https://www.foxnews.com/world/maduro-2-us-mercenaries-captured-in-foiled-kidnapping-plot
This would be a huge story if a competent administration was in power. With Trump in the White House it is more of a … meh event. Back in the day, with Clinton in trouble, Newt would have been shouting “Wag the dog!!!”
Tidewater News and Opinion Forum 
Blackwater or whatever name Eric is using now.
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Betsey’s Bro is what he settled on….
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I didn’t see any official involvement in the story.The two Americans could just have been adventurers that made a bad choice.
Unfortunately, it come down to faith and trust in the regime. And so far, it has not earned much of either.
Even supporters have said “better than Hillary”.
Trouble is, Hillary is not running.
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@Len
“official involvement”
I did use a question mark in the headline, but this is obviously the kind of meddling in Latin American internal affairs that our country has done, encouraged, financed and/or failed to stop many times before.
Also worth mentioning that at least one other Americans not captured seemed to have been involved and took to social media to proclaim there liberation efforts.
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Well, your comment started out on the right track. How many times have Americans been detained and immediately labelled a spy or insurgent by rouge nations. I don’t have enough fingers and toes, do you have some extras?
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@BOBR
“rouge nations”
Same kind of spell checker problem I experience all the time. Cheers.
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Are two letters all you can find to complain about? Is there a conspiracy here Mr Spell Checking policeman? Hands up, don’t shoot. Jerk off..LOL
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@Bobr
Too dense to absorb a friendly comment? That’s okay. God made you that way.
But you gotta admit, a “rouge nation” is kinda funny.
Hey, Roberts, BobR made and obscene suggestion at me. Waaah!
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These two Americans were in a boat with others, armed and ready to beach.
Boy Scout practice?
I don’t think the problem is that these guys are Americans so much as did they have official backing from the administration?
I am not so sure they did, but unfortunately for them, they hung out with the wrong crowd.
Madura is a dictator and pretty much human dirt. No doubt about it. But we did hear speculation from the administration early on about military intervention in Venezuela. We are backing his opposition. Giuliani has made some overtures for investments in a Maduro-less country.
Its not like we have been ignoring that country.
PS: I am sure this will be a protracted deal for the lives of those two Americans. On the one hand, I hope we can get them out. But on the other, if you step into areas of the world where we are not welcome, stuff happens that might not be the best turn outs.
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Oh well, if Maduro says Trump is involved it must be true. After all, his record for honesty is impeccable.
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@Tabor
Maduro did not invent this incident. And, based on past American operations of a similar nature going back more than a century, it is not particularly wild speculation that the U.S. Government (Trump) is involved.
As to Maduro’s credibility, the sad truth is that it is most likely far better than Trump’s in most countries in this hemisphere.
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“sad truth is that it is most likely far better than Trump’s in most countries in this hemisphere“
I don’t think there is any need to limit it to just one hemisphere.
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Conspiracy theory much? Uh, all the time laced with phony indignation. Hey, two big dumb Paul laughs in one day. Thanks.
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@BobR
It is a question of fact – was the American government involved in this event or was it not? If you could read with any level of comprehension – a big ask, I know – you would see that I did not try to answer the question and only said that it was “not particularly wild speculation” that it might be that it was.
It also seem you have no understanding of the word “indignation.” Yes, I find it saddening that the President of the United States is a laughable chump with zero credibility among not brain dead people all over the world. But that is not “indignation.”
“indignation : anger or annoyance provoked by what is perceived as unfair treatment.”
I have not been treated unfairly.
Sad, but oh well. You are the way God made you.
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Well, well, just out today on the Guardian, your ignorant conspiracy theory is as PHONY as YOU. Surprise, surprise.
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@Bobr
This is surely a mistake, but I will respond as if you were thinking adult and not just some name-calling ignoramus.
I did not present a conspiracy theory – ignorant or otherwise.
I offered two opinions . . .
Maduro’s credibility, sadly, was very likely better than Trumps in the minds of other countries.
Both of those are entirely supportable opinions.
It now is documented that the Trump-supported government in exile of Venezuela initially contracted with these mercenaries and that from somewhere millions of dollars were sourced to move “troops” etc. to Columbia for the planned invasion. They soon came to realize that this was the gang that could not shoot straight and backed away from the plot. AP could find no evidence that the Trump administration was involved in this fiasco and it now seems unlikely that it was,
https://apnews.com/79346b4e428676424c0e5669c80fc310
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Unfortunately, our president has a similar problem.
So if we have two liars giving us the story, who is telling the truth.
Mr. Mustard, in the Billard Room, with a lead pipe?
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Sorry, Colonel Mustard.
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There being no evidence whatsoever to support Maduro’s claim, I don’t see an equivalence.
A claim of an act of war should be supported by something other than a self serving accusation.
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