US to 'Control' Venezuelan Oil, for 'Their Own Good,' Obviously
A recent CBS News segment celebrated the U.S. seizing two Venezuelan oil tankers, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio asserting the U.S. would 'control' the revenue for the Venezuelan people, not 'corruption' or 'the regime' (CBS News, 2020). This isn't the first time the U.S. has decided others can't be trusted with their own oil. Rewind to the 1953 Iranian coup, orchestrated by the CIA and MI6,
which removed democratically elected Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh after he dared to nationalize Iran's oil industry. Suddenly, a 'stable' pro-Western Shah was in power, and British and American companies were back in business. (Blunt, 2004, *Secret Affairs: Britain's Collusion with Radical Islam*). So, when U.S. officials talk about controlling another nation's resources for its 'benefit,'
one might recall a long, distinguished history of 'benefits' skewed heavily towards U.S. interests. It appears 'national sovereignty' is a quaint notion, unless you have precisely the kind of government—and oil policy—Washington approves of. Perhaps Venezuela simply needs a more 'democratic' dictator? The irony, of course, is that the 'benevolent' seizure of assets looks suspiciously like piracy,
just with better PR.