After this weekend’s stunning raid to capture Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro, many analysts are asking, what comes next? Most charge that the Trump administration lacks a clear plan for the future of Venezuela. Some have expressed worries that U.S. military action in Venezuela will become a costly quagmire, like Iraq or Afghanistan. Others are puzzled and exasperated that the Trump administration has not provided a full-throated endorsement of Venezuela’s democratically elected opposition.

In fact, a clearer plan is coming into place. It relies on Washington using carrots and sticks to coax Venezuela’s leadership to change policies in a way that are more conducive to American hard security and economic interests, and it seems self-consciously devised to avoid repeating the mistakes of Iraq and Afghanistan. The Trump administration is both studiously avoiding entanglement in a military quagmire and overpromising on democracy promotion.

After this weekend’s stunning raid to capture Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro, many analysts are asking, what comes next? Most charge that the Trump administration lacks a clear plan for the future of Venezuela. Some have expressed worries that U.S. military action in Venezuela will become a costly quagmire, like Iraq or Afghanistan. Others are puzzled and exasperated that the Trump administration has not provided a full-throated endorsement of Venezuela’s democratically elected opposition.

In fact, a clearer plan is coming into place. It relies on Washington using carrots and sticks to coax Venezuela’s leadership to change policies in a way that are more conducive to American hard security and economic interests, and it seems self-consciously devised to avoid repeating the mistakes of Iraq and Afghanistan. The Trump administration is both studiously avoiding entanglement in a military quagmire and overpromising on democracy........

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