluded the following:
Under international law, every merchant ship must be registered with a flag state, which has jurisdiction over the vessel. Hence, this time, the use of Iranian-flagged tankers, as a direct response from Washington’s latest version of restating “maximum pressure” campaign on enforcement of Iran and Venezuela sanctions, (back in Feb, literally the same language as in Aug 2019). There was talk back then of a naval embargo, which would a serious notch up in tensions. There was mention of the 4 U.S. warships in the Caribbean, the U.S. Navy tweeted about, but one the Preble went through the Panama Canal into the Pacific). https://twitter.com/USNavy/
status/1261325507473391618
Pretty clear, isn’t it?
What the USA is doing is substituting itself for the United Nations and it is now openly claiming the right to board any vessel under whatever kind of pious pretext like, say, narco-trafficing, nuclear proliferation, sanctions against so-called “rogue states”, etc. Clearly, the AngloZionists expect everybody to roll over and take it.
How likely is that?
Let’s look at a few Iranian headlines, all from PressTV:
- PressTV, May 16th: “Iran’s fuel shipment to Venezuela guaranteed by its missile power“
- PressTV, May 17th: “US aware Iran will respond ‘very strongly’ if Venezuela-bound ships attacked: Analyst“
- PressTV, May 18th: “Iran: US bears responsibility for any foolish act against tankers heading to Venezuela“
Three days in a row. I think that it is fair to assume that the Iranians are trying very hard to convince Uncle Shmuel not to mess with these tankers. Does anybody seriously believe that the Iranians are bluffing?
Before we look at some of the aspects of this potential crisis, let’s just mention a few things here.
First, the US is acting in total and official illegality. Just like the bombing of Syria, the threats to Iran, or the US murderous sanctions Uncle Shmuel imposes left and right – the blockade of Venezuela is a) totally illegal and b) an act of war under international law.
Second, if USN commanders think they can operate with impunity only because the Caribbean is far away from Iran, they are kidding themselves. Yes, Iranian forces cannot defend these tankers so far away from home, nor can they take any action against the USN in the Atlantic-Caribbean theater of naval operations. But what they can and will do is retaliate against any AngloZionist target in the Middle-East, including any oil/gas tanker.
Third, while Venezuela’s military is tiny and weak compared to the immensely expensive and bloated US military, being immensely expensive and bloated is no guarantee of success. In fact, and depending on how the Venezuelan leadership perceives its options, there could be some very real risk for the USA in any attempt to interfere with the free passage of these ships.
What do I mean by that?
Did you know that Venezuela had four squadrons of Su-30MKV for a total of 22 aircraft? Did you know that Venezuela also had an unknown number of Kh-31A supersonic anti-shipping missiles? And did you know that Venezuela had a number of S-300VM and 9K317M2 Buk-M2E long range and medium range SAMs?
True, that is nowhere near the amount of weapons systems Venezuela would need to withstand a determined US attack, but it is more than enough to create some real headaches for US planners. Do you remember what the Argentinian Air Force did to the British Navy during the Malvinas war? Not only did the Argentinians sink two Type 42 guided missile destroyers (the HMS Sheffield and the HMS Coventry) which were providing long-range radar and medium-high altitude missile picket for the British carriers, they also destroyed 2 frigates, 1 landing ship, 1 landing craft, 1 container ship. Frankly, considering how poorly defended the British carriers were, it is only luck which saved them from destruction (that, and the lack of sufficient number of Super Étendard strike aircraft and Exocet missiles). I would add here that the British military, having been defeated on many occasions, has learned the painful lessons of their past defeats and does not suffer from the cocky-sure attitude of the US military. As a result, they were very careful during the war against Argentina and that caution was one of the factors which gave Britain a well-deserved victory (I mean that in military terms only; in moral terms this was just another imperialist war with all the evil that entails). Had the Argentinians had a modern air force and enough anti-shipping missiles, the war could have taken a very different turn.
Returning to the topic of Venezuela, war is a much more complex phenomenon than just a struggle of military forces. In fact, I strongly believe that political factors will remain the single most important determinant factor of most wars, even in the 21st century. And chances are that the Venezuelans, being the militarily weaker side, will look to political factors to prevail. Here is one possible scenario among many other possible ones:
Caracas decides that the US seizing/attacking the Iranian tankers constitutes an existential threat to Venezuela because if that action goes unchallenged, then the US will totally “strangle” Venezuela. Of course, the Venezuelan military cannot take on the immense US military, but what they could do is force a US intervention, say by attacking one/several USN vessel(s). Such an attack, if even only partially successful, would force the US to retaliate, bringing US forces closer not only to Venezuelan air defenses, but also closer to the Venezuelan people which will see any US retaliation as an illegitimate counter-counter-attack following the fully legitimate Venezuelan counter-attack.
Then there is the problem of defining victory. In the US political “culture” winning is usually defined as pressing a few buttons to fire off some standoff weapons, kill lots of civilians, and then declare that the “indispensable nation” has “kicked the other guy’s ass”. The problem with that is the following one: if the other guy is very visibly weaker and has no chance for a military victory of his own, then the best option for him is to declare that “surviving is winning” – meaning that if Maduro stays in power, then Venezuela has won. How would the USA cope with that kind of narrative? Keep in mind that Caracas is a city of over two million people which even in peacetime is rather dangerous (courtesy of both regular crime and potential guerilla activities). Yet, for Maduro to “win” all he has to show is that he controls Caracas. Keep in mind that even if the US forces succeed in creating some kind of “zone of real democracy” somewhere near the Colombian border, that will mean nothing to Maduro, especially considering the terrain between the border and the capital city (please check out this very high resolution map of Venezuela or this medium resolution one). As for the notion of a USN landing on the shores of Venezuela, all we need to do is to remember how the immense Hodgepodge of units which were tasked with invading Grenada (including 2 Ranger Battalions, Navy Seals, most of an Airborne Division, etc. for a total of over 7,000 soldiers(!) against a tiny nation which never expected to be invaded (for details, and a good laugh, see here for a full list of participating US forces!) was defeated by the waves of the Caribbean and the few Cuban military engineers who resisted with small-arms fire (eventually, most of the 82AB was calling in to fix this mess).
In other words, if Maduro remains in power in Caracas then, in political terms, Venezuela wins even though it would lose in purely military terms.
This phenomenon is hardly something new, as shown by the following famous quote by Ho Chi Minh: “You can kill ten of my men for every one I kill of yours. But even at those odds, you will lose and I will win.”
By the way, this is exactly the same problem the Empire faces with Iran: as long as the Islamic Republic remains an Islamic Republic it “wins” in any exchange of strikes with the USA and/or Israel.
