In an extraordinary military operation, the United States launched a large-scale military operation in Caracas, Venezuela with special forces seizing President Nicolás Maduro and his wife. There is a pending 2020 indictment of Maduro in the Southern District of New York where he is expected to be taken to face prosecution.
The operation comes not long after the 37th anniversary of the capture of Manuel Antonio Noriega on December 20, 1989. Noriega was convicted of drug and money laundering offenses and sentenced to 40 years in prison. He was tried in Miami, Florida.
He was indicted in a four-count superseding indictment with Diosdado Cabello Rondón, 56, head of Venezuela’s National Constituent Assembly; Hugo Armando Carvajal Barrios aka “El Pollo,” 59, former director of military intelligence; Clíver Antonio Alcalá Cordones, 58, former General in the Venezuelan armed forces; Luciano Marín Arango aka “Ivan Marquez,” 64, a member of the FARC’s Secretariat, which is the FARC’s highest leadership body; and Seuxis Paucis Hernández Solarte aka “Jesús Santrich,” 53, a member of the FARC’s Central High Command, which is the FARC’s second-highest leadership body.
This operation will be justified as executing the criminal warrant and responding to an international drug cartel, a very similar legal framework to the one used against Noriega. There is precedent supporting that earlier operation, which will now be used to defend the actions in Venezuela.
Here is part of the earlier description from the Justice Department of the indicted conduct:
“Maduro helped manage and ultimately lead the Cartel of the Suns, a Venezuelan drug-trafficking organization comprised of high-ranking Venezuelan officials. As he gained power in Venezuela, Maduro participated in a corrupt and violent narco-terrorism conspiracy with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization. Maduro negotiated multi-ton shipments of FARC-produced cocaine; directed the Cartel of the Suns to provide military-grade weapons to the FARC; coordinated with narcotics traffickers in Honduras and other countries to facilitate large-scale drug trafficking; and solicited assistance from FARC leadership in training an unsanctioned militia group that functioned, in essence, as an armed forces unit for the Cartel of the Suns. In March 2020, Maduro was charged in the Southern District of New York for narco-terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices.”
Democratic members quickly denounced the operation as unlawful. They may want to review past cases, particularly the decision related to the Noriega prosecution after his capture by President George H.W. Bush in 1989.
Representative Jim McGovern (D., Mass) declared:
“Without authorization from Congress, and with the vast majority of Americans opposed to military action, Trump just launched an unjustified, illegal strike on Venezuela. He says we don’t have enough money for healthcare for Americans—but somehow we have unlimited funds for war??”
Trump does not need congressional approval for this type of operation. Presidents, including Democratic presidents, have launched lethal attacks regularly against individuals. President Barack Obama killed an American citizen under this “kill list” policy. If Obama can vaporize an American citizen without even a criminal charge, Trump can capture a foreign citizen with a pending criminal indictment without prior congressional approval.
Ordinarily, the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations and other international agreements require the United States to notify the embassy of a foreign national arrested and held in the United States. Notice seems a tad superfluous in this case.
In his appeal, Noriega argued that his arrest violated international law under the head-of-state immunity doctrine. The district court rejected Noriega’s head-of-state immunity claim because the United States government never recognized Noriega as Panama’s legitimate ruler — an argument that will be made in the Maduro prosecution.
The United States for the Eleventh Circuit also rejected the immunity claim.
Noriega also argued that his capture violated the Treaty Providing for the Extradition of Criminals, May 25, 1904, United States of America-Republic of Panama, 34 Stat. 2851 (“U.S.-Panama Extradition Treaty”). The Supreme Court’s decision in United States v. Alvarez-Machain, 504 U.S. 655 (1992), however, was found to bar this argument. The issue was whether he was abducted to the United States with a superseding extradition treaty. The Eleventh Circuit held:
The article of the U.S.-Panama Extradition Treaty upon which Noriega relies for his extradition treaty claim contains almost the same language as the provision of the U.S.-Mexico Extradition Treaty at issue in Alvarez-Machain. See U.S.-Panama Extradition Treaty, art. 5 (“Neither of the contracting parties shall be bound to deliver up its own citizen or subject ․”)…
Under Alvarez-Machain, to prevail on an extradition treaty claim, a defendant must demonstrate, by reference to the express language of a treaty and/or the established practice thereunder, that the United States affirmatively agreed not to seize foreign nationals from the territory of its treaty partner. Noriega has not carried this burden, and therefore, his claim fails.
The Noriega case offers ample support for the Trump Administration, which has had an outstanding arrest warrant for over five years. He is not viewed as the duly elected leader of Venezuela and has been tied to a criminal drug cartel.
The action will also have a major impact on foreign policy. The Monroe Doctrine just became the Trump Doctrine. This action not only confronted Venezuela but also Cuba, which was supplying the security around Maduro. Presumably, Cuban security may have been involved in the firefight. While cutting off vital oil to Cuba, the Trump Administration just delivered a blow against the Cuban regime — arguably one of the most stinging defeats since crushing the Cuban forces in Grenada in 1983.
Legally, Trump has the upper hand in this case. Maduro will replay the arguments from the Noriega case. However, he presents an even weaker case on the merits under the controlling precedent than did Noriega.
N.B.: This column also appeared on Fox.com
Professor Turley’s “justification” falls short. It almost seems like something he cobbled together at the las minute without really thinking about it.
What we did was remove another country’s leader because they are sitting on top of one of the world’s biggest oil reserves. If this was really about executing an arrest warrant then we would have the same justification to arrest the Israeli prime minister because he too has an arrest warrant for war crimes. The only reason why Maduro was easier to “arrest” was because the Trump administration has spent months demonizing his leadership and calling him a supporter of drug cartels that are a threat to US citizens when they were not. Fentanyl doesn’t come form Venezuela.
Of course the MAGA gullible and the supposed “no war” Trump supporters are now gladly justifying it because….oil and ‘freedom for Venezuelans’. This will not end well for Trump or us in the long run. Even our local libertarian John Say, has joined in on the justification band wagon after saying we shouldn’t be in the business of nation building. But here we are. The only reasons why it’s justifiable is because they are…leftists. Like suddenly they won’t be once we start running Venezuela like we run ours and we are not exactly the epitome of governing success, especially when it comes to Republicans. It took a democrat in office to clean up our prior messes in Iraq and Afghanistan. Think about that.
