US Lawmakers Call on Trump to Impose New Sanctions on Venezuela - Polidicks

[QUOTE]A bipartisan group of 34 U.S. lawmakers urged President Donald Trump to apply new sanctions against Venezuela’s Bolivarian government, alleging that it supports corruption, human rights abuses, and "terrorism." Cuban-American right-wing congresspeople Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Florida, and Sen. Robert Menendez, D-New Jersey, co-authored a letter sent to Trump endorsed by 32 other republican and democratic lawmakers. The letter calls on Trump to investigate alleged drug trafficking and support for so-called Middle Eastern terror groups by the country's new vice president, Tareck El Aissami, AP reported. “Decisive, principled action in response to unfolding developments in Venezuela as one of the first foreign policy actions of your administration would send a powerful message to the Maduro regime and the Venezuelan people,” lawmakers said in the letter. In addition to sanctioning Venezuelan officials and launching an investigation into the Bolivarian government’s alleged ties to terrorism, the U.S. lawmakers want to boost funding for right-wing opposition groups operating within the country.[/QUOTE] [url]http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/US-Lawmakers-Call-on-Trump-to-Impose-New-Sanctions-on-Venezuela-20170208-0024.html[/url]

How about, no?? The more sanctions we put on Venezuela the greater the chance of a full-on civil war occurring, which will most likely plunge the entirety of northern South America into conflict. It's a powder keg which doesn't really need our interference!

Doesn't seem like a good idea, from the little knowledge I have about Venezuela's current state: Maduro's goverment employs the idea of a "US backed plan to desestabilize the goverment" and could boost support to his side. Moreover, if the US tries to impose sanctions, could lead to even bigger problems in the country in the long run. Heck, today news talked about 10 children death by malnutrition.

[QUOTE=JoeSkylynx;51802085]How about, no?? The more sanctions we put on Venezuela the greater the chance of a full-on civil war occurring, which will most likely plunge the entirety of northern South America into conflict. It's a powder keg which doesn't really need our interference![/QUOTE] Would the crisis you mentioned result in a mass migration northwards?

That's right, kick 'em while they're down and bleeding. That totally won't accelerate their economic crisis and induce a civil war. At least this one won't be saturated with religious extremism. I'll take my humanitarian crisis/diplomatic clusterfuck family value platter unadulterated, thank you very much.

What did Venezeula do to us?

[QUOTE=Mr. Someguy;51802203]What did Venezeula do to us?[/QUOTE] Have oil.

[QUOTE=Mr. Someguy;51802203]What did Venezeula do to us?[/QUOTE] They're brown, communist and have oil. I mean if America had a check list for invasion...

[QUOTE=KillRay;51801906]U.S. lawmakers want to boost funding for right-wing opposition groups operating within the country.[/QUOTE] The country is in economic RUIN and its people are suffering greatly. Sanctions are insanely counterproductive and [B]will directly exacerbate[/B] [B]the Venezuelan people's suffering.[/B] I thought the Cold War/Red Scare days of funding right-wing guerillas against leftist regimes were [I]long [/I]behind us? Good ol' USA, still reactionary as fuck in 2017. Fucking Christ.

[QUOTE=HappyCompy;51802635]The country is in economic RUIN and its people are suffering greatly. Sanctions are insanely counterproductive and [B]will directly exacerbate[/B] [B]the Venezuelan people's suffering.[/B] I thought the Cold War/Red Scare days of funding right-wing guerillas against leftist regimes were [I]long [/I]behind us? Good ol' USA, still reactionary as fuck in 2017. Fucking Christ.[/QUOTE] This is why I am an acceleration ist. America keeps dicking around with other regions and the long term benefits are negative for everyone. The US government doesn't learn so next step is down size.

[QUOTE=Guriosity;51802665]This is why I am an acceleration ist. America keeps dicking around with other regions and the long term benefits are negative for everyone. The US government doesn't learn so next step is down size.[/QUOTE] Care to explain a bit more about your ideology? I assume you're talking about left-accelerationism; pushing capitalism (and its contradictions) to its breaking point and bringing about its ultimate collapse, thus paving the way for proletariat revolution and the establishment of socialism (and then, presumably, communism)?

[QUOTE=HappyCompy;51802635]The country is in economic RUIN and its people are suffering greatly. Sanctions are insanely counterproductive and [B]will directly exacerbate[/B] [B]the Venezuelan people's suffering.[/B] I thought the Cold War/Red Scare days of funding right-wing guerillas against leftist regimes were [I]long [/I]behind us? Good ol' USA, still reactionary as fuck in 2017. Fucking Christ.[/QUOTE] The country is in economic ruin because the government is so fucking incompetent their oil production facilities, literally the blood and arteries of the country, have not operated at optimal levels for [B]years[/B] because of corruption and the sacking of competent employees that [I]just so happened[/I] to not like how the government handled thing The very same government that keeps a tight leash on foreign currency exchange rates, yet will spend hundreds of millions of dollars on military hardware It's downright retarded to pin Venezuela's crisis entirely on the US. These sanctions have [B]always[/B] targetted key individuals within the (Incredibly corrupt) venezuelan government. The Venezuelan government, on the other hand, actively works to keep its citizens from working with neighboring countries (Did you know that they closed a bridge, that also served as a border checkpoint between Venezuela and Colombia, because it was [B]far[/B] cheaper for people to travel to Colombia, get essential goods they literally couldn't find on their country, and then return. And the reason they closed the bridge was because it broke the government's charade that there are no shortages whatosever?)