Still, it is pretty obvious that the US can turn much of Venezuela into a smoking heap of ruins. That is true (just like what the USA did to Korea, Vietnam, Iraq or Serbia and Israel what did to Lebanon in 2006). But that would hardly constitute a “victory” in any imaginable sense of the word. Again, in theory, the US might be able to secure a number of landing locations and then send in an intervention force which could try to take key locations in Caracas. But what would happen after that? Not only would the hardcore Chavistas trigger a guerilla insurrection which would be impossible to crush (when is the last time the USA prevailed in a counter-insurgency war?), but many Venezuelans would expect the US to pay for reconstruction (and they would be right, according to the rules of international law, “once you take it, you own it” meaning that the USA would become responsible for the socio-economic situation of the country). Finally, there is always the option of an anti-leadership “decapitating” strike of some kind. I believe that in purely military terms, the US has the know-how and resources to accomplish this. I do not believe that this option would secure anything for the USA, instead – it would further destabilize the situation and would trigger some kind of reaction by the Venezuelan military both outside and inside Venezuela. If anything, the repeated failures of the various coup attempts against Chavez and Maduro prove that the the bulk of the military remains firmly behind the Chavistas (and the failed coup only served to unmask the traitors and replace them anyway!).
The bottom line is this: if Uncle Shmuel decides to seize/attack the Iranian tankers, there is not only a quasi certitude of a war between the US and Iran (or, at the very least, an exchange of strikes), but there is also a non-trivial possibility that Maduro and his government might actually decide to provoke the USA into a war they really can’t win.
Is Trump capable of starting a process which will result in not one, but two wars?
You betcha he is! A guy who thinks in categories like “my button is bigger than yours” or “super-dooper weapons” obviously understands exactly *nothing* about warfare, while the climate of messianic narcissism prevailing among the US ruling classes gives them a sense of total impunity.
Let’s hope that cooler heads, possibly in the military, will prevail. The last thing the world needs today is another needless war of choice, never mind two more.
The Saker
Q: Will Trump really start *two* wars instead of “just” one?
A: Trump is a US politician, so he certainly knows what can and what cannot be sold to a reactionary and backward US public: Zionism, lawfare against China, anti-immigrant fortification of the border with Mexico, and lots of other fascist depravities that have already taken place under his watch internationally. Trump and his exceptional and indispensable compatriots would gladly start any (non-zero) number of wars to MAGA.
Good situational report.
However, there are three elements not mentioned which may alter the war plans of the US Southern Command.
Russian specialists working with the Venezuelan military. Russian PMCs integrated with the Venezuelans. Cuban military and special services integrated with police and security units.
We just saw the coup attempt and capture of American soldiers of misfortune sent by Eliot Abrams and Marco Rubio, et al. A bunch of others in the kidnap or kill party shot dead. Russians in the reports seemed to be nearby when the clash went down.
Putin has indicated by his actions and the words he has used and the foreign ministry has spoken that Venezuela is not going to be a pushover. Russia owns assets in the oil industry there and Venezuela is a debtor to Russia, also.
Unlike Iran which has targets in the ME it can strike, Russia is directly enabling Venezuela to strike back at US personnel with Russian built and trained weapons. The US will pay a price, much larger than the Eliot Abrams gang paid. It could mean sunk or badly damaged ships, and planes lost, pilots captured, another Latin embarrassment for the US history books.
If things go bogged down, there are hundreds of experienced guerrilla fighters who fought 30 years ago in El Salvador and Nicaragua who might come assist the Maduro troops.A second chance to damage Uncle Sam and an opportunity to send the Yanqis home in body bags. Nothing unites Latin people with nothing to lose like Uncle Sam trampling on one of the Hemisphere’s poor countries.
Politically, Trump needs a fast victory. It would pay big dividends in Florida for the election. If he can get Maruro in chains or liquidated, that’s enough. He doesn’t even need Guaido to succeed Maduro. Just the man’s termination is enough to declare a victory.
There is no other place Trump could get benefit from a war or decapitation that would come as cheaply as against Maduro.
I think he will give it a go if he fears he won’t win Florida. Watch the news from the Caribbean, and watch Trump’s polling in Florida.
“I think he will give it a go if he fears he won’t win Florida”.
I am afraid to say that sounds plausible. But consider the hideous implications.
How many of the hundreds of millions of deaths since 1914 were the direct or indirect results of US politicians trying to score political points against their opponents?
It’s not a matter of sneezing and catching cold. When an American politician gets worried about his polling numbers, whole nations catch fire. And millions (literally) die.
Does anyone else feel that this is wrong? Does anyone feel that it should be stopped?
Tom,
I feel it is outrageous.
It will be stopped.
But only when the economic empire collapses.
It seems as if the United States is doing everything in its power to cause its own power to collapse.
What the Saker writes about is just another example.
One among many.
For most people who oppose it, it is simply a matter of time. It is simply a waiting game.
Larchmonter445
You made an excellent comment. History is familiar with wars provoked by unfavorable internal political situations. Would Trump attack Iran ? Well, he will certainly think twice about it, bearing in mind the size of Iran’s military and the large number of targets Iran would have at it’s disposal. On top of that the political repercussions in the Middle East and the rest of the world would be tremendous.
Would Trump attack Venezuela ? Well, he will certainly be tempted, bearing in mind Venezuela’s military is smaller than that of Iran. However, those readers familiar with military matters know there is something called ‘quality’, and Venezuela’s military cannot be dismissed offhand, especially not the Russian weapons systems it has.
The point is that Trump will be under pressure from the neocons, who not only refuse to accept the sovereign status of both Iran and Venezuela, they refuse to accept the fact that they are not controlling the oil deposits of both countries, including Venezuela’s gold. It’s well known that there are people on Wall Street who think that both Russia and China can be defeated by sneak nuclear attacks with minimal loss to the US. How far this attitude prevails in the US military is not clear, as the available data is contradictory. As things stand now, and with respect to what has been stated, the neocons in the US would be tempted to start something, either a solo attack against Venezuela, or else simultaneous attacks against both Iran and Venezuela, using old excuses of fighting ‘terrorism’, introducing ‘democracy’, while in the case of Venezuela two additional excuses would be used, that of ‘preventing’ the narco trade and liberating American citizens, the two mercenaries captured by the Venezuelan military. For those readers who are not familiar with international law, mercenaries are not protected by the Geneva Convention on POW’s, which means the Venezuelan military could have executed them without breaching any international law.
Regardless of who gets attacked, Venezuela or both Venezuela and Iran, these attacks would almost certainly be limited in scope. Conventional invasions would, at the moment, be impossible, as the US does not have enough concentrated troops (even if the US had the troops, would it dare use them, especially against Iran ?). This means we can expect aerial campaigns of the type used against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in 1999. However, NATO payed a terrible price for that attack, as the Serbs shot down 137 NATO combat aircraft and 25 helicopters, while the number of destroyed cruise missiles is unknown. Hospitals in Albania were full of NATO wounded.
