USA just sunk a drug boat from Venezuela

[UltraBudgie]

If you look into it outside of America that story actually starts to fail. Not saying one way or another cause I don't know the facts, but our government has a history of attacking democracies that was working on moving away for United States dominance. Like the lives of the soldiers who actually put their lives on the line will be the ones to suffer, but what did they die for or suffer for? Democracy? This entire government is just corrupted and deadly.

The drug excuse is a thin layer over a few things. First, Venezuela's subservience to U.S. economic policy. Can't have them going all Cuba on us. Which they sort of are, in the "screw-you-America" sense.

But mostly oil. Yes, Venezuela's own reserves, sure, and openness to "cooperating" with American business. But, less reported, is Guyana. They've recently discovered pretty epic reserves there, and they're a neighbouring country of Venezuela. Maduro's been salivating for that and there's both armed buildup at the border and splinter shenanigans being played:

Guyana’s defense chief warned on Wednesday that any residents who participate in upcoming elections organized by neighboring Venezuela over a disputed region will be charged with treason and other felony crimes.

“If anyone participates or takes any similar action, it will amount to support for a passive coup,” Brig. Gen. Omar Khan told The Associated Press. “Anything along those lines will speak to a violation of our sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

The May 25 election organized by Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is the latest step in a push to annex the Essequibo region, which Venezuela has long claimed as its own.

The Essequibo region represents two-thirds of Guyana and is rich in gold, diamonds, timber and other natural resources. It also is located close to massive offshore oil deposits, with current production averaging some 650,000 barrels daily.

https://apnews.com/article/guyana-venezu...068cba8502

Don't interfere with America's oil games, Maduro:

In recent years, Guyana has transformed from a country traditionally dependent on gold, sugar, rice, bauxite and timber to one reaping the windfall of nearly 900,000 barrels of oil produced daily.

The World Bank has noted that Guyana has the world's fastest growing economy with gross domestic product increases averaging around 15% annually in the past six years.

ExxonMobil, which is leading an international consortium, has applications for four more oil fields as the promise of even greater revenue looms.

Guyana's electoral commission printed ballots for six parties, but most in the diverse nation believe the election is a contest among the governing Indo-dominated People's Progressive Party of President Irfaan Ali; the Afro-supported main opposition A Partnership for National Unity; and upstart newcomer mixed-race party We Invest In Nationhood, led by U.S. government-sanctioned Guyanese businessman Azruddin Mohamed, who comes from one of the country's wealthiest families.

https://www.kiro7.com/news/world/guyana-...NKNFCVJAM/

The US has doubled a reward for information leading to the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to $50m (£37.2m), accusing him of being "one of the largest narco-traffickers in the world".

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwy1wn1x521o

Yes, the drug thing is not entirely fabricated, it's a real thing. But America really only cares about it if the profits are used to fund things against their larger interests in the region. They don't actually care about "stopping" it, but more about using it as a lever of control. You can bet Mexico is watching real close to how Trump is willing to play things. I think that's a very deliberate message.

The offensive thing, really, is how stupid and thin the veil over the realpolitik is.

[vonclod]

The drug excuse is a thin layer over a few things. First, Venezuela's subservience to U.S. economic policy. Can't have them going all Cuba on us. Which they sort of are, in the "screw-you-America" sense.

But mostly oil. Yes, Venezuela's own reserves, sure, and openness to "cooperating" with American business. But, less reported, is Guyana. They've recently discovered pretty epic reserves there, and they're a neighbouring country of Venezuela. Maduro's been salivating for that and there's both armed buildup at the border and splinter shenanigans being played:

https://apnews.com/article/guyana-venezu...068cba8502

Don't interfere with America's oil games, Maduro:

https://www.kiro7.com/news/world/guyana-...NKNFCVJAM/
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwy1wn1x521o

Yes, the drug thing is not entirely fabricated, it's a real thing. But America really only cares about it if the profits are used to fund things against their larger interests in the region. They don't actually care about "stopping" it, but more about using it as a lever of control. You can bet Mexico is watching real close to how Trump is willing to play things. I think that's a very deliberate message.

The offensive thing, really, is how stupid and thin the veil over the realpolitik is.

I remember in the good old days when "factions" of the govt were directly involved in the cola trade. It's been all downhill since then.

[ArMaP]

I really don't believe these guys know what they are crying about, other than someone told them to cry about it.

I'll try to explain my point of view.

This action, as far as we know, was based on suspicion, without real evidence.

That reminded me of the time my father was arrested because someone told the political police my father was reading forbidden books. That suspicion was enough to send the police to my father's work place to arrest him and to spend a night in the local jail while they searched for confirmation of what they were told.
(In this case they really did investigate, after arresting him)

As a co-worker of my father understood the situation when he saw the police enter the shop, he quickly took the book out of my father's jacket and made it disappear, so my father was left alone.

As this happened in a relatively small village, where everybody knew each other, my grandmother, who knew someone in the police, took some food and blankets to my father while he was in the local jail, so the all situation was not really that bad for my father as it could have been, but some people in similar situations disappeared forever.