X
Please take your lithium, your whackadoodle is showing .
Awww..you didn’t have an argument. So sad.
Why reply to lunacy?
Democrats cleaning up Iraq and Afghanistan. Your screeds smell of prozac in every post you make. Do you seriously see the Afghanistan withdrawal as successful, 13 dead marines disagree.
Oh and there is a difference between a US Federal Court and the International Criminal Court…
Here, Goeorge, I can give you a quik argument against yours in only two sentences, so you can keep your responsive diatribe to a minimum and try to stay on topic.
Maduro was indicted in a U.S. court and is wanted for alleged narco-terrorism crimes against the U.S.
Your goofy comparison, “If this was really about executing an arrest warrant then we would have the same justification to arrest the Israeli prime minister because he too has an arrest warrant for war crimes,” is such a non-starter that even the simple among us see it as nothing more than another dig at Turley and those who understand the difference. That not be you.
All see, georgie never responded to a real argument challenging his comment. Says a lot^^^^
An arrest warrant is an arrest warrant, right? If Trump can rely on the power of the U.S. military to enforce an arrest warrant against a sovereign foreign leader with immunity then he can do the same with Bibi Netanyahu.
X says Awww..you didn’t have an argument. So sad.
Awwww…. how cute! X’s incredible total of self-awareness and obsessive Obama-like narcissism leads him to believe he has the credibility here to pull that projection of his posts and declarations off onto others!
X/George/Svelez/Anonymous is starting 2026 at the bottom and looking for other Democrats to join him in plunging even further into the Democrat Useful Idiot abyss
b>Projection:
Channeling one’s actions onto others typically refers to the psychological concept of projection, where an emotionally disturbed individual unconsciously or deliberately attributes their own thoughts, feelings, and anti-social or criminal behaviors onto someone else. This is an internal defense mechanism which allows that mentally ill person to avoid confronting their own behavior and guilt by seeing it instead as as the thoughts and actions of another person who they despise and hate.
@X
Sure. A country with zero laws is better. 🙄 Even Bernie Sanders is on record saying that without borders you don’t have a country – much logically follows. But silly me: there is no logic in your posts or your arguments. Just whiny privilege. By all means, continue exposing that fact. NYC is about to become a very large version of CHAZ, and we all know how that worked out. The temper tantrum class have it in NYC and other blue cities.
James, huh? You’re not making any sense trying to make sense.
What country has zero laws? Venezuela? How so? Trump doesn’t believe laws apply to him because he’s a billionaire and the president. Pretty much like Maduro. Strange.
You have no idea what is going to happen in NYC and how Mamdani will govern. You are more worried that his approach to governing will succeed and therefore badmouth it early and often to blunt any success that may come out of it. Who knows he may change things for the better like many people thought Trump would and he has not. I doubt he will last the whole term. He’s likely to croak before the term ends and that would be good news for many at least. Sad, but true.
“You’re not making any sense trying to make sense.” Isn’t that just what someone just said about you yesterday? Not an original thought in your head.
X says James, huh? You’re not making any sense trying to make sense.
X/George: the greatest insult isn’t your daily lying, denying diverting and smearing your feces on our host here Professor Turley and the rest of us. No, the greatest insult is your belief that we are just as mentally incompetent and stupid as the Democrats who believe all those lies you copy and past from Obama, Biden, Comey, Mayorkas, Harris, Pelosi et al.
That’s the greatest insult within the lies and hatred you throw at Professor Turley and the rest of us here every day.
Trolls are part of every site.. but the really Deranged ones like Troll ‘X’ add Xtra over-the-top huimour…
You too? No argument whatsoever? I thought you were smarter than that. What would the world be without an opposing view eh?
We would agree with you X but then that would make all of us wrong…
Agree. Turley opposed Libya but now is pro bombing another country without congressional approval? Why did he abandon principles?
There was a time when our colonialism was satisfied with bananas
michael molovinsky says: There was a time when our colonialism was satisfied with bananas
Was there a time before you became a card carrying Never Trumper or Code Pink Republican cosplaying as being a libertarian? One claiming that Trump would make war on Iran/Venezuela/Iraq/Russia/etc. in order to seize control of that nation’s oil?
There was a time not too long ago when your Democrat White Guilt hadn’t surfaced, back in 2007, and you were claiming in one breath to be a libertarian defender of the Second Amendment.
While at the same time heaping praise on Hillary Clinton’s attempt to win the Democrat nomination for the 2008 presidential campaign with her “pragmatic gun control laws” election platform… Democrat gun control that supposedly honored the Second Amendment!
“Pragmatic Clinton gun control laws that honor the Second Amendment” Hell – now there’s a Constitutional concept that any Libertarian would race to support Clinton over!
Oh wait Mikey… you’re a consistent Libertarian falling in line your other female political hero on the Second Amendment – Jill Stein, Green Party candidate for president in 2024 and her version of “pragmatic gun control but honoring the Second Amendment” that seemed like she stole it line by line from Hillary Clinton!!
Stein said that the wide availability of arms isn’t necessarily protecting people. Rather, it is often doing just the opposite: “It’s clear there is a relationship between gun violence and economic violence and poverty, and racial disparities and economic disparities. And the more we become an unjust society, the more we are at risk for continuing gun violence and potentially growing gun violence. The US should look to other countries such as Australia, which is just as much of a gun culture as America, when searching for great examples of dealing with the issue of gun control.
In 1995 when they passed limits on automatic weapons [implemented] background checks, and actually did a buyback of dangerous automatic and semiautomatic weapons–they have not had a single mass shooting ever since. And the rates of ordinary gun violence dropped by half. They have saved $500 billion per year. It has not been a slippery slope in Australia.
We certainly need an assault weapons ban, but we need more than that. There are some 260 people every day who are injured or killed by gun violence, so it’s very important that we ban assault weapons, for starters, but there are other steps that need to be taken quickly. Local communities need to be able to regulate guns, as needed, to deal with their violence. And we need to end the gun show loopholes, as well, because there’s far too much violence from guns, which is not needed.
It is more dangerous to the occupants of a home to have a gun than not. It’s more likely that you’ll be injured by your own gun than that you’ll be defended against some intruder with that gun.”