So, what kind of limited attack would ensue ? An attack using cruise missiles ? Yes, but the results would be limited, bearing in mind how many cruise missiles NATO lost in Syria (the Tomahawk cruise missiles belong to the history books). Would Trump use combat planes ? He might, but then again he can expect to see combat crews getting killed, while those getting captured would be paraded before TV cameras.
What currently is unfavorable to the neocons is the financial and economic situation in the US, with more that 30 million unemployed people. The neocons would certainly be tempted to start a ‘victorious war’, not only to draw peoples attention from internal problems, but also to attempt an economic revival. However, analysts have for years pointed out that this old bankers trick cannot be repeated, not only due to the enormous foreign and domestic US debts, but also due to the fact that so many manufacturing plants have been moved outside the US.
So, what will Trump and the neocons do ? We shall see, as anything is possible, especially in a volatile domestic situation.
“So, what will Trump and the neocons do ? We shall see, as anything is possible, especially in a volatile domestic situation.”
The Nov 2020 election outcome is a concern for Trump. I doubt the neocons care which hand of their game-play takes some party ribbons in the ticker-tape parade. More than likely Trump has just loaded the gun and waits with trigger-finger ready for poll position trends in the Nov run up. If all looks rosy against old Joe Biden (+ whomever) then there will be no need to pull any trigger. Another 4 years of domestic looting with the Joker running TV-land 24/7. If the outcome gets close to line with an escalated risk of loss then expect timely escalation to kinetic action in this and possibly the Middle-east and even China-HK-Taiwan (and perhaps India). What patriotic marginal-seat swinging-voter is going to take the responsibility (and blame) for voting out a USA government pivoting (according to the narrative) at a critical point in US history (of empire) where the expected resulting cluster-f_ck and ‘defeat’ (as described in this article) could be pinned on them for undermining their ‘Commander-in-Chief’ at a critical time? Minor effect but may be enough to just squeeze over the line.
Thanks all for your comments. Where things get even more scary than they already are is when the 30M plus unemployed in the US are declared “non-essential” — this is where the wars usually directed outwards become directed inwards. Genocide? Yes. People will kill others they don’t even know.
Karma is a bastard.
The landing in Venezuela was a coup attempt? Nineteen guys in two speedboats with some rifles, pistols and walkie talkies? Rounded up immediately? Really? To me it looked designed to fail. The objective? To embarrass Juan Guaido, whose presidency of the National Assembly is disputed by Luis Parra. Looks to me as though some part of the US intelligence establishment decided that Guaido has reached his use-by date.
Simon
I don’t think so. Don’t forget that Washington handed over to Guaido Venezuela’s financial assets in the US, contrary to international law, and probably contrary to US domestic laws.
The CIA instigates regime changes using a combination of traitors, mercenaries, agents and NGO’s. These are old tricks, and no doubt Maduro and the Venezuelan security forces knew all about them. Both the traitors and mercenaries have been rounded up.
You make a good observation. Juan Guaido is an embarrassment more than he is an asset.
He would still be useful as a sacrifice to the counter-revolutionary cause; but the Bolivarians have to do it.
He still exists, because he is more useful to Maduro, just by staying alive and being seen as an embarrassment to the counter-revolutionaries.
For me ‘big buttons’ and ‘super dooper’ are just words, especially when they come from Trump, not saying Venezuela isn’t in the cross hairs, but whose? There’s a Brit Lima Group hand at play in what is happening in Venezuela. As for Trump starting a war, the optimist in me says no, he’s had ample oppurtunity to start one or more wars, he hasn’t so far. Look at how bellicous he was with young Kim, now they’re buds? Look at what was thrown at him for four years; Bill destroyed the Balkans over a blow job. I’ll judge Trump when he acts, for now, everyone has lots of words.
@sean the leprechaun,
“For me ‘big buttons’ and ‘super dooper’ are just words, especially when they come from Trump, ”
These are propaganda phrases targeting a certain demographic-political group. As the maestro of propaganda said in Mein Kampf, chapter 6:
“All propaganda must be popular and its intellectual level must be
adjusted to the most limited intelligence among those it is addressed to.
Consequently, the greater the mass it is intended to reach, the lower its
purely, intellectual level will have to be.”
When you hear stupid, ridiculous phrases, then know they are not addressed to you, but to the clueless who are being brainwashed. It reaches them on an emotional level. You think Trump is an idiot, but he is a very competent propagandist. And that is why he was hired to be the carney.
“Furthermore, the USA has embarked on a new policy to justify its acts of piracy on the high seas with something called Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (VBSS) all under the pretext of the war on drugs”.
That is irrelevant. Piracy is piracy.
The USA has no legal right either to “sanction” sovereign states or to board, hinder or otherwise harass the ships of any sovereign state on the high seas.
It was exactly such behaviour (alleged on both sides) that led the US government to declare war on Great Britain in 1812.
That led to Washington DC being captured and burned down.
Who knows what similar adventures could cause today? Especially when any US ships attempting to interfere with the ships of a foreign nation might mysteriously blow up and sink without any obvious reason?
After all, who knows what the most innocent-looking vessels may be carrying? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgyZzRRFLlg
And of course we are wtill waiting for this:
“Twilight’s Last Gleaming”
Updated Edition Paperback – May 1, 2019
by John Michael Greer
https://www.amazon.com/Twilights-Last-Gleaming-Michael-Greer/dp/1911597760/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=twilight+greer&qid=1590010249&sr=8-2
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41g0yF2C8CL._SX324_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg
I wish people would take a minute to look at an image of a tanker and tell me how to hide a container or two on deck.
It might be possibly relevant on containerships, OSVs, ro-ro with vehicles but NOT tankers. Simply out of the question unless there some kind of James Bondesque reconfiguration. We haven’t got to the stage of reinventing Q-ships with missiles yet.
Anyway this talk about hiding missiles is prevalent among the Guiado fanclub as a justification for interceptions.
NatSouth
“We haven’t got to the stage of reinventing Q-ships with missiles yet”.
I can easily believe that *you* haven’t.
These are gasoline tankers. Launching a missile from a gasoline tanker might be a bit dangerous. There are plenty of ordinary containerships and “unspecified” vessels near venezuela, however.
https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/centerx:-60.3/centery:14.0/zoom:6
I don’t know, but I suspect hand-held anti-tank shell strikes around the waterline would do a number on a warship. To say nothing about the boilers and magazines.
Nothing in this admin inspires any confidence of humanity, logic, common sense, or legality-it has repeatedly mocked international law, laughed at charges of war crimes and indeed has threatened the International Criminal Court (ICC), applied extreme illegal sanctions indiscriminately, threatened all and any soverign nations which have crossed its path, and on and on and on.
Now it is international piracy. Recently, it was fire bombing wheat fields in syria, seizure of oil fields in syria, sanctions against syria, undoubted ly at the direction of niten yaa hoo, adelson, and the zionists.
