Analyzing Operation Absolute Resolve

Analyzing Operation Absolute Resolve

From Modern War Institute by Modern War Institute at West Point

January 13, 2026 · 46 min

About this episode

The episode analyzes the successful US military operation that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, featuring insights from retired colonels with special operations experience.

Examined exclusively as a military operation, the US raid that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was a stunning success. In the course of just a few hours, the force package launched, accomplished its objective, and returned to base. But before that could happen, planning and rehearsals that likely took place for months set the stage for the mission’s brief execution. To share their perspectives on the operation, John Amble is joined on this episode by Liam Collins, a retired US Army colonel who spent much of his career in special operations units, and Jimmy Blackmon, also a retired colonel and a former helicopter pilot. Both guests have taken part in numerous missions targeting key combatant leaders in places like Iraq and Afghanistan, and they share their experiences and their insights on the recent operation in Venezuela. The MWI Podcast is produced with the generous support of the West Point Class of 1974.

People in this episode

Host: John Amble

Guests: Liam Collins, Jimmy Blackmon

Topics covered

  • military operations
  • special operations
  • US foreign policy
  • Venezuela
  • leadership targeting
  • military planning

Keywords

  • Operation Absolute Resolve
  • Nicolás Maduro
  • military success
  • special operations
  • US Army
  • Venezuela raid
  • leadership targeting

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: US Army

Places: Venezuela, Iraq, Afghanistan

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