How’s that for a great Libertarian example of joining Clinton with the intention of passing “pragmatic gun laws that honor the Second Amendment”.
Oh, well done, Mikey! You got at least ONE person to read your blog and actually look at what politicians and policies you support and promote when you aren’t wearing the mask you attempt to wear while posting here!
X
Why do you think repeating the same idiotic arguments long after they have been refuted serves any purpose
If you opposed every military action taking by the US in your lifetime without the explicit consient of Congress – then I would like to hear what you have to say.
Otherwise this is just another Orange Man Bad screed.
Personally I would have prefered leaving the pressure campaing in place until Madoru sought asylum in some Oil Sultinate.
Regardless Turley does not Endorse Trump’s actions merely points out that they are legal – presuming that the other actions of presidents that no one called illegal are also legal.
“What we did was remove another country’s leader”
Do you want a list ?
Mosaddegh
Diem
We tried to remove Castro many times.
Allende
Noriega
Mullah Omar
SAdam Hussein
Kahdafi.
That is off the top of my head,
“If this was really about executing an arrest warrant”
Absolutely that is a legal pretext – but it is a valid legal pretext.
Maduro is being removed for a large number of reasons – including oil.
But the largest of which is that he is engaged in an unconventional war with the US.
There is no US arrest Warrant for Netanyahu.
Nor do rational people take the war crimes nonsense seriously.
IDF operations in Gaza had a lower civilian casualty rate than any significant US operation ever.
“The only reason why Maduro was easier to “arrest” was because the Trump administration has spent months demonizing his leadership and calling him a supporter of drug cartels that are a threat to US citizens when they were not.”
Eliminate “only” and you are correct – there is a long long list of reasons to get rid of Maduro.
” Fentanyl doesn’t come form Venezuela.”
Most does not – some does. FEntanyl precursors are sent to Venezuela for manufacture and then transported to the US.
SOME Mexican Fentanyl is transported to the US via Venezuella.
But it is most likely the boats destroyed contained coacaine not fentanyl.
“Of course the MAGA gullible and the supposed “no war” Trump supporters”
Here is Trump’s platform – where does it say “no war” – not that this was a war.
https://www.donaldjtrump.com/platform
“This will not end well for Trump or us in the long run. ”
That is possible – we shall see. the past US track record of operations like this is not all that good.
The success or failure of this depends not on what we have done, but what we do next.
Trump is talking about the US running Venezuela until a new government can take over.
That is likely a mistake. We suck at running other countries.
“Even our local libertarian John Say, has joined in on the justification band wagon after saying we shouldn’t be in the business of nation building.”
Most of my comments have pointed out YOUR errors.
Your “everything Trump does is a crime” nonsense.
Further I have defended Turley.
Turley is NOT saying this operation was wise or moral or will work.
He is saying that it is more legal and constitutional that similar operations by every US president since Ford.
Was this a good idea ? I think not. Was it legal and constitutional ? I think not. But Turley is correct based on history it WAS legal and constitutional.
I do however support the dug and illegal oil interdiction operations.
Maduro was waging unconventional war against the US and We are free to respond.
I would just choose to wait longer in the expectation that Maduro would fly to an oil sultanate.
I also oppose the US taking over the government of Venezuela as Trump says he is doing.
But there is a fundimental difference between me and you.
I do not support everything Trump does, but that does not make everything he does a heinous crime.
I expext every president to make mistakes or do things I disagree with.
Regardless, Trump has acted – most of us saw this coming.
So far it has gone extremely well.
There is still plenty of oportunity to scrw it up.
We will have to see.
“The only reasons why it’s justifiable is because they are…leftists.”
i thought is was oil
Make up your mind.
There are plenty of justifications. That is not the issui/
The most important is how will this woke out.
Our success records is not good.
“Like suddenly they won’t be once we start running Venezuela”
We should not run Venezuella.
Trump should tell the current VP that the US has certain expectations – new elections, Venezuella accepting Venezuellans back.
Real efforts to clean up the drug trade.
And that given that Venezuelle meets those demands we will left Venezuellans decide what they want.
“like we run ours and we are not exactly the epitome of governing success”
Actually the US has don incredibly well at governing itself.
It has done a $hitty job at nation building.
Our governmetn is not perfect – but for all its flaws – including Biden and he left we are still doing damn well.
We could do better – by getting rid of all the left wing garbage.
“especially when it comes to Republicans.”
ROFL
“It took a democrat in office to clean up our prior messes in Iraq and Afghanistan. Think about that.”
It did ?
You blamed Trump for leaving Afghanistan.
Afghanistan is still a mess – but it is not our mess.
Trump left Iraq – and it is not our mess.
Trump left Syria – and it is a mess but not our mess. Obama drug us into Syria
Somalia is still a mess – that would be Clintons mess.
Libya is still a mess that would be Obama’s mess.
X says Professor Turley’s “justification” falls short. It almost seems like something he cobbled together at the las minute without really thinking about it.
BBBBUUTTT… MUH TURLEY!!!!! Damn you MAGA gullible – Trump started a war when he illegally bombed Iran and now you MAGA cultists don’t realize he’s started a second war with Venezuela!
You just watch: Trump is going to send in the Marines to seize Venezuela’s oil! The only reason he hasn’t sent the military into Iran yet, is because he has them violating the Constitution being deployed to the streets of Washington DC and elsewhere!
“But Wiles conceded that attacking targets on Venezuela’s mainland would force Trump to get congressional approval.
‘If he were to authorize some activity on land, then it’s war, then we’d need Congress.'”
– WH Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Nov 2, 2025 interview
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/story/trump-susie-wiles-interview-exclusive-part-2
What does Marilyn Monroe have to do with this?
Are you that stupid or that bad at comedy?
Kiss my grits!
So…after waiting for all the hubbub from the right and boasting and claiming it’s all blow to socialism it seems Trump, a Republican, once again has plunged us into a nation building scheme that will cost us more money. Of course it will be paid for by using Venezuelan oil which was the whole point. It was never about the drugs.
What the Trump administration is not telling you is the sad fact that OUR oil fields are maturing, some are at a point of decline where we can’t effectively counter any increase in oil production from OPEC.
