Maybe Russia and China Should Sit This One Out

""We firmly call on the U.S. leadership to reconsider this position," the Russian Foreign Ministry said this morning, "and release the lawfully elected president of a sovereign country and his wife." The Russians then shamelessly turned all the sanctimony knobs to supernova levels: "Venezuela must be guaranteed the right to determine its own future without destructive external interference, particularly of a military nature.""

"The Chinese, too, are absolutely shocked that a great power is menacing a small neighbor and inflicting regime change by military force. China, the foreign ministry in Beijing said, "is deeply shocked"-at least they weren't shocked and stunned-"and strongly condemns the use of force by the U.S. against a sovereign country and the use of force against the president of a country.""

President Donald Trump launched a military operation in Venezuela that captured and removed the country's dictator. The operation, called 'Operation Absolute Resolve,' was tactically flawless despite originating from a questionable idea. The strategic wisdom of the intervention is deeply doubtful, and the legal justification offered by the president and his team is described as absurd. Some Americans and U.S. allies are appalled by the use of force. Russia and China publicly condemned the operation while expressing sanctimony, with Russia demanding release of the lawfully elected president and China denouncing U.S. hegemonic behavior. Critics pointed to hypocrisy given Russia's actions in Ukraine.

Read at The Atlantic