DAVID MARCUS: Trump's aggression toward Venezuela a warning to Putin

President Donald Trump has seen caller setbacks successful his polling numbers connected galore issues, but 1 agleam spot successful surveys has been his assertive attack to Venezuela, including taking retired cause cartel boats. But determination is different intent astatine enactment here, 1 that whitethorn assistance to extremity the warfare successful Ukraine.

What is important to recognize is that Venezuela is simply a lawsuit authorities of Russia, arsenic is Iran, and arsenic was Syria until the caller overthrow of Bashar al-Assad. One by one, Trump has been proving that against American might, Putin cannot support his sketchy planetary friends safe.

President Donald Trump greets Russian President Vladimir Putin arsenic helium arrives astatine Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson successful Anchorage, Alaska connected Aug. 15. Trump has been briefed connected a bid program for ending the Russia-Ukraine war.  (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

"Russia’s way grounds with allies similar Iran, Syria, and present Venezuela reveals a acquainted pattern," Peter Duran, adjunct elder chap for the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told me. "The Kremlin volition marque lavish statements of support, but supply minimal backing erstwhile existent threats look to its clients."

Noting however bladed PUtin is stretched by the warfare successful Ukraine and U.S. sanctions, Duran said "keeping Maduro successful powerfulness is simply a span excessively acold for Moscow if President Trump presses the issue."

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One tin astir spot Trump’s main Ukraine negotiator, Steve Witkoff, saying to a Russian counterpart, "How’s your lad Maduro, doing? Seems to beryllium having a pugnacious time. I privation we could assistance ..."

nicolas maduro and marco rubio (Fox News)

While Putin has been murdering Ukrainians and maintaining the largest European onshore warfare successful generations, Trump has been weakening Russian planetary power. Syria is making bully with America, Iran has been de-nuclearized and present that leaves Venezuela.

In caller weeks, Russian cargo planes person been seen flying into Venezuela. Nobody is ever rather definite if they are determination to bring supplies, oregon possibly astatine immoderate point, to airlift Maduro to an aboriginal status successful Moscow, wherever al-Assad present resides.

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It is simply a precise telling situation, due to the fact that the full crushed that Putin invaded Ukraine was that helium believes it falls nether Russia’s sphere of influence. Yet, without putting a azygous worker successful combat, the United States has marshalled enactment for Ukraine that has stymied the Russian dictator.

For astir 4 years now, Putin has sent his ain armies into a nutrient grinder, employed North Korean mercenaries and expended much treasure than seen successful each the "Pirates of the Caribbean" movies combined. It's been small avail successful presumption of breaking the stalemate.

Compare that with America’s concern regarding Venezuela. We could instrumentality retired Maduro time and there’s not a damn happening Putin could bash astir it.

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In fact, this week’s caller National Security Strategy connection from the Trump medication doubles down connected a Monroe Doctrine-like argumentation of putting the Western Hemisphere archetypal and foremost successful our information goals.

But rightfully putting our ain backyard archetypal does not mean that Trump oregon America are exiting from the planetary stage. In fact, overmuch the other is true.

Soldiers with their faces painted march during a subject parade to observe the 205th day of Venezuela's independency successful Caracas, Venezuela July 5, 2016. (Carlos Jasso/Reuters)

Trump understands the planetary chess board. He knows that, portion nonstop struggle with Russia could pb to planetary war, picking disconnected the Kremlin’s rogue lawsuit states astir the edges is just game, and puts unit connected the halfway of that board.

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"President Trump’s large instrumentality attack to Venezuela recalls Theodore Roosevelt’s attack to the region. Instead of gunboat diplomacy, Trump is deploying supercarrier diplomacy," Duran told me. "A quiescent status overseas is the champion enactment for Maduro earlier options constrictive further. Putin won't beryllium capable to prevention him."

Trump has enactment Putin successful an incredibly pugnacious presumption here. If the dictator remains dedicated to his phantasy of reclaiming each of Ukraine to reconstruct the USSR, helium risks the United States undermining his allies and clients crossed the globe.

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Russia whitethorn beryllium faced with the prime of regaining what it believes is its territorial integrity astatine the terms of nary longer being a planetary superpower.

Trump is proving again, arsenic helium erstwhile told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, that helium holds each the cards. At the moment, helium is playing them masterfully, tightening the noose astir Russia arsenic its geopolitical allies are knocked disconnected 1 by one.

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At past week’s furniture meeting, Secretary of State Marco Rubio described Trump’s overseas argumentation arsenic transformational, "because for the archetypal clip successful a agelong clip we person a president who fundamentally puts America astatine the forefront of each determination we marque successful our successful relations with the world."

In Venezuela, the Department of War is so playing offense, arsenic Trump promised, but the hostile isn’t truly Maduro, it's Putin, who whitethorn soon find retired that different of his pariah allies is disconnected the committee forever.

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