Everything about Donald Trump and MAGA is turning back the clock to periods in this nation’s history from the 1890s to the 1920s, when the plutocrats, in a Gilded Age mentality, reigned supreme without worry of the social safety net, white ethnocentrism/racism was permissible in most parts of the country, and nativism-anti immigration was acceptable social policy.
Now, scholars and pundits can add Gunboat Diplomacy to the MAGA ledger as Mr. Trump, in a return to acts committed by Presidents in this nation’s imperialistic-Manifest Destiny period and, later, mainly during the Eisenhower, Nixon, and Bush II Administrations, launched, after numerous legally questionable attacks on Venezuelan shipping, bombings of Venezuela and, on the anniversary United States forces attacked and arrested Panama’s Manuel Noreiga, the apprehension of its dictator, Nicolas Maduro, and his wife under the excuse of national security concerns about drug trafficking and narco terrorism.
That is rich considering Mr. Trump just last month pardoned another former South American President from Honduras who the Biden/Harris Justice Department had sent to jail for similar charges that are being pressed against Maduro.
Guess Maduro did not have Trump’s financial and political donors on his side.
During a news conference with his chief underlings, Trump made more shocking news, saying that the United States will run Venezuela for the foreseeable future until a new (undoubtedly Trump-friendly) government is formed and…wait for it…take over its oil industries.
Guess all those oil donors to Trump just got their money’s worth.
Time to reread Smedley Butler’s War is a Racket and Stephen Kinzer’s Overthrown.
It is no secret that Trump has been ga ga for getting rid of Maduro and imposing United States control of Venezuelan oil reserves since his first term.
Not that anyone should cry for Maduro.
He is a thug who is an illegitimate ruler who, unlike Trump, was able to steal an election from his opponent with the help of his hand picked court members.
That said, there was no legitimate reason for the United States to bomb and now occupy Venezuela, spending billions on another ill-advised foreign venture while the current Trump regime has just cut off subsidies to health care markets.
One would think these yutzes would have learned from Afghanistan and Iraq how this story is likely to end.
From their words and deeds over the last year, they have proven they lack the skills to manage another American occupation.
If President Johnson could not succeed in Vietnam and President Bush II could not succeed in Afghanistan and Iraq, what makes anyone think these mentally challenged individuals can do what those others could not?
People should hope that everything works out well for the American forces going to Venezuela and the innocent Venezuelans who want nothing more than to live in freedom and comfort.
Reacting to Trump’s latest Fascist folly, which will eventually cost American lives and billions of dollars in national treasure, members of Arizona’s Democratic Congressional Delegation offered their condemnation.
Arizona Representative Yassamin Ansari wrote:
“Last night, Donald Trump carried out yet another illegal act of war in Venezuela, capturing the country’s illegitimate and brutal dictator, Nicolas Maduro. This is an action that Congress did not authorize and the American people did not ask for. It is a profound abuse of power by an unrestrained U.S. president. Trump’s explanations for this action have incredibly changed from combatting drug trafficking, to forcing regime change, to now taking Venezuelan oil for the profit of multibillion dollar oil conglomerates. At a time of rising costs and severe crises of Trump’s own making at home, expending government resources, military capacity, and taxpayer dollars for foreign military intervention and to line the pockets of his friends and donors is utterly reckless and shameful. Any American military action in Venezuela requires Congressional authorization. While I am gratified that the Venezuelan people are now free from the horrific Maduro dictatorship, it now must be up to the people to set a course for a free and democratic Venezuela. The steps taken by the Trump administration last night are entirely outside the bounds of the law, and any further action to put tens of thousands of U.S. servicemembers in harm’s way and “run” a foreign country must be put before a vote in Congress as soon as possible. The American people do not want to repeat the mistakes of Iraq and Afghanistan. Congress needs to get to the bottom of what the administration’s next steps are: a transition plan in Venezuela? Seizing oil? Putting U.S. boots on the ground? Or further unconstitutional acts of war against other countries? The House must take immediate measures to hold this rogue president accountable, investigating last night’s events and passing a war powers resolution to prevent further military escalation.”
Representative Adelita Grijalva posted:
Representative Greg Stanton wrote:
“Maduro’s illegitimate presidency shattered Venezuela and ran its economy into the ground. But the U.S. Constitution and federal law make clear: presidents must have authorization from Congress for war or acts of war. The President’s actions are not only illegal, but they also reflect decades of bad policy and foreign policy decisions where regime change has quickly led to chaos or worse conditions. We cannot let U.S. foreign policy serve as a green light for authoritarians around the world who seek to dominate their own neighbors by force, especially countries like Russia and China.”
Senator Mark Kelly offered:
“The President of the United States just overthrew a foreign ruler and explained to the American people that this is about taking control of the oil reserves of a foreign nation. He said that the U.S. will “run the country” until a proper transition can take place and went right into how US oil companies will benefit from this takeover. He doesn’t understand the risks and costs involved with these poorly thought-out decisions that don’t make Americans any safer today than they were yesterday. Nicolas Maduro is a brutal, illegitimate dictator who deserves to face justice. I want the people of Venezuela to be free to choose their own future, but if we learned anything from the Iraq war, it’s that dropping bombs or toppling a leader doesn’t guarantee democracy, stability or make Americans safer. More often, it leads to chaos or drags the US into a war and lengthy occupation. I don’t trust that this administration has a plan, timeline, or price tag for what comes next. Over the past year, Trump’s foreign policy has been reckless, chaotic, self-serving, and unconstitutional. Congress should vote this week to reassert its authority on behalf of the American people before he oversteps again. I also want to recognize the professionalism and skill of the American service members involved in this operation. While I don’t agree with the administration’s justification for this, I’m thankful that no service members were killed or seriously injured.”
Senator Ruben Gallego issued several posts, including:
“There is no justification for the United States to be at war with Venezuela. I lived through the consequences of an illegal war sold to the American people with lies. We swore we would never repeat those mistakes. Yet here we are again. The American people did not ask for this, Congress did not authorize this, and our service members should not be sent into harm’s way for another unnecessary conflict.”
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Yeah, Maduro is a POS, but this was illegal.
Republicans, formerly the “law and order” party, are cool with it because oil, anyone saying otherwise can fuck right off.
Democrats will regain some power next year and instead of prosecuting the issue, will say “we’re looking forward and not back”, because their corporate owners like oil.
I for one am looking forward to Greenland getting an NFL team.