This is also meant to control a vital supply of oil to China which makes more sense because the U.S. cannot compete economically with China. Not when it has access to oil other than OPEC.
Trump just committed us to another nation building misadventure. It was never about the drugs. It’s about the oil and supporting OUR declining or maturing fields with easily accessible oil. Trump is not going to be helping Venezuelans. He’s going to help himself to the oil first before any “benefits” trickle down to the Venezuelans. I’m sure Trump will want to install a very friendly and pliable Venezuelan Government that will gladly do his bidding. It’s not going to end well.
X says it seems Trump, a Republican, once again has plunged us into a nation building scheme that will cost us more money.
You copied that almost word for word from your posts over SIX MONTHS AGO – when you put your best Karen face on, dropped your guts, and assured us that Trump bombed your favorite hajji terrorists in Iran’s nuclear facility with the sole purpose taking Iran’s oil.
You further warned us that Trump bombing the nuclear weapons building facilities that Obama and Biden both helped establish and pay for would plunge us into a nation building scheme in Iran.
Well, it’s six months later, January 2026 – tell us about what Trump is currently doing with his oil theft/nation building scheme in Iran.
C’mon X… put both your brain cells into it and get them (or ChatGPT) to guide your fingers on your keyboard, explaining to us how Trump’s Iran oil theft and nation building scheme is doing six months later!
This is an act of war and all of JTs mumbo jumbo doesn’t mean squat. He is so quick to cite precident but when trump violates precident JT shrugs his shoulders and says oh well, he is President.
Imagine for a minute…Canada draws up charges against President trump, they manage to kidnap him and take him to Ottowa to stand ttial. Would you support Canada’s move?
Or how about China moving into Taiwan and taking over the island. They probably have a stronger case for that than trump does for capturing Maduro.
This was an act of war and to view it any other way is simply to say might makes right, deal with it.
And citing Obama killing a U.S. Citizen as justification? What utter BS. Obama violated the Constitution being judge, Jury, and executioner of an American Citizen. Wrong, wrong, wrong.
Remember, letting trump do this today is saying the next President can do the same, or stretch the law just a tad more. Not a good position to be in.
This is an act of war and all of JTs mumbo jumbo doesn’t mean squat.
And today, X/George/Sevelz is posting with his “Anonymous” persona: BBBBUUUTTTT…. MUH TURLEY!!!! BBBBUUUTTT… MUH TRUMP!!!! I DEMAND MY BRIBERY BIDEN BACK IN 2028!!!!
LOL! That’s not me. But thanks for thinking of me so often.
that’s because you share the immediately-recognizable defensive dimwittedness DNA of the other. You’re all connected by the tails.
LOL! That’s not me. But thanks for thinking of me so often.
LOL indeed. It’s incredibly clever of you to post as Svelez, George, X, and of course, Anonymous. Now how could those MAGA idiots ever recognize the unbroken thread of attacking Jonathan Turley running through all those different screen names you’ve gone through over the years. What will the next username here be once “X” is just as burned up as “George” and “Svelez” were burned up before? Calling yourself by another letter of the alphabet? Zee would be perfect – straight out of the Democrats’ Alphabet Sex Pride Tribe Brigades!
Never in the history of man, X/George/Svelez/Anonymous, has anybody been so completely without the slightest shred of self-awareness and credibility, while at the same time believing that their utter failure to change anyone’s minds on Professor Turley or Trump is in fact not failure but instead a stunning victory each day!
Perhaps I should worry that you also think that being mocked, exposed, and identified as a serial liar isn’t normal Americans here doing that for our amusement with an easy commie Democrat target like you.
But instead, because you believe that we are supposedly talking notes on the BullSchiff you post because it makes us question what we believe to be true?
LOL… if you’ve convinced yourself that’s what this is all about, you best stop sharing a crack pipe with Biden’s Crackhead Kid.
Jimmy Carter committed an act of war in Iran but failed.
Obama committed an act of war in Pakistan.
Reagan committed an act of war in Grenada.
George HW Bush committed an act of war in Panama.
What’s your point?
Thank you for makoing my point.
If your guy starts a war, all is well.
If the other guy starts a war, it is bad.
I thought Trump was the one who would not get us into another war? He did want the Nobel Peace Price, right? The FIFA peace prize don’t count.
@Anonymous
Uh-huh. I guess somehow it wasn’t when Obama did it. Try another.
Dear Prof Turley,
While I commend your sudden foray into U.S. foreign policy, as a matter of law Trump has no jurisdiction or standing in Venezuela. .. and very little left in U.S. (Trump would lose by a landslide).
Assuming international law, U.S. treaty/UN obligations and the U.S. Constitution still matter under a clear and unambiguous Trump/U,S.-First world order.
How now orange cow?
*If there is anything I’ve learned about U.S. foreign policy over the past quarter century .. . ignorance is bliss.
dgsnowden says While I commend your sudden foray into U.S. foreign policy, as a matter of law Trump has no jurisdiction or standing in Venezuela
As though Professor Turley has NEVER written a column before this that comments on any US president’s actions regarding foreign policy in all the years dgsnowden has been blessing us with a view inside his mind??? NEVER????
dgsnowden is flexing his Internet University J.D. law degree again in this court of public opinion. He’s dueling with X to see which of the two of them can tell their host Professor Turley that he is wrong and they (with their Internet University law degrees) along with the Democrats are right on these points of law.
How now, Red Rager/Ranger?
*What we all know is that day drinking Chinese cooking wine before making an appearance as an Internet Bar Association lawyer is not the best way to argue your/X/the Democrats’ case against both Turley and Trump.
**We also know that both day drinking and using Obama’s communist Young Turks’ YouTube channel as the basis for your legal arguments has serious and dangerous mental health effects. Some completely descend into Trump Derangement Syndrome.
See the Marines attack Tripoli in the Barbary Coast war.
See Reagan in Grenada.
See HW Bush in Panama.
The precedent was set long ago.
So precedent in starting was is fine.
precedent in abortion law should be declared null and void.
None of the noted actions have led to war. As a matter of fact they have all stopped further escalation of violence and prevented war. Does anyone recall the deployment of the USMC to the Dominican Republic late 50’s early 60’s? Whether it was Maduro trafficking or the Chicoms cornering gas reserves in this hemisphere, I don’t care. Maduro was a Socialist kook, now maybe Venezuela will have a chance.
