Forced regime change: Saddam, Gaddafi, Yanukovych, Assad and now Donald Trump

Washington’s penchant for forced regime change abroad is coming home. Calls for Donald Trump to remove himself from the November ballot is akin to the demand a foreign leader must go, having lost the confidence of the Washington Consensus. The inherent anti-democratic nature of this demand is immaterial to the powers-that-be.

It is common knowledge these are gloomy days for the GOP. The party’s establishment and donor elite can’t come to terms with their nominee Trump. And Trump seems incapable doing himself any favors. He greatest challenge is coming to terms that running a business empire and running for president are entirely different endeavors. Yes, he is running a lousy campaign. Yes, he is too compulsive. And yes, he makes himself an easy target for the liberal corporate media and the ruthless Clinton machine. Indeed, he is the ultimate self-inflicted candidate. Nonetheless, he was fairly elected by his party (unlike the rigged Democratic primary). Though there are voices that “he must go.” We have heard this before – many times. And it never works out well. That damn law of unintended consequences always kicks in!

America’s bad foreign policy habits are coming home to roost. Iraq’s Saddam Hussein fell out of Washington’s favor, so he had to go and Iraq has yet to recover. Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi lost Washington’s confidence, so he had to go. Today Libya is a failed state. Ukraine’s democratically elected president Viktor Yanukovych fell victim to a coup backed by Washington and local neo-Nazis. Ukraine is in a shambles and less democratic. Syria’s Bashar al-Assad isn’t gone yet, but never underestimate Washington’s determination to flaunt international law and apply reckless use of force.

I am not a Donald Trump supporter, though I do like many things he has say about the need to change America’s dangerous and destructive foreign policy. The U.S. and its client states are crudely dismissive and caviler when it comes to the democratic process and the will of the people. The demand that “Trump must go” from the GOP ticket is the same as saying democracy should go as well. We know what can happen after the “he must go” call is made.

Peter Lavelle is host of RT’s political debate program CrossTalk. His views may or may not reflect those of his employer.