US 'Defense' Budgets Soar As Its Neighbors Mobilize Defenses
Venezuela is mobilizing its military in response to increased US troop presence. This headline from NPR's 'Middle East' desk (a curious choice for Latin American news, perhaps showcasing US foreign policy's universal application) paints the picture of a naturally aggressive Maduro. What's left out? The long, documented history of US-backed coups, interventions, and sanctions in Latin America, from
Chile to Nicaragua to, yes, Venezuela itself. The Monroe Doctrine, apparently, knows no expiration date. When a superpower places its military on your doorstep, is preparing your own forces truly an 'aggressive' act, or merely a sensible, if futile, defense against perpetual hegemony? One might wonder how the US would react if, say, China or Russia set up bases in Mexico for 'regional stability.'
The media's selective amnesia regarding US covert action and overt threats in its 'backyard' is as consistent as the 'news' of new troop deployments.