Rubio says US has no plan to use force in Venezuela — but warns ‘imminent threat’ could change that
Same show, different day.
The U.S. is not preparing to utilize additional military force in Venezuela, but won't hesitate to employ such force in the event of an "imminent threat," according to Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
"The president never rules out his options as commander-in-chief to protect the national interest of the United States," Rubio told lawmakers on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Wednesday. "I can tell you right now, with full certainty, we are not postured to, nor do we intend or expect to have to take any military action in Venezuela at any time. The only military presence you will see in Venezuela is our Marine guards at an embassy."
That said, Rubio said that certain events could warrant military actions — pointing to a hypothetical scenario where an Iranian drone factory emerged in the region and threatened U.S. presence or allies there.
"The president does reserve the option in self-defense to eliminate that threat," Rubio said. "We don't see that, we don't anticipate that, but it could happen. We hope not … But I think it would require the emergence of an imminent threat of the kind that we do not anticipate at this time."
Rubio's remarks came in response to questions about his prepared statement, which said that the U.S. is prepared to exert military force to ensure cooperation from Venezuela's interim government if it defies Washington following the ouster of dictator Nicolás Maduro.
"We are prepared to use force to ensure maximum cooperation if other methods fail," Rubio's prepared testimony had said, which he ultimately did not end up using. "It is our hope that this will not prove necessary, but we will never shy away from our duty to the American people and our mission in this hemisphere."
Rubio's prepared testimony also maintained that there are no U.S. troops in Venezuela, and that the operation did not amount to waging a war in Caracas.
POST TRUMP MEETING, VENEZUELAN OPPOSITION LEADER SAYS COUNTRY WILL HOLD 'FREE AND FAIR' ELECTIONS 'EVENTUALLY'
"There is no war against Venezuela, and we did not occupy a country," Rubio said in his prepared remarks. "There are no U.S. troops on the ground. This was an operation to aid law enforcement."
The move to ouster Maduro has attracted scrutiny, mostly from Democrats, who have called into question the legality of the operation in Venezuela, which was conducted without Congress' approval.
But efforts in Congress to pass a war powers resolution that would have limited the Trump administration from conducting additional military action in Venezuela failed to pass earlier in January. Rubio …
Same show, different day.
The U.S. is not preparing to utilize additional military force in Venezuela, but won't hesitate to employ such force in the event of an "imminent threat," according to Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
"The president never rules out his options as commander-in-chief to protect the national interest of the United States," Rubio told lawmakers on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Wednesday. "I can tell you right now, with full certainty, we are not postured to, nor do we intend or expect to have to take any military action in Venezuela at any time. The only military presence you will see in Venezuela is our Marine guards at an embassy."
That said, Rubio said that certain events could warrant military actions — pointing to a hypothetical scenario where an Iranian drone factory emerged in the region and threatened U.S. presence or allies there.
"The president does reserve the option in self-defense to eliminate that threat," Rubio said. "We don't see that, we don't anticipate that, but it could happen. We hope not … But I think it would require the emergence of an imminent threat of the kind that we do not anticipate at this time."
Rubio's remarks came in response to questions about his prepared statement, which said that the U.S. is prepared to exert military force to ensure cooperation from Venezuela's interim government if it defies Washington following the ouster of dictator Nicolás Maduro.
"We are prepared to use force to ensure maximum cooperation if other methods fail," Rubio's prepared testimony had said, which he ultimately did not end up using. "It is our hope that this will not prove necessary, but we will never shy away from our duty to the American people and our mission in this hemisphere."
Rubio's prepared testimony also maintained that there are no U.S. troops in Venezuela, and that the operation did not amount to waging a war in Caracas.
POST TRUMP MEETING, VENEZUELAN OPPOSITION LEADER SAYS COUNTRY WILL HOLD 'FREE AND FAIR' ELECTIONS 'EVENTUALLY'
"There is no war against Venezuela, and we did not occupy a country," Rubio said in his prepared remarks. "There are no U.S. troops on the ground. This was an operation to aid law enforcement."
The move to ouster Maduro has attracted scrutiny, mostly from Democrats, who have called into question the legality of the operation in Venezuela, which was conducted without Congress' approval.
But efforts in Congress to pass a war powers resolution that would have limited the Trump administration from conducting additional military action in Venezuela failed to pass earlier in January. Rubio …
Rubio says US has no plan to use force in Venezuela — but warns ‘imminent threat’ could change that
Same show, different day.
The U.S. is not preparing to utilize additional military force in Venezuela, but won't hesitate to employ such force in the event of an "imminent threat," according to Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
"The president never rules out his options as commander-in-chief to protect the national interest of the United States," Rubio told lawmakers on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Wednesday. "I can tell you right now, with full certainty, we are not postured to, nor do we intend or expect to have to take any military action in Venezuela at any time. The only military presence you will see in Venezuela is our Marine guards at an embassy."
That said, Rubio said that certain events could warrant military actions — pointing to a hypothetical scenario where an Iranian drone factory emerged in the region and threatened U.S. presence or allies there.
"The president does reserve the option in self-defense to eliminate that threat," Rubio said. "We don't see that, we don't anticipate that, but it could happen. We hope not … But I think it would require the emergence of an imminent threat of the kind that we do not anticipate at this time."
Rubio's remarks came in response to questions about his prepared statement, which said that the U.S. is prepared to exert military force to ensure cooperation from Venezuela's interim government if it defies Washington following the ouster of dictator Nicolás Maduro.
"We are prepared to use force to ensure maximum cooperation if other methods fail," Rubio's prepared testimony had said, which he ultimately did not end up using. "It is our hope that this will not prove necessary, but we will never shy away from our duty to the American people and our mission in this hemisphere."
Rubio's prepared testimony also maintained that there are no U.S. troops in Venezuela, and that the operation did not amount to waging a war in Caracas.
POST TRUMP MEETING, VENEZUELAN OPPOSITION LEADER SAYS COUNTRY WILL HOLD 'FREE AND FAIR' ELECTIONS 'EVENTUALLY'
"There is no war against Venezuela, and we did not occupy a country," Rubio said in his prepared remarks. "There are no U.S. troops on the ground. This was an operation to aid law enforcement."
The move to ouster Maduro has attracted scrutiny, mostly from Democrats, who have called into question the legality of the operation in Venezuela, which was conducted without Congress' approval.
But efforts in Congress to pass a war powers resolution that would have limited the Trump administration from conducting additional military action in Venezuela failed to pass earlier in January. Rubio …
0 Comments
0 Shares
31 Views
0 Reviews
