US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has announced "Operation Southern Spear", a new military mission aimed at combating narco-terrorists in the Western Hemisphere. The operation, which is set to begin soon, will be led by Joint Task Force Southern Spear and US Southern Command.
Hegseth described the mission as one that will "defend our Homeland, remove narco-terrorists from our Hemisphere, and secure our Homeland from the drugs that are killing our people." He emphasized that the Western Hemisphere is America's neighborhood, and the US will protect it.
The announcement comes after strikes on suspected drug boats in the Caribbean and a massing of forces in the region have prompted widespread speculation about US military strikes on Venezuela. The US Southern Command encompasses 31 countries through South and Central America and the Caribbean.
Hegseth offered no other details about the operation, fueling speculation that US military strikes on Venezuela are imminent. The US Department of War has been working to tackle the war on drugs, with a focus on detecting and monitoring illicit trafficking in the Caribbean.
The news was met with skepticism from some lawmakers, who expressed concerns about the potential for US involvement in the region. California Governor Gavin Newsom has announced that his state will continue to support Venezuelan migrants fleeing persecution under President Maduro's regime, even as Trump threatens to cut aid to those countries which do not respect human rights and democracy.
The move has also sparked criticism from some Democrats, who say it is an example of "America First" politics. In contrast, the Republican-led House Judiciary Committee had voted on a bill to grant statehood for Washington D.C., with some Republicans calling it a 'victory' for America's future.
The announcement was made by Hegseth in a social media post, without providing any further details. The US Southern Command has been working to combat trafficking and narcotics smuggling in the Caribbean, with a focus on detection and monitoring of illicit shipments.
In related news, the Trump administration is suing California Governor Gavin Newsom over new congressional maps that voters overwhelmingly approved through Proposition 50. The state's GOP-run legislature gerrymandered their own map.
In other developments, former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James are set to have a case heard by a federal judge in Alexandria, Virginia. The two allege that Lindsey Halligan, the new US attorney for the Eastern District of New York, was illegally installed by Donald Trump.
Hegseth described the mission as one that will "defend our Homeland, remove narco-terrorists from our Hemisphere, and secure our Homeland from the drugs that are killing our people." He emphasized that the Western Hemisphere is America's neighborhood, and the US will protect it.
The announcement comes after strikes on suspected drug boats in the Caribbean and a massing of forces in the region have prompted widespread speculation about US military strikes on Venezuela. The US Southern Command encompasses 31 countries through South and Central America and the Caribbean.
Hegseth offered no other details about the operation, fueling speculation that US military strikes on Venezuela are imminent. The US Department of War has been working to tackle the war on drugs, with a focus on detecting and monitoring illicit trafficking in the Caribbean.
The news was met with skepticism from some lawmakers, who expressed concerns about the potential for US involvement in the region. California Governor Gavin Newsom has announced that his state will continue to support Venezuelan migrants fleeing persecution under President Maduro's regime, even as Trump threatens to cut aid to those countries which do not respect human rights and democracy.
The move has also sparked criticism from some Democrats, who say it is an example of "America First" politics. In contrast, the Republican-led House Judiciary Committee had voted on a bill to grant statehood for