Venezuela

Robert Hubbell -   1. The attack on Venezuela violated the Constitution; Congress has the power to declare war, not the president. Trump violated the War Powers Act by failing to obtain Congress’s consent before attacking a sovereign nation. Trump also failed to advise members of the congressional oversight committees.

2. The capture of Maduro violated US law. US criminal jurisdiction does not extend into foreign nations. Even so, the US did not obtain an arrest warrant issued by a judge or magistrate based on probable cause (so far as I know as of 1/3).

3. The capture of Maduro violated international law. The process for arresting and transferring an accused between countries requires extradition under a treaty between the nations involved.

4. The attack on Venezuela violated international law. Under the United Nation’s charter, the US cannot attack a sovereign nation except in self defense against armed aggression.

5. The real purpose of the attack was to seize control of Venezuela’s petroleum industry.

6. The law of unintended consequences. The attack may destabilize Venezuela or other countries in the region.

7. The lawless attack sends a message to Russia and China that they can engage in similar lawless activity. It also sends a message to our allies that the US cannot be trusted and is an aggressor nation.

Finally, the lesson that we should take from the above is that we must continue to resist Trump’s lawlessness at every turn. If we give Trump a “pass” on violating one part of the Constitution, he will take that as a signal that he is free to violate other parts of the Constitution. We must double down on our efforts to resist Trump, and we must add his illegal war against Venezuela to our list of causes.

Newsweek -   Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Sunday that President Trump always has options around what comes next in Venezuela, after the U.S. carried out airstrikes and captured the country's president, Nicolás Maduro.

Asked to clarify that there is no plan for U.S. occupation of Venezuela, Rubio said "the president always retains optionality on anything and on all of these matters."

"He certainly has the ability and the right under the Constitution of the United States to act against imminent and urgent threats against the country," Rubio said on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan."