US Presidents' Promise, War Delivery: A Pattern of Hypocrisy in Interventionism
In Caracas, last week's "invasion" took on a different guise - it was a putch. The regime change was orchestrated secretly with Washington, facilitated by Qatar, and reportedly aimed to propel Delcy Rodríguez, the interim president, into power. Rumors point to Maduro being handed over to the Americans swiftly and peacefully, sparking little reaction from Trump other than praising Delcy's "graciousness" before her swift ascent.
This covert operation has sparked a great deal of surprise given that US presidents have traditionally upheld an isolationist stance by swearing to refrain from involvement in distant conflicts. However, history shows that this pledge is frequently disregarded in favor of interventionism and military action. The likes of Woodrow Wilson and Franklin D. Roosevelt defied their own principles, while George HW Bush unapologetically seized Panama's president Manuel Noriega as a drug lord.
Trump's stance on this matter has been distinct but not unprecedented. When asked about his intentions for Venezuela last year, he declared an end to the US's involvement in nation-building and lecturing other nations on their behavior. This marks a stark departure from past rhetoric, where the "nation-builders" claimed to have wrecked more nations than they built.
However, Trump's latest move seems like a complete reversal of this stance. His advisor Stephen Miller envisions a broader US role in the Americas under the guise of national security, echoing an earlier corollary of the Monroe Doctrine which asserted Washington's commitment to exercising "an international police power."
This recent development echoes the long history of US interventionism and its disregard for international law. The true motives behind these interventions often remain opaque, with commercial gain or domestic glory being among them. The rhetoric of liberty sounds hollow when juxtaposed against the reality of unchecked power.
The world is left to wonder if Trump's actions will be a one-off departure from his predecessors' patterns or merely another chapter in a long narrative of US imperialism. Only time will tell if his stance on democracy and stability in Venezuela marks a genuine shift away from historical precedents or if it represents more of the same – a U-turn that ultimately fails to alter the trajectory of history.
In Caracas, last week's "invasion" took on a different guise - it was a putch. The regime change was orchestrated secretly with Washington, facilitated by Qatar, and reportedly aimed to propel Delcy Rodríguez, the interim president, into power. Rumors point to Maduro being handed over to the Americans swiftly and peacefully, sparking little reaction from Trump other than praising Delcy's "graciousness" before her swift ascent.
This covert operation has sparked a great deal of surprise given that US presidents have traditionally upheld an isolationist stance by swearing to refrain from involvement in distant conflicts. However, history shows that this pledge is frequently disregarded in favor of interventionism and military action. The likes of Woodrow Wilson and Franklin D. Roosevelt defied their own principles, while George HW Bush unapologetically seized Panama's president Manuel Noriega as a drug lord.
Trump's stance on this matter has been distinct but not unprecedented. When asked about his intentions for Venezuela last year, he declared an end to the US's involvement in nation-building and lecturing other nations on their behavior. This marks a stark departure from past rhetoric, where the "nation-builders" claimed to have wrecked more nations than they built.
However, Trump's latest move seems like a complete reversal of this stance. His advisor Stephen Miller envisions a broader US role in the Americas under the guise of national security, echoing an earlier corollary of the Monroe Doctrine which asserted Washington's commitment to exercising "an international police power."
This recent development echoes the long history of US interventionism and its disregard for international law. The true motives behind these interventions often remain opaque, with commercial gain or domestic glory being among them. The rhetoric of liberty sounds hollow when juxtaposed against the reality of unchecked power.
The world is left to wonder if Trump's actions will be a one-off departure from his predecessors' patterns or merely another chapter in a long narrative of US imperialism. Only time will tell if his stance on democracy and stability in Venezuela marks a genuine shift away from historical precedents or if it represents more of the same – a U-turn that ultimately fails to alter the trajectory of history.