Leaders of the Democrat Party “quickly denounced the operation as unlawful.” Of course they have. They know nothing else to do.
George, why aren’t you decrying this foreign entanglement, the type that George Washington warned us about?
George, why aren’t you decrying this foreign entanglement, the type that George Washington warned us about?
I am not sure George Washington at any time decried the foreign entanglement of of making an ally of France. And in doing so, providing the French assistance that allowed him to drive England from our shores, rather than losing that war without their help and Washington shortly afterwards dying with an inglorious public hanging from a gibbet erected in New York or Boston.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_Doctrine_of_Unstable_Alliances
Yes, and when the US indicts your leader, it also gets to run your country “for the time being” and to grab all your natural resources!
You should have listened more closely to what was said during the presser this afternoon. The intent is to modernize and expand Venezuela’s oil industry for:1) the benefit of Venezuela; 2) compensate the United States and participating oil companies for modernizing and expanding Venezuela’s oil industry infrastructure; and, 3) deny energy resources to China, Cuba, and other bad actors. The United States will “govern” in cooperation with Venezuelans – not replace the latter with Americans.
Good. Thank you.
Yep, I listened to what trump said.
I have a bridge to sell you, wanna buy it? Oh right, you don’t trust me but if trump offered you the bridge you’d give him the money in a second.
What utter BS, we invaded a country, you think Exon is going to send a bunch of Texas oil workers to Venezuala and all will be well? Open your eyes. Has trump blinded you?
If you believe that you should also believe all of Trump” lies!
“. . . to grab all your natural resources!”
Is the Left that bereft of history?
A series of Venezuelan tyrants, including Maduro, seized the property and wealth of the *Western* companies that created Venezuela’s energy industry. Those thieves stole property owned by the Exxon Corporation, Gulf Oil Corporation, and Mobil Oil.
That so-called grabbing is in fact the return of stolen property.
Ohhhh, 🤔, I see you’ve become accustomed to the US as Mr. Nice Guy? Well, it’s 🙃 world. Who’s bad, shamone…
Matt says Yes, and when the US indicts your leader, it also gets to run your country “for the time being” and to grab all your natural resources!
Well said Matt. Continue representing Democrats here as well as you’re doing so far: remind all the Republicans here how much money we’ve made from running the Panama Canal and the rest of Panama’s natural resources since we did pretty much the same thing with Noriega over 40 years ago!
Considering how much commercial shipping pays to transit that canal, we must have made BILLIONS of dollars so far before some US President decided to surrender ANY interest we had in that canal we built in Panama.
How much did we make from that, Matt? Inquiring Democrat minds want to know in order to remind Republicans of how this works!
Justifying Trump’s illegal actions because Obama was not impeached for killing American citizens without due process is a funny position for someone who purports to value our Constitution.
Now we’re going to be “running” Venezuela and “rescuing” people in Iran.. Silly old us we thought Greenland and Canada were going to be the next states. So much for that peace president crapola Trump campaigned on.
May the Dems take back the house this year and let the impeachments begin.
The parallel with Obama was the operation to kill bin Laden. Any American citizen who declares and demonstrates allegiance to a hostile foreign entity is a traitor, and subject to battlefield execution.
eaglemysteriouslye31a2145cb says:Justifying Trump’s illegal actions because Obama was not impeached for killing American citizens without due process is a funny position for someone who purports to value our Constitution.
If you want an explanation of how this decision by Trump is illegal, then who better to make that explanation than one of the Democrats who spent YEARS explaining how Obama and Biden had 100% verified evidence that Trump stole the 2016 election in a partnership with Putin! After Putin bribed that billionaire to be his willing stooge!
And the same Democrat will claim we’re going to emulate Obama and Biden “running” Iran and “rescuing” the Iranian people after buying Iran by paying it’s Mad Mullah terrorists hundreds of billions of dollars in secretive deals involving secret shipments of unmarked foreign currency. All while those Mad Mullah’s were killing and maiming hundreds of American soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq, no less!
ALL HAIL OBAMA AND BIDEN!!!! BRIBERY JOE AND THE MAD MULLAHS FOR PRESIDENT AGAIN IN 2028!!!! So saith eaglemysteriouslye31a2145cb!
Who was the American citizen allegedly “vaporized” on orders from President Obama?
The guy who hooked up with ISIS or the Taliban, changed his name, and declared allegiance to a hostile foreign entity that had declared war on the US.
In Yemen in a drone attack. Twice. First the father, later the son.
In 2011, President Obama authorized drone strikes that resulted in the deaths of two American citizens in Yemen: Anwar al-Awlaki, a suspected al-Qaeda leader, and his 16-year-old son, Abdulrahman al-Awlaki. The strikes raised significant legal and ethical questions regarding the targeting of U.S. citizens without due process.
Turley is saying that Democrats are great role models; it is OK for Trump to follow the example set by Democrats from the past.
No, what Professor Turley is pointing out is that similar actions taken by Democrats were constitutional.
I thought the law was wrongly decided in the Noriega case and think this is wrong, too. It is a naked use of power, knowing that any other nation obtaining an indictment of an American leader could not be executed.
No one cares what you thought.
I can see it now: Ladies and Gentlemen please be seated. I know it’s on short order that I’ve asked for your attendance here at this Un-Godly hour, but we must take immediate action though limited against a threat to our Country which may become a declaration of war under various definitions. Please I must have your full attention to this matter. I recognize that with such a large body of 535 individuals there will be numerous questions, but I must state the treat is imminent. Though a ridiculous notion it demonstrates what a quagmire it could become if congressional authorities were required (prior authority) / ‘General we’re receiving small arms fire and rocket propelled grenades permission to engage’, Sergeant give me a detailed sit-rep, Sir that will take time which we don’t have, permission to engage, Sergeant a detailed sit-rep. Sergeant did you hear my command? Sergeant respond! Sergeant?
Currently under War Powers Act 1973, president notifies Congress within 48 hours of deployment and restricts action to 60 days without congress approving.
This post was left for those that say we should get Congress involved to micro or even macro manage what and when to engage protection measures for the Country.
