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A few thoughts on the crisis in Venezuela and the cynical enablers of Maduro’s terrible dictatorship.
[Thread.]
[Thread.]
Venezuela shows the "idealism" of parts of the left at its worst.
What matters to Momentum, to Galloway, and other defenders of Maduro is not the suffering of people around the world; it is blaming the West for every one of its ills.
Against all evidence. At any price.
2/n
What matters to Momentum, to Galloway, and other defenders of Maduro is not the suffering of people around the world; it is blaming the West for every one of its ills.
Against all evidence. At any price.
2/n
Anyone who still denies that the Chavez regime led to a massive humanitarian catastrophe is more interested in ideological purity than in helping people who are starving.
You're sacrificing the poor on the altar of your “fight for the downtrodden.”
Be ashamed.
3/n
You're sacrificing the poor on the altar of your “fight for the downtrodden.”
Be ashamed.
3/n
But Trump is on Guaido’s side! Surely that means Guaido must be bad?
No.
The left faces a simple choice: Will it be guided by its own principles? Or will it turn against any value, from free speech to bread for the Venezuelan people, that's endorsed by the wrong people?
4/n
No.
The left faces a simple choice: Will it be guided by its own principles? Or will it turn against any value, from free speech to bread for the Venezuelan people, that's endorsed by the wrong people?
4/n
So Trump supporting Guaido is no reason to oppose him; nor is it a reason to credit Trump.
The administration is trying to exploit this crisis for domestic consumption. If they really had the good interests of Venezuelans in mind, they’d have the good sense to SHUT UP.
5/n
The administration is trying to exploit this crisis for domestic consumption. If they really had the good interests of Venezuelans in mind, they’d have the good sense to SHUT UP.
5/n
Is what’s happening in Venezuela a coup?
A coup is the overthrow of a democratically elected government by military means.
What’s happening is a legitimate—and inspiring!—uprising against a dictator with no democratic legitimacy.
A military uprising? Yes.
A coup? No.
6/n
A coup is the overthrow of a democratically elected government by military means.
What’s happening is a legitimate—and inspiring!—uprising against a dictator with no democratic legitimacy.
A military uprising? Yes.
A coup? No.
6/n
So we should hope that the uprising succeeds?
Absolutely.
But it better succeed fully. Terrible as the current situation in Venezuela is, a prolonged civil war is probably the worst of all possible outcomes—as the fate of Syria has amply demonstrated.
7/n
Absolutely.
But it better succeed fully. Terrible as the current situation in Venezuela is, a prolonged civil war is probably the worst of all possible outcomes—as the fate of Syria has amply demonstrated.
7/n
Do you believe in justice and freedom and international solidarity and giving bread to the starving poor?
So do I.
And that’s why I’m hoping that today’s uprising will succeed in displacing a terrible despot from office.
[The End.]
So do I.
And that’s why I’m hoping that today’s uprising will succeed in displacing a terrible despot from office.
[The End.]
