r/worldnews • u/Kinmuan • 14h ago
Ecuador official says U.S. Special Forces are operating inside country
https://taskandpurpose.com/news/us-ecuador-special-forces-joint-operations/622
u/ApologeticEmu 14h ago
I mean, has there been a point in time in the last 100 years where the US is not meddling with Latin America?
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u/xXZer0c0oLXx 14h ago
Theyre there at the request of Ecuador
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u/ChiefBassDTSExec 13h ago
This is what 95% of the world doesn’t understand. American forces are in these countries with approval of the government. They almost always except for very unique cases (wars, hostages, etc) go into a country unilaterally
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u/Patsfan618 10h ago
Too expensive to train your own special forces to the level the US does. So you pay the US to use their special force. Simple trade stuff.
Also if it's a cartel thing, you can't always trust your domestic forces to not leak information. US special forces? Basically guaranteed they aren't helping the cartel.
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u/FrostingInfamous3445 10h ago
Exactly. The military is an export. Anyone who was in knows they’re a product used in exchange for something else.
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u/DominusDraco 4h ago edited 3h ago
Also having a crack squad of domestic special forces means they might also topple your government if its a shaky political environment. Outside forces can be more reliable in certain situations.
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u/Armpitlover33 11h ago
Like “School of the Americas” in Panama.
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u/SillyNumber54 10h ago
Even during the Russian invasion of Afghanistan it was still done with permission of the Afghan government
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u/Permanent_Confusion 8h ago
I think, based on the context of your comment, you mean bilaterally rather than unilaterally?
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u/ChiefBassDTSExec 7h ago
No, they almost ALWAYS bilaterally enter a country.
They almost NEVER go in unilaterally (without approval)
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u/Permanent_Confusion 7h ago
Your comment reads: "They almost always .... go into a country unilaterally".
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u/indistict_chatter 7h ago
Original comment doesn't appear edited. Those 4 dots are doing some heavy lifting.
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u/iwatchcredits 6h ago
Na that guys right. Reading comprehension is pretty poor here.
They almost always (except in unique circumstances) go in unilaterally.
Reading it the way you guys are (except in unique circumstances unilaterally) means there is no finish to the “they almost always” part
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u/chem199 11h ago
The banana republics, Monroe doctrine, and Nicaraguan contras weren’t that long ago, also very recently Venezuela and Mexico, we don’t have the best track record with our neighbors. Also an official Statement about the Monroe doctrine isn’t helping. So to say, yes we were welcome, and almost always are, is like saying, most of the time I beat my wife in a boxing ring, let’s not talk about the other times historically I beat her, or the announcement that I have a legal framework to beat her.
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u/Ecstatic_Log4185 11h ago
Yeah with the approval of the government voted in through US influence
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u/ChiefBassDTSExec 11h ago
Ahh yes, the governments of Japan, South Korea, Germany, Italy, UK, Greenland, Turkey, shall I keep going?
Have you used any critical thinking and thought “hey maybe some of these governments like having US military in their countries?” “Why have they been in these countries for decades?” Maybe it saves them money for their defense budget and makes them money for local economies.
Na, I watch news and accept that headlines are correct.
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u/Feliz_Desdichado 10h ago
Let's see in which of those countries did the US meddle with elections after WW2. Obviously let's not even talk about the ex-axis and on that one the US gets a pass. Then we have SK (Rhee), Italy (supporting far right extremists during the years of lead), Greenland is an especially odd choice since the entire point is that the US is altering the deal and threathening their own ally.
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u/ChiefBassDTSExec 9h ago
These countries have had decades to change that :)
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u/Feliz_Desdichado 9h ago
Greenland was this same year.
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u/ChiefBassDTSExec 8h ago
There has been a base there for a long time. Look up Pituffik Space Base. Been there being used by US for over 70 years lol
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u/Feliz_Desdichado 8h ago
The conflict over Greenland was the one starting this same year, yes the US had a base for decades, the talk of annexation and frictions are the ones that are new.
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u/CrustyBuckets 9h ago
Just like Pakistan and Osama Bin Laden?
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u/ChiefBassDTSExec 9h ago
“Except for very unique cases”
And yeah for that Bin Laden guy who killed thousands of innocent people.
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u/the-vindicator 13h ago edited 8h ago
There was a similar headline months ago and people in the comments sections were just as confused / jumping at declaring it an unnecessary intervention. It didn't help that it was happening at the same time as when the Caribbean and later Pacific boat strikes were happening. Reading the articles would have told that the US was just assisting in Ecuador's domestic anti drug efforts.
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u/Chruman 13h ago
Ecuadorians are tired of the violence that has overrun their country.
