US secretary of war Pete Hegseth (AP)
US secretary of war Pete Hegseth said Washington’s midnight military operation in Venezuela on Saturday, which also led to the capture of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife was the “exact opposite” of the 2003 Iraq invasion and would not result in prolonged conflict or American casualties.Addressing concerns of Americans about past US interventions, particularly the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, which led to significant loss of life and resources.Hegseth said, “The operation in Venezuela marked a complete departure from past military engagements, focusing on achieving objectives without putting American troops at risk,” he said.It’s the exact opposite. We spent decades and decades and spent, purchased in blood and got nothing economically in return. And President Trump flips the script.” Hegseth told CBS Evening News. “Through strategic action, we can ensure that we have access to additional wealth and resources, enabling a country to unleash that without having to spend American blood,” he added.The joint operation involving intelligence agencies and US law enforcement, carried out in Caracas, was described as “bold and audacious” but carefully planned. “This was a bold and audacious move, but it was thought through. It was well orchestrated. Our military had time to set it up. He provided the resources, and then he took that bold stroke and through it we flipped that very dynamic and Americans will benefit,” Hegseth said.Maduro and Flores who were flown out of the country have been indicted on charges of alleged “drug trafficking and narco-terrorism conspiracies” in the Southern District of New York and will face trial, Trump said.Trump on Saturday outlined the US plan for Venezuela following the operation. “We’re going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper, and judicious transition. We want peace, justice and liberty for the great people of Venezuela,” he said. He added, “We’re going to have our very large United States oil companies, the biggest anywhere in the world, go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken infrastructure, the oil infrastructure, and start making money for the country.”