Thy art ... : "Imperialism" :::: US intervenes in continental neighbours through Economic pressure and also militarily :::: Trump's Double Standards weaken US global credibility ::: In 1970s, CIA and FBI controlled 'repressive dictatorships' in Brazil, Chile and Argentina

China has called on the United States to release Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife at once and stop toppling the government of Venezuela, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Sunday.

Reports emerged on Saturday that the US had deployed forces to seize Maduro and his wife and forcibly take them out of the country, igniting widespread opposition from multiple countries.

In an online statement, China expressed grave concern over the US' move, describing it as a clear violation of international law, basic norms in international relations, and the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter.

Donald Trump may cite his numerous predecessors for doing what he has done in Venezuela. Others have acted in Panama, Iraq and also Mexico and Cuba. 

Washington does not mind attacking Russia and China for Ukraine and Taiwan adventurism and now has taken a step which is largely seen as 'return' of Imperialism and in violation of UN Charter. 

Interestingly, at the helm in Washington now is Donald Trump who came to power first in 2016 by denouncing the Iraq invasion as one of America’s greatest blunders — a “big, fat mistake” as he had said. 

Apart from taking 'unfriendly steps' vis-a-vis China, India and Russia that have been disruptive to its global relations, the US has now undermined its own credibility, soft power and moral authority in the international arena.

Col Theodore Roosevelt and the Rough Riders after capturing Kettle Hill in Cuba in July 1898. 

This is clearly a narrative of double standards but this is a new world and hence perhaps the price attached to such double-standard fallacy may be too high as well. 

President Nicolas Maduro and his wife - During good and glory times 

It's a fact since the mid-19th century, the US has intervened in its continental neighbours not only through economic pressure but also militarily.

The capture of Panama’s dictator Manuel Noriega in 1989 was one such. 

Observers now recall the Bush-era 'invasion of Iraq'. President Saddam Hussein was captured and later killed/eliminated. 

The sheer scale of the “large-scale strike” on a sovereign capital like Caracas evokes the heavy shadow of the “Shock and Awe” campaign in Baghdad, says Brahma Chellaney in Delhi. 

He also tweeted:

"Just as the false “weapons of mass destruction” narrative served as the catalyst for the 2003 Iraq invasion, the dubious “Cartel of the Suns” claim was invoked to justify this latest military intervention. In both cases, international law was flagrantly violated. The UN Charter, specifically Article 2(4), prohibits the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state."  

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Quick recap:

The annexation of Texas, a former Mexican territory, sparked border disputes that led to a US invasion of Mexico, with American troops occupying the capital, Mexico City, in 1847. 

The war ended only with the signing of a treaty in 1848 that forced Mexico to cede 55% of its territory – an area encompassing what are now the states of California, Nevada and Utah, as well as parts of Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Wyoming.  

In 1898, the US helped Cuba in its war of independence against Spain. After the victory, the US received control of Puerto Rico and occupied Cuba until 1902, when an agreement granted the US navy perpetual control of Guantánamo Bay. 

US troops later occupied the island in from 1906 to 1909 and again from 1917 to 1922. After Fidel Castro’s 1959 revolution, the CIA backed the failed Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961 in an attempt to trigger an uprising.  

Under the pretext of “stabilising” the country and protecting US business interests after domestic unrest that led to the repeated overthrow of Haitian leaders, the US invaded Haiti in 1915, taking control of customs, the treasury and the national bank until 1934. 

Although it ultimately never intervened, a US naval taskforce was positioned off Brazil’s coast to intervene in case there was resistance to the military coup that overthrew the democratically elected leftwing president João Goulart in 1964. 

In the 1970s, the CIA and the FBI directly advised the repressive apparatus of dictatorships in countries such as Brazil, Chile and Argentina in the persecution and assassination of dissidents under what became known as Operation Condor.

The UN security council can impose sanctions on countries in an attempt to maintain peace. 

These can include trade restrictions, arms embargos and travel bans. 

However, five members of the council – the US, China, Russia, the UK and France – have a veto on this, meaning any action taken against the US is unlikely to come into force.

Sanctions may be imposed by the UNSC and as the US has veto power .... it will be proved one again that 

the so-called influential UNSC is actually a worthless body. 

A country which breaks international law can avoid condemnation simply by vetoing it  !! 

A new world order ... hence is a Joke. 

ends