It would be hard to preceive any criminal or mafia enterprise openly acting with such complete disregard for humanity and law. But this admin is zionist to its core and it is fairly well established that the zionists do not fear or abide any recriminations or accountability. The recent episode of bay of pigs II constructed by the zionist zombie, abrams, does not allow one any feeling of confidence.
I’m seeing increasing chatter about Trump being toast, not having a chance in nov, or losing in a close election, etc, etc. Obviously, this is some six months away and the idle guesses of clueless pundits and the presstitutes are prob not worth the time or attention just to peruse. However, it is prob a good guess that they register with El Cadillio and his grifter family.
All of this is in the shade of the dimocrats with its “serious candidate biden,” the senile, demented and corrupt groper. biden as a candidate is laughable on so many levels but for some reason the oligarch money stays with him (for now). So what are they up to?
i guess that leaves me with severe feeling of disgust, serious concern, that trump and his lunatic advisors will decide to go to the wall with a well known script of moar war just to win an election. I really hope that I’m waaaay wrong on this one.
International law is what the US gets away with.
In other words, the law is what the US does. Period.
There has not been any penalty against the officials of the US, its military or covert operators.
There is blowback at times. There are acts of revenge rarely.
But no power exists that can bring the US into a court of justice nor extract a penalty nor punish a single criminal for any crimes of the American government.
Even though we perceive a slide of the hegemonic power beginning and the economy nearing dangerous conditions, the US is as fascistic as ever. The arrival of Trump in the Oval Office was like a sociopath given the keys to the psycho ward. He’s let loose all the pathology of the Intel Community, the Pentagon and the State Dept.
Trump is throwing off any tinge of the US subject to norms. It is the wild west around the globe.
There is no Sheriff or Marshall to tame the outlaw.
Welcome to Tombstone. Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday are yet to arrive.
‘There is no Sheriff or Marshall to tame the outlaw.’
‘Bloody luxury I say! When I was a boy we’d have given an arm and a leg just to have been sent to prison. Instead, ma and pa come home each night and beat us unconscious with a rolled up copy of the UN Charter of human rights, which was very thick I tell you. And, you know what, we’d never complain. Complain? We used to beg to be treated like that. We didn’t even know the meaning of the word ‘complain’. But we never grumbled. We had it tough. Every morning we were woken up by a pack of howling wolves and made to walk a hundred miles through three feet of snow to school. Summer and winter both, an’ when we got there we were made to work for 14 hours digging latrines… with a spoon. And we were never paid a single cent….’
Fortunately a fit of coughing brought Doc Holliday back to us.
‘Well Mr … he peered down …. Mr Trump what do ye want, exactly?’
John, I love your mind!
The USA ***is*** a global, criminal mafia.
Richard said “The USA ***is*** a global, criminal mafia.”
I tell people that here in California, the Reds team/Republicans have been taken over by the Bloods, and the Blue team/Democrats have been taken over by the Crips. Hoping to reform gangs or the mafia is futile. I asked a Uber driver which team she supports and she replied that all her family are Independents and vote for MS-13.
MS-13. Another, notoriously violent, criminal mafia. So far they don’t have nukes. We hope.
Then there’s the broader Latin American situation. The US has a great deal of power and influence in Latin America, but is also hated there a great deal. Anti-US sentiments are never that far from the surface. And today, even relatively right-wing governments are mostly uncomfortable at the idea of the old fashioned direct US military attacks starting up again.
If the Americans do a straight-up military attack against Venezuela, there will be a backlash. They could see leftist governments emerge in places like Chile and Peru, they could see the US-backed regimes founder in Ecuador and Bolivia, they could see the Kirchnerist government in Argentina veer in a more overtly anti-American and leftist direction, and so on.
What with all this CV19 nonsense going on, war prices have been severely depressed lately, so perhaps Trump is just being a smart shopper and is looking to get two wars for the bargain basement price of one? Very practical.
Sputnik is now reporting that the Venezuelan military will provide an armed escort for the tankers when they enter Venezuela’s exclusive economic zone
I just checked out that article. The armed escort will start once the ships enter the Venezuela Exclusive Economic Zone.
Here is a map showing that zone.
http://www.marineregions.org/eezdetails.php?mrgid=8433
Map is a good resource. Thank you for posting it, Mike
Nothing like a war to deflect attention of the incompetence of the government in plane sight of everyone. Come flu season in the Fall 2020 a dark winter of pestilence will be upon us. No better distraction than a war. For Venezuela, she must punch back hard including putting all US agents in Venezuela disguised as “opposition”, a fantasy. The Venezuelan military and President Maduro must not blink.
Trump has no idea how much he is hated by Latinos for his contempt of them and how Venezuela is not going to let the US military do to them ( ie. weaken and starve them for 10 years and then move in for an easy kill) what it did to Iraq. He may not be openly racist but his disdain is clear for those less powerful folk in need.
Well documented discussion, Saker, I hope this gets circulated widely. I remember when Maduro looked at the cameras and said incredulously ( addressing Trump). “So you are going to make us fight a people’s war?” That was a year ago. Yes, I think they are going to fight to preserve their honor as well as their country—do not underestimate this in what motivates the Venezuelans.
The American people do not want another foreign war or wars….no matter what. This will not end well. I hope that foreign leaders do not go to the old fall back position of ” well the UN is all we have–so what if we have a rogue state defying its overwhelming mandate…” How about a walk out over this? It is an over inflated, useless bureaucracy riddled with special interests and corruption like most International Organizations.
Form a new one… somewhere neutral…Iceland? Start thinking outside the old moldy decrepit box!!!
USA has two main adversaries . Russia and China .
USA is “One party system with two heads – Blue and Red “.
They are constantly arguing :
Trump thinks China is No. 1. rival , Democrats think Russia is the Biggest
enemy . In the meantime Russia and China are getting closer.
So “Two Wars” are becoming One Big War – Hybrid War ?!.
An embargo is not a blockade, but even the use of a blockade which is an act of war has its rules and limitations lest commanders be put in the dock for war crimes.
http://www.gwpda.org/naval/lusiblck.htm
Speaking of the devil … To prevent sea pirates act … https://www.rt.com/news/489275-venezuela-escort-iranian-tankers/
Link is self explanatory.
Venezuela and Iran are calling the empire’s bluff, a very dangerous game, but one that apparently they are ready to play (at long last). I hope they are successful.
I think this is the bottom line: “If Maduro remains in power … Venezuela wins.”
Therefore, I expect the US to try again to assassinate/cature Maduro, “justified to the American people by his brazen contempt for the rules based order imposed by our moral leaders” /sarc.
I hope Maduro has loyal guards.
> Venezuela and Iran are calling the empire’s bluff, a very dangerous game
Yet much more dangerous would be *NOT* to call the bluff. That is the reason why there is absolute 100% certainty that neither Iran nor Venezuela will back down.
