An invasion in Venezuela?

The U.S. invasion of Iraq has sent shivers through the political strongmen of the world. And that's not all bad. In Venezuela, for instance, President Hugo Chavez is gearing up for the worst. He anticipates an American invasion and is trying to rally his troops and his countrymen for the attack. There's a certain satisfaction in watching a bully squirm.

But why would the United States invade Venezuela?

For oil, the thinking there goes. And because, after Iraq, some believe the United States is capable of just about anything.

Let them think it.

In the minds of many Latin Americans, the United States has a long history of mischief in the region. In Colombia, the havoc caused by the United Fruit Company can still be seen in dilapidated towns. In Granada, citizens still look over their shoulders.

Few Americans remember that the United States sent Marines into Santo Domingo years ago. But the Santo Dominicans remember. And the way the United States sabotaged Chile's democratically elected government in the 1960s remains an open wound among many Chileans. Often what feels like ancient history to American citizens feels like fresh news to Latin Americans.

As the United States crafts its foreign policy toward Latin America, in fact, planners would do well to remember that the nations there have not always viewed intervention from America as liberating. The line "Halls of Montezuma" in the Marines' Hymn refers to a military invasion of Mexico. In Mexico City, the Child Heroes Monument reminds every Mexican that the "Colossus to the North" once marched soldiers into the heart of the nation, routing a military school of young cadets along the way.

The word "gringo" is a slur today because the Marines sang "Green Grow the Lilacs" as they trampled Mexican troops.

This isn't to say there might not come a time when the United States, out of security and national interest, may once again be forced to send troops into the jungles and high plains of Latin America. Having the reputation as a country willing to take action can be an advantage. But the dynamics are different in the Americas. Some countries in the hemisphere are still secretly hoping to settle old scores. The grudges are kept under wraps. The United States, however, would do well to remember they are there.

Getting to know the minds and the version of history in Latin America, in fact, is now more pressing that the United States is becoming a destination for Hispanics. If diplomatic solutions are missed because of lackluster information, suffering could result on all sides.