US Seizes Oil Tanker, Calls it 'Freedom of Navigation'
RT reports the US military has seized another oil tanker in the Caribbean, asserting it was linked to Venezuela, a nation subjected to crippling US sanctions designed to destabilize its economy and government. While this is presented as a lawful interdiction, it’s worth remembering the US does not recognize the International Criminal Court’s jurisdiction, nor does it typically submit to
international maritime law when it conflicts with its strategic interests. (Remember the CIA's 'Operation PBSuccess' in Guatemala for United Fruit Co.? Same playbook, different century.) This isn't about legal precedent; it's about control. The US, which has historically deployed its military to secure oil interests—from the 1953 Iranian coup to countless interventions in the Middle East—now
unilaterally decides which nations can trade their own resources. One might wonder if the 'rules-based order' applies when the Houthis, protecting Palestinian rights, interfere with shipping in the Red Sea, or if that's only reserved for US-designated adversaries. Perhaps 'freedom of navigation' is just a fancy term for 'our way or the highway,' particularly when it comes to oil.