Does Jimmy Panetta Support a Regime Change in Venezuela?

Americans are aware of the unlawful bombings of boats off the coast of Venezuela, which violate international law and constitute war crimes. I agree with Jimmy Panetta when he states that there is a lack of due process and that a declaration of war requires Congressional approval. However, just because the American Congress approves such a war does not mean it is lawful from an international perspective. I believe that a war against Venezuela would be unlawful.

What concerns me about Jimmy Panetta is that I never hear him speak out against the legitimacy of a war against Venezuela. It is also important to note that he recently voted in favor of a resolution condemning socialism, which equated the Venezuelan government with historical tyrants like the Stalinist USSR and Maoist China, whose regimes were responsible for the deaths of millions.

By doing so, Panetta groups the current government in Venezuela with some of the greatest tyrants of the 20th century, implying that it is valid to overthrow the Venezuelan government. He does not say this explicitly, likely because he knows that his constituents overwhelmingly oppose another regime change war. However, this is subtly what he is doing; he is supporting a war in Venezuela.