Replicating Regime Change Playbook, Pompeo Says US Obligated to 'Take Down' Hezbollah in Venezuela

[Judi Lynn]

Published on
Thursday, February 07, 2019
by Common Dreams

"It's no coincidence that this seems copy/paste from Bush's lies to justify his wars."

by Jessica Corbett, staff writer

As a U.S.-backed effort to overthrow Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro continues, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said late Wednesday that Hezbollah "has active cells" in Venezuela—a claim that was immediately scrutinized and compared with the second Bush administration's lies to justify the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

Hezbollah, a political and militant Shi'ite Muslim group based in Lebanon, has been on the U.S. State Department's "Designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations" list since 1997. In the interview with Fox Business, Pompeo, who previously served as President Donald Trump's CIA director, also charged that Iran and Cuba are strongly influencing the country.

"The Cubans invaded Venezuela. The Cubans have been controlling the security apparatus, protecting Maduro, and destroying the way of life for the Venezuelan people for an awfully long time," he said. "People don't recognize that Hezbollah has active cells—the Iranians are impacting the people of Venezuela and throughout South America. We have an obligation to take down that risk for America."

. . .

While scholars and some American lawmakers—even those critical of Maduro—have called for the U.S. to stop its anti-democratic meddling in Venezuela, the Trump administration has thrown its support behind self-declared "Interim President" Juan Guaidó, imposed economic sanctions, and repeatedly threatened military action if Maduro does not soon step down.

More:
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/02/07/replicating-regime-change-playbook-pompeo-says-us-obligated-take-down-hezbollah

Editorials and other articles:
https://www.democraticunderground.com/1016225986

[2naSalit]

1. WTF?

The only regime change we are obligated to address right now is the one that needs to take place in DC.

[mr_lebowski]

2. Oh gimme a freaking break ... INVADED by CUBA? AND lolololol ... Hezbollah?

Watch, their proof will be 'grainy photo of man in turban, in what appears to be Caracas'.

And who among us can forget the vicious, bloody Venezuela-Cuba War of 2012?

And let's see ... Iran and Cuba, huh? Iran and Cuba ... and which would be the Global Power that backs these two countries?

For some reason, couldn't seem to VOICE that particular country's name, could you now Mikey?

Jeeezus this administration is SO FULL OF SHIT.

Watch how fast the knuckle-dragging Trump Cult jump in line behind their Dear Leader, after loudly proclaiming for years that they love him cause he doesn't want to get us into wars. But ... there's OIL THERE, lots of it. So, just as they did in 2002, they'll be all onboard, with $$$ in their eyes, thinking 'Oh Goodie, The US Can Steal the Oil, and then we'll ALL GET $1/gallon GAS! USA! USA! USA!'

I suppose it's a good thing that we'll have no trouble waltzing into Venezuela and taking over if want to. It won't be years of bloody battles and roadside bombs and such. So there's that.

[GatoGordo]

3. The US doesn't need to "waltz" into anywhere.

Maduro is doing all the hard work for The Orange Menace.

And yes. Cuba has its tentacles all over Venezuela. How else can a country with no oil production capacity (Cuba) be a net oil product exporter? Apparently the "fake doctors for oil" scam worked out pretty good for the Castroists.

Not so good for Venezuelans.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Funny thing now that Venezuelans are getting a taste of democracy the forum apologists for Marx suddenly start posting about Venezuela.

[mr_lebowski]

4. I've posted on your threads a number of times, Gato ...

Should I also remind you that on one of those very threads, pretty much as soon as Bolsonaro took office, I was saying "great, now Venezuela is going to be invaded?"

Granted I said Brazil would probably do it, which they may not ... but that event DOES look like the trigger for the US to suddenly start talking invasion, literally within days of when I posted that to your thread. Remember?

And Cuba did not INVADE Venezuela. Apparently you're unfamiliar with the definition of the term. Do you need me to Google it for you?

If Venezuela made an agreement with Cuba to import their Doctors, a valuable commodity, with a payment made in Oil Exports (their own valuable commodity), what is the problem? And who cares if Cuba sells/exports some of it?

