In the absence of a spelled-out plan, we’re left to try to infer one. Secretary of State Marco Rubio—a Cold War–style anti-Communist—describes Maduro as the leader of a designated narco-terrorist organization, rather than a government, leading many to conclude that the endgame here is to depose him. Perhaps the idea is to use military pressure to push somebody within the Venezuelan security apparatus to move against Maduro. Even if such a plan succeeds—which is very doubtful—it is likelier to deliver Venezuela to a different style of military dictatorship than it is to bring a return to democracy.