I don't want to go too heavily into Venezuela here because there is another thread specifically about this topic now. But my thoughts are that Bernie should certainly not support any regime change in Venezuela, nor should he make denouncing Maduro a central part of his message campaign message. This would just be free advertising for Trump's coup, and bad political advice. These are not issues that his base support him for. We want healthcare, not nation-building in South America.
Bernie is not an interventionalist. So why should he talk like one, demanding Maduro step down? That he was ran to the left of Hillary Clinton on foreign policy was an an appeal to many progressives in the 2016 primary. We don't want to hear the chest-beating that comes from candidates like Hillary threatening to obliterate countries or Trump calling leaders animals. We want someone who doesn't talk insane on such matters.
Bernie has criticized Maduro, ywt understands a wiser, experienced man that whether or not you like another government, regime change often creates a vacuum for even more chaos. He has explained this time and time again. Any reasonable person should be able to understand this middle ground position is, and not say he is supporting Maduro. These would only be worrying comments if you want the coup.
I think, or at least hope that nobody here indeed wants to depose, Maduro, and if you do, then be careful what you wish for. If he goes then what would be the outcome of that?
During the cold war we worked with Saudia Arabia and Pakistan to fund and arm rebels in Afghanistan known as the Mujahideen to stop Russia from expanding territory. Our empowered allies became Al-Qaeda. Osama Bin Laden was among the soldiers of the Mujahideen!
https://medium.com/@jackiethornhill/how-the-united-states-created-al-qaeda-2bbe129faf57
When Iran overthrew the Shaw, we enlisted the help of Iraq to contain them in the middle east, the armies we ended up backing to fight Iran were Sadaam Hussein's.
https://www.globalpolicy.org/component/content/article/167/34978.html
We invaded Iraq, removed Hussein from power, dispersed his army and installed a government the people did not like any better. What was left roaming around of the Iraqi Army joined insurgents there. Jihadists groups flock to them led by Zarqawi and start a civil war. They ally with Al-Qaeda and we got Al-Qaeda in Iraq.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/static.theintercept.com/amp/isis-iraq-war-islamic-state-blowback.html
We fund, train and arm rebels in Syria to overrhrow Assad. Some of those rebels went onto to become Isis members, and used our own weapons against us. Isis was born out of the mess we made in Iraq and what was left of the insurgents there.
Changing a regime, whether it is entirely internal or through military force can have very serious consequences, and the fall of a government or hostility towards a leader is not something you talk about in a cavalier way.
Bernie is trying to see both sides of the equation. I can live with that, and think most people being reasonable would understand that. He may not like Maduro, but what are you going to about that? Nothing, if you are wise. Most people do not want more nation-building and fighting abroad and neither does he. He has said that he doesn't necessarily approve of Maduro's actions, but wishes to stay out of conflict. That should be the end of it. He is very clear. He has a duty to the American people to protect their interests. You may not like the answer he is giving if you want to see regime change in Latin America, but he is not confusing in the least.
https://www.thenation.com/article/americans-sick-endless-war/
