Exclusive: US Coast Guard lacks forces to seize Venezuela-linked tanker for now, sources say

[usonian]

https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/us-eyes-additional-coast-guard-assets-seize-fleeing-tanker-sources-say-2025-12-24/

WASHINGTON/LONDON, Dec 23 (Reuters) - The U.S. Coast Guard is waiting for additional forces to arrive before potentially attempting to board and seize a Venezuela-linked oil tanker it has been pursuing since Sunday, a U.S. official and a source familiar with the matter told Reuters.

The ship, which maritime groups have identified as the Bella 1, has refused to be boarded by the Coast Guard. That means that the task will likely fall to one of just two teams of specialists - known as Maritime Security Response Teams - who can board vessels under these circumstances, including by rappelling from helicopters.

The days-long pursuit highlights the mismatch between the Trump administration's desire to seize sanctioned oil tankers near Venezuela and the limited resources of the agency that is mainly carrying out operations, the Coast Guard.

Unlike the U.S. Navy, the Coast Guard can carry out law enforcement actions, including boarding and seizing vessels that are under U.S. sanctions.

Translation: Since the Coast Guard has law enforcement authority (Please don't ask what law is being cited or ignored here) it can board vessels, but it is a very small force and stretched thin. When I served, it was said that the NYPD was larger.

[Irish_Dem]

1. US Military is not able to board a civilian unarmed vessel.

Something is not right.

[usonian]

3. It seems that the Coast Guard always did.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Coast_Guard

The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces.[10] It is one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the United States military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission with jurisdiction in both domestic and international waters and a federal regulatory agency mission as part of its duties.

Of course, using it to advance political aims is abhorrent.

Trump: We don't want to be the policemen of the world BY BRETT SAMUELS - 04/30/18
6:30 AM
https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=20729427

https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/385521-trump-we-dont-want-to-be-the-policemen-of-the-world/

President Trump on Monday said the U.S. should no longer serve as the “policemen of the world.”

“We more and more are not wanting to be the policemen of the world,” Trump said during a joint press conference with Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari.

“We’re spending tremendous amounts of money for decades policing the world, and that shouldn’t be the priority,” he said.
Trump ran on the promise that he would extricate the U.S. from foreign wars.

[Irish_Dem]

5. Maybe the military didn't want to do it and made up some excuse.

I am a military kid and that is what the troops would do if the jackwad politicians
came up with stupid ideas.
Delay delay delay until the next election.

[usonian]

6. Not the same LE authority.

Where "law" is no doubt misinterpreted and abused.

What "law"?

[Irish_Dem]

7. Human nature is human nature.

I am talking psychology.

Tell people to do something stupid they don't want to do and they will find
a way to delay it.

[kerouac2]

2. Epic...

Department of war? More like department of whoops.

[usonian]

4. Part of DHS.

Was Transportation. Was Navy (wartime). Was Treasury (Revenue Marine originally )

[Hope22]

8. Many moons ago when the Coast Guard moved to 'Homeland Security'...

I was in the process of getting an I68.. it was used to travel by boat between US and Canada. After the document was signed and in my hands I said to the officer who had processed it…Do you know what my best day will be? At which point my sailing partner sucked air, knowing what was coming. I said,’ when Homeland security is disbanded and you get your powers back…The officer responded, ‘you and me both’. I was glad to hear him say it and he wasn’t upset that I had. Everyone else in line was surprised for sure!