It is without any doubt that the president needs Congressional approval before he attacks, invades, and overthrows the government of a country. Turley saying otherwise show just how MAGA he is.
Doesnt matter how many times you copy pasta with your many sock puppets. Imbeciles like you will be imbeciles
Yet the good professor points out precedent set by previous WH admins to include both Democrat and Republican that these are legal actions the president can take. Just ask Obama.
It would appear Trump, and the good professor, have learned those lessons well.
*I often complain to my Democrat friends that Trump is not an aberration of past president’s lawless actions .. . more a culmination and manifestation of them.
It is without any doubt that the president needs Congressional approval before he attacks, invades, and overthrows the government of a country.
Except for the doubt in normal Americans minds, of course… you left that part out while claiming you speak on behalf of all Americans. Democrats are going to say what you just did just as loudly as they would defend this if Obama had done it. Or if you prefer, how they defended Obama and then Biden paying Iran’s leaders hundreds of billions of dollars at the same time Iran’s leaders was busily killing our troops in Afghanistan as fast as they could.
Oh wait! That’s Big D Democrat Double Standards Different!
The phrase We will replace the frigidity of rugged individualism with the warmth of collectivism is taken from NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani inaugural address.
http://www.nyc.gov/mayors-office/news/2026/01/mayor-zohran-mamdani-inaugural-address
It was not a reference to Donald Trump but rather to capitalism. However, Cindy is right about undescended testicles re: Democrats eliminating evil dictators in our region. Democrats prefer to see America as evil and in need of a dictatorship ala Obama, Biden and now Mussolini.Mamdani is using fascist language. He is taking lines uttered and written by Benito Mussolini, as noted below in bold
Mussolini was Italy’s fascist dictator from 1922 to 1943.
The son of a socialist blacksmith, Mussolini believed in government ownership and government control of the economy. He became outraged when socialists opposed Italian entry in World War I, because he figured that Italy could emerge from the war with an empire like Great Britain, France and Germany. So he blended nationalism with socialism and came up with economic fascism. This involved private ownership and government control of the economy. Individuals continued to own their property and their businesses, but without the right to do what they wanted. Government told everybody what they must do and not do.
Estovir: the above describes Biden’s presidency to a tee. Biden’s Executive Dept including the DOJ, CDC, NIH, FDA, et al, told businesses what to do, e.g. social media, MSM, academia, medical organizations, teachers organizations and childrens schools, stores and restaurants “locked down”, etc….
“Anti-individualistic,” Mussolini wrote, “The Fascist conception of life stresses the importance of the State and accepts the individual only in so far as his interests coincide with the State. It is opposed to classical liberalism [or libertarianism, as it’s also called] that denied the State in the name of the individual; Fascism reasserts the rights of the State…If classical liberalism spells individualism, Fascism spells government.”
Individualism seemed to be the ideology that Mussolini and fellow fascists hated the most. They repeatedly disparaged it, referring to “the evil influence of individualism…the debacle of individualism…the individualistic conception of life in which man is subject only to the rule of his animal nature…individualism led to class struggle and national wars…[by contrast] fascism is an idealistic philosophy of life… the citizen in the Fascist State is no longer a selfish individual who has the anti-social right of rebelling against any law of the Collectivity.”
https://www.forbes.com/sites/jimpowell/2012/02/22/the-economic-leadership-secrets-of-benito-mussolini/
Mamdani is repeating Mussolini fascist points.
In his “Doctrine of Fascism,” Mussolini wrote:
The Fascist conception of life accepts the individual only in so far as his interests coincide with the State. . . . Fascism reasserts the rights of the state. If classical liberalism spells individualism, Fascism spells government.”
If the 19th century was the century of the individual (liberalism implies individualism) we are free to believe that this is the “collective” century, and therefore the century of the State. …..Hence the pragmatic strain in Fascism, it’s will to power, its will to live, its attitude toward violence, and its value.
The keystone of the Fascist doctrine is its conception of the State, of its essence, its functions, and its aims. For Fascism the State is absolute, individuals and groups relative. Individuals and groups areadmissible in so far as they come within theState. Instead of directing the game and guiding the material community, and the moral liberal progress State of restricts its activities to recording results.
– sjsu.edu/faculty/wooda/2B-HUM/Readings/The-Doctrine-of-Fascism.pdf
In his 1928 autobiography, Mussolini wrote:
The citizen in the Fascist State is no longer a selfish individual who has the anti-social right of rebelling against any law of the Collectivity.”
– Mussolini, My Autobiography, New York: NY, Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1928, p. 280. gutenberg.org/ebooks/74673
History is repeating itself in NY, CA, WA, and other blue states For all of Democrats “anti-fascist” gobbledegook, they are engaging in projection. Nothing new here. If the MSM did their job, Americans would have never supported Obama, Biden, Mamdani, etc.
There’s a lot of dead individuals in Ukraine who will never get to actualize individualism.
There’s a lot of dead Americans due to Biden’s open borders who will never get to actualize life.
This is an off-topic tangent.
And I wish you people would recognize the brilliance of my conversations with myself via one-liners. I work so hard at this to provide you people with a comic break.
Had Biden the butcher not sent Boris Johnson to squash the tentative peace deal the Ukraine and Russia had in Istanbul in the spring of 2022, had Zelensky taken other peace deals rather then keeping the war going so him and his cronies could embezzle even more money, those Ukrainian individuals would be alive and there would be peace right now.
But there would also be tyranny.
You are so wrong-headed.
The attackers are responsible for every death, not the defenders.
UpstateFarmer says: Had Biden the butcher not sent Boris Johnson to squash the tentative peace deal the Ukraine and Russia had in Istanbul in the spring of 2022
If a single American president had honored the commitments we made to disarm Ukraine of those deterrent nukes they had pointed at Russia and terrified us that they might sell some of them to Israel hating Muslim nations or the communist dictator family running the DPRK, either way, we wouldn’t be whining about who supposedly sent somebody to quash a peace deal that required Ukraine to surrender territory to Putin. Nor about how many billions we’ve spent after the deal whose purpose was to prevent Ukraine making billions by selling nukes to our enemies.
In fact, if we hadn’t successfully converted nuclear Ukraine to “No Cards” Ukraine, Putin would not have put one Russian boot inside Ukraine as he previously did in Georgia and Chechnia.
