Russia has penetrated Ukraine

[loco]

I don’t think that theory holds up. Venezuela isn’t some easy pressure point the U.S. can just “use” in a geopolitical chess match. The country is larger than Vietnam, extremely difficult to occupy, and perfectly suited for long-term guerrilla warfare. Any attempt to strong-arm it would turn into a massive drain with no real upside.

The U.S. already struggled to control far smaller and less resilient regions — Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan — and Venezuela would be even harder. Regional neighbors like Colombia would quietly support resistance, and anti-U.S. sentiment across Latin America would explode.

And beyond that, the American public has no appetite for another foreign conflict. We’re nearly $39 trillion in debt, people distrust the government more than ever, and nobody is willing to die in a war with Venezuela over some geopolitical flex.

If Trump is trying to use Venezuela as a bargaining chip against Russia, it’s a reckless and unrealistic strategy that would almost certainly devolve into a quagmire.

And while a U.S. attack could actually boost Maduro’s standing at home by rallying nationalist sentiment against foreign intervention, I’ll admit that this dynamic isn’t universal. Saddam didn’t gain popularity when the U.S. invaded Iraq. But the context is completely different: Iraq had been devastated by sanctions and previous wars, and many Iraqis already viewed Saddam as illegitimate. Venezuela, on the other hand, has a long history of resisting U.S. influence, and foreign aggression tends to unify Latin American populations — even those who dislike their leaders.

We'll have to wait and see what happens, but there's a good chance your post won't age well.

[Kwon]

Volunteer you're expert service.

"your"

[Donny]

[illuminati]

"your"

Yes - Correct, my dyslexia letting me down yet again.

[IroNat]

"your"

Yo!

[Griffith]

Ukraine is working to build a fleet of 250 modern fighter aircraft, including F-16s, Swedish Gripens, and French Rafales.

“We are holding parallel talks with Sweden, France, and the United States. The overall goal is a fleet of 250 new aircraft. This is our future,” Zelensky said during a briefing with journalists.

Swedish Saab JAS39 Gripen Series E

The Swedish Gripen is a priority for Ukraine. Zelensky said the jets are cheaper to maintain, pilots can be trained on them in about six months, and they can even take off from and land on roadways.

Zelensky also announced a preliminary agreement with Sweden for 150 Saab JAS39 Gripens, including local production.

French Dassault Rafale

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Monday that Kyiv has signed a letter of intent to acquire up to 100 of the French fighter jets over the next 10 years.

Zelensky confirmed that a new batch of Mirage 2000-5F fighters is slated to arrive soon, along with additional air-to-air missiles.

F-16s will be the backbone of Ukraine’s fighter fleet for now

Once Belgium transfers its promised 30 F-16s to the UAF, pending the F-35s that are replacing them, Ukraine will have a fleet of around 86 F-16AM (single-seat) and F-16BM (two-seat) Block 20 Mid-Life Update airframes.

Ukraine has said it eventually needs a total of 128 F-16s to defend itself against Russia.

The Rafale and Gripen, however, would be a step up in modern capabilities for Ukraine.

Considered 4.5-generation aircraft, they're equipped with advanced avionics, sensors, and electronic warfare systems but lack the powerful full-stealth capabilities of the 5th-generation F-35 Lightning II and F-22 Raptor.

https://www.kyivpost.com/analysis/63097

https://www.businessinsider.com/future-ukraine-air-force-taking-shape-rafale-gripen-f16-2025-11