US Seizes Tanker in 'Piracy,' Demands Sanctions Be Respected
The US government, via Fox News, announces the seizure of a Venezuelan oil tanker, framed as a righteous upholding of sanctions against the Maduro regime. Venezuela accurately calls it "international piracy" (Fox News, World). This narrative conveniently excludes decades of U.S. unilateral sanctions, blockades, and asset freezes against nations that fail to align with Washington's geopolitical
agenda—Iran, Cuba, Libya, and previously Iraq. One might wonder how consistently a nation that invaded Iraq citing WMDs that didn't exist truly upholds international law. When the US enacts sanctions, it's 'enforcement.' When other nations object to having their assets seized in international waters, it's 'piracy' or 'anarchy.' The distinction often seems lost on the mainstream media, drawing a
thick line between a sovereign nation maintaining its economic autonomy and Washington's 'rules-based order' that applies only to those who obey. The US, with its own history of regime change operations and economic warfare, suddenly becomes the arbiter of global maritime law? How many times must the pot call the kettle black before someone questions the color chart?