[QUOTE=T553412;51802710]The country is in economic ruin because the government is so fucking incompetent their oil production facilities, literally the blood and arteries of the country, have not operated at optimal levels for [B]years[/B] because of corruption and the sacking of competent employees that [I]just so happened[/I] to not like how the government handled thing The very same government that keeps a tight leash on foreign currency exchange rates, yet will spend hundreds of millions of dollars on military hardware It's downright retarded to pin Venezuela's crisis entirely on the US. These sanctions have [B]always[/B] targetted key individuals within the (Incredibly corrupt) venezuelan government. The Venezuelan government, on the other hand, actively works to keep its citizens from working with neighboring countries ([B]Did you know that they closed a bridge, that also served as a border checkpoint between Venezuela and Colombia, because it was [B]far[/B] cheaper for people to travel to Colombia, get essential goods they literally couldn't find on their country, and then return. And the reason they closed the bridge was because it broke the government's charade that there are no shortages whatosever?[/B])[/QUOTE] No, I didn't know that. That is fucked. That said, I am well aware that the U.S. isn't to blame for the Venezuelan crisis and I don't blame us for it (although funding the opposition with millions of dollars for over a decade doesn't help). I am however, critical of sanctions that might make an already bad situation worse, seeing as the flesh and blood of the country are already suffering as it is. What do they hope to achieve with sanctions, long term, and will it be worth the excess suffering that it will likely cause to the Venezuelan people in the interim? If you want to argue that it will help them, I'm all ears. [QUOTE=KillRay;51801906]U.S. lawmakers want to boost funding for right-wing opposition groups operating within the country.[/QUOTE] This was the part of the article that was most telling to me. This screams same old Cold War-era anti-communist, interventionist crap that pervaded the latter half of the 20th century. Even if it was ethical (it isn't, imo), funding "the opposition" has a nasty habit of backfiring and having unforseen negative consequences (Iranian Revolution, Mujahadeen, etc). Edit: [QUOTE]Members of opposition groups have also been caught hoarding and illegally selling foodstuffs for personal profit. Despite the Venezuelan opposition’s well-recorded criminality, the bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers is instead choosing to combat the democratically-elected government’s alleged “crimes.”[/QUOTE] Case in point.

[QUOTE=HappyCompy;51802705]Care to explain a bit more about your ideology? I assume you're talking about left-accelerationism; pushing capitalism (and its contradictions) to its breaking point and bringing about its ultimate collapse, thus paving the way for proletariat revolution and the establishment of socialism (and then, presumably, communism)?[/QUOTE] I dont have an ideal per say but end goals where I see various ideals as tools towards an end. Not towards socialism. My version is seeing that America in decline and it would be best to push it faster. Why? Well America is a nation. A nation (like a person ) has various stages of life. Youth and old age. America I think its in its final stages and suffering from senility. As in dementia. Its losing is mind and oh it still has the most powerful military in the world. It like allowing granny who has alzheimer's to keep her revolver and she stills drinks. Some one going to hurt. Drawing down America in power to the point it can't affect anything outside its immediate shores would be a good thing. Its also a very horrid view which gives me a chance to practice debating skills and writing. If I can convince people to see this idea in a positive light, I know my communication skills are improving.

[QUOTE=Guriosity;51802761]I dont have an ideal per say but end goals where I see various ideals as tools towards an end. Not towards socialism. My version is seeing that America in decline and it would be best to push it faster. Why? Well America is a nation. A nation (like a person ) has various stages of life. Youth and old age. America I think its in its final stages and suffering from senility. As in dementia. Its losing is mind and oh it still has the most powerful military in the world. It like allowing granny who has alzheimer's to keep her revolver and she stills drinks. Some one going to hurt. Drawing down America in power to the point it can't affect anything outside its immediate shores would be a good thing. Its also a very horrid view which gives me a chance to practice debating skills and writing. If I can convince people to see this idea in a positive light, I know my communication skills are improving.[/QUOTE] That's an interesting ideology. I can honestly say I've never heard of anything quite like it before lol. Thanks for sharing. :smile:

[QUOTE=Guriosity;51802761]I dont have an ideal per say but end goals where I see various ideals as tools towards an end. Not towards socialism. My version is seeing that America in decline and it would be best to push it faster. Why? Well America is a nation. A nation (like a person ) has various stages of life. Youth and old age. America I think its in its final stages and suffering from senility. As in dementia. Its losing is mind and oh it still has the most powerful military in the world. It like allowing granny who has alzheimer's to keep her revolver and she stills drinks. Some one going to hurt. Drawing down America in power to the point it can't affect anything outside its immediate shores would be a good thing. [B]Its also a very horrid view which gives me a chance to practice debating skills and writing. If I can convince people to see this idea in a positive light, I know my communication skills are improving.[/B][/QUOTE] so literally the exact same reason people started spreading around that flat-earther shit? why do you bring this to every thread you post in

I doubt there will be a civil war on Venezuela. Any kind of uprising will be quickly suffocated by the army, loyal to the Maduro's regime (I dare to say even pulling the strings behind curtains). If any, I believe this will bring the whole country even closer into total lockdown. We might be having a second North Korea right here in South America, blaming and threatening their neighbours for their mistakes

[QUOTE=Mining Bill;51803067]so literally the exact same reason people started spreading around that flat-earther shit? why do you bring this to every thread you post in[/QUOTE] In his defense, he brought it up because I asked him to elaborate on it.