There was talk on the TV news tonight about the need for
the United States to intervene militarily in Venezuela. While it is true that the Venezuelan people
are suffering, that Nicolás Maduro Moros
is a brutal dictator, that the Cubans are propping Maduro up, and that the Russian
Republic and Hamas are using the crisis in Venezuela to get a permanent base of
operations in the Western Hemisphere, I am against US military intervention
there.
There is no
consensus among Venezuela’s neighbors supporting a unilateral American military
action there. Even more, there has been
no offer of troops or financial support from Venezuela’s more conservative
neighbors; countries like Brazil, Argentina, or Columbia.
Tensions between
the US and Russia are already high, and Vladimir Putin has done some saber rattling
about his willingness to replay the Cuban missile crisis. If that is what is necessary to prevent
further Russian intrusion into Latin America … fine. However, let’s not go
there unless we have to. We were one
misstep away from a nuclear holocaust the last time. Next time humanity might not be so lucky.
To me, an even
more serious concern is whether our troops would have the full and unconditional
support of the US Congress if we send them into Venezuela. Today, the US House of Representatives passed
a resolution to deny President Trump National Emergency Funds to build a wall
on the border with Mexico. They did it
in spite of the fact that the United States is being invaded along that
border. They set aside the national
security of the country because they oppose President Trump. Indications are that the US Senate will
approve the resolution. In this kind of
political atmosphere, there is no reason to believe that Congress would not undermine
any military effort we might undertake in Venezuela. They threw away the sacrifice of over 50,000
Americans killed in action in Viet Nam, and the bloodsucking parasites will do it again.
Although Hamas
has infiltrated the Venezuelan refugees making their way here through Central
America and Mexico, the United States has not been directly attacked militarily. If President Trump chooses to send troops to assuage
the Venezuelan humanitarian crisis (to get rid of Maduro), he should seek congressional
approval. Troops should not be sent
unless Congress nearly unanimously approves it, and unless the wording includes
language to the effect that the president is authorized to do whatever it takes
to resolve the matter in our favor and ensure that the people of Venezuela can
freely elect whomever they chose to lead them.
Whatever it takes
would have to include kicking the Cubans out. We must also make it impossible for the
Russians and Hamas to conduct operations there. Whatever it takes means using whatever level
of force is needed to do that; with the understanding that it could result in
an escalation of hostilities beyond the scope of the current crisis.
US military intervention
must only take place at the request of the interim Venezuelan government. It would be best if we can also enlist the
cooperation of Venezuela’s neighbors. The UN is useless, and we do not need them.
Here is what I
vehemently oppose. I never again want to
see American service men and women get shot at unless the US Government and people are willing to do WHATEVER IT TAKES resolve the situation
in their favor. I am sick of half-baked
schemes that cost the lives of our military personnel for nothing. I don’t want to hear a lot of crap about
rules of engagement. I want our troops
to be free to find, fix, close with and destroy the enemy ... and then to get
out. I don’t want any more lingering
involvements as “peacekeepers” or “nation builders.” The deterrent we leave behind after we clean
up somebody-else’s mess should be, “Screw it up again and we will be back. Then it will go even worse for you.”
Only under the
above conditions would I reluctantly agree to a US military intervention in
Venezuela.
