[jandrese]

I agree that it stretches credulity but one scenario is that they were promised the Venezuelan military would stand down and let the US conduct its operation with minimal resistance. If that was not the case then the minimal troops for the beachhead may have decided that the token landing for PR purposes was not necessary and bugged out.

One of the strangest things about the entire operation is how the US left absolutely nobody behind to administer the country. Not even a consultant. The Venezuelan VP is now in charge and the government is largely intact. It's hard to see how this affects any meaningful change in the country. I did find it amusing that the opposition leader released a statement with her lips firmly planted on Trumps ass and even talked about "sharing" the Nobel Peace Prize just to see if he's enough of an idiot that such obvious flattery would work.

[viraptor]

> The Venezuelan VP is now in charge and the government is largely intact. It's hard to see how this affects any meaningful change in the country.

It's a threat - "Do as we say or you're next." Which the US was pretty public and explicit about. They don't need anyone on site for that. It's not like they actually care what happens beyond the resources use.