The Bridge with Peter Mansbridge Is Trump's Venezuela Mission A Wag The Dog?
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Sep 8, 2025 
Dr. Janice Stein, an expert in international relations and foreign policy, dissects the U.S. military's strong positioning near Venezuela. She questions whether this is a genuine operation or merely a strategic distraction. The conversation also highlights the shifting power dynamics and how historical context shapes today’s geopolitics. Additional topics include the implications of U.S.-Venezuela relations under Maduro and rising tensions that could lead to conflict, especially with the backdrop of geopolitical strategy involving countries like China.
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Massive US Force Off Venezuela
- The US has deployed overwhelming naval and Marine firepower near Venezuela that far exceeds drug-interdiction needs.
- Janice Stein argues this shows a coercive posture aimed at pressuring Maduro rather than a narrow law-enforcement action.
Questionable Legal And Evidentiary Basis
- The US action lacks formal congressional authorization and clear legal basis for massive force.
- Stein highlights the absence of evidence and authorization around the incident used to justify the deployment.
Wag The Dog Or Serious Build-Up?
- The 'wag the dog' theory is plausible but complicated by planning that began months earlier.
- Stein sees the buildup as more than a spur-of-the-moment distraction and warns an invasion would not be easy.