Over a century ago, a wealthy New Yorker, Theodore Roosevelt, became our 26th American president, and history has recognized him as one of our great presidents.  In fact, he received a Nobel Peace Prize for a real achievement in putting an end to the Russo-Japanese War.  In his day, President "Teddy" Roosevelt had strong critics and was mocked by the professional politicians as "that dammed cowboy."  However, being called a cowboy was a role that he proudly personified.

Using his power as commander-in-chief, he sent the U.S. Navy "Great White Fleet" forward to tell the world America does have a "big stick."  And when trouble broke out in the Middle East, threatening Americans, President Roosevelt sent not just one ship, but a sizeable U.S. Navy fleet with companies of Marines.

Now, fast-forward to another wealthy New Yorker, who is our 45th president: President Donald Trump.  Just like Teddy using sea power in his day, our commander-in-chief demonstrated the reach of American air power in defending American lives during this murky forever war against fanatical Islamic terrorism.

To capture the effective use of American global power, the Honorable Mike Wynne, West Point Class of 1966 and  the 21st secretary of the U.S. Air Force, coined a great phrase that became known as the Wynne Doctrine: "If it is a fair fight, someone failed in planning."  Once the words, words, words of diplomatic speech fail and military action is called for, initiating death from above with American power to legitimately kill General Soleimani showed the Wynne Doctrine in action.  An Mq-9 Reaper versus car is the combination of good intel and air power to most definitely not make it a fair fight.

For all of us who wore the uniform during the Vietnam War years, there was a great quip: "Are we in a point shaving scandal or just going to throw the game?"  From Vietnam forward, generations of warriors said please to politicians: never again play out Vietnam on our watch.

The successful Reaper attack a few days ago, with further combat action, tells our serving military that President Trump most definitely is not shaving points or throwing a game.  Earlier in Middle East combat, the magnificent Desert Storm air power campaign, in which Lt. Col. Dave Deptula, USAF (ret.) had the major planning and targeting role, is the war college definition of successful air power combat in action.

Consequently, it is instructive to now read in Forbes Magazine what Lt. Gen. Deptula, dean of The Mitchell Institute, thinks about U.S. air power and Iran.

The best way to deter Iran now is to supplement the power projection capability of U.S. air forces in the region by forward deploying fully armed and loaded stealth B-2 bombers, F-22s, and additional stealth F-35s to the region — the Mullah's [sic] will get the message.  Peace through strength is key to deterring open conflict with Iran — projecting fear or appeasement is not.

In case the enemies of America do not read Forbes, General Deptula also went on Fox news to make clear what air power can do to Iran.  "We can crush them like a bug."  Full stop!

So let Iran and other nations take heed from what a former chief of staff of the Air Force, General Buzz Mosley, said: "there is not a place on the face of the Earth that the USAF will not fight their way into."

Ed Timperlake was C.O. of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron VMFA-321, The "Hells Angels."