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Retired Franklin County naval officer purpose of military power is making us safer and more secure
By Steve Deal
There’s nothing new about U.S. interventions in the Western hemisphere to protect the safety and security of the American people.
Last night’s events in Venezuela came exactly 35 years to the day from when Panamanian president Manuel Noriega was captured and tried for narco-trafficking, among other crimes.
The majority of Americans alive today have probably never considered or studied it, but we should never forget that we lost 23 servicemen during that invasion in 1989. One of them was the brother of my aviation squadron mate, a U.S. Navy SEAL. Two years later, the surviving brother and I were deployed to Panama flying counter-drug operations.
Our American servicemen and women who are currently in harm’s way — including the Green Mountain Boys of the Vermont National Guard, deployed in the region — deserve our support. Although I have not yet seen any reports of casualties, I pray for their safety and for every single one to return to their families whole and unharmed. And I thank them for their great service to our country.
For those Vermonters who want to debate or protest the policy of this, I will point you towards the pronouncements of the New York Times editorial board this morning.
Even while going through its perfunctory, reflexive scourging of this Administration, the Times itself lays out the case for action: “(now-captured Venezuelan President Maduro) is undemocratic and repressive, and has destabilized the Western Hemisphere in recent years. The United Nations recently issued a report detailing more than a decade of killings, torture, sexual violence and arbitrary detention by henchmen against his political opponents. He stole Venezuela’s presidential election in 2024. He has fueled economic and political disruption throughout the region by instigating an exodus of nearly eight million migrants.”
As someone who has commanded units in Iraq and Afghanistan, and served to support operations under previous Administrations which exercised the policy choices of a so-called “responsibility to protect” the peoples of far-away nations from the very same crimes as listed above, I can say this: we raised our right hands to support and defend the Constitution of the United States, against all enemies, foreign and domestic. There is nothing more precious to us than the pride of our fellow citizens and the honor of defending them.
The late former U.S Secretary of State Madeleine Albright famously remarked while arguing for U.S. intervention to protect endangered populations in Central Europe, “what is the purpose of this superb military if we are not prepared to use it?” It is interesting and instructive to think about how previous Administrations from both major political parties have viewed the use of U.S. military power to achieve their policy goals.
There is an important distinction between discretionary humanitarian intervention and non-discretionary duty to defend Americans. If you met everyday Americans in drug-ravaged towns across the country, or better yet, right here in Burlington, St. Johnsbury, or Rutland, and asked about the purpose of military power in making them safer and more secure, you may receive a different and less self-aggrandizing answer than some of their elected representatives.
My personal view is that our first responsibility to protect applies to our own citizenry, a responsibility which needs no imprimatur of international organizations or moral approval from foreign leaders, a sense of responsibility we inherited from our first President. The basis of all legality in defending our citizens against hostile acts and intent rests in that grave responsibility.
The author, a Franklin County resident, is a retired U.S. Navy Captain.
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Categories: Commentary
I have no elected representatives.
The C. I. A. does not like competition in the drug business.
According to Trump’s noonish briefing, there were no casualties to American servicemen or to US military equipment. Thank you, Steve, for sharing your experience in Panama. Thank you to all who serve – actively in Venezuela and behind the scenes as they repeatedly practiced to make no mistakes. It took lots of precision.
PS Steve, I look forward to hearing more as you learn more about the Green Mountain Boys and the operations in Venezuela.
Looks like THE PROJECT FOR A NEW AMERICAN CENTURY is still in play.
This action that was justified as being against drug trafficing would carry a lot more weight had not President Trump in December, fully pardoned the convicted and jailed former President of Honduras Hernadez who was serving a 45 -year sentence for conspiring to import cocaine into the United States and firearms offenses. The exact same thing we are accusing Munduro.
There is no question that Munduro rigged elections and was a despicable authoritarian leader, much like Saddam Hussien, and regime change is needed. However,as in our invasion of Iraq, it appears getting a grip on the oil resources for oil companies is the driving factor and drug interdection only a pretext.
The deeper game, John, is Election Integrity. Watch and see.
The C. I. A. does not like competition in the drug business and the Epstein mafia global cartel must be protected. Could we have all the Epstein files please and not have any more distractions.
These are tough, tragic choices. Our track record on regime change isn’t good – I am very aware. Yet at what point do you continue to allow a regime to threaten and degrade our way of life — right in our own backyard. At what point does defense against charges of hypocrisy outweigh the known dangers to our people.
None of this is easy – from doing nothing or everything. I also worry about the signals sent to Xi and Putin. Especially regarding Taiwan. I hope and trust that this intervention was accompanied by coherent messaging to China, Russia, Iran, and India/Pakistan. It took a of precise, expensive, expert readiness to achieve this result. Those bills will need to be paid.
We may or may not like it, but the price and responsibilities of the most powerful democracy in the world are the heaviest in history.
Mr. Deal,
Thank you for your thoughtful post.
General Bernard E. Trainor and Michael R. Gordon book “Cobra II : The Inside Story of the Invasion and Occupation of Iraq” details the skill and bravery of our armed forces in the swift takeover of the country. It also details how the lack of planning for post-war Iraq and mismanagment led to deterioration, the tragic waste of lives and an unstable outcome.
It appears now that we may be in a similar situation with no real plan in place, the President dismissing the opposition leader Maria Machado and saying we will be in charge. At the same time there are no boots on the ground. Not sure another nation building adventure is what was expected when this administration took office and preperations to date seem woefully inadequate. Sure hope I am wrong.
The biggest problem this country will have in the future is when other countries stop buying our debt and this is playing out now. 2026 will be a very interesting year if inflation keeps getting more expensive to live.
Now, if Vermont has been getting supplied with drugs from Venezuela someone in this state is a major supplier and the GOVIE and his police operations have not found the source in Vermont and now the public should be asking a lot of questions as to why there has been no arrests of high level people. All you see is street level losers on this site. Maybe this information will come out in the trial. Try not to forget the Epstein files as this event is a major distraction. DRIP, DRIP, DRIP. Comment from Richard Day with no apology.