What American President of either party, if we were in Ukraine’s shoes, would agree to a “peace deal” that required him to surrender American territory and American citizens to a hostile foreign nation? Would even our embezzling Obama and then Biden administrations dared do that?
It’s not like such peace deals weren’t made to our American presidents by UN and EU member nations, the Pope, etc, asking us to stop the fighting in Afghanistan and have a ceasefire.
Surely we should have agreed to comply with those foreign “peace deals” put to our American presidents to get a ceasefire in place in Afghanistan! We weren’t fighting on US soil we would have to surrender like Ukraine apparently should properly do, and continuing to fight rather than accept one of these reasonable foreign “peace deals” just cost us more American lives! If Ukraine should accept peace deals on our terms put to them, logic says we should do the same when also offered peace deals from foreign nations.
What EXACTLY did Biden and then Clinton promise Ukraine that was so valuable that they willingly surrendered all those deterent nukes which they could have made hundreds of billions from selling just a few from time to time to some of our enemies?
Cindy: “Blame this on Trump and his “frigidity of rugged individualism.” (in spades, thank God!)”
Estovir: “The phrase ‘We will replace the frigidity of rugged individualism with the warmth of collectivism…was not a reference to Donald Trump but rather to capitalism.”
Me: “No Estovir, it was a reference to uniting the neighborhoods of NYC under one label as “New Yorkers”
THIS is what mamdani said,
“Together, we will tell a new story of our city….It will be a tale of 8 and a half million cities, each of them a New Yorker with hopes and fears, each a universe, each of them woven together. The authors of this story will speak Pashto and Mandarin, Yiddish… They will be Russian Jewish immigrants in Brighton Beach, Italians in Rossville, and Irish families in Woodhaven…They will be young people in cramped Marble Hill apartments where the walls shake when the subway passes. They will be Black homeowners in St. Albans…and Creole. They will pray in mosques, at shul, at church, at Gurdwaras and Mandirs and temples—and many will not pray at all…Few of these 8 and a half million will fit into neat and easy boxes….And if for too long these communities have existed as distinct from one another, we will draw this city closer together. We will replace the frigidity of rugged individualism with the warmth of collectivism.”
Is that how you approach your “research?”
For the record…….I knew I was quoting Mamdani, who was quoting god only knows.
He was quoting Mussolini as Estovir showed. Even God knows that
Estovir likes to beef up his comments with attached bibliography to make it look authoritative. None of which Estovir even read prior to today’s Internet search.
We know what you and lynn were creatively referring to, Cindy.
Thank you, I think?
who is lynn?
I think he or she meant “lin”.
Professor Turley, Now that President Trump says that US is going to run Venezuela for a period of time do you want to update or add to any of your legal analysis of this situation, especially as it relates to congressional power?
Not the gotcha you think it is. Again and again, you come across as an imbecile, but ewe do ewe
What happens next matters a great deal.
Thus far there are no indications that the US has done anything beyond remove Maduro.
We have not invaded Venezuela, we have not taken over Venezuela.
Maduro’s VP has taken over. The US is in contact with her.
We will see what comes next.
There are plenty of indications from the Trump (along with Secretaries) press conference today.
Here’s a precedent: the United States has gone to war with countries that are not in the Western hemisphere.
There is a difference between going to war and kidnapping another sovereign nation’s head of state.
Maduro has had US arrest warrants outstanding for 5 years.
What was the basis of these warrants, and is there a similar basis for issuing warrants for other world leaders? If so, then why not capture them, as well?
Putin is wanted as a war crminal for his actions in Ukraine. Putin landed in Alaska, a United States State. The United States is signatory to the treaty that says any warm criminals are to be taken into cutody.
Why didn’t trump arrest Putin when he was in Alaska?
^^^maybe he wasn’t taken into custody because he was a “warm criminal” and melted hearts.
BTW, Maduro was indicted in U.S. court for narco-terrorism crimes against the United States. Putin is allegedly responsible for crimes against Ukraine’s people, not crimes against the U.S. but he has not been indicted in a Ukrainian court, only the ICC. Do you get it?
The UNited States is NOT a signatory to the ICC treaty, nor a member of ICC. You’re nuts.
garyesq2k2 says: There is a difference between going to war and kidnapping another sovereign nation’s head of state.
There is a difference between going to war and what the USA did first with Noriega and now with another vicious, drug dealing dictator, Maduro.
There’s also a difference between a kidnapping and seizing an indicted foreign dictator who is only in illegitimate power due to stealing that country’s elections.
SCOTUS ruled against your version of these events all the way back in 2010 in MANUEL ANTONIO NORIEGA v. GEORGE PASTRANA, WARDEN
https://www.supremecourt.gov/orders/courtorders/012510zor.pdf#page=14
But as a lawyer, you can certainly argue that both the lower courts and SCOTUS are wrong and your version of this as a kidnapping is correct.
This is just another distraction from the Epstein files and the fact that Donald Trump was accused of sexual misconduct for upwards of 26 women along with his conviction for sexual assault in civil court. The MAGA cult will find nothing wrong with what ever crime Trump commits including war crimes. This is a war for oil and natural resources nothing more despite the usual lies from Trump and his sycophants.
It is “wag the dog”.
Pedophile Bill Clinton is once again trying to distract from his raping young girls provided by his friend Epstein
What’s your point?
If there is evidence Bill Clinton abused underage girls arrest him.
Are you certain about that?
According to the Clinton’s and the Clinton Foundation, it was the ‘young girls’ provided by his friend Epstein that were pursing Bill. It seems more logical that young underage girls that are dirt poor would purse like Cougar-Cubs than a older man that has ‘made it’ ($) and would have many things to offer them, rather than an old man with sporadic virility (needed viagra) that would be the one whom was actively chasing Grand Children into bed. (Look at the photo of your YouTube link – That blush is a Viagra rash, just compare it to photos of him on the Job – Pale and Unflush)
The young ones were the ones that came onto Bill, not Bill coming on to them. That was the purpose they served for Epstein and Maxwell, to make the Honey Pot sweet, so that the John could be caught and controlled. The other side of Epstein and Maxwell’s operation was to gain and sell intelligence. Bill was there to gain Intelligence (buy) provided from the Israelis via Epstein, regarding the Trump Campaign and Admin over that era for his wife Hillary’s Campaign to become the first woman president in American history. That’s way more credible than, Bill just flying in multiple times for a massage-date with a under aged Teeny Bopper. Bill being Bill, mixed Business with Pleasure for sure and Epstein provided that. Bill always conducted Business first, with Pleasure wards. And he always brought fresh Trump-Intel home for Hillary to digest, to cover his infidelities.
