America's unilateral military action in Venezuela has shocked the world. America wants control over oil reserves by kidnapping President Maduro. This action is different from the US interventions in Afghanistan and Iraq, where it had to pay a heavy price. This bullying of Trump can push the global system towards anarchy, due to which powerful countries will dominate the weak ones.
America took unilateral military action in Venezuela.
Trump aims to control Venezuela's oil reserves.
This action could lead to global chaos.
Vivek Katju. America's unilateral military action in Venezuela shocked the world. Perhaps it was seen for the first time that the President of a country was abducted along with his wife from his residence. America had a long dispute with Nicolas Maduro, but many countries including the United Nations continued to recognize him as the President of Venezuela.
India was also included in such countries. America and especially President Donald Trump have created convenient arguments in favor of this arrogance. Maduro is accused of promoting drug trafficking in America. Whatever it may be, it does not give scope to any powerful country to conduct military raids in another country to arrest such an accused.
The action of killing the dreaded terrorist Osama Bin Laden in Abbottabad, Pakistan comes under the category of exception in such cases, but the same standard cannot be applied to Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores.
In the changed circumstances, Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez has taken charge as interim President. America has put pressure on them to continue to accept its arbitrariness and follow American instructions, especially in the matter of oil and gas. Venezuela has the largest reserves of oil in the world. Trump wants control over this reserve. They want only American and selected European companies to remain important players in the big game of the oil market of this South American country.
He has indicated that he wants to keep Russia and China out of any role in Venezuela. The US intervention in Venezuela is a far cry from similar interventions in Afghanistan and Iraq a few years ago. It is clear that America has learned a lesson from the failure in Afghanistan and the difficulties faced in Iraq to avoid such mistakes. America took military action against Taliban and Al Qaeda. It was believed globally that America had a solid basis for doing so, because at that time there had been a horrific terrorist attack on it.
Taliban fell in Afghanistan due to military action, but major terrorists of it and Al Qaeda were successful in escaping to Pakistan. Taliban started working against the new system taking shape in Afghanistan with the support of Pakistan. This system was established only with the help of America and NATO. The United Nations had also then given permission for the formation of an international force for stability in Afghanistan. However, even the new system of Afghanistan and America together could not overcome the opponents.
During this period, about 2,500 American soldiers died and the burden of about one trillion dollars fell on the American treasury. Ultimately, Trump, with a bitter sigh, agreed to a deal with the Taliban. This agreement proved to be a blow to the new system in Afghanistan. When America withdrew its troops from Afghanistan, in August 2021, Taliban again took power in Kabul. That is, after a gap of twenty years, the wheel of time returned to the same place from where it had started.
Talking about Iraq, it was attacked under the guise of destructive weapons. Whereas the unstated objective was to eliminate Saddam Hussein and his Ba'athist regime and establish a 'democratic government'. American troops capture Saddam Hussein. He was tried and hanged. After this, instability increased in Iraq.
America had to pay a heavy price for its interference here too. By the time he withdrew from Iraq, he had lost 4,500 soldiers and spent two to three trillion dollars. Soon this country came under the grip of terrorist groups like IS and American intervention did not yield any meaningful results.
Unlike Afghanistan and Iraq, US intervention in Venezuela is unilateral. Trump has no intention of sending troops there on the ground. America has imposed a maritime blockade of Venezuela, so that it can effectively control the oil flow there. In this entire exercise, only one air campaign was sufficient and Trump himself said that there was no need for any other campaign. As soon as Trump announced that troops would not be sent there, it was decided that the regime there would be run by Maduro's allies who would act as nothing but American puppets. Thus, without any formal declaration, Venezuela would effectively become a colony of the United States.
While the US lost troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, there were no military casualties in the Venezuela campaign. Unlike spending millions of dollars on Afghanistan and Iraq, America only expects earnings from Venezuela. The maritime blockade imposed by America on Venezuela is enough to suffocate its economy. The influence of American control will be such that no group there will dare to go against it.
Yes, from America's allies to its rivals, they can keep complaining about this, but no one will do anything against its interests. Now the real issue is that even if a country like China does not have extraordinary military capabilities like America, will it think of following American footsteps. If this happens then anarchy will increase in the world. Powerful countries will continue to dominate weaker countries with their convenience.
(The author is a former diplomat)
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