(The Center Square) – Manuel Noriega, Saddam Hussein, and now Nicolás Maduro and wife Ceilia Flores.
American presidents, when they make a 911 call, quite often dial up Fort Bragg in North Carolina. Second-term Republican President Donald Trump’s mission to bring Maduro to America to face charges tied to drug trafficking climaxed overnight into Saturday with the Army’s Delta Force from the world’s largest military installation and the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment from Fort Campbell, Kentucky, providing flawless execution in Caracas, Venezuela.
Absolute Resolve, as the operation was known, was months in the making and ready to go in early December.
“We think, we develop, we train, we rehearse, we debrief, we rehearse again, and again,” said Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. “Not to get it right, but to ensure we cannot get it wrong.”
Maduro’s residence where the capture took place was on the grounds of his country’s largest military base. Troops’ precision included minute details like clothing, movement patterns and where a safe room of sorts would be, even meticulous information on the family pets.
In December 1989, Gen. Manuel Noriega was the leader of Panama and indicted on drug-related charges. American forces invaded in Operation Just Cause to capture him, though he ultimately surrendered on Jan. 3, 1990 in the Vatican embassy.
In December 2003, Operation Red Dawn was carried out near Tikrit, Iraq. Hussein was found in what was called a spider hole.
Both times, Delta Force was pivotal. The combat unit is elite and formally known as the 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta, or 1st SFOD-D. Army Special Forces, known as Green Berets, and the 75th Ranger Regiment supply members of Delta Force.
As with Maduro, they work in coordination with others. For example, the invasion of Panama was coupled with Navy SEALs and the 7th Infantry Division. Hussein’s capture also included the Army 4th Infantry Division, Task Force 121 under the Joint Special Operations Command, and the operators from Intelligence Support Activity.
Other notable roles were in Somalia in 1993 at the Battle of Mogadishu, better known to most for the inspired film “Black Hawk Down”; multiple operations in Afghanistan and Iraq in the 2000s during the War on Terror; and in Syria in 2019 during Operation Kayla Mueller that led to the death of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
North Carolina is home to five major military bases plus a Coast Guard station and Army military ocean terminal on the coast, with an estimated 91,000 active service members. Still, opinions were not united from the state’s delegation to the Beltway.
U.S. Rep. Alma Adams, D-N.C., for example, essentially dismissed the drug trafficking threat to the nation.
“President Trump deployed U.S. troops and launched strikes in Venezuela without congressional authorization, utterly violating the U.S. Constitution,” said Adams. “The War Powers Resolution only allows for unilateral presidential action in response to an imminent threat facing American citizens or servicemembers. He failed to offer any proof of that threat, failed to brief and seek constitutionally required approval from Congress, and once again failed to put America first.”
U.S. Rep. Tim Moore, R-N.C., saw it differently.
“Nicolás Maduro was indicted in 2020 for narco-terrorism and weapons trafficking against the United States and now, justice is being carried out,” Moore said. “He has been responsible for flooding our streets with deadly drugs and violence that’s claimed countless American lives — that ends today.
“In a precise U.S. military operation with no American lives or equipment lost, this brutal dictator was captured and will finally face accountability on American soil. This mission reflects the unmatched skill of our armed forces and the strength of President Trump’s leadership on the world stage.”
Republican U.S. Sens. Thom Tillis and Ted Budd agreed.
“For years, Nicolás Maduro has led a narco-terrorist regime that fueled the drug trade in our communities,” Tillis said. “President Trump’s decisive action will finally bring this dictator to justice and end the decades of corruption and crime in Venezuela. Thank you to the brave U.S. servicemembers and law enforcement officials who were involved in this important mission to bring an end to tyranny.”
Budd added that Maduro was “an illegitimate dictator who has long been wanted in the U.S. on charges of narco-terrorism, corruption, and drug trafficking. The president’s decisive action to capture and bring him to justice is monumental not just for ending his brutal regime in Venezuela but will save countless American lives from the deadly drugs his thugs have brought to our shores.”
Democratic Rep. Deborah Ross agreed with the characterizations of Maduro while remaining a chief critic of the president.
“To be clear,” she said, “Maduro is a despot who stole elections, imprisoned his political opponents, and trampled on the rights and dignity of his people. But the Trump administration cannot unilaterally impose regime change and push the United States to the brink of war. This action endangers our citizens and democracy around the world. Using military force to remove a foreign head of state unquestionably requires congressional authorization. Trump ignored that requirement, once again thumbing his nose at our Constitution and Congress.”
Democratic Rep. Don Davis, facing a redrawn district intended to unseat him in November, fell into a more middling line.
“Protecting American families and ending narcotics trafficking are essential to our national security,” he said. “The use of military force demands accountability and transparency, and Congress must be kept fully informed to ensure proper oversight. I expect continued briefings as the situation in Venezuela evolves.”
