[PearlRiver]

This is what astounds me. Why waste all the money and blood on a frankly failed state like Venezuela that was always a basket case. What's next Haiti?

[tpm]

To divert the attention from other issues.

[beAbU]

Oil! It's always oil

[clanky]

It's because Venezuela has lots of oil and gold, and the money (and blood) won't be "wasted" for the small sliver of people who benefit from stealing it.