Final Word from Wednesday, January 30, 2019
Three days before leaving office on Feb. 2, 2003, Václav Havel joined the PMs of seven countries in signing the Gang of Eight letter in support of George W. Bush's planned invasion of Iraq. "The Iraqi regime and its weapons of mass destruction represent a clear threat to world security," Havel and the others wrote. They added that, "Europe has no quarrel with the Iraqi people." Tens of thousands of these Iraqi people died in the ensuing war, and no weapons of mass destruction were found. Donald Trump calls the decision to invade Iraq and Afghanistan the worst mistake in U.S. history, yet he has now reversed his own America First policy and is demanding regime change in Venezuela, with "all options on the table." Most of the same Gang of Eight countries are supporting him (with the notable addition of France and Germany). They too are doing it for the local people. The Czechs, who are still on the fence, have an expression about not entering the same river twice. [ Czech Republic United States Nicolas Maduro Juan Guaidó Guaido ]
Glossary of difficult words
quarrel - a disagreement or argument;
to ensue - to happen or occur afterwards or as a result;
to be/sit on the fence - to be undecided;
one cannot enter the same river twice (dvakrát nevstoupíš do stejné řeky) - once bitten, twice shy; a burnt child dreads the fire.