Martin Wickens

It is difficult to be consistently objective politically in a world that demands we always pick a team. We are often tempted to judge an action not by what was done, but by who did it

Here are a few thoughts on President Trump and the current situation with Venezuela.

Some are 100% against Trump 100% of the time. That’s unreasonable.

Some are 100% for Trump 100% of the time. That’s unreasonable.

Both positions push people to extremes and remove any possibility for conversation between friends and family and any semblance of unity and stability in the nation. The current divisions can’t continue without destroying us.

Trump supporters on one side and Biden/Obama supporters on the other are both guilty of similar behaviors. They condemn the other guy for things they accept in their own guy. It’s the worst kind of tribalism.

I want to use the current events in Venezuela as an example. Previous administrations have taken similar if not identical courses of action and the vast majority of people losing their minds today said nothing when it was their side doing it.

• Bush Sr. (Panama)

In 1989, Bush Sr. launched military action in Panama to capture dictator Manuel Noriega without a Congressional declaration of war. Noriega was brought to the U.S. to face drug trafficking charges.

• Obama (Libya)

In 2011, Obama authorized a high-intensity bombing campaign to topple Muammar Gaddafi while bypassing the need for Congressional approval. Few if any on his side recommended taking away his Nobel Peace Prize.

• Biden (Syria & Iraq)

Between 2021 and 2025, Biden repeatedly ordered unilateral airstrikes against foreign militias without seeking a vote from Congress. He claimed his authority as Commander-in-Chief allowed him to act. Few, if any complaining today said anything then.

Now, some who are supporting Trump today condemned Obama and Biden. Similarly, many who supported Obama and Biden are condemning Trump today. For many the issue is not military action without Congress, it’s whether or not the like the president at the time.

Like many international political events I’m honestly not 100% sure what to think, but here are a few things on my mind right now.

• Most people complaining are more against Trump than military action without Congress, as I mentioned above. It’s not about the Law, it’s about personalities. The same people have called for military action in other arenas.

• While opponents of Trump are complaining, I’ve seen many videos and messages from Venezuelans themselves who are glad Maduro is gone. Many who were in exile because of him now hope they can go home. I am sure many are sad he’s gone and worried. Maduro was not a democratically elected leader. A UN Fact-Finding Mission documented crimes against humanity, including extrajudicial killings, arbitrary detentions, and torture used specifically to silence political opponents. His economic policies have led to hyper-inflation and resulted in 7 million refugees. His main allies are Russia and China. That says a lot. Maduro is not some innocent world leader or someone that Trump alone has an agenda against. Until Trump took action, Maduro was unarguably the bad guy.

• It’s probably partly to do with drugs, but probably more about the larger picture involving Russia and China. I don’t believe the US is going to invade Venezuela and steal their oil. It really doesn’t need to. It would be far easier to defy laws in the US hindering oil drilling here than going to war. But that’s another story. Where oil does come into it is in relation to Russia and China. Even if you don’t care about China getting cheap oil, Russia getting discount oil is using the money they save to attack Ukraine. This will, in theory, be a blow to Russia’s war.

• Like most things, I’m not entirely settled about this action. I’m probably 80% in favor, 10% in doubt and 10% not in favor.

I rarely post so directly about political events because that is not what I want to be known for.

I’m not saying you have to support Trump or Obama or whoever.

What I am advocating for is to look at things more carefully and have integrity. Don’t be for or against something because you do or don’t like someone.

It does no one any good to sit at opposite extremes and shout across the divide.

In this sin-cursed fallen world politics are never simple. Let’s not pretend they can be.