As the situation in Venezuela continues to garner international attention, one expert believes the Trump administration’s decision to detain and detain former President Nicolás Maduro could have a positive outcome.
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Retired Col. Gregory Thompson, a professor of criminal justice at Cedarville University, told CBN News about the Trump administration’s bold move to detain Maduro: “My first reaction was, ‘What an incredible job for the U.S. military to pull this off without any U.S. casualties.'”
Beyond that, Thompson said he is also interested in issues surrounding faith and the church.
“But more importantly for me as a Christian, I have friends who are working with pastors in Venezuela, so I think of nothing but incredible joy. But as you probably know, it’s been difficult,” he said. “It was important because when Hugo Chávez occupied Venezuela, he kicked out all the missionary organizations. And the pastors there are taking it with a grain of salt.”
While many Venezuelans and political observers expect Maduro to step down, Thompson said there are still many questions about what happens next.
“My general feeling is that I’m excited about a potentially hopeful future for Venezuela, a free future, especially for free movement and the spread of the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ,” he said.
Thompson said the circumstances leading to Maduro’s ouster were dangerous and difficult, after he and his predecessor Hugo Chávez wreaked havoc on what critics called freedom of speech, expression and truth.
“They pretty much destroyed the economy,” he said. “Inflation is beyond epidemic. They have a politically corrupt government. I’m sure you’ve heard that on the news.”
Mr. Thompson said socialism has failed to create human prosperity and ineffective policies are causing global catastrophe.
All of this led to President Donald Trump’s decision to deploy the U.S. Army’s elite Delta Force to capture Maduro. Some have speculated that oil may have been the driving force, but Thompson believes oil was a factor but not the “primary driving force” behind the decision.
“President Trump had concerns when he took office, but I think this is kind of the perfect storm.” “Many illegal immigrants come from Venezuela… They leave because they want to live in a free country. They come to America because they want to pursue a place where they can live in freedom and democracy, and of course they’re coming illegally, and they’re coming in droves. So that’s one of the problems.”
Another issue focuses on states like Iran and terrorist organizations like Hezbollah, both of which are said to have influence and presence in Venezuela, Thompson said. Add Russian and Chinese influences into the mix, and it’s easy to see why this is an overall problem for the United States.
It’s an issue that Secretary of State Marco Rubio addressed recently on “Face the Nation.”
“It’s very simple: In the 21st century under the Trump administration, a country like Venezuela will not be at the crossroads of our hemisphere, our sphere of influence, and Hezbollah, Iran, and all the other negative influences around the world,” he said. “No such thing exists.”
Thompson said these issues, mixed with the narco-terrorism allegations against Maduro, provided a compelling basis for President Trump to take action.
“To be fair, a lot of the drugs coming into the United States come from Colombia and Mexico, but there’s a significant amount of drugs coming in,” he said. “Obviously, we’ve seen boat strikes from Venezuela.”
After all, some critics argue, President Trump did not have the authority under international law to attack a sovereign nation. But Thompson said there is an exemption for self-defense.
And in the midst of the ongoing drug war, this argument is persuasive because drugs have disrupted the lives of so many Americans for years.
Although we don’t know what will happen next, Thompson pointed out that Iran is one of the biggest losers in this scenario.
“Tell me about an interesting situation,” he said. “Iran has actually lost significant power in the region. Given the stealth bomber attacks, Israeli actions, the 12-day war, and the dismantling of Hezbollah and Hamas, this is certainly another blow for Iran.”
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