Arya News - Thwarting US "imperial ambitions" and avoiding a military conflict in Venezuela would be critical for global stability, Scott Ritter, a military expert and a former US Marine intelligence officer, told Sputnik on Saturday.
"Thwarting the imperial ambitions of the United States, getting the United States to avoid making the mistake of getting involved in a military conflict that will last a generation and destabilize a region in the world. I"m talking about possible war with Venezuela. If the United States seeks alternative ways of bringing stability to the region, I think this will help create conditions of stability, not only in our hemisphere but around the world," Ritter said following a presentation of his new book in Russia’s St. Petersburg. Ritter further suggested that potential American aggression against Venezuela would severely damage its ability to engage in diplomacy with other major powers, specifically Russia, a key ally of the Venezuelan government. "If we choose a path of war, how can Russia talk peace with a nation that"s at war with Venezuela? So, preventing a war in Venezuela, getting the United States not to go to war in Venezuela, that decision is going to be one of the big factors to global stability over the course of the next three to five years," he said. Ritter"s remarks come amid escalating tensions in the region. Since August, the United States has deployed eight Navy warships, a nuclear-powered attack submarine and thousands of troops to the Caribbean. The Venezuelan government has described US military presence as a direct threat. The situation intensified following an announcement by US Attorney General Pam Bondi, who offered a $50 million reward for information leading to the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Washington accuses Maduro of leading a drug trafficking organization they referred to as the "Cartel of the Suns." The Venezuelan government has denied the existence of such an organization, dismissing the allegations as baseless. In response, the Venezuelan government has mobilized its troops and reinforced the borders in preparation for a potential incursion. Venezuela has also formally requested support from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to help deescalate the situation.