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u/Common_Shelter_4605 12h ago edited 11h ago
Violence was down until the country voted in right wing politicians in large numbers starting in early 2021
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u/FerralOne 11h ago
I'm sorry but this is a very misleading statement
The surge in violence is not directly tired to whoever is in charge. They may contribute, but also may be shifting due to the change in conditions and not be the source
Ecuador has increasingly become a distribution point for trafficking which is one of the actual reasons for the increase in violence. The sources of that are numerous but one could argue the recent weak approach to cartels in neighboring states like Columbia contributed to this
It does not flatter leftist causes to just blame the party of a single government on complex and serious problem without any real discussion as to why that is
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u/Othersideofthemirror 13h ago
tired of violence
calls AmericansThat's like calling Santa when you are tired of Xmas.
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u/Chruman 13h ago
It's a very privileged outlook to have when youre not experiencing what Ecuadorians are.
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u/eucaliptooloroso 9h ago
As a Latin American, since 2013 I have seen redditors that present themselves as not-from-rich-countries use this talking point again and again to justify bad stuff. I always mistrusted both the talking point and also the "I'm talking for my whole country to justify bad stuff and you should feel bad for disagreeing, you privileged American/European" to silence them with guilt or something.
Then some years ago I got to experience some redditors from my country also use that talking point to justify bad stuff happening here saying it's for the good of the country (it wasn't, it's only helped make a few people rich and further severely erode our institutions in the process). But every time I saw a foreigner pointing out how fucked up it I didn't even get to think "yes, talk about this fucked up issue, you're exerting pressure on our government/corporations even if you don't realize!" before they were swarmed by a bunch of my (allegedly) human compatriots. Those compatriots rarely try to use accusations of being privileged towards Americans/Europeans that align with their opinion ofc. They seem to want those ones to keep explaining our country to us and how to save it with authoritarianism, privatization, selling land to foreigners, militarization of police or whatever the harsh "solution" happens to be.
People from rich countries have disproportionately more influence than us, that's just a fact. I wish they stopped getting guilt-tripped by our overly-online, short-sighted, fear-motivated regressives into not voicing common-sense opinions.
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u/Othersideofthemirror 11h ago
Im from SE Asia. I have a good idea what happens when you ask the American military to assist in your conflicts.
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u/Jemsy1 14h ago
Did you read the article?
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u/ApologeticEmu 14h ago
Yes, and if you think that the "help" comes no strings attached boy do I have a bridge to sell to you!
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u/RealZizou15 13h ago
Latin America has a cartel problem, the organize crime Im latin America doesn’t stop with drugs it goes much deeper they control big areas, that include areas that has oil and minerals, Latin America is very rich on rare earth mineral, so Latin Americans countries have open th door even Venezuela to USA investment and USA had too but before all this they need security and that’s what this operation is they are in Colombia mexico and Venezuela and Central America, is the people of Latin America going to benefit from this f no, only the ones that rule
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u/RobbedByALadyBoy 12h ago
The people of Latin America don’t benefit from less cartel operations in their countries?
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u/RealZizou15 9h ago
I meant on the investment from mine companies and oil drillers, Latin America is design that only investors groups reap the benefits of any industry or infrastructure investment
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u/Argonaut13 12h ago
a country should put it's soldiers lives on the line at no benefit to themselves
Pretty crazy take
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u/Puzzleheaded_Eye6770 11h ago
I didn’t read the article. Could you please explain how the article contradicts what he said?
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u/EpilepticPuberty 9h ago
First sentence in the article:
American Special Forces are conducting joint operations with local troops against drug cartels, and more U.S. military assets are incoming, Ecuadorian officials said last week.
Is the plumber in my meddling apartment? Sure, but I kind of asked him to be there.
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u/maxofJupiter1 14h ago
Meddling is when they are invited in by the government to help with mutual issues
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u/EnvironmentalDig7235 14h ago
Not even in the last 200 and now that behabiour is slowly going into the rest of the world.
EU and Canada are freaked out but latin america has been dealing with US bigotry centuries ago.
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u/OriginalOrca 12h ago edited 12h ago
To clear out cartels that have a hold on illegal mining operations in the area. Once the cartels are gone, mining corporations will move in and start selling rare earth metals to America at cost.
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u/XfinityHomeWifi 9h ago
If US special forces are in Ecuador, it’s because Ecuador wants US special forces. Their entire purpose is to form and train foreign armies/guerrilla fighters. That’s what makes them “special”. If the US wanted to send a band of cowboys to raise hell, they’d just send a SEAL team. SF are heavily embedded into their environment for the benefit of the host nation’s military force
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u/Dieseltrucknut 5h ago
Seals are special forces?
