Stephen Lendman

Venezuela is a prime US target for regime change, opposing its social democracy, wanting control of its vast oil reserves.

Ongoing color revolution tactics for months so far failed to achieve Trump’s objectives. So did earlier Bush/Cheney and Obama coup attempts.

Is sending in the marines Trump’s next option? Will he attack Venezuela militarily, maybe terror-bomb the country like in other US war theaters?

Will he destroy vital infrastructure, target residential areas, massacre thousands of defenseless civilians to install pro-Western fascist rule?

Venezuela can’t match America’s might. It’s determined to resist Yankee imperialism, a worldwide scourge.

On Saturday and Sunday, around 200,000 soldiers along with hundreds of thousands of civilian militia members are participating in military exercises.

They’re part of a homeland defense plan, a civic/military initiative, announced by President Maduro on August 14 - in response to Trump threatening a possible military option against the country - continuing the warrior tradition of his predecessors, waging endless wars of aggression, raping and destroying one country after another.

America seeks imperial trophies, Venezuela a key geopolitical prize. As long as Bolivarian social justice is the law of the land, it’s threatened by neocons infesting Washington and hawkish generals wanting the hemisphere’s model democracy eliminated - a threat of a good example as long as it exists.

Defense Minister Padrino Lopez said Venezuelans intend defending their country against imperial America, saying:

“We must understand the broad concept of what sovereignty is, the capacity of a state, a nation and its government to make their own decisions. This country will follow the course that Venezuelans themselves decide upon.”

Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza explained all Venezuelans, “all high-ranking military personnel are to take part in these drills to prepare to protect us, our territory, our sovereignty, including by military means,” adding:

“I hope that we won’t experience (the) barbarity” of US aggression. (I)f Venezuela is attacked, rest assured that the Armed Forces of the Bolivarian Republic, the people of Venezuela, would defend their territory, their integrity, dignity, independence and sovereignty to their last breath.”

Responding to Trump’s threatened military intervention, Russia’s Sergey Lavrov condemned the possibility, calling any US action against Venezuela an unacceptable intervention in its internal affairs.

Weeks earlier, Maduro denounced Washington’s interventionist policy against his country. “Stop your aggression,” he stressed.

In a worst case scenario, Venezuela will “take up arms” to preserve its sovereign independence and Bolivarian social democracy - free from America’s global scourge.

Will the Trump administration dare attack Venezuela militarily? Given its rage for endless wars, anything is possible.

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Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

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