Peloni: Regime change of obviously bad actors who harbor terrorists, facilitate drug trade in the US, and are recognized as rogue state, should be understood as an obvious and exercisable stratagem in the US toolbox of statecraft. The problem arises when such tools are weaponized against domestic political enemies or against clearly allied nations. These latter two are the backdrop under which Trump laid down a policy restricting the use of regime change under his watch, but his absolute rejection of such tactics has clearly been amended to allow the arrest and prosecution of Nicholas Maduro. Given the literally thousands of Americans, soldiers and civilians, who have been butchered by the Iranian Mullahs over decades, along with their proxy Hezbollah’s significant role in facilitating the drug trade towards the US, would it not be wise for Trump to next focus the use of regime change tactics against the oppressive and menacing Mullahs in Iran?
By Samuel Ben-Ur | January 3, 2026
Poster in which the DEA offers more than 15 million dollars for Nicolás Maduro. Photo by DEA – DEA.gov, Public Domain, Wikipedia
On January 3, at around 2 am, the United States military began a wave of airstrikes on military targets in the Venezuelan capital of Caracas and surrounding areas. Shortly afterward, at around 4:30 am, US. President Donald Trump wrote that “The United States of America successfully carried out a large-scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the Country.”
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