All this happened during the fascist regime in Portugal, when people were afraid of opening their mouths because they never knew if someone that didn't like them would ear and alert the political police based just on suspicions.

I'm also against the death penalty, so even if those people were guilty of some crime(s) punishable with the death penalty I would also be against their killing.

Does the US have a drug problem? Solve it, not by trying to stop the suppliers (the "clients" will always find another one) but by really looking into the problem and accepting it is an internal problem, not a problem caused by foreign cartels.

Portugal's drug situation got much better (it's impossible to end it) after drug use was decriminalized and treated like what it really is, a health problem.

[andy06shake]

can skip to the 4:00 minute mark to view the strike and sinking of the NARCO boat.. 
It is being claimed the boat was carrying drugs but there may not be much left of the cargo to make sure; either way it was a direct hit on the boat. On shot "Poof" gone.
[Video: https://youtu.be/3eTPaDJpfN8]

Im apt to ponder another 10 slipped past unmoslested or unencumbered.

[freethinkohio]

It gives me immense joy watching some of you so maniacally upset about a terrorist cartel drug boat being sunk.
I voted for this.

I've not seen anyone maniacally upset on really either end of the discussion.

[ReturnofBroccoli]

That tiny boat is nothing like the barges that come into port of entry where the guards are greased to look the other way. Same as some on land with border patrol. As much as I wish this was a victory, traffickers traffic in bulk. I'll leave at that. This looks like a show, maybe to strengthen resolve, who knows, but a major drug bust it is not. A warning shot at best.

We are talking about a drug EMPIRE here and those dont fit In a speed boat.

[Sky727]

[CriticalStinker]

That tiny boat is nothing like the barges that come into port of entry where the guards are greased to look the other way. Same as some on land with border patrol. As much as I wish this was a victory, traffickers traffic in bulk. I'll leave at that. This looks like a show, maybe to strengthen resolve, who knows, but a major drug bust it is not. A warning shot at best.

We are talking about a drug EMPIRE here and those dont fit In a speed boat.

That boat very well could have been carrying it. But my question is how much is this for theater, or a true attempt to strike a blow into the trade (pun intended).

Is Venezuela even top five for source of any drug? I truly doubt it. Much of it comes from some countries we’re aligned with and have bases at.

It seems like a lot of posturing to me, so we have a symbolic hit on a cigar boat. Or, possibly it’s a pretext for something more with Venezuela, it’s been on our sights for decades.

It just seems reminiscent to when we were redrafting policy with Canada over the drug trade. Suddenly the conversation changed as if they were one of the large suppliers when really they’re just a drop in the bucket, and it was really about other things.

Ultimately, the drug war is the longest war we’ve had a losing record with. Go to any city, and you’ll find whatever drugs you want.

[IdeomotorPrisoner]

This is annoying. Sina Loa... Go after Sina Loa! 

This is kind like if we stormed drug trafficking Normandy from Cyprus.

What is his fucking obsession with this one Venezuelan gang anyway?  Does he really believe Maduro is El Jefe and this gang has some kind of underworld market share?

Multiple intelligence agencies concluded that the Maduro regime does not direct the gang's operations in the United States. 

You know, the Mexican cartels, the ones responsible for almost all the fentanyl, generally operate thousands of miles North of Venezuela, right? Like closer to Acapulco maybe?

How does warships near the equator fight the crime caused by the Cartel?  Like, why not harrass the freighter ships from China with shipments to over 150 agricultural companies with ties to Sina Loa? E.g. precursor chemicals repurposed through fronts.  Usually by extorted farmers. Like avocado groves in central coastal areas? These are avenues that are noted. 

Its almost like "whatever you do, don't actually go after anything with true interdiction value. It needs to be just like every other war on drugs."

[CriticalStinker]

This is annoying. Sina Loa... Go after Sina Loa! 

This is kind like if we stormed drug trafficking Normandy from Cyprus.

What is his fucking obsession with this one Venezuelan gang anyway?  Does he really believe Maduro is El Jefe and this gang has some kind of underworld market share?

You know, the Mexican cartels, the ones responsible for almost all the fentanyl, generally operate thousands of miles North of Venezuela, right? Like closer to Acapulco maybe?

How does warships near the equator fight the crime caused by the Cartel?  Like, why not harrass the freighter ships from China with shipments to over 150 agricultural companies with ties to Sina Loa? E.g. precursor chemicals repurposed through fronts.  Usually by extorted farmers. Like avocado groves in central coastal areas? These are avenues that are noted. 

Its almost like "whatever you do, don't actually go after anything with true interdiction value. It needs to be just like every other war on drugs."

I think in part, it’s being used for anterior motives, like Canada being targeted more than China in the early wave of tariffs using the guise of national security and fentanyl.

And the other point is Venezuela is an easy target for easy “victories”. We have virtually no trade with them, no ties to them, and they can’t really respond.

The boat probably was up to something shady, if you have the money for a cigar boat in Venezuela, I’d bet you’re either corrupt as hell or doing something super illegal, maybe both. So I’m not sad for them. I’m not upset that dictatorial regimes is being prodded… I just can’t act like this is really hitting the core of the issue either.