Anti-Americanism, Venezuelan Style

During debates over Venezuela in May, as the White House considered a military response to the country's continuing crisis, Republican U.S. Sen. Todd Young of Indiana stated, "I think that it is the responsibility of the administration to explain their thinking as it relates to any plans to deploy U.S. forces to Venezuela." Todd then asked several pertinent questions: "What would our military's mission be in Venezuela? Would it be a stabilization mission or a humanitarian mission or some other sort of mission? Would we be seeking regime change? What would success look like militarily and then in the wake of military action?" While some recent news reports have stirred talk that U.S. President Donald Trump has lost interest in Venezuela, Todd's understanding of what questions to ask reflects a good understanding of the political and logistical challenges any occupying force faces. But he could have added another question: How will...