Friday, December 19, 2025

Venezuela Boat Strikes Did Not Need Congressional Approval

Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday insisted that the Trump administration has not needed Congressional approval for the strikes on several boats in the Caribbean that were allegedly smuggling drugs into the U.S.

Posted by lamplighter at 03:08 PM | 17 COMMENTS | permalink

Comments

More from the article ...

... "We are presenting every single one of these as justified," Rubio told reporters at his year-end press conference. "We know who is on those boats, we've been tracking them from the very beginning. We know everything about them, okay?"

"There are boat strikes that we don't take because they don't meet the legal criteria," Rubio explained. "We have everything we need, and it's one of the reasons you've seen this massive deployment in the region, is to be able to gather intelligence and paint a picture that we can justify to lawyers, based on the law. I'm very confident about that effort, it's been very successful."

Rubio earlier in the press conference said that he would not speculate "about things that haven't happened and may never happen," but that "to this point, nothing has happened that requires us to notify Congress or get congressional approval or cross the threshold into war." ...


#1 | Posted by LampLighter at 2025-12-19 03:09 PM

Show your work Asshole.

If you know who they are say so. If you know where they were going explain how.

Accountability isn't just a word.

We need more than just, "Trust us, it's all Kosher"

Sheesh.

#2 | Posted by Effeteposer at 2025-12-19 03:21 PM

Wow, that sure was unconvincing , Marco.
Are you even really trying?
Now, how about the written legal justification, relevant intel, repressed video, etc., etc., etc.?
No?
Coverup intact.

#3 | Posted by Doc_Sarvis at 2025-12-19 03:22 PM

Kings don't need no stinking Congressional Approval for ANYTHING!

Not when they own the SC.

#4 | Posted by Corky at 2025-12-19 03:35 PM

@#3 ... Wow, that sure was unconvincing , Marco.
Are you even really trying? ...

It looks like he was told to justify something that he thinks could not be justified.

#5 | Posted by LampLighter at 2025-12-19 03:37 PM

Empty Suit Marco Rubio may run for POTUS in 2028. His mega-oligarch backer is Larry Ellison.

Hillbilly hypocrite VPOTUS JD Vance may run for POTUS in 2028. His mega-oligarch backer is Peter Thiel.

Dummkopf Trumpf wants a third term. His mega oligarch-backers are Miriam Adelson and Felon Musk.

Who will mega-oligarchs Mark Zuckerberg or David Bezos support?

"How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world, that has such people in't."

(The Tempest, Miranda, Act V Scene I).

#6 | Posted by C0RI0LANUS at 2025-12-19 03:40 PM

#4
It's weird, but when the American Revolution rolled into town 250 years ago George III exerted less real power than Trump plays with today.
Of course Parliament was having none of this unlimited monarchy.nonsense.

#7 | Posted by Doc_Sarvis at 2025-12-19 03:41 PM

It's weird, ....

Not this weird....

In 1986, Chuck Schumer voted for the Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act; The Act authorizes the U.S. government to use force, including sinking vessels, against stateless drug-smuggling boats on the high seas.

#8 | Posted by oneironaut at 2025-12-19 03:43 PM

#8
Could you just possibly goose yourself up to current speed? Sheesh.

#9 | Posted by Doc_Sarvis at 2025-12-19 03:47 PM

You still have to prove the boats had drugs on them. And you can't double tap the survivors if they're not shooting at you.

Forgot that part?

#10 | Posted by Alexandrite at 2025-12-19 03:48 PM

More on that law on which you need to brush up (at least): en.wikipedia.org

#11 | Posted by Doc_Sarvis at 2025-12-19 03:50 PM

#8

I never knew China had Bozo clowns!

Here's what was in the Bill that Schumer vote for; this was just one provision:

"The Act itself did not explicitly authorize "sinking vessels," but it provided broad enforcement powers to the U.S. Coast Guard and Navy on the high seas against vessels without nationality or those from nations that consent to U.S. enforcement. T

his expanded authority included the use of force to stop and seize vessels when legally justified, which could involve "disabling fire"."
www.google.com

It did not include the mass murdering with no apparent evidence that 1Nut prefers.

#12 | Posted by Corky at 2025-12-19 04:23 PM

-I never knew China had Bozo clowns!

What is the obsession with this particular insult?

Has Oneiron disclosed his nationality? Is he Chinese? born and raised in China?

#13 | Posted by eberly at 2025-12-19 04:26 PM

#13

He claims to be a Visa holder in CA that is planning to retire back in China, where he will be forced to give his DNA to the Security Police.

Freedoms!

Currently he is busy here on the Retort teaching everything from ESL (which he obviously deserves a Refund on his own classes!) to US law and history.

#14 | Posted by Corky at 2025-12-19 04:32 PM

I never knew China had Bozo clowns!

#12 | Posted by Corky at 2025-12-19 04:23 PM | Reply | Flag: They do indeed.



#15 | Posted by C0RI0LANUS at 2025-12-19 04:48 PM

They also have other obvious Chinese Trump Impersonators:

www.youtube.com

short

#16 | Posted by Corky at 2025-12-19 05:14 PM

They also have other obvious Chinese Trump Impersonators:

www.youtube.com

short

#17 | Posted by Corky at 2025-12-19 05:14 PM

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