Might is Right, or is it? The Empire Strikes Again Part 2

(𝘕𝘰𝘵𝘦: 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘦-𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘨𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘱𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘰𝘯.)

Out-Putin’ Putin

The irony of the current U.S. posture is its similarity to the very authoritarian “strongmen" it claims to oppose. In Ukraine, Taiwan, and Gaza, the U.S. demands respect for international borders, yet in its own hemisphere, it acts with a unilateralism that seeks to "out-Putin" Putin. To put it differently, it means whatever Russian President Vladimir Putin can do, #47 can do and even better. The capture of a foreign head of state and the declaration that the U.S. will "run" Venezuela feels like a one up on Putin’s war in Ukraine.

This obviously opens a Pandora’s Box. What would stop Chinese President Xi JinPing from taking Taiwan or Israel’s Netanyahu from completing the annexation of Gaza, which is already being coveted as a new “Riviera”?

Deal or No Deal?

Why does all this matter, especially to us in the Caribbean? The Art of the Deal has been reduced to a binary choice: “you’re either with me or against me.” Being with me means only one thing: you do exactly as I say, no ifs or buts. And if you dare to be against me, well go ask Venezuela! In other words, you’re damned if you do and you’re damned if you don’t. It is within this context that we should view the signing of MOUs by Caribbean leaders.

But if we listen carefully, we would hear the historical echo in how these modern agreements are signed. Centuries ago, kings and chiefs who could not read the invader’s language were coerced into signing away their lands with a "Chief’s Mark." Today, Caribbean leaders sign MOUs under the threat of "visa pressure"—a modern illiteracy where the "language" of the invader is the complex legalese of sanctions.

This isn't diplomacy; it's the criminalization of dissent. When the U.S. uses its state organs to punish those who disagree with it, the distinction between "Democracy" and the autocracies it condemns begins to blur.

Economic Impact: Tourism and the "Chilling Effect"

The economic fallout of this new era of “cowboy diplomacy” ripples across the entire Caribbean region. The "Might is Right" attitude has already created a chilling effect on regional stability:

• Tourism Paralysis: With the collapse of the Cuban energy grid, major international airlines have suspended flights, not just to Havana but increasingly to some other parts of the region, citing fuel instability and rising costs.

• The De-risking Weapon: The US use of secondary sanctions has caused international banks to "de-risk" the entire Caribbean. Fearing the wrath of the DOJ, financial institutions are severing ties with island banks, making it nearly impossible for small businesses to engage in global trade.

• Forced Migration: By "throttling" the economies of Cuba and Venezuela, the US has paradoxically created the very migration crisis it uses to justify its "gunboat" border policies.

In this landscape, we are being thrust back to colonial days. Sovereignty and international law are being disregarded with the perceived impunity of a bully.

Long, long ago, the invader used beads and mirrors and guns; today, they use access to the US dollar and bombs. In both cases, the “consent” is obtained under the duress of superior might.

The criminalization of dissent—where a country's right to trade is treated as a felony—means the difference between the US and the autocracies it condemns is rapidly vanishing. Empires are indeed created by conquest, but they are usually sustained by legitimacy. By choosing the path of the bully over the path of the partner, the current "Empire" may find that while it can seize the oil and block the tankers, it has lost the very moral authority it once claimed to defend.

The St. Kitts CARICOM Summit: Inviting the Arsonist

The crowning irony of this new era is perhaps best viewed through the lens of the CARICOM Summit being held in St. Kitts this week. While some of the region’s former leaders and intellectuals cry out against the "Economic Siege" of Cuba and the "Wild Wild West" extraction of Venezuelan resources, the current political leadership has chosen a different path: they have invited the chief architect of these policies, the U.S. Secretary of State, to the table.

It is the surreal spectacle of the arsonist being invited to a meeting of firefighters. Instead of demanding an end to the "oil blockade" that is suffocating their neighbors, the firefighters are rolling out the red carpet, hoping that by showing hospitality to the one holding the torch, their own houses might be spared.

The End of Solidarity?

This invitation signals more than just pragmatic diplomacy; it signals the potential death of CARICOM's moral soul. When a regional body welcomes the very "Might is Right" doctrine it should be resisting, it proves that the "Brave New World" conditioning has been successful. The "bully" no longer needs to break down the door; he is ushered in through the front gate, offered a seat at the head of the table, and asked to "partner" in the security of the very "backyard" he has spent years destabilizing.

If Caribbean leaders continue to sign MOUs under duress and extend special invitations to their summits to those who weaponize the DOJ and ICE against them, the "Chief’s Mark" will become the permanent signature of the region.

Until the firefighters stop asking the arsonist for advice on fire safety, the Caribbean will remain exactly what the Monroe Doctrine intended it to be: a quiet, compliant, and controlled space in the shadow of the Empire. Might is right, it seems, not because the bully is invincible, but because the bullied have forgotten how or relinquished their God-given right to say "No."

‍