
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Before getting into the nuances, we should all agree that in capturing Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, the United States military pulled off one of the most amazing, impressive and successful surgical military operations in U.S. history. ; It is an achievement beyond imagination. ; From the planning – which was never leaked – to the execution, Project Sentinel, was flawless. ; The American military was able to enter Venezuela, locate Maduro and his wife, arrest them and extradite them to the United States without any injuries to American personnel or loss of equipment. ; This in view of the extraordinary security measures that surrounded Maduro. ; That is a huge WOW!</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">What was the justification? ; At its core, it was a criminal case. ; Maduro had previously been indicted by the U.S. Justice Department as the kingpin of an international state-run drug trafficking operation. ; There was a $50 million bounty on his head, It was similar to the case of Panama President Manuel Noriega who was captured by American military – and who died in 2017 after serving several prison sentences in the United States, France and Panama.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">While they were not the direct reasons for this specific action, a number of benefits may accrue from the removal of Maduro. ; It was not essentially a regime change since the regime – through the Venezuelan vice president and other government officials &#8212; is still in place. ; Whether they remain in place is unknown at this point.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Maduro has maintained power through what most democratic nations consider to be a crooked election. ; His leadership has been condemned by many nations. ; Among those who support the opposition are Argentina, Costa Rica, Panama, Peru, Uruguay, Guatemala and Ecuador. ; Like the United States, European nations have placed sanctions on Venezuela – with France, Italy and the Netherlands restricting diplomacy.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The international disdain for the Maduro regime was evident when the Nobel Peace Prize was award to Maria Corina Machado, the leader of the Venezuelan opposition.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Venezuela has been an adversary of the United States and the world democracies since the days of Maduro’s predecessor, Hugo Chavez. ; Its alliances and interests have been aligned to authoritarian nations – most notably China, Russia and Cuba. ;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">And then there is the issue of the oil. ; Venezuela has the richest oil reserves of any nation on earth – including the Arab nations. ; Oil is both a commercial and political issue. ; Venezuelan oil trade has been used to the advantage of America’s enemies – especially Russia and China. ; In addition, China is Venezuela’s number one trading partner. ; Restoring Venezuela to its democratic traditions would be a win for the United States and our allies – and a loss for the Axis of Evil nations,</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The capture of Maduro is a good thing for the United States by all measures – and has raised the prospects of many other good things to follow. ; Trump deserves credit for a risky and bold action that has been successful beyond any expectations.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">It was once the mantra of Washington that partisan politics ended at the shoreline. ; That is not true anymore. ; An and irrational and obsessive hatred for Trump has had prominent Democrats and members of the radical left-wing establishment putting aside the best interests of the nation in favor of constant propagandized criticism. ; This situation is no different &#8230; and more about that in the next commentary.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">So, there ‘tis.</p>

Maduro in Custody in Movie-Style Action
