Gen. Jack Keane on US Retaliation for Syria Attack, Ukraine Security, and Venezuela Pressure

Foiled Terror Plot in Los Angeles

• 🎯 The FBI successfully foiled a New Year's Eve terror plot targeting five locations in Los Angeles, arresting four members of a radical pro-Palestinian extremist group.
• 💡 The group, identified as the Turtle Island Liberation Front, was allegedly planning coordinated bombing attacks using IEDs.
• 👏 General Keane commended the FBI's masterful work and penetration of the organization, highlighting their critical role in preventing domestic terrorism.

Ukraine's Security Guarantees

• 🇺🇦 Ukraine is reportedly willing to drop its demand for NATO membership in exchange for comprehensive security guarantees.
• 🛡️ These guarantees, likely commanded by the United States, would need air, ground, and maritime components to deter future Russian aggression.
• 🤝 The goal is to prevent Russia from toppling the Ukrainian government and expanding into Eastern Europe, while also rebuilding Ukraine's military.

US Response to ISIS Attack in Syria

• ⚔️ Following the deaths of two US service members and a civilian in Syria, President Trump vowed significant retaliation against ISIS.
• ✈️ General Keane anticipates likely air strikes against ISIS strongholds in eastern Syria, a tactic successfully employed in the past.
• 🕵️ The attack may have originated from a penetration of local Syrian security forces by an ISIS member, though this is still under investigation.

Pressure on Venezuela's Maduro Regime

• 💰 The US strategy against Nicolás Maduro's regime primarily involves economic pressure, including sanctions and potential blockades of oil sales.
• 🕊️ Opposition leader María Machado supports these measures, believing the Venezuelan people can endure short-term hardship for a long-term solution.
• 🚪 The ultimate goal is to compel Maduro to leave voluntarily or be forced out by his supporters or, as a last resort, by US military intervention.