Morning Note

How badly does permanent Washington want a war with Venezuela? According to the Maduro government, enough to manufacture a crisis to justify starting one. 

Venezuelan officials reported the capture of multiple CIA-linked mercenaries on Monday, claiming the men were carrying out a “false flag operation” from waters close to Trinidad and Tobago. The mission aimed to “generate a full-scale military confrontation” against Venezuela, the statement said. 

Could their story be true? The past reveals that it’s comfortably possible. The U.S. has a layered history of staging violence to force regime change and making up reasons to start wars. Just look at the Gulf of Tonkin incident, Operation Ajax in Iran, or Operation PBSUCCESS in Guatemala. 

If the Venezuelans are right, how should they respond? Imagine what would happen if the shoe were on the other foot and a foreign nation allegedly attempted a false flag in our homeland. Washington’s reaction would likely be bloody. But when we do it to them, it’s okay because we’re a democracy? Are we really sure about that?

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