The Reagan/Bush administration, the greatest Republican tag-team in modern American history was successful in tearing down the Berlin Wall and destroying the Iron Curtain by breaking up the Soviet Union into separate independent nations. It now appears that the GOP could be compromised and it will be a heavy lift for the current administration to top their accomplishments..Are Republicans looking for love in all the wrong places?
MAGA Republicans are pursuing a targeted, "decapitate and delegate" strategy, rather than traditional nation-building, successfully detaining Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro in January and shifting focus the Ayatollah in Iran and now to Castro in Cuba to extract political, geo-strategic and economic concessions.
The ongoing push centers around these key dynamics:
The Venezuela Precedent: Following January's swift U.S. military operation and Maduro's extraction, Republican leadership, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, has touted the move as a highly precise, low-casualty blueprint for removing autocratic leaders.
The Iran War: While hawkish Republicans have expressed optimism that a cascading effect could impact Tehran, the prospect of regime change in Iran remains far more questionable and complex. Unlike the Latin American targets, Iran presents a much larger military hurdle and deeply entrenched network of proxy groups.
The Shift to Cuba: Touting Cuba as the next logical step, the administration has increased sanctions and an energy blockade on the island. The goal is to cripple the regime's resources, which were heavily dependent on Venezuelan oil. The administration has relied on the support of the Cuban-American constituency in Florida to bolster these moves.
The "America First" Smokescreen: Instead of engaging in extended, costly ground wars, and military operations, the strategy is designed to remove the heads of hostile regimes, seize key assets like oil, and delegate governance to local groups who promise to be more aligned with U.S. interests. What do they want from The Cuban Sugar Kings?
Meanwhile, we the people continue to struggle with highest prices at the gas pump, for groceries and other essentials, while the GOP leadership claims to care about it.