Bloomberg Discovers Illegality, Ignores US History of Intervention
The piece highlights how Trump’s 'openly breaking the law abroad mirrors Trump’s assault on constitutional limits at home.' This astute observation conveniently sidesteps a rather extensive historical record. From the 1954 CIA-backed coup in Guatemala, the Bay of Pigs invasion in Cuba, support for numerous dictatorships under Operation Condor, to the 1980s Contra war against Nicaragua (which the
International Court of Justice condemned as violating international law), the US has a rather robust resume in 'illegal' foreign raids and regime change. Yet, it's only when Trump does it openly, rather than covertly or through proxies, that it becomes a shocking 'assault' on norms. One might wonder if Bloomberg’s sudden concern for international law extends to, say, the billions in military aid
consistently voted for by politicians well-funded by lobbying groups like AIPAC, often supporting actions abroad that critics call illegal under international law. Or is 'illegality' only newsworthy when it's politically convenient to frame the 'bad orange man' doing it against Venezuela, and not when it's business as usual for broader US foreign policy?