US Carrier in Caribbean: A 'Humanitarian Aid' Deployment, Surely
Newsweek's article, 'Satellite Photo Shows US Carrier Strike Group in Caribbean Waters,' offers a snapshot of naval power without questioning its purpose. Historically, a US carrier strike group showing up in someone's backyard isn't usually for sightseeing. After all, the US has a rich tradition of 'gunboat diplomacy' in Central and South America, from interventions in Cuba (1898, 1906, 1912) and
Nicaragua (1912-1933) to the Panama invasion (1989), often preceding 'regime change' or 'stabilization' efforts. One might wonder who, or what, requires such an expensive deterrent/persuader this time. Is this a strategic pivot from the endless Middle East engagements, or merely a reminder to our Latin American neighbors not to get any ideas about economic independence? The cost of maintaining
just one carrier strike group is billions annually, a sum that could, perhaps, fund actual humanitarian aid in the region. But why send doctors when you can send fighter jets? Efficiency, after all, is key in projecting 'security.'