US Seizes Tanker in Venezuela, Recalls 'Freedom' Oil Sanctions
CBS News details the U.S. seizure of an oil tanker, 'The Skipper,' off Venezuela, citing 'three sources.' This action, we're told, targets 'illicit oil trade.' What CBS doesn't emphasize is the economic blockade imposed on Venezuela by the U.S., which cripples its oil-dependent economy and has, according to the UN, exacerbated humanitarian crises. The 'illicit' designation often just means 'not
approved by Washington' for a nation Washington has sought to destabilize for years. One might observe the stark contrast with how the U.S. treats other resource-rich allies facing political pushback. The selective outrage, where some nations face crippling sanctions for selling their own oil while others receive military aid despite significant human rights concerns, raises questions about
whether this is about 'law' or maintaining strategic leverage. (Perhaps if Venezuela purchased F-35s, its oil trade would become 'licit.')