U.S. Military Operations in Venezuela (Research Paper Sample)

U.S. Military Operations in Venezuela
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Introduction
The continue state of affairs in Venezuela is not only a threat to international order but also a threat to American national security. But is it necessary that the U.S. government employ military force to achieve it is national interest? And what are the chances of that it this strategy will succeed? Recent studies on why states enforce their foreign policies through military force have suggested that war outcomes are determined "by the balance of military capabilities (industrial production, troop strength, training, technology) and the belligerents’ force employment strategies”. However, these factors do not explain why the U.S. military with its superior resources and capabilities has failed before in against weaker states and a case in point is the war in Vietnam. Thus, the country’s impending military strike in Venezuela ought not to be solely based on its superior advantage but should focus more on the enemy. In other words, the success of the military force in Venezuela would be determined by the impact of Venezuela’s unstable political and social conditions on the U.S. military operations.[Sullivan, Patricia L. War Aims and War Outcomes: Why Powerful States Lose Limited War Journal of Conflict Resolution,2007, 51; 496]
The U.S. military operations in Venezuela would be welcomed by the Venezuelans. A number of reasons would draw Venezuelans towards the U.S. For instance, despite anti-American rhetoric by the country’s national leaders in recent years, Venezuelans’ attitudes towards America remain positive. However, positive rating is higher among those on the political right than among those on the left. Venezuelans general hold traditional western values and attitudes which places family at the center of power. Considered one of the deadliest nations in the world, the economic conditions make Venezuela highly volatile. Hence, government’s effectiveness and legitimacy remain shaky. The concept of Chavism has not been embraced by everyone in Venezuela going by the discontent in the country. The popular discontents against the government are informed by the growing political, social and economic problems. These include high inflation, violence insecurity, and poverty which have seen the new president lose much of popular support in the country. Although the country is not new to uprisings, the recent government’s excessive repression methods have sparked widespread protests. Unsurprisingly, this comes against a political class "that has built (its) revolutionary and political speeches around the claim that there are tow Venezuelas – the haves and have-nots”. However, these acts confirms that the center of political power no longer reside in the people of Venezuela. Power in Venezuela is wielded by the political class which has rendered the judiciary and legislature less effective in their mandate. These factors have emboldened the opposition political groups to struggle for more democratic space. In addition, the political situation has left Venezuela isolated from the international arena.[Corrales, Javier & Romero, Carlos, A. Coping With Midlevel Security Threats: U.S. – Venezuela Relations Since the 1990s. New York: Routledge, 2013, p.318] [PEW Research, America’s Global Image Remains More Positive than China’s. Global Attitudes Project. Retrieved from /2013/07/18/chapter-1-attitudes-toward-the-united-states/ (accessed August 6, 2014).] [Tomasini, Rolando. Maduro's faded legitimacy. Aljazeera, February 26, 2014. Retrieved from /indepth/opinion/2014/02/maduro-faded-legitimacy-201422684844234628.html (accessed August 6, 2014).]
The factors points to deep political and social problems in the Venezeula. Therefore any military strategy by the U.S. forces must focus on winning the cooperation and loyalty of the people. In other words, the success of U.S. government’s policy will require a balance of military force with other nonmilitary programs. The military must emphasize and implement political, economic, and social programs are significant in developing the local capacity. However, military efforts would therefore be necessary and significant in counterinsurgency efforts. However, they can only be successful if they are integrated into a comprehensive program that uses every instruments of American national power. In essence, successful military efforts must meet the needs of the contested population in order to win their support while protecting them from the government forces/insurgents. Political, economic, and social programs are known to be more valuable than traditional military operations. However, keeping the level of violence under control is an important aspect of achieving comprehensive success.
Thus, a measured use of force would be necessary to keep the insurgents away and to encourage implementation of nonmilitary programs. As noted in U.S. Army Counterinsurgency Handbook, insecurity associated with a violent environment discourages nonmilitary organizations from carrying out their mandates. Therefore, through a measured use of fo...