Posted on 04/24/2017 6:38:24 AM PDT by Kaslin
Said former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill of Nazi buildup in Europe: “When the situation was manageable it was neglected, and now that it is thoroughly out of hand we apply too late the remedies which then might have effected a cure.” The unwillingness to act when such action would have been simple and effective constitutes the “endless repetition of history,” he concluded.
Today, observers would rightly associate this statement with Syria. But Churchill did not make this proclamation so future generations would seek out examples that affirmed his logic. He made the statement so future generations would break that dreadful repetition. This is not just a quote of self reflection - it’s a call to action.
Syria is thoroughly out of hand and late remedies are now being applied. The cycle of historical inaction will not be broken in Syria. Pundits, politicians and military officials would be wise to stop reliving what could have been done there, and start looking at what can be done elsewhere. Therefore, the American government must determine the likelihood of Venezuela becoming another Syria - this time in the western hemisphere. The United States and its Latin American allies must then collectively decide whether to do anything about it.
In their quest for more and more power, Chavez and then Maduro made reliable access to basic necessities a virtual impossibility. Maduro then had the Supreme Court dissolve the Congress after the Venezuelan people stocked the legislature with opposition members through democratic elections. Although international outcry forced him to partially rescind that order, Maduro continues to issue tyrannical edicts that will have the same effect at a slower pace. Now the Maduro regime has armed loyalists to seek out and kill dissenters. Over twenty people have died in riots over the last few weeks.
This administration would rather starve its people than relinquish power. Maduro would rather dismantle government and assassinate opponents than keep the country viable. History tells us that such despotism and subsequent international inaction can lead to Assad-like levels of oppression.
Making matters worse, this regime has allowed international criminal networks and terrorist organizations, like Hezbollah, to thrive within the country’s borders. This permissive environment has thoroughly compromised the upper echelons of the Venezuelan government and allowed illicit behavior to permeate the economy and society.
Most important, the same actors in Russia and Iran that prevent Assad’s demise are the same players underwriting Venezuelan tyranny. Remember that Vice President Tareck El Aissami is Hezbollah’s go-to guy in the administration. Experts should not be fooled into thinking that geographic distance will dissuade Russia or Iran from intervening on Maduro’s behalf. Neither country will so easily cede such a strategic and lucrative relationship – one that each country has spent years cultivating.
President Trump must be prepared for the possibility of a Syria in the western hemisphere. The administration has already taken steps to sanction high-level Venezuelan officials for their work with cartels and known terrorist organizations. But they must also be prepared for preemptive action:
This is not a call for military intervention. It is merely a reminder that the arc of history bends toward inaction – something we often come to regret.
NK ?
No muslim contingent that I am aware of. The middle east is a special thing. Islam brings unique qualities to the table. NK and Venezuela are more standard despot stuff.
Monroe Doctrine..................
Not our problem, unless they attack Americans or American ships.
I agree. While it has the makings of a violent and protracted civil war, the same dynamics do not exist. That is Islamo Fascism. While terrible, it does not contain the same threat to us. Because it is in our hemisphere, we should have to be concerned, but it’s not the same.
Ya....let’s encourage terror and anarchy to infect the world around us and pretend its not our problem.
Caused by climate change no doubt
“No muslim contingent that I am aware of. The middle east is a special thing. Islam brings unique qualities to the table. NK and Venezuela are more standard despot stuff.”
Do your homework.
The VP’s name is Tareck El Aissami.
The VP is from a Syrian radical muslim family. Many articles on their ties to muslim terrorist organizations.
The VP has ‘given away’ over 10k passports to people from Syria and other radical countries..
The VP is a member of their socialists part.
South America has plenty of professional armed forces to deal with that nation. No to mention that France is ALSO part of S. America.
They can take the lead on this with the men, we can provide logistics.
“While it has the makings of a violent and protracted civil war, the same dynamics do not exist.”
See my #9.
The Venezuelans need to figure this one out for themselves. Unless they come to grips with the how and why of where they are today nothing changes. The U.S. going in and picking sides does nothing to ameliorate the roots cause. We all know the root cause, socialism and the class warfare that comes with it. Until people realize that self actualization and freedom are the only routes to true liberty the cycle will perpetuate.
“Monroe Doctrine..................”
History Lesson. The Monroe Doctrine opposed the old world countries influencing new world countries:
“We owe it, therefore, to candor and to the amicable relations existing between the United States and those powers to declare that we should consider any attempt on their part to extend their system to any portion of this hemisphere as dangerous to our peace and safety. “
According to this, we would consider the European/Asian influence in Venezuela as dangerous to our peace and safety.
Instability will produce hordes of Venezuelans trying to come here, which may destabilize the US.
What is the percentage of Muslim population in Venezuela? Per Wiki it is 1 percent.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam_in_Argentina
I’m not saying wiki is the absolute answer, but if true, then the potential for a civil war in which ISIS flourishes is simply not there with a 1% hold of the population. Again, I’m not saying we should not be concerned with what’s going on in Venezuela, any instability in our hemisphere is not good. However, it does not have the potential to be a repository for ISIS, Al Nusra or any other Islamo Fascist organization with a 1% Muslim population like Syria is, which is the thrust of the post and thread.
...France is ALSO part of S. America.
***
?
I believe he’s referring to French Guiana.
Yup.
Not a colony, but an actual part of France like Alaska is to us.
French Guiana, officially called Guiana (French: Guyane), is an overseas department and region of France, located on the north Atlantic coast of South America in the Guyanas. It borders Brazil to the east and south, and Suriname to the west. Its 83,534 km2 (32,253 sq mi) area has a very low population density of only 3 inhabitants per km2, with half of its 244,118 inhabitants in 2013 living in the metropolitan area of Cayenne, its capital. By land area, it is the second largest region of France and the largest outermost region within the European Union.
-From Wikipedia
The FFL train there and there is a launch site for sending satellites into orbit.
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