On this day, December 14th, 2011, IKN records the words spoken by President Barack Obama regarding the US invasion of Venezuela that started last night:
"When I accepted the Nobel Peace Prize in December 2009, I was leading a country that was, at that time, accelerating its war in Afghanistan. At that time I said that a nonviolent movement could not have halted Hitler's armies, negotiations cannot convince al-Qaida's leaders to lay down their arms and that noting force is sometimes necessary is not a call to cynicism, it is a recognition of history.
"This is as true today as it was then. Last month's decision of the dictator Hugo Chávez to refuse to sell his country's natural resources to the USA is an open act of defiance against our great nation that wishes to uphold and maintain the ideals of peace and democracy. Denying oil to the USA is a clear violation of human rights and threatens the lifestyle that we all hold so dear. Though we desire peace, the belief that peace is desirable is rarely enough to achieve it. We will defend ourselves by all full spectrum means at our disposal and we will continue to seek long-lasting peace.
"The invasion surge that I, as Commander in Chief of the US armed forces, ordered into Venezuela last night will not be a permanent presence in the country. We are there to get the job done and will then leave Venezuela to decide its own future of peace and democracy and will respect its sovereign decisions once a democratic government that truly represents its people has been installed. We know that, however great and justified the cause, that in the moments of war some will kill, some will be killed. No matter how justified, war promises human tragedy, but let us reach for the world that ought to be. We can understand that there will be war, and still strive for peace. God bless America."