Andrew Korybko
The US launched a half-hour-long
“special military operation” in Venezuela on Saturday morning that
culminated in Delta Force’s capture of President Nicolas Maduro. Several
military sites were bombed, US helicopters flew freely over Caracas in a
surreal display of the US’ aerial supremacy, and there were reportedly no US casualties.
The US’ “special military operation” was therefore an astounding
success regardless of one’s personal opinions about its merits. Here are
five takeaways from this event:
1. The US’ Grand Strategic Goal Is To Build “Fortress America”
It was assessed here that the National Security Strategy’s prioritization of the Western Hemisphere is all about building “Fortress America”,
which refers to the restoration of the US’ hegemony over the Americas
in order for it to survive and even thrive if it loses control of the
Eastern Hemisphere. It might not happen right away, but the US’ “special
military operation” will likely result in it obtaining control over
Venezuela’s oil reserves, the world’s largest. That would help make “Fortress America” a reality.
2. Maduro Should Have Taken Trump’s Deal In Hindsight
Trump earlier claimed that Maduro had “offered everything”
to the US when asked about a report that the Venezuelan leader agreed
to let American companies take control of his country’s resources. The
only sticking point appeared to be Maduro’s political fate, with Trump
wanting him to go into exile likely at the urging of Marco Rubio (his
powerful Secretary of State and National Security Advisor), while Maduro
seemingly refused. He should have taken Trump’s deal in hindsight to
avoid this humiliating end.
3. The Ayatollah Is Likely Watching Everything Very Closely
Trump recently threatened
military action against Iran in support of its latest protest movement,
which assembled in response to the country’s deteriorating economy but
is suspected of being orchestrated in part by foreign spy agencies in
collusion with local agents. The US clearly wants Iran’s complete
strategic capitulation after its arguable loss to Israel during last summer’s 12-day war, and if the US doesn’t get what it wants through diplomacy or a Color Revolution, then it might try to capture the Ayatollah too.
4. Adversarial Media Will Likely Try To Discredit Russia
Venezuela has an estimated $20 billion worth of Soviet/Russian arms,
including Sukhoi fighter jets and S-300 surface-to-air missiles, yet
none were used against the US (possibly due to it buying off top defense
officials). Russia and Venezuela also ratified a strategic partnership pact
late last year too, but it importantly didn’t contain any mutual
defense clauses. Nevertheless, these two factors will likely be
exploited by adversarial media to discredit Russia after the US’
“special military operation” in Venezuela.
5. Top Alt-Media Figures Once Again Discredited Themselves
Some top Alt-Media
figures lie about the subjects of their geopolitical devotion like when
they lied about how the Iranian-led “Resistance Axis” would destroy
Israel in a war prior to their defeat
at its hands last year. Many of the “usual suspects” did the same with
regard to what Venezuela would do if the US attacked it, only to have
once again discredited themselves, but Tim Anderson takes the cake after lying that Russia gave Venezuela Oreshniks with the innuendo that they’d be used if it was attacked.
The
US’ astoundingly successful “special military operation” in Venezuela
is a monumental geopolitical development that’ll likely serve to coerce
the rest of the hemisphere into strategically capitulating to it, which
could lead to “Fortress America’s” construction at an accelerated pace.
Iran might soon follow Venezuela even if the Ayatollah isn’t captured
like Maduro just was. The common thread between them is that the US has
decided to take out its weaker adversaries across the world who refuse
to submit to it.