(and as for Russia and China, the US managed to piss them off enough to ensure those two countries take sides… the US is actually truly an Exceptional country… in stupidity)
The sad reality is that if Meduro stays in power the people of Venezuela lose.
The reason for Venezuela’s miserable condition is not the US and its sanctions but first Chavez and the Meduro driving its economy into the ground.
It is what socialists and communists do. Always.
Venezuelan government could had and should had been investing in the country’s industies and infastructure when oil prices were high and times were good.
Instead they squandered it.
There is no reason why Venezuela could not be self sufficient. It has the climate and natural resources to be so,
Hey Saker,
What do you think will happen if Trump is voted out and replaced with Biden?
Will the chances of war (temporarily) lessen?
I’d like to know your thoughts here.
Venezuelan Military to Escort Iranian Tankers Delivering Fuel – Defense Minister
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/202005201079369359-venezuelan-military-to-escort-iranian-tankers-delivering-fuel—defense-minister/
“Venezuela’s military will escort Iranian tankers delivering fuel to the country when they enter Venezuela’s exclusive economic zone, the country’s Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino revealed Wednesday.
In a state television interview, Padrino said the escort would “welcome them in and thank the Iranian people for their solidarity and cooperation,” Reuters reported. Padrino also said that the Venezuelan government had been in contact with Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami.
US sanctions on Venezuela have strangled the South American country’s economy. In January, the country was forced to shut down its last oil refinery. Despite the fact that the primary export is petroleum, Venezuela is currently experiencing a fuel shortage.
On Friday, an Iranian news agency warned the US against taking action against several Iranian-flagged tankers transporting fuel to Venezuela.
“If the United States, just like pirates, intends to create insecurity on international waterways, it would be taking a dangerous risk and that will certainly not go without repercussion,” Iran’s Nour News Agency said, citing reports that US warships were en route to intercept the tankers in the Caribbean.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Abbas Mousavi on Sunday also warned that “the US itself will have to suffer repercussions that arise out of any unthinking measure [that it could take]” against Venezuela-bound Iranian fuel tankers.
“Should the Americans take any measure against our vessels’ free and legal movement around, they would face our decisive response,” Mousavi told reporters in Tehran.”
The zionazi-gay quisling trump regime is likud enough owned to attack those Iranian and Venezuelan vessels, thinking they can get away with anything. Using the trump traitors to carry out its lawlessness suits israel fine, the sods have been getting away with this psywar sleight of hand since late 2015.
Has USA already forgotten Somalia? Somalia was in way worse shape than Venezuela is now. A handful of public humiliating events like truck dragging rangers through dirt would do. Bosnian Serbs took entire UN personnel and handcuffed them to possible targets. There was outrage in “International Community”, so the Serbs blinked, released the hostages, and, get bombed shortly after that.
In 1999 Serbs caught some NATO foot soldiers (US) on the border with Macedonia, broadcast them on TV, then, again, blinked and made mistake – released the, as a gesture of good will. Who knows, maybe it was better to hang them, or quarter them tied to horses’ tails, anything, bloody and savage, then broadcast the images for CNN to see. Few days later, the bombing started. However, perhaps somebody remembers how long it took NATO to prepare for attack, move troops and equipment in position, months, not weeks. And in that period they did come within range of Serbian coastal artillery. Two MIGs (version 21, not even 29) managed to came close to a large battleship, flying few feet above sea level – below radars. They literally flew around in almost Donald Cook way – no feigned attacks from above, but hulls can be penetrated from the side or below as well. Again, Serbs showed off and did nothing when there was still a chance. Serbs did not want to be the ones to fire first round, wanted to be honorable… At the end, NATO hit everything they could and would, multiple times, infantry invasion from Albania was attempted, failed of course, border guard repelled it. however, Serbs did not surrender. A few Apache Black Hawks were destroyed in Albania. Stupid NATO evacuated damaged aircraft to – Tuzla – a city barely 50 km from the border. Then 4 planes came in low flight, trough the canyon of river Drina, and attacked aircraft on the ground, making sure that additional damage was such to render them irreparable. It took only a few minutes. Then NATO Anti Aircraft systems activated, some jets were scrambled, so Serbs turned back and flew back to the canyon. three MIG 21 made it home. The forth one was Orao (Eagle), a training aircraft developed and produced by Yugoslavians, was shot down. They used Eagle perhaps because they could not deploy more than 3 MIG 21s, so they used what they could.
At the end, NATO started targeting open farmers markets on a market day, international trains, hospitals, TV building, even Chinese embassy, unintentionally of course. They were throwing graphite nets over power lines, to short circuit them, expensive stuff, eh, but Serbs took them off by using loong wooden poles. At the end, NATO threatened to bomb public utilities – water supply systems and such. Oil tanks were destroyed early, even heat generating stations that use oil were taken out early. It was waterworks turn. Serbs did not have poles long enough to fix contaminated water (depleted uranium, remember?) and sued for peace. NATO never occupied Serbia, no foot soldiers. they simply installed and controlled several puppet governments. Twenty years after, the grip on the government weakened enough for Serbs to acquire Pantzir systems, and rumor has it, S-400, which was borrowed from Russia, supposed to be returned, yet no-one saw that, hence rumors… In 1999 Serbs had 4 MIG29s, now they have more than 20 of those, modernized versions. On sad note, all artillery and battle tanks were melted to scrap iron, ad US Steel took it, for a song.
Moral of the long story is – do not allow them to develop attacking positions. I you do, they will literally turn you to dust, no mercy. But, if enough body bags are sent home before they are ready for attack, very likely they will run away. Savages understand only savagery.
Trump should better take care of the Covid(approaching 100.000 deaths and 150k forseen before the end of June).The economy is collapsing in a depression mode not seen since 1929.The 9 trillions usd of quantitave easing and fiat money ‘loans’ + bailout are only making WS happy,but the real economy is not recovering at all.Markets are manipulated by the FED and algos in the last hour every day.Low volume..Trump managed to kill capitalism and is even turning to ‘communism’ providing free money(helicopter)to people.This country is lost.Empires when in their final slow stage of collapse are very dangerous as their elites have nothing to loose.Usually this the right moment for all kinds of wars to arrive.Trump will not be reelected(at the moment)if he does not try ‘a big diversion’ from the Covid deaths and the eco disaster(45 millions of unumployed in just two months).Eventhough Biden is as stupid as Trump he may win has the dems have all the MSM.If Trump goes to war and looses or does not win some kind of trophee he is finished.
