Anler Posted March 22, 2019 Share Posted March 22, 2019 Not even trying to make this stuff look legit, this is our govt. Russia Gives US Red Line on Venezuela written by finian cunningham friday march 22, 2019 At a high-level meeting in Rome this week, it seems that Russia reiterated a grave warning to the US – Moscow will not tolerate American military intervention to topple the Venezuelan government with whom it is allied. Meanwhile, back in Washington DC, President Donald Trump was again bragging that the military option was still on the table, in his press conference with Brazilian counterpart Jair Bolsonaro. Trump is bluffing or not yet up to speed with being apprised of Russia’s red line. The meeting in the Italian capital between US “special envoy” on Venezuelan affairs Elliot Abrams and Russia’s deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov had an air of urgency in its arrangement. The US State Department announced the tête-à-tête only three days beforehand. The two officials also reportedly held their two-hour discussions in a Rome hotel, a venue indicating ad hoc arrangement. Abrams is no ordinary diplomat. He is a regime-change specialist with a criminal record for sponsoring terrorist operations, specifically the infamous Iran-Contra affair to destabilize Nicaragua during the 1980s. His appointment by President Trump to the “Venezuela file” only underscores the serious intent in Washington for regime change in Caracas. Whether it gets away with that intent is another matter. Moscow’s interlocutor, Sergei Ryabkov, is known to not mince his words, having earlier castigated Washington for seeking global military domination. He calls a spade a spade, and presumably a criminal a criminal. The encounter in Rome this week was described as “frank” and “serious” – which is diplomatic code for a blazing exchange. The timing comes at a high-stakes moment, after Venezuela having been thrown into chaos last week from civilian power blackouts that many observers, including the Kremlin, blame on American cyber sabotage. The power grid outage followed a failed attempt by Washington to stage a provocation with the Venezuelan military over humanitarian aid deliveries last month from neighboring Colombia. The fact that Washington’s efforts to overthrow the elected President Nicolas Maduro have so far floundered, might suggest that the Americans are intensifying their campaign to destabilize the country, with the objective of installing US-backed opposition figure Juan Guaido. He declared himself “acting president” in January with Washington’s imprimatur. Given that the nationwide power blackouts seem to have failed in fomenting a revolt by the civilian population or the military against Maduro, the next option tempting Washington could be the military one. It seems significant that Washington has recently evacuated its last remaining diplomats from the South American country. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo commented on the evacuation by saying that having US personnel on the ground “was limiting” Washington’s scope for action. Also, American Airlines reportedly cancelled all its services to Venezuela in the past week. Again, suggesting that the US was considering a military intervention, either directly with its troops or covertly by weaponizing local proxies. The latter certainly falls under Abrams’ purview. After the Rome meeting, Ryabkov said bluntly: “We assume that Washington treats our priorities seriously, our approach and warnings.” One of those warnings delivered by Ryabkov is understood to have been that no American military intervention in Venezuela will be tolerated by Moscow. For his part, Abrams sounded as if he had emerged from the meeting after having been given a severe reprimand. “No, we did not come to a meeting of minds, but I think the talks were positive in the sense that both sides emerged with a better understanding of the other’s views,” he told reporters. “A better understanding of the other’s views,” means that the American side was given a red line to back off. The arrogance of the Americans is staggering. Abrams seems, according to US reporting, to have flown to Rome with the expectation of working out with Ryabkov a “transition” or “compromise” on who gets the “title of president” of Venezuela. That’s what he no doubt meant when he said after the meeting “there was not a meeting of minds”, but rather he got “a better understanding” of Russia’s position. Washington’s gambit is a replay of Syria. During the eight-year war in that country, the US continually proffered the demand of a “political transition” which at the end would see President Bashar al Assad standing down. By contrast, Russia’s unflinching position on Syria has always been that it’s not up to any external power to decide Syria’s politics. It is a sovereign matter for the Syrian people to determine independently. Nearly three years after Russia