The U.S. military buildup around Venezuela is far more extensive than required for counter-drug operations and could be used to seize strategic facilities inside the country, according to an analysis op-ed published by the Washington Examiner.
Columnist Tom Rogan argued on that recent deployments, which include Navy warships, Marine expeditionary forces, F-35 jets, and a submarine, suggest planners are preparing for operations that go beyond interdictions at sea and that military planners now believe the forces assembled are "sufficient to seize and hold key strategic facilities such as ports and airfields on Venezuelan territory."