Saker, with all due respect, I do not believe you are thinking in large-enough terms. The Israelis (really, the PTB in the shadows behind Israel) want Iran crushed and gone. Trump is a tool of the Israelis/PTB; that should be self-evident by now. Then, there is the old line that Israel is willing to fight to the last drop of Iranian and American blood. Shake and stir…
With the tanker confrontation off of Venezuela, there is the perfect opportunity to get the Iranians and Americans fighting a war in the Middle East. “Something” (think Gulf of Tonkin incident) will occur with those tankers to get Iran to retaliate in the Gulf of Hormuz in hitting Gulf oil supplies. America will respond, and we will have those ‘dancing Israelis’ again.
(Trump may even get a ‘win’ or two in the political arena. Oil prices will shoot-up, saving the endangered American oil-fracking industry. Plus, there is the old rally-around-the-leader response in times of war. Add that the country could be ‘opened-up’ rapidly in times of war, and thus quickly-rebound the economy.)
Finally, we have to define ‘winning’. For the Israelis/PTB, just busting-up Iran is winning. Iran does not have to be conquered in any feet-on-the-ground way; it just has to be neutralized as far as being a threat to Israel. American weaponry wiping-out critical infrastructure from the air – and thus throwing the country into chaos – would work just as well. And Israel would not be directly involved…
As I understand it, Iran and Hezbollah will involve Israel.
@Goshawks
The Zionist gang of thieves are finished in the middle east, all that remains is the act or series of acts to finalize their end. They will never be accepted in the middle east, because the people see them for exactly what they are. Which is a murderous colonialist force that thrives on the blood of the native inhabitants. They were not accepted when they first came, their not accepted today, and God forbid this scenario, even if they were to stay for the next 100 or 1000 years they still wont be accepted. You can’t reverse this process, its not as simple as just paying someone off, or some other form of burying reality. The acceptance by the saudis, or emiratis, or bahranis or any other slave kingdom aint change this either, rather it will also bring the demise of those kingdoms. May God almighty hasten the demise of all those cursed entities.
I dont know, but when was the last time the US cared about any public opinion? To me it seems the only reason it hasn’t allready carried a full scale military intervention is the same reason it didn’t carpet bomb Syria. And that reason is Russia. I can never forget Putin’s speech in march 2018. On that day he promised he would protect all those who deal with Russia and has presented his new capabilities to back his promis. Since then any threat of direct military intervention is pure bluffing. The fact of the matter is that the US Army has been effectively neutralized for all practical intent without a fire shot. Their only real power left is bioweapon scares (Corona), coup attempts, their NGO and what’s left of their terrorist networks, the ever more non-credible media, and the US$ that is being killed as we speak. The end is near, I can smell the stench of blood.
Trump seems to aim for a quick, victorious war for the 2020 November show in US. He may get a war, but it wouldn’t be quick. Probably won’t be victorious either.
There isn’t going to be a war before November. Not during an election year. The potential consequences are too high. However, you best believe there will be one during his second term if Trump makes it there.
That may be so. But with imminent elections and economy in shambles due to the COVID lockdown, a war half world away could be a good distraction from the problems at home. It worked in the past; no reason not to try it again.
Some possibilities:
– a Russian submarine pops up in the middle of the tanker flotilla. Long enough to be seen but then quietly disappear. Everyone gets the message and nothing happens
– US sinks a tanker. Iranians respond within minutes by targeting US bases in Iraq with around 50 precision missiles. Things go quiet after that. Proportionate response for each additional tanker sunk or damaged.
– Nothing happens. Oil gets delivered.
The US is set to lose this one, whether anything happens or does not happen.
“Caracas will send ships and aircraft to ensure five Iranian tankers, said to be loaded with some 1.5 million barrels of oil, make it safely to Venezuelan shores amid reports the US is seeking to hinder the delivery.
“When they enter our exclusive economic zone, they will be escorted by Bolivarian National Armed Forces boats and planes to welcome them in and thank the Iranian people for their solidarity and cooperation,” Venezuela’s Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López said on Wednesday, referring to the five Iranian-flagged vessels expected to bring some much-needed fuel to Venezuela in late May or early June.”
RT
Maybe a russian sub or two should be there too.
Feels like Iran is being very determined . Wonder where the ships loaded from…..came from the Med.
To answer your question
Feels like Iran is being very determined . Wonder where the ships loaded from…..came from the Med.
Bandar Abbas Iran in March and April.
Pompeo hass already tweeted nine hostile comments about not just Iran and Veneuela today, but also Cuba. So….will Trump start three wars instead of two?
Saker, you really bring out the crazies when you post an article on the Unz Review. a vicious troll-fest is going on over there right now. I much prefer reading the comments section on The Saker.
(-: Yeah, I know, LOL, like the guy who wrote that he now is sure that I work for the DNC! :-)
With regard to your article, Trump is totally beholden to the Zionists, Christian and otherwise, in the USA. Their fixation with Iran will ultimately involve us in another world war. This war will bring down the Anglo-Zionist Empire and destroy the USA, which is undoubtedly what they want. The Zionist banksters will profit from it just like they have from wars for centuries. The crazy Christian Zionists, including both Pence and Pompeo, think they will be raptured up to Heaven and their warrior messiah will come riding in on an ICBM.
We’ll be drawn into this war either by some false-flag event or by a miscalculation, such as by attacking Venezuela. It will be the end of the USA as we know it. We will maybe go back to being a “normal” nation if we’re lucky, turned into cinder cakes if we’re not.
This is brinksmanship at its finest.
My thanks to Saker for the informed sitrep with further relevant info added by L445.
My learned colleague jiri has beaten me to the punch, but regardless of actions, Uncle Sam loses. By moving the Queen up the middle of the chessboard into a direct confrontation, The Resistance understands the possible loss of the Queen, but either way, the opposing King is checkmated.
Wall St would desperately want the tanker intervention at all costs as this would buoy the oil market and allow them to escape the bruising they are now experiencing in the derivatives market. They would sacrifice the military in order to gain that marginal benefit, do some book squaring and run off to the Hamptons. Will Trump sacrifice the military leading up to an election ? Checkmate.
No intervention, means oil delivered, military intact but Wall St continues to bathe in red & the Fed prints more. Checkmate
This is a coordinated dagger as China just announced their 1.3 trillion dollar development plan and doesn’t that come close to the amount of their US debt holdings ?
Gentlemen – get the popcorn out. I don’t see an escape door on this one other than the possibility of a serious outbreak in Donbass to provide cover and a distraction. Much like Obama, they will try to knock over all the chess pieces and shit on the board and then declare victory. I should footnote this last statement and attribute it to Putin – his fingerprints are all over this and I give him another hat tip.
Epina39
Dear Saker,
I very much like what you write. When an article by you appears in the display of articles, I immediately click on it, knowing I will have a pleasure reading it.
But could you, please, avoid expressions like ” You betcha he is! “. It is jargon, not language.
For me, language is an arch standing above us, indestructible, a protective shell, like religion. It is one of the protective shells of the ordinary people, the lower class, together with the religion, the town, the province, the nation. The very rich do not need these protective shells, they have their money to protect them against the changes in the social structure.
