Angelos Giakoumis
The January 3rd operation to oust President Maduro confirmed the unprecedented primacy of the U.S. military and its unique ability in conducting operations of this scale and magnitude. Apparently, it seemed like a typical U.S. military operation that began with precision airstrikes against command and control nodes, the enemy`s leadership, and significant infrastructure. It looked like the opening night of operation Iraqi Freedom, when two F-117s bombed, what was believed to be the hideout of the Iraqi dictator. The objective of the airstrike back then was to decapitate the enemy’s leadership and cause strategic paralysis. The air raid missed Saddam Hussein, but it set the stage for the shock and awe campaign that followed and brought the Iraqi regime to its knees within a matter of weeks.
In Caracas, the purpose was not to shut down the government and certainly not to cause strategic paralysis. Maduro was removed, but the regime and its security apparatus remained intact. The military objective was to eliminate air defenses and create corridors for the helicopters to reach Maduro with minimum friendly and collateral losses. No major fighting was reported and no regular military forces or their headquarters were bombed, possibly suggesting an effort to control escalation and reduce losses.
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