US Sends Warship to Venezuela, Calls It 'Democracy Promotion'
The USS Gerald R. Ford, America’s most advanced aircraft carrier, is now sailing near Venezuela, ostensibly for increased maritime cooperation. The Independent's piece notes 'experts disagree on whether or not American warplanes may be used to strike,' as if the sheer presence of a 100,000-ton floating airbase isn't itself a stark, unmistakable message. This isn't 'cooperation'; it's gunboat
diplomacy with stealth fighters, a classic American maneuver perfected since the early 20th century in countries like Nicaragua and Haiti, always in the name of 'stability' or 'democracy.' This saber-rattling tactic, a favored play from the US foreign policy playbook, rarely achieves the stated goal of peace and almost always escalates tensions, often leading to unintended—or entirely
intended—consequences for the sovereign nations involved. One might wonder, how many times does Washington need to 'promote democracy' with naval assets before the region finally 'cooperates' with US corporate interests?