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03.06.08
“Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty.” John F. Kennedy
Foreign policy is national security especially within our own hemisphere. The Monroe Doctrine understated this point, and while time has not changed this fundamental principle, proximity has only enhanced it. Hugo Chavez is not a benign socialist despite the opinions of Hollywood’s useful idiots. On the contrary, he is a vicious dictator who represents a grave threat that would qualify him as a new member to the axis of evil. Besides viscously oppressing his people, he has sponsored and harbored terrorist (FARC and Hezbollah), attempted to overthrow Columbian government using FARC and worked with North Korea and Iran. Clearly, Chavez’s actions and associations beg for a policy to end this regime.
Too often the words regime change conjures images of military action laden with fears of a drawn out conflict …Iraq. There are many things within our arsenal which make that image an irrational fear. Chavez currently is itching for a fight due to his recent election rejection and fledgling economic platform. Though the prospect of direct military confrontation seems plausible when tyrants amass troops on their border with a democratic ally; it is not inevitable. There are manifold ways to bring regime change to Venezuela including the use of effective communication, economic support and precision military strikes.
| • | Communication: We should openly call for regime change in Venezuela. The election was stolen from the Venezuelan people and their rights are routinely usurped through violence, intimidation, imprisonment and the inability to organize. We should open the flood gates of support for democratic organizations both inside and outside (expatriate community) the country. We should highlight the human rights abuses as well as send messages directly to the Venezuelan people that we appreciate their desire to be free. Lastly, we should make clear that we will not tolerate countries that aide and harbor terrorists. The Bush Doctrine should still be the policy of this country.
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| • | Economically: The notion that Chavez will halt oil production is like believing he would cut his nose off to spite his face. Despite the spike in oil, his socialist policies have kept his country in economic peril. Nonetheless, we do need to put more oil on the market so we should immediately pass legislation allowing us to drill in ANWR as well as off the West and Gulf Coast. We should also work aggressively to pass pending free trade deals with our South and Central American allies. The historic success of free trade works to augment our appeal to our southern neighbors.
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| • | Militarily: We must strike clandestinely or openly (relatively) when terrorists are being harbored or trained whether on Margarita island (Hezbollah) or along the border of Columbia (FARC). This seems radical, but after Sept. 11 the notion of tolerating these groups is illogical and outright irresponsible especially in our own hemisphere. We also need to interdict any missile or nuclear technology moving from North Korea and Iran. Chavez and the world must recognize that the Bush doctrine is alive and well despite the author’s abandonment.
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This strategy is a thumbnail sketch hitting on the basics. The fact that the communication arm (State Department) of foreign policy opposes any regime change, and has actively undermined our policies in foreign affairs speaks to the need of radical change within the department replete with mass dismissals. The issue of oil exploration seems unrealistic especially with the Gore environmental propaganda infecting the aggressively uninformed legislature but things change when you invoke national security and logic. Militarily, this is a policy we embraced following the murder of 3000 Americans. We should no longer deal with terrorism as a criminal matter. We would no longer abide a policy that allowed American soldiers to be slaughtered without answer. September 11, 2001 was the day the world changed, an act of war was brought on to our homeland and we cannot forget that as long as this enemy wants to destroy us. Bottom line, this is a policy the American people will embrace because it is honest, clear and consistent with our values. Yes, we will bear any burden…
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