US Defends Venezuela Op as "Exact Opposite" of Iraq War, Captures Maduro

In an interview with CBS Evening News on Saturday (local time), Hegseth was asked about concerns among Americans who may have been reminded of past US interventions, particularly the Iraq war, which led to significant loss of life and resources.

Responding to concerns, Hegseth said the operation in Venezuela marked a complete departure from past military engagements, adding that the current strategy focused on achieving objectives without putting American troops at risk.

"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," he said.

"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," the Secretary of War added.

On Saturday, Washington carried out a "large-scale strike against Venezuela", and the deposed dictator, Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured and taken out of the country.

Maduro and Flores were captured in Caracas and flown out of the country in a joint operation involving intelligence agencies and US law enforcement.

Trump stated that Maduro and his wife have been indicted on charges of alleged "drug trafficking and narco-terrorism conspiracies" in the Southern District of New York and will face trial.

He said that American forces, working with law enforcement agencies, captured Maduro and his wife in a night-time operation.

Describing the operation as carefully planned, Hegseth said the move was "bold and audacious" but not impulsive, noting that the intervention would ultimately benefit the US, unlike what Americans had suffered during the Iraq invasion.

"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 to CBS Evening News.

In 2003, the US-led an invasion in Iraq on the fabricated claim that the country was hiding weapons of mass destruction, which led to the toppling of its dictator, Saddam Hussein, who was captured by the American troops.

He was later tried in an Iraqi court for crimes against humanity and executed by hanging in 2006.

Meanwhile, Trump, addressing a press conference in Florida following the operation, was "one of the most stunning, effective, and powerful displays of American military might and competence in American history."

He further stated that the US would run the country "until such time as we can do a safe, proper, and judicious transition," noting that his administration wants "peace, justice and liberty for the great people of Venezuela".

"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," Trump said.

He said the US action was aimed at bringing "outlaw dictator Nicolas Maduro to justice", and that US companies will fix the broken oil infrastructure in the South American nation.

"This was one of the most stunning, effective, and powerful displays of American military might and competence in American history," the US President said.

"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," he added.

Trump said that Maduro and his wife "will soon face the full might of American justice and stand trial on American soil" for their alleged role in drug trafficking, adding that they are currently being taken to New York, with authorities to decide later whether the trial will be held in New York or Florida.

- ANI