US Military's Death Toll from Boat Strikes Increased to 123 After Undercounting.
In a shocking revelation, the US military has updated its death toll from boat strikes in the region, revealing that 11 civilians were killed on December 30, eight more than initially reported. The increased number brings the total number of people killed in the campaign to 123.
According to Col. Emanuel Ortiz, Southern Command's chief of public affairs, the attack on three vessels was one of the largest single-day death tolls since the US military began targeting alleged drug smuggling boats last September. Ortiz provided an updated tally of strikes, casualties, and vessels targeted since September 2, revealing that there have been 35 total kinetic strikes with 36 go-fast boats destroyed.
The US military has faced criticism for its actions in the region, with experts arguing that the strikes are illegal extrajudicial killings. William Baumgartner, a retired US Coast Guard rear admiral and former chief counsel of the service branch, described the destruction of the vessels as "essentially the same as putting a gun to their head."
As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how the US military's actions will impact the region and the global community. One thing is clear: the stakes are high, and the consequences of inaction will be severe.
In a shocking revelation, the US military has updated its death toll from boat strikes in the region, revealing that 11 civilians were killed on December 30, eight more than initially reported. The increased number brings the total number of people killed in the campaign to 123.
According to Col. Emanuel Ortiz, Southern Command's chief of public affairs, the attack on three vessels was one of the largest single-day death tolls since the US military began targeting alleged drug smuggling boats last September. Ortiz provided an updated tally of strikes, casualties, and vessels targeted since September 2, revealing that there have been 35 total kinetic strikes with 36 go-fast boats destroyed.
The US military has faced criticism for its actions in the region, with experts arguing that the strikes are illegal extrajudicial killings. William Baumgartner, a retired US Coast Guard rear admiral and former chief counsel of the service branch, described the destruction of the vessels as "essentially the same as putting a gun to their head."
As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how the US military's actions will impact the region and the global community. One thing is clear: the stakes are high, and the consequences of inaction will be severe.
. 123 people dead because of a 'drug smuggling' operation? That's insane! 
What exactly does the US military mean by "alleged" when it comes to these boats? Don't they have proof or something? 
It just seems like another example of how easy it is for governments to get caught up in their own agendas and forget about human lives. 
i mean 123 people killed including civilians? that's insane anyone think it's just a matter of 'bad guys' doing bad things, no one has to die... the US military needs to get its act together, especially when it comes to protecting innocent lives. and the fact that they're still arguing about the morality of these strikes is worrying 
This new death toll is still mind-blowing... 123 people lost their lives just from a few boat strikes? It's like they're taking out speedboats left & right without even thinking about civilian casualties 
. I'm not surprised the military's actions are getting called into question tho - it's clear they didn't think this through beforehand. The fact that 11 more civilians were found after undercounting is just sick... where was the oversight? 
i read this thing abt a retired admiral who said the destruction of vessels is kinda like putting a gun to their head idk man thats so messed up 
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OMG did u hear about the US military's death toll from boat strikes? its like 123 now 
and what about them go-fast boats? is it worth destroyin em? idk man but its lookin bad 
I'm literally shook rn 
. Maybe they can try to find a more peaceful way to deal with this situation? 
It's all about finding solutions that work for everyone, right? 
I mean, an increase in death toll by 11 civilians sounds legit, but what if this is a cover-up? The US military is always talking about 'alleged' drug smuggling boats... what's the real motive behind these strikes? It's all so convenient. I'm also not convinced by Col. Ortiz's explanation - "largest single-day death toll" since September? Sounds like a PR stunt to me 
. And don't even get me started on this William Baumgartner guy, he sounds like a total expert (not) 
. I mean, who puts it like that: "essentially the same as putting a gun to their head"? That's some pretty dramatic language if you ask me 
... I think the US military needs to re-think its approach, maybe there's a better way to tackle the problem without taking innocent lives 
... it's also concerning that they're calling these actions "extrajudicial killings" - that sounds super aggressive and unfair 
... what do you guys think? Should we be supporting this kind of action or is there another way forward? 
This situation just shows us that even with the most advanced technology & training, innocent lives can get lost in the chaos. We need to consider the human cost behind every military action. 
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