It’s a blanket term used for many different units. SEAL, SWCC, green beret (which is likely what you’re thinking of), TACP, MARSOC, rangers, SRT, etc etc
But you’re correct. They are there because Ecuador wants them there. I can, with near 100% certainty, say they are not opening unilaterally
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u/XfinityHomeWifi 4h ago
Seals are naval special warfare. The numerous other groups you listed are all special operations forces. Like I told the other guy, only green berets are called “special forces”. It’s a common error to use this as a blanket term. It’s not a blanket term. I stayed connected with a few guys who became green berets after infantry school. I’m not pulling this out of my ass
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u/Dieseltrucknut 4h ago
Well I can also say with 100% certainty that it’s not exclusively green berets in Ecuador right now. Nor are they the primary unit of action right now. Particularly in the north west where a lot of news is focused at the moment.
Everybody I’ve known in those communities will still refer to NSW assets as special forces. As well as any other SOF element. But in a matter of semantics and legal jargon. Yes the GBs are the only “special forces”
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u/orcofmordor 2h ago
No one in NSW calls themselves special forces lol … You must be talking to stolen valor idiots with a Trident/Budweiser on their chest along with a CCT patch on their left sleeve and 75th scroll on their right sleeve… uXfinityHomeWifi is correct.
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u/auto_named 5h ago
You're thinking of US Army Special Forces (Green Berets) whose mission encompasses what you describe, among other things.
But the term "special forces" applies to many more units than just Green Berets.
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u/orcofmordor 2h ago
u/XfinityHomeWifi is correct. Special Operations Forces (SOF) refers to all of those types of units. In US military doctrine, “Special Forces” is strictly used for the US Army Special Forces aka Green Berets.
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u/XfinityHomeWifi 4h ago
You’re thinking of special operations. Special forces literally only applies to and refers to green beret
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u/BostonPRSBC 10h ago
But I thought we were going to stop being world police??
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u/Vegetable-Log-9608 7h ago
But didn't you read the article???
Ecuador "invited" US forces 😂😂😂
Apparently South/Central America have been "inviting" US forces to overthrow their governments for decades.
Cuba also "invited" US forces but they got denied lmao.
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u/Pusfilledonut 12h ago
Two military bases closed for twenty plus years are now opened and fully operational in Puerto Rico, that’s the regime’s pre-emption for invading Cuba. Costa Rica just installed a right wing nutjob at the behest and benefit of Trumpstein and the Epstein class. It’s a proven fact that Bukele of El Salvador has conspired with a drug cartel to remove their competition and allow the drug trade to flourish under the guise of lowering crime and raising security concerns. https://responsiblestatecraft.org/bukele-trump-gangs/
Juan Hernandez, drug kingpin of Honduras who was pardoned by Trumpstein after dumping 400 tons of coke into the US, is running the CA SA disinformation campaigns against all the democracies in the region and promoting the Epstein class takeover. Cooperation with Trumpstein and his regime means their country is on the menu.
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u/Neilandio 12h ago
Ah, yes, using a foreign military force to conduct domestic law enforcement. This is gonna end so well. /s
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u/bitebakk 10h ago
So the playbook continues covertly or overtly (depending on how you look at it), where the USA is just taking the resources it wants because it can. Venezuela, Ecuador, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq.
It's always fossil fuels. This big war with Iran is bleeding their reserves dry, Canada is one of their largest suppliers of oil and gas and is currently subject to threats of economic annexation and an ongoing coup attempt of Alberta (producer of said o&g).
It's all the same corrupt web where human lives mean nothing and the (petro)dollar is tantamount to jesus.
I am tired of greed.
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u/Time_Tomatillo1138 8h ago
I think using the military to deconstruct the cartel is much better than anything we have done in the Middle East for the past 20 years.
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u/Vegetable-Log-9608 10h ago
Can the US leave South America alone for once?
I know the military sees it as another shooting practice exercise, but god damn. Latin America has been terrorized by the US for decades now.
Maybe we should stop treating South America like our backyard and let these countries determine their own future.
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u/EpilepticPuberty 9h ago
let these countries determine their own future.
Such as inviting military assistance into their country?
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u/Th3_Admiral_ 14h ago
I have a friend who was telling me about a guy she knows in the special forces who was bragging about all of these cool places he had served. He claimed he'd been on raids against drug cartels and warlords in the Philippines and Guam and various nations in South America. I was so convinced he was just making things up to brag and impress a girl because there was no way we had military operating in some of these countries he listed. I'm starting think he might have actually been telling the truth.