I think that this conflict is about more then Venezuela; it is about South America declaring independence from the United States. This was the “Bolivarian Revolution” in which Venezuela helped its neighbors gain their independence. For a while this worked. The Bush administration was mired in its Middle East wars and failed to effectively counter Chavez. After Chavez’s death (murder?), it hasn’t been doing as well, unfortunately, and this movement has been rolled back in countries like Brazil.
If Venezuela does find itself in a hot conflict with the U.S., I think it will be important for the country to be unified. Washington seems to be trying to exploit class divisions there.
https://www.unz.com/pgiraldi/leading-neocon-directs-pentagon-middle-east-planning/#comments
Giraldi has article on Unz reporting that simone ledeen, daughter of arch zionist michael ledeen has been appointed key position in pentagon; she is now in charge of mid east policy in pentagon; father was extremist, daughter not clear but not a good look at direction of what passes for policy;
———————————–
The extent to which Simone has absorbed her father’s views and agrees with them can, of course, be questioned, but her appointment is yet another indication, together with the jobs previously given to John Bolton, Mike Pompeo and Elliot Abrams, that the Trump Administration is intent on pursuing a hardline aggressive policy in the Middle East and elsewhere. It is also an unfortunate indication that the neoconservatives, pronounced dead after the election of Trump, are back and resuming their drive to obtain the positions of power that will permit endless war, starting with Iran.
Saker notes that “Caracas is a city of over two million people which even in peacetime is rather dangerous (courtesy of both regular crime and potential guerilla activities).”
You can disregard that “rather”. Most visitors to Caracas don’t encounter the neighborhood crime as they are warned not to wander into certain areas. But they will usually recount the white knuckle drive from the airport to the Capitol: Taxis at full throttle pedal to the metal up the mountain with no stopping under any circumstances, with prayers under the driver’s breath that the banditos do not block the highway.
The Moron(s) will not be able to resist. This is certainly a trap and it has Chess Master written all over it. The next move will be Mate.
On the topic of war, I just saw a video of Putin speaking to a large gathering of Russian troops. There were a couple of generals behind him. Someone subtitled the video in spanish and italian, so I was able to understand what was being said. Putin started out in a very solemn tone saying that he is tired, tired of everything. Then he proceeded to speak about the effort underway to reduce the population of the world. He said that if Europe and the U.S. did not stop the depopulation agenda that is currently underway, they would have to face not only God’s anger, but also his (Putin’s) anger.
The speech was obviously a rallying message to the troops, but it seemed to me that he was deadly serious. It was very jarring to watch and listen to his speech. Unfortunately, the video came to me on an App and I have been unable to find a link to the video posted anywhere online. If someone has a link to the video, it seems to me to be extremely important. Putin appears to know what is going on, even if most of the world does not. There was no date on the video, but I had the impression that he was referring to the current pandemic.
Apologies in advance if this video has been discussed previously. I have very little free time these days and so have been unable to follow the Saker blog consistently.
I think i know the one. Its a fake. Its the speech to the troops on remembrance day. The dubbing is not what he says
Thanks – I wondered. What kind of people have that much time and energy to waste for nonsense?
It’s an Argentinian YouTuber called Danann, rather popular. He’s done several, including one with footage from the Putin-Megyn Kelly interview, on “family values.” They’re well made, plausible because they express views we might agree with, but in terms which cannot be stated quite so plainly. The small print says they’re spoofs (“parodias”), but many don’t notice. I myself fell for the first one. They’re fun, but completely apocryphal.
Exactly what I have been saying. Tired of it all, tired of the de-population agenda, tired of bs and I and Putin are going to be angry if these bs’ers goes on with their bs.
Venezuelan Authorities Detain 66 Participants of Attempted Maritime Incursion
https://sputniknews.com/latam/202005211079379181-venezuelan-authorities-detain-66-participants-of-attempted-maritime-incursion/
” “At the moment, 66 people involved in these events have been arrested and are under the rule of justice. Ninety-nine arrest warrants have been issued, of which 63 are still in the process of execution. Many of these people are outside the country between Colombia and the United States,” Saab said in a televised interview.
The prosecutor general added that during 11 interrogations, an organization that was responsible for financing the logistics, catering and rental of training camps for mercenaries, had been established. Arrest warrants for the employees of Futuro Presente Foundation have already been issued.
Last week, the Venezuelan Prosecutor-General’s Office issued arrest warrants for Jordan Goudreau, CEO of the Silvercorp USA private military company, and 21 other people over their role in the recent attempted invasion in the Latin American country.”
That “little” coup attempt is not looking so little now.
I don’t agree with the Saker that the Falklands war was an imperialist operation. Argentina invaded land that had long been settled (since 1833) by English-speaking Brits whose main occupation was rearing sheep.
The British had no option but to react as the wave of outraged national sentiment threatened to topple the government. The conflict was the only one in my lifetime that Britain engaged in that (to my mind) satisfied the criteria of the dubious just war doctrine of St Augustine. You can’t blame anyone but General Galtieri, who was desperately trying to hang on to power. Unfortunately, Argentina’s folly transformed Mrs Thatcher into a national heroine and guaranteed that she won two more elections instead of going down to defeat for wrecking the UK economy and the lives of the working class.
“Argentina invaded land that had long been settled (since 1833) by English-speaking Brits whose main occupation was rearing sheep.”
100 % wrong. At that time the Malvinas had already a governor appointed by the goverment in Buenos Aires. His name was Luis Vernet and had been sent there BEFORE 1833. Argentina was already independent (1816). The British arrived in a ship called HS Clio and expelled Vernet along with the Argentinian soldiers and families living there.
It has been quite common for the Anglosaxons, at least for the last couple of centuries to steal what they want. You name it, be it Malvinas, Iraq, Syria or half of Mexico.
We, Argentinians, know very well what happened in Malvinas but I suppose…you are not Argentinian.
There were no Argentinians living on the Falklands at the time of the invasion in 1982.
Absolute bollocks. If it was for the reason you state then why did they do what they did to the Chagos islanders? Don’t try to rewrite history as people here are smarter than you think.
The British acted wrongly in the case of the Chagos Islands. That does not negate in any way what I said about the Falkland Islands. I don’t see how you can condemn the Brits over the Chagos Islands if you welcome the Argentinians’ behaviour in attacking the Falkland islands, on which no Argentinians lived in 1982. You condemn the disposession of the Chagos Islanders but welcome the planned disposession of the Falklanders.
