August 8, 2024
Thursday Open Comments
There’s a bunch of different reporting out there as I type this Monday morning about the interventions supporting the Maduro regime in Venezuela. I can’t sign up for all of the reporting, and I don’t have time to copy, paste, and link so many TwiX posts. But the stories so far include some about Russian Wagner Group mercenaries having been flown in to suppress protesters. There are other stories about planeloads of Cuban “Black Wasp” special forces suppression units landing and fanning out also.
The Black Wasps were created as mobilized small units on motorbikes wielding machine guns as they speed into crowds of anti-regime demonstrators, running and gunning so as to spread fear and panic along with injury and death.
Open protest is a sign of a public that has hope of ending an illegitimate dictatorship. A dictatorship knows it has the upper hand when all the protesting stops. Therefore, every last sign of protest and resistance must be brutally beaten down. The public must know beyond a shadow of a doubt that there is no hope whatsoever.
To be clear: I firmly believe that America should weigh in firmly on the side of the protesters as a matter of public policy. We should be speaking up for the protestors in our public diplomacy at every turn, as well as denouncing the dictatorial regimes and their henchmen. That is the least we should be doing—and yet it is extremely important. The Biden administration is not showing enough clarity and resolve here. It is unfortunate that the current administration is the more resolute and clear-eyed among the main presidential choices, but here we are.
PS: Our thoughts and prayers for those of you in the storm’s path!
Good morning. Cloudy and cooler this morning. My husband said the bear proof trash bins were knocked down over night, as if by bears.
Hopefully, the Administration is working behind the scenes quietly. I understand (and for the most part agree) with the position that strong public pressure should be brought to bear, but they seem, in these instances (as with the hostage swap) to work quietly. So, while I'd like to see some more public outrage, one shouldn't assume that they are not doing anything.