One cannot but admire the sheer efficiency, capability and prowess exhibited by US forces in capturing President Maduro of Venezuela. Their might is truly awesome.
As for concerns about the ‘rule of law’, when did that concept ever trouble the Maduro regime?
To be frank, Maduro had it coming.
It says something about the regime’s trust in the loyalty of its own forces, that Maduro’s security detail was provided by Cuba.
Some of my colleagues have asked what message the US intervention sends to Russia regarding Its war on Ukraine, or to China regarding its threat to Taiwan. Forgive me, but Russia’s five years of brutal warfare in Ukraine, with its deliberate toll on civilian life, with the kidnapping of thousands of Children, will not be informed by, nor should be compared with, the US surgical operation in Venezuela.
As for Taiwan, China’s actions will be determined by the strength and readiness of Taiwan’s own military capability, and China’s assessment of the strategic ambiguity surrounding potential American involvement.
Much of the European reaction to the events in Venezuela, and comments about the future of Greenland are a product of our own impotence and lack of military capability. The fault is our own. We took a ‘peace dividend’ by cutting defence expenditure drastically after the Cold War when, in reality, there was no peace.
Incidentally, though I would seldom find myself in agreement with Lord Mandelson, he is right about Greenland: there isn’t the remotest chance of US military action.
European Governments need to wind in their necks and start being serious about defence expenditure.
Sir Desmond Swayne TD
