Shanahan
© AP/Carol KasterActing Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan
Having cancelled his Europe trip because of ongoing planning on Venezuela, Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan held closed-door meetings at the Pentagon on Friday with John Bolton and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

Exact details of the meeting are not being made public, and the State Department didn't even list the meeting as having taken place. Administration officials, however, said the focus was on discussing various military options for a US invasion of Venezuela.

Perennial hawk John Bolton seems to be salivating at the possibility of the US invading the major South American country, while Pompeo has been telling the press at every opportunity that if the US decides an attack is required "that's what the United States will do."

Shanahan continues to brag about the good intelligence the US has on the situation in Venezuela, a claim which must be questioned after this week's failed coup. The administration's leadership seems determined to portray themselves as ready to start this war, and after months of saying that not having imposed regime change through sheer force of will, there is a growing risk they will attack outright.