intervened militarily in Syria to salvage the Arab country from a US-backed covert war for regime change, the American side has manifestly given up on its erstwhile imperious demands for “political transition”. The principle of Syrian sovereignty has prevailed, in large part because of Russia’s trenchant defense of its Arab ally. Likewise, Washington, in its incorrigible arrogance, is getting another lesson from Russia – this time in its own presumed “back yard” of Latin America. It’s not a question of Russia being inveigled by Washington’s regime-change schemers about who should be president of Venezuela and “how we can manage a transition”. Moscow has reiterated countless times that the legitimate president of Venezuela is Nicolas Maduro whom the people voted for last year by an overwhelming majority in a free and fair election – albeit boycotted by the US-orchestrated opposition. The framework Washington is attempting to set up of choosing between their desired “interim president” and incumbent Maduro is an entirely spurious one. It is not even worthy to be discussed because it is a gross violation of Venezuela’s sovereignty. Who is Washington to even dare try to impose its false choice? On Venezuela, Russia is having to remind the criminal American rulers – again – about international law and respect for national sovereignty, as Moscow earlier did with regard to Syria. And in case Washington gets into a huff and tries the military option, Moscow this week told regime-change henchman Abrams that that’s a red line. If Washington has any sense of rationale left, it will know from its Syria fiasco that Russia has Venezuela’s back covered. Political force is out. Military force is out. Respect international law and Venezuela’s sovereignty. That’s Russia’s eminently reasonable ultimatum to Washington. Now, the desperate Americans could still try more sabotage, cyber or financial. But their options are limited, contrary to what Trump thinks. How the days of American imperialist swagger are numbered. There was a time when it could rampage all over Latin America. Not any more, evidently. Thanks in part to Russia’s global standing and military power. Reprinted with permission from Strategic Culture Foundation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platinum Contributing Member Skidooski Posted March 22, 2019 Platinum Contributing Member Share Posted March 22, 2019 They got any of that oil left or what? Maybe we should invade them and save Canada for later 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anler Posted March 22, 2019 Author Share Posted March 22, 2019 5 minutes ago, Skidooski said: They got any of that oil left or what? Maybe we should invade them and save Canada for later They have the largest oil reserves in the world. Why do you think they need freedom? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1jkw Posted March 22, 2019 Share Posted March 22, 2019 That just shows how week Trump is, if we had a strong president Putin wouldn't say this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gold Member BOHICA Posted March 22, 2019 Gold Member Share Posted March 22, 2019 We should make Venezuela into what we did for Korea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platinum Contributing Member Highmark Posted March 22, 2019 Platinum Contributing Member Share Posted March 22, 2019 9 minutes ago, Skidooski said: They got any of that oil left or what? Maybe we should invade them and save Canada for later Use everyone else's oil up first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platinum Contributing Member Skidooski Posted March 22, 2019 Platinum Contributing Member Share Posted March 22, 2019 1 minute ago, Anler said: They have the largest oil reserves in the world. Why do you think they need freedom? Ok so it's them then S.A. and then finally Canaduh for the..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platinum Contributing Member Skidooski Posted March 22, 2019 Platinum Contributing Member Share Posted March 22, 2019 Just now, Highmark said: Use everyone else's oil up first. Oh I agree with that but can it be done without invading them all? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platinum Contributing Member Highmark Posted March 22, 2019 Platinum Contributing Member Share Posted March 22, 2019 1 minute ago, 1jkw said: That just shows how week Trump is, if we had a strong president Putin wouldn't say this. Boy Obama must have been a real pussy considering what he did in Ukraine/Crimea. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platinum Contributing Member Highmark Posted March 22, 2019 Platinum Contributing Member Share Posted March 22, 2019 (edited) 1 minute ago, Skidooski said: Oh I agree with that but can it be done without invading them all? Its happening right now. Let their people do it. Edited March 22, 2019 by Highmark 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platinum Contributing Member Rigid1 Posted March 22, 2019 Platinum Contributing Member Share Posted March 22, 2019 Just now, Highmark said: Boy Obama must have been a real pussy considering what he did in Ukraine/Crimea. ouch!! that one hurt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anler Posted March 22, 2019 Author Share Posted March 22, 2019 16 minutes ago, Highmark said: Its happening right now. Let their people do it. The people ARENT doing it, they have been attempt coups and such for 15 years. Now military action is on the table. BTW... Thats us. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platinum Contributing Member Highmark Posted March 22, 2019 Platinum Contributing Member Share Posted March 22, 2019 1 minute ago, Anler said: The people ARENT doing it, they have been attempt coups and such for 15 years. Now military action is on the table. BTW... Thats us. We didn't put in Guaido and didn't create the support for him in the country. Its completely ridiculous military option is mentioned or planned....rhetoric or not. Stay the fuck out of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platinum Contributing Member steve from amherst Posted March 22, 2019 Platinum Contributing Member Share Posted March 22, 2019 5 minutes ago, Highmark said: We didn't put in Guaido and didn't create the support for him in the country. Its completely ridiculous military option is mentioned or planned....rhetoric or not. Stay the fuck out of it. Yep, stay the fuck out 1000 of their military walked yesterday. Give it a few more months and many more will join them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edmo Posted March 22, 2019 Share Posted March 22, 2019 The dems here thing trump is Putin’s puppet. Sure doesn’t look like that here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platinum Contributing Member Highmark Posted March 22, 2019 Platinum Contributing Member Share Posted March 22, 2019 Just now, Edmo said: The dems here thing trump is Putin’s puppet. Sure doesn’t look like that here. Trump has been harder on Russia with sanctions and booting diplomats than Obie ever was. Trump being a Putin puppet is liberal vomit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platinum Contributing Member steve from amherst Posted March 22, 2019 Platinum Contributing Member Share Posted March 22, 2019 Just now, Highmark said: Trump has been harder on Russia with sanctions and booting diplomats than Obie ever was. Trump being a Putin puppet is liberal vomit. They would love to see him start shit with Putin. Then they can say " see , I told ya this guy will start a nuclear fucking war" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platinum Contributing Member Highmark Posted March 22, 2019 Platinum Contributing Member Share Posted March 22, 2019 3 minutes ago, steve from amherst said: They would love to see him start shit with Putin. Then they can say " see , I told ya this guy will start a nuclear fucking war" They sure do cover the whole spectrum of conspiracy's. Trump's in Putin's pocket or will start a nuclear war with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1jkw Posted March 22, 2019 Share Posted March 22, 2019 50 minutes ago, Highmark said: Boy Obama must have been a real pussy considering what he did in Ukraine/Crimea. Nice deflection. Venezuela right on Russia's border, who knew. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platinum Contributing Member Highmark Posted March 22, 2019 Platinum Contributing Member Share Posted March 22, 2019 2 minutes ago, 1jkw said: Nice deflection. Venezuela right on Russia's border, who knew. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1jkw Posted March 22, 2019 Share Posted March 22, 2019 Just now, Highmark said: I like your self portrait. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platinum Contributing Member Jimmy Snacks Posted March 22, 2019 Platinum Contributing Member Share Posted March 22, 2019 Eliot Abrams...more swamp draining.....oh wait. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snake Posted March 22, 2019 Share Posted March 22, 2019 I wonder what Syria would look like today has Obama not bowed to Assad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platinum Contributing Member Highmark Posted March 22, 2019 Platinum Contributing Member Share Posted March 22, 2019 12 minutes ago, 1jkw said: I like your self portrait. Oh you got me there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platinum Contributing Member steve from amherst Posted March 22, 2019 Platinum Contributing Member Share Posted March 22, 2019 3 minutes ago, Snake said: I wonder what Syria would look like today has Obama not bowed to Assad. Probably a shithole twice as blown up with AQ or ISIS running it. The dude may blow , but who stepped in after him will prolly blow more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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