Non-interventionist US foreign policy in two African nations

As President Trump indicates that the US military could intervene in Venezuela, US policy in two equally disastrous African nations is laissez-faire.

It’s hard to find three more dysfunctional countries than Venezuela, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Zimbabwe. Each is its own unique disaster, with varying degrees of disgusting leadership, and resulting poverty, disease, and starvation, yet they are treated somewhat differently by the US Government.

Felix Tshisekedi holds the country’s coat of arms during the inauguration ceremony whereby Tshisekedi was sworn into office as the new president of the Democratic Republic of Congo at the Palais de la Nation in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, January 24, 2019. Reuters/Olivia Acland.

The State Department and White House actively decry the government of Venezuela, support the opposition, and acknowledge one opposition leader the rightful head of the country. Yet in the Congo, the State Department supports the new leaders, even though the State Department knows the election was stolen and the ruling elite will remain in power. When it comes to Zimbabwe, State has been almost silent about the systematic violence, rape, and murder perpetrated by the odious regime in charge.

One can make the case that the US should be more focused on Venezuela since it is in the same hemisphere, or that opposition is more effective there and hence it is worth supporting. But perhaps the best reason to highlight the problems in Venezuela is not from any likely useful political outcome, but as a teaching moment for western electorates.

It is remarkable to most people over 50 that anyone has anything good to say about socialism. Yet apparently die-hards like Bernie Sanders or the leader of UK’s opposition Jeremy Corbyn are on record as praising Venezuela’s socialist paradise.

But other useful lessons can be learned from Zimbabwe and the Congo too. Promoting stability in countries one has no intention of intervening in is classic realpolitik. But as with Venezuela, communist ideology, the resulting cronyism, corruption, and a whole host of other traits can and should be exposed. At the very least students, including those recently elected to Congress, can be reminded of the myriad follies of an all-powerful Government.