US President Clarifies: Theft, But Only When We Do It
According to the BBC, Donald Trump gloated that the US would profit from Venezuelan oil seized by its navy, claiming an 'entitlement' to tankers and crude. This isn’t just bluster; it’s a policy precedent set repeatedly by the US using its military and economic might to enforce its will. Recall how Libya's sovereign wealth, estimated at $67 billion (NYT, 2011), was 'frozen' and ultimately diverted
for 'reconstruction' after NATO's intervention, without much input from Libya. (Perhaps Venezuela should have developed fewer natural resources?) The implicit message is clear: 'property rights' and 'national sovereignty' are quaint notions, easily suspended when the US decides a nation's leadership is inconvenient. The seizure of assets under 'sanctions' or 'regime change' operations isn't new;
it’s a well-worn playbook for resource-rich nations who dare to operate outside the Washington consensus. It appears 'rule of law' is less about abstract principles and more about who wields the bigger stick, or in this case, the larger navy and deeper pockets for selling stolen goods.