The Malvinas were considered part of Argentina during the Spanish colonial days.Because of its climate it was very lightly settled during those days.And after Argentine Independence,the chaos of those first years saw the Malvinas depopulated except for a few people.The British Empire seized the islands from Argentina.But Argentina never for one moment gave up her claim to them.They like the Chinese were at the time with Hong Kong,were too weak then,and now,to enforce that claim.The islands had/have a population of around 3000 people in total.Most of British ancestry,but some also with Spanish names showing Argentine ancestry.Argentina was settled by Europeans from all over Europe,who over time have assimilated into the Argentine population.Several thousands of those settlers were English,and Welsh,many more than the Malvinas population.So no expulsion would have been needed.The people would have been given Argentine citizenship if they wanted to stay and that would have solved the issue.
Trump and pompeo anounced the us will withdraw from the open sky treaty.
The us is keeping its path at full speed.
The us looks more and more like nazi germany at the end of the 1930s. I think they are really preparing for WW3. The pentagon at the end of last year published a document in which they said that they need to prepare for war before 2024. They are reallt doing it.
The U.S has a bigger problem than both Iran and Venezuela combined.
The Federal Reserves balance sheet just passed 7 TRILLION Dollars.
A dollar crisis is upon the U.S very soon, not in 10, 20 or 30 years but soon.
This will be the global game changer that awaits the world. For the U.S enemies, it can’t come soon enough.
I’d imagine an Exorcet missile type situation could end up happening here.
US Militarizing Space, Exiting Treaties in ‘Historical Miscalculation’ to Stay Hegemon
https://sputniknews.com/analysis/202005211079380694-us-militarizing-space-exiting-treaties-in-historical-miscalculation-to-stay-hegemon/
“The US withdrawing from arms control treaties is, along with its recently admitted push for offensive space capabilities, part and parcel of its quest for war to defend its world position as “king of the hill,” two experts told Sputnik Thursday.
On Thursday, US President Donald Trump announced the US was leaving the Open Skies Treaty with Russia, and reports emerged hinting the US may back out of the New START Treaty as well. Just days prior, Trump showed his hand in comments hailing space as a future site for offensive military action.
Karl Grossman, a full professor of journalism at the State University of New York, College at Old Westbury and the host of a nationally aired television program focused on environmental, energy and space issues; and Bruce Gagnon, coordinator of the Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space and a contributor to Foreign Policy In Focus, joined Radio Sputnik’s Loud and Clear Thursday to discuss the developments.
Tragic, absolutely tragic,” is how Grossman described the news that the US could leave New START, a 2010 treaty between the US and Russia limiting nuclear weapons stockpiles that’s set to expire next year.
“Treaty after treaty is being broken, and the Trump administration is withdrawing the United States from vital, critical, important treaties that have worked. It’s just tragic, and the big question is: where is this going to lead? I think the answer to that is obvious,” Grossman said. “It’s a three-letter word: ‘war.’”
Gagnon noted that “this particular treaty is a major arms control treaty that restricts nuclear weapons on either side. It’s very clear that the United States, during the Obama administration, President [Barack] Obama came forward with a plan to spend a trillion dollars over the next 20 years on a new generation of nuclear weapons. So, the US really doesn’t want to be restricted by any treaties.”
Indeed, the same thing happened when the US withdrew from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty in August 2019: just days later, it tested weapons already in development that would have violated the treaty’s limitations on ground-based missile ranges.
“This is not just a Trump thing; this is a bipartisan effort,” Gagnon told host John Kiriakou, recalling that Obama’s predecessor, George W. Bush, similarly withdrew from the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty in 2001.
“This is all about dominance. Treaties, essentially, create a certain stability between the various competing sides so that not one side would have an advantage over the other. But when you’re going for dominance, both on the Earth and in space, then treaties become problematic, and that’s why the US is moving away from all these treaties: it wants to dominate, and it’s willing to, essentially, take us back to the brink of World War III, a nuclear war, in order to gain that dominance,” Gagnon said.”
I don’t understand what the big deal is! Iran is only engaging in a freedom of navigation exercise in the Caribbean. You know, just like the US does in the South China Sea. I don’t understand what all this fuss is about.
And it’s not like they’re doing live fire drills off the coast of the US, like the US is doing in the Persian Gulf. I can imagine if they were, what kind of conniptions the US would be having !
Will Trump really start *two* wars instead of “just” one?
America is crazy like a narcissistic sociopath sitting in a corner by himself in an insane asylum, while wearing a straitjacket and trying to inject himself with disinfectant as he screeches that he is a very stable genius who has the biggest, bestest super-duper “missiles” in the entire galaxy.
That, ladies and gentlemen, is the United States of America distilled to its essence.
So anything is possible….
In the mid eighties I was in the West-German army doing my time.
Back then there was talk of Russian special forces fighting behind enemy lines, even in the us.
Few years ago there was talk that the us power grid is extremely vulnerable to EMP’s from solar flares. Power lines can be replaced but big ultra high voltage transformers have a delivery time of a year during peace times.
It may be possible to defend or secure power plants and those transformers. Plan B would be to follow instructions from the anti nuke movement and cut down power lines.
I am sure special op units are more up to date on the possibilities then my outdated military training.
Something like that properly planned and executed would be an effective blowback to area bombardments or nukes.
Well thinks don’t always turn out as we wish – oil price is down and it’s election year – we all know that showing strength in a election year is a catalyst for winning elections – a higher oil price do to a stand off with Iran would be in Trump’s interest as well – we are not talking here anymore about sanity but calculated moves and distractions from the economic meltdown – it’s not looking good ! Alois Irlmaier once said- Everything calls Peace Shalom than a new Middle East war will suddenly appear- big naval forces will fill the Mediterranean- the situation is strained!
“Today we alerted the UN Security Council and Secretary General Antonio Guterres of the threat of imminent use of military force by the United States against Iranian vessels carrying Venezuelan-directed gasoline. An act of war under international law.”
Statement by the permanent envoy to the UN of Venezuela Samuel Moncada.
“Should the Americans take any measure against our vessels’ free and legal movement around, they would face our decisive response”.
Statement by the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi
You can find the full article on sputnik.
I think the risks of escalation in the carabean sea and in the middle east are real. It depends on what the us will decide to do.
Against Venezuela and Iran possibly. However, against Russia and China, or one of these two and let’s say Iran, not likely: https://tnsr.org/2020/03/one-war-is-not-enough-strategy-and-force-planning-for-great-power-competition/
Taking out a tanker is not hard. Five pounds of semtex, an inflatable boat and a committed individual is all it takes. If the bus sent mercs to take Maduro ( a dangerous and risky task) as you claim then why would it not us a merc to take out the tankers. Big words don’t make you informed or smart.
If only that was the case, maybe to disable the the tanker. Scroll down to see the holes in the hull of the Iranian tanker Sabiti last year. Produced a slick, but still afloat.
That’s the irony, more people would be upset by the oil slick rather than the tanker itself attacked.
http://crudeoilpeak.info/uncertainties-following-the-abqaiq-attack-have-shrunk-the-worlds-safe-oil-reserves-by-around-half-part-1