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Yesterday the White House took a new step toward the theater of the absurd by “declaring a national emergency with respect to the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States posed by the situation in Venezuela,” as President Barack Obama put it in a letter to House Speaker John Boehner.

It remains to be seen whether anyone in the White House press corps will have the courage to ask what in the world the nation’s chief executive could mean by that. Is Venezuela financing a coming terrorist attack on U.S. territory? Planning an invasion? Building a nuclear weapon?

Who do they think they are kidding? Some may say that the language is just there because it is necessary under U.S. law in order to impose the latest round of sanctions on Venezuela. That is not much of a defense, telling the whole world the rule of law in the United States is something the president can use lies to get around whenever he finds it inconvenient.

That was the approach of President Ronald Reagan in 1985 when he made a similar declaration in order to impose sanctions — including an economic embargo — on Nicaragua. Like the White House today, he was trying to topple an elected government that Washington didn’t like. He was able to use paramilitary and terrorist violence as well as an embargo in a successful effort to destroy the Nicaraguan economy and ultimately overturn its government. (The Sandinistas eventually returned to power in 2007 and are the governing party today.)

The world has moved forward, even though Washington has not. Venezuela today has very strong backing from its neighbors against what almost every government in the region sees as an attempt to destabilize the country.

“The Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) reiterates its strong repudiation of the application of unilateral coercive measures that are contrary to international law,” read a statement from every country in the hemisphere except for the U.S. and Canada on Feb. 11. They were responding to the U.S. sanctions against Venezuela that Obama signed into law in December.

Quote (cambovenzi @ Mar 10 2015 03:29pm)

..Or we could choose to not sanction them nor prop up a horrible failing socialist state. (redundant)

Quote (thesnipa @ Mar 10 2015 04:31pm)

The day electric cars become economically feasible will be the same day the US adopts this policy.

Currently a crutch is needed for any country with top 10 oil imports.

Quote (cambovenzi @ Mar 10 2015 04:29pm)

..Or we could choose to not sanction them nor prop up a horrible failing socialist state. (redundant)

Quote (2sexy4u @ Mar 10 2015 01:44pm)

What i understand it's there is coming sanctions because human rights of Venezuelan citizens are violated, declaring any country a threat to national security is the first step in starting a U.S. sanctions program.

maybe a more neutral source than an opinion will help understand
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/03/09/us-usa-venezuela-idUSKBN0M51NS20150309

Quote (cambovenzi @ Mar 10 2015 04:29pm)

..Or we could choose to not sanction them nor prop up a horrible failing socialist state. (redundant)

Quote (thesnipa @ Mar 10 2015 04:31pm)

The day electric cars become economically feasible will be the same day the US adopts this policy.

Currently a crutch is needed for any country with top 10 oil imports.

Quote (Skinned @ Mar 10 2015 04:35pm)

Kind of the pot calling the kettle black when condemning Venezuela for democratic corruption considering the sale of US elections.