Sen. Marco Rubio told CBS News that recent U.S. actions in Venezuela should not be equated with Middle Eastern interventions, arguing the mission is distinct and focused in the Western Hemisphere. President Trump announced a "large-scale strike" on Caracas and said Nicolás Maduro had been captured, with the U.S. to oversee the country until a transition. Critics, including veterans Sen. Ruben Gallego and Rep. Pat Ryan, compared the operation to the Iraq War and warned it risks repeating past mistakes. Opponents also accused the U.S. of acting for oil and strategic interests.
Rubio: U.S. Operation In Venezuela 'Not The Middle East' — Critics Compare It To Iraq
Rubio on Venezuela action: ‘This is not the Middle East’
Sen. Marco Rubio on Sunday pushed back against comparisons between the recent U.S. operation in Venezuela and past American interventions in the Middle East, saying the mission in Latin America is fundamentally different.
Speaking with CBS News correspondent Margaret Brennan on Face the Nation, Rubio said many observers continue to evaluate foreign-policy moves through the prism of post-2001 conflicts.
'I still think that a lot of people analyze everything that happens in foreign policy through the lens of what happened from 2001 to ... you know, '15 or '16,' Rubio said. 'This is not the Middle East. And our mission here is very different. This is the Western Hemisphere.'
On Saturday, President Donald Trump announced that U.S. forces had carried out a "large-scale strike" on Caracas and that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro had been captured. According to the announcement, the White House intends for the United States to oversee the country until a transition is in place following Maduro's capture.
Critics And Comparisons
The operation prompted immediate comparisons to the Iraq War, a conflict that remains controversial in U.S. politics. Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), a Marine veteran who served in Iraq, posted on X that he had fought in "some of the hardest battles of the Iraq War," witnessed comrades die and civilians caught in crossfire, and concluded: 'No matter the outcome we are in the wrong for starting this war in Venezuela.'
Rep. Pat Ryan (D-N.Y.), an Army veteran who also served in Iraq, published a video on X saying, 'they're trying to do the same exact thing again,' and added in his post: 'No matter what they say, it's always oil.' These reactions highlight concerns that the intervention could repeat past mistakes or be driven by strategic economic interests.
Where The Debate Stands
Supporters emphasize regional security and a different strategic context within the Western Hemisphere; opponents warn that military action risks unintended consequences and international criticism. The episode has renewed questions about U.S. intervention strategy, legal authority for operations abroad, and long-term plans for governance and reconstruction in Venezuela.
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