Five Situations; but Venezuela Stands Out

In modern times, has the U.S. ever done this? Has it ever moved in on a foreign country, threatening to take it over and make it a territory of the U.S.? Have there ever been proposals lacking military threats? (Was that the case in Iceland?) Has there ever been a comment made in jest about taking over another country? (Would Canada fit this scenario?) Has the U.S. ever suggested taking over a place for security purposes? (Would Gaza fit this?) (The Gaza situation might not fit as a proposed annexation, but it is of note in a discussion such as this.) Has the U.S. ever expressed rhetorical comments about taking over another land without having serious thoughts of doing so? (Do we say the Panama Canal fits that question?)

Well, stand up and take note, because there’s a chance that now the U.S. is positioning itself so it just might move in and capture another country. No, I am not talking about Greenland, nor Canada. I am not talking about the Panama Canal. I am not talking about the Gaza Strip. Mind you, those four examples have been the only situations in the modern era where the U.S. has insinuated, proposed, or joked about taking over or controlling things in a foreign country.

But now comes Venezuela. Add that country to the list of nations that some people wonder about. What makes Venezuela different is that the U.S. has taken military action. No, that military action has not come with the threat of annexation, but boats have been blown out of the water, and an oil tanker has been seized. Wags are wondering if that is where the Venezuelan situation is leading. Was it just meaningless talk when Trump suggested U.S. troops might hit the ground in Venezuela? Is it just false to think that if troops do hit the ground, there comes the chance we might be seeking to control that land?

Let it not go unnoticed that Donald Trump has been president during all five of these episodes. You begin to wonder how much of the world Trump wants to subject to his command.