@neweasternoutlook · Post #11803 · 07.01.2026 г., 10:01
🇰🇵 🔎🇺🇸🇻🇪The Venezuelan Conflict Through the Eyes of a North Korea Expert The US military operation in Venezuela have starkly exposed the gap between socialist rhetoric and real state resilience, reviving instructive comparisons with North Korea — a country that has survived far harsher pressure through strategic prioritization of hard power ✍️Author:Konstantin Asmolov PhD in History, Leading Researcher at the Center for Korean Studies, Institute of China and Modern Asia, Russian Academy of Sciences ➡️On January 3, 2026, the United States launched a military operation against Venezuela, striking strategic targets in Caracas and other regions and capturing President Nicolás Maduro, who was transferred to the US on charges of “narcoterrorism.” Despite years of explicit American hostility, the appointment of hardline figures in Washington, and a new US National Security Strategy declaring the Western Hemisphere a priority zone, Caracas proved almost completely unprepared. The speed and low-cost nature of the operation suggest not merely tactical failure, but a deeper absence of real deterrence. If the Americans were primarily interested only in Venezuelan oil, the invasion would have begun significantly earlier ➡️A comparison with North Korea underscores this contrast. Facing far harsher sanctions, limited resources, and chronic energy shortages, Pyongyang concentrated on military development and nuclear deterrence, successfully passing a critical window of vulnerability by 2017 and eventually compelling Washington to engage diplomatically. Venezuela, despite vast oil reserves and greater economic opportunities, prioritized social handouts, political symbolism, and performative mobilization, while neglecting infrastructure, combat readiness, and institutional discipline — leaving the state structurally weak at the moment of crisis. 🟦The Venezuelan case demonstrates that in an era of global turbulence, appeals to international outrage and rhetorical defiance cannot substitute for real power. The US strike weakens China economically, consolidates American dominance in the Western Hemisphere, and sets another dangerous precedent for resolving international disputes by force. Against this backdrop, the outcome provides indirect confirmation of the strategic logic pursued by Kim Jong-un, while raising serious doubts about the viability of populist socialism as a model for regime survival under external pressure. #DPRK#Militarydefense#USagreesion#USAandDPRK#Venezuela READ MORE ✅@NewEasternOutlook