US Seizes Vessel While Condemning 'Interference' Abroad
The BBC breathlessly reports the US seizure of a 'sanctioned vessel' off Venezuela, noting President Trump's 'blockade' order. What they don't quite highlight is that 'international waters' usually means, well, *international*. This isn't just about a sanctioned vessel; it's about the US asserting unilateral extraterritorial jurisdiction, a move they'd brand an act of war if, say, China did it in
the South China Sea. This tactic follows a pattern of economic warfare against Venezuela, including the 2017 sanctions that crippled its oil industry, exacerbating humanitarian crises while Washington claimed to be 'helping' the Venezuelan people. (Because nothing says ‘help’ like a naval blockade.) One might wonder where 'sovereignty' fits in the US foreign policy lexicon when it's not being used
to justify bombing campaigns or arming proxy forces. It seems 'rules-based order' is flexible depending on who is making the rules, and whose resources are being 'managed.' How many times must the US patrol distant waters to 'protect' its own economic interests before the irony becomes self-evident?