American Senator Lindsey Graham•©️Radio-Canada
Washington, 5 January 2026.- U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, on Sunday Night in America on Fox News on Sunday, January 4, estimated that the U.S. military operation against Venezuela had resulted in the removal of« humiliation » left behind by the chaotic withdrawal of Afghanistan in 2021, presenting this intervention as a return of American power. The operation itself raises strong international criticism.
In August 2021, the United States ended almost twenty years of war in Afghanistan. The hasty withdrawal of American forces, followed by the rapid takeover of the Taliban, has profoundly affected world public opinion. Images of civilians attempting to flee Kabul, some clinging to departing aircraft, were widely interpreted as a symbol of defeat and strategic disorder. Lindsey Graham, a long-standing critic of this decision, continues to see a deterioration of American image and credibility on the international stage.
Commenting on the American operation leading to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, Graham said that this action « removed the bad taste left by Afghanistan ». Also on Fox News, he praised the intervention as a demonstration of professionalism and military efficiency, saying that it showed « America at its best ». Those statements were made at a time when several States and international organizations denounced a violation of international law and an infringement of Venezuela ' s sovereignty.
For Lindsey Graham, the operation against Venezuela is a symbolic revenge on Afghanistan's failure and a signal of firmness to the world. But this reading is far from being shared. Many international reactions condemn American intervention, calling it a dangerous unilateral act. It remains to be seen whether this demonstration of force really restores the image of the United States or whether it constitutes a new diplomatic disgrace.
R.J. with Fox News
