Whakaotihia te rerenga e whai ake nei: Ko te tekau tau o te 1980 ko te tekau tau o te whakahoutanga. I hurihia te ope taua ki te kaha o nga kaihauturu katoa me te nui ake o te aro ki te whakangungu me te hangarau. I hangaia e te Ture Goldwater-Nichols o te tau 1986 nga Whakahaere Whakakotahitanga Whakakotahitanga, e whakakotahi ana i te Ope Taua me etahi atu peka hoia e toru i raro i nga hanganga whakahau-a-rohe. I whai wāhi hoki te ope taua ki ngā whakaekenga o Grenada i te tau 1983 (
Operation Urgent Fury) me Panama i te tau 1989 (Operation Just Cause).