Things in Washington are never what they appear. There are 5.2 Million bit of evidence to be seen, Bill and Hillary will be long gone by the time We see it all.
We’ll find out what the ‘official narrative’ is supposed to be soon. LoL
Who would receive or have access to US Intelligence Briefings?
Frm. President Bill Clinton ✓
Sec. of State Hillary Clinton ✓
Frm. President Barack Obama ✓
Joe Biden, etc…. ✓
Bill Clinton received and had access to Intelligence Briefings, and if he didn’t he would have gotten them via Hillary Clinton or Barak Obama, Joe….
Bill was in the position to “share information” with Epstein of which Epstein shared with Israel.
Epstein was in position to “share information” that Bill Clinton would want (Trumps activities via Israel’s Intel sources, US Domestic and APAC sources).
Epstein made his living in this Trade. He brokered information through ‘confidence’ to parties that made him stronger (Influence Peddling) and those that he could compromise (Extortion/Blackmail), and use for Insider-Trading deals. With the backing of Governments (CIA, Agaf HaModi’in – אמ״ן).
Epstein was inside, Arms to Ukraine, Cartel to US Operations, Vice Trafficking, he had the ‘information’ and a cut. A High-Rolling Trader or Traitor, which ever way you want to look at it.
Epstein had the last laugh. He knew when he hung himself that the mountain of 5.2 Million pieces of evidence were going to be a big F-U to Everyone he had involved through out his life. Even Maxine, he left no regrets.
The Clintons, Obama, Biden, Brennen, Wray, etc…. They are all guilty to this slimy affair.
There is no such thing as a conviction in Civil court.
Further that case is not over.
Thus far the Epstain files have damaged Democrats.
Regardless if there was anything more damaging to Trump it would have leaked years ago.
Carter tried to “invade” Iran and failed.
Reagan “invaded” Grenada.
Bush I invaded Panama, and Iraq.
Clinton “invaded” bosnia, kosovo amd Somalia.
Bush II invaded Afghanistan and Iraq.
Obama “invaded” Libya and Syria.
While this appears to have been a very large and complex operation,
the goal appeard to be limited to taking Maduro into custody.
The Venezuelan military is still basically intact,
There are no US troops on the ground.
Madoru’s VP has taken over,
With certainty the US has expectations of her before we will end the blockade.
But it appears that any military actions is over.
Is Oil a factor in this – yes. But not because the US wants Venezeulan oil.
But Because Venezuella is being used by Iran, Russia and China and Cuba to “launder” illegal oil shipments.
The continuing blockade has negtively impacted all 4 other contries in ways benefical
John Say says: Bush II invaded Afghanistan and Iraq.
I remember the Bush Administration specifically telling Republicans, Democrats and professed libertarians like the Paul family, there was still an existing Afghanistan government fighting a war against an invading foreign hajji enemy made up of combatants from over 50 foreign countries. And that still existing legitimate government of Afghanistan had happily invited the US and it’s Coalition to enter Afghanistan to deal with their terrorist Taliban invaders.
(At the end of our first year in Afghanistan, Yemenese Taliban terrorists made up the greatest percentage of combatants taken prisoner of war. Afghan nationals fighting as nationalist revolutionaries/”Muslim freedom fighters”, or as organic terrorists, didn’t even make the top three in the percentage of Coalition prisoners of war)
And not even the Democrats claimed that the military action they overwhelmingly supported was supposedly an invasion. Come to think of it… the UN didn’t make the claim it was an invasion either!
Of course, a possible reason the UN didn’t do that is that they (with the US on their Security Council) had rejected the Afghan’s yearly appeals for UN troops to help them fight the invading foreign hajji terrorist army – even rejecting the Afghan government’s request each year after the Taliban’s special guest, bin Laden, had acted outside of Afghanistan to bomb American embassies in Africa and the bombing of the USS Cole.
The Bush Administration also reminded Republicans, Democrats and professed libertarians like the Paul family, that the war with Saddam’s Iraq had never ended – there was only a ceasefire that Saddam had never complied with the terms of, resulting in the US never ceasing military action through warplanes patrolling and attacking at least warplanes and naval vessels violating that ceasefire.
Bush specifically mentioned the eight reasons, not just concerning WMD (including the missing anthrax), as the reason why they were resuming full military actions against Saddam/Iraq. The Democrats agreed to the point they voted in support of the Bush administration doing that.
Not one of them at the time claimed “It’s an invasion!” – probably because it was recent enough and there had been enough recent violations of that ceasefire by Saddam, that they knew they couldn’t get away with that BullSchiff by claiming it was an invasion.
Few of the people today, from any side, demanding it was only about WMDs can list the remaining seven reasons without frantically conducting a web search first. Which is why they all work so desperately hard to avoid making any mention of the other seven reasons.
Once the political currents favored them and their next candidate to be president – suddenly it became an invasion. Oh… and the interrogation measures that Pelosi et al had approved of suddenly became torture.
That’s how politics works for many political commentators, whether Democrat, Libertarian, or Republican. To quote my favorite economist and political and social commentator, Dr. Thomas Sowell: “Never, ever trust anyone who tries to tell you A story, instead of the ENTIRE story.”
This is just another distraction from the Epstein files and the fact that Donald Trump was accused of sexual misconduct
This is a distraction from the reality that both Obama and then Biden concealed “the Epstein files” because they involved the activities of the pedophile and accused rapist Biden, their pedophile staffers and pervert donors, and Obama’s favorite house guest and pedophile, Harvey Weinstein.
And this lie is brought to you by the same Democrat liars who celebrated giving Iran and it’s terrorists billions of taxpayer dollars for a publicity stunt – while Iran was killing and wounding thousands Americans.
All based on the lies of Obama and Biden and projected here once again as propaganda to continue protecting Obama and Biden from the Biden Bolshevik Birthing Boys.