Point of the matter is ... just because Cuba (which basically means: RUSSIA) has influence over Venezuela is NO EXCUSE for the US to invade that country. And the Hezbollah thing is almost certainly total BS. It's definitely bullshit to claim that even if Hezbollah ARE there in some capacity it threatens US security to the point that we need to INVADE, for reals.

No matter how much you hate Chavez/Maduro/Marxists/Cuba ... TRUST ME, you won't like what Trump has in mind for Venezuela any better. And the way it's looking right now ... it's likely he's sending US Troops (or proxy's from Colombia and/or Brazil).

[TheRealNorth]

5. Lebowski, Gato does want what Bolton has in mind

He wants right-wing death squads and dictators. Has Gato ever posted anything critical of Bolsanaro or any of the other right-wing douchbags in Latin America?

Hell, part of the reason we have the issue with migrant caravans is because the U.S. has given right-wing thugs in Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador a free pass to terrorize their population.

[GatoGordo]

6. Hyperbole

eom

[mr_lebowski]

9. I won't claim to know Gato's some kind of RW'er, but agree with the rest (nt)

[GatoGordo]

7. If I don't comment on Bolso, it is because I know nothing about him

I am intimately knowledgeable with Venezuela and the disaster that Chavismo has brought to the people there.

Right wing in Latin America isn't the same thing as "right wing" in the United States. The apologists for Chavismo insist that the opposition to them in Venezuela is nothing less than goose-stepping fascists, when the reality is far, far different. The two dominant parties in Venezuelan politics (COPEI, AD) are very centrist, if not left of center. I cannot think of a single mainstream political party in Venezuela that is considered "right wing". NOT ONE. During the last few years, the oppo coalition (MUD) had not a single "right-wing" party that got a seat in the National Assembly. It is my opinion that this fascination with "right-wingery" in Venezuela is a red herring.

Right now, there is NOBODY on the political horizon that is anything close to right-wing in Venezuela. So excuse me if I can't help but cheer-lead for whatever change from the disaster that is Chavismo is might be coming. These Marxist-Leninists are killing people for nothing more that the ideals of the Revolution.

Addendum: Bolso ran against Sao Paulo mayor Fernando Haddad, an acolyte of Chavez who refused to disavow the political shit-storm that Chavismo had brought to Venezuela. With millions of Venezuelans fleeing the country into Colombia, Ecuador and Brazil and the problems that comes with that mass exodus, Brazilians were well aware of what Haddad was selling. So while Bolso might indeed be "right wing" by Latin American standards, he sure as shootin' wasn't going to embrace the BS that infects Venezuela the way that Haddad did.

[mr_lebowski]

8. Well I never said anythign about RW'ers in Venezuela, I know little about the politics there

Aside from a bit about Chavez and Maduro, so not sure why you're bringing that up.

I DO know Trump and Bolton though, and I'm well-familiar with the way that US leaders (esp. when a Republican is President) will crush anything REMOTELY socialist, or threatening in any way to big-money US Corporate interests ... in the region. They've shown it time and time again.

Venezuela will be much better off getting the situation handled on her own. You don't want the US, Colombia, or Brazil involved from anywhere but the sidelines at MOST.

Look up Bolsonaro if you know nothing about him, because he's a scary bastard. A real 'School of the Americas' type, if you're familiar ... A Pinochet/Montt/Videla type of leader.

[GatoGordo]

10. It would be ideal for Venezuelans to get things fixed on their own

In the meanwhile, people are starving to death. Innocent people are dying and humanitarian aid CANNOT get in because to do so would make the Revolution look bad and the leadership look like idiots. The Bolivarian Socialist revolution is an unmitigated disaster that has nothing to do with Capitalism and everything to do with morons who have dedicated themselves to the fraudulent teachings of Karl Marx.

I don't give a fuck if aid comes in one parade floats with Heinrich Himmler wearing a chicken suit leading the way as grand marshal. AID NEEDS TO COME IN. And Maduro et alii don't give the least shit about their people, only staying in power and keeping appearances up. What Democrats need to do is unite under Guaido so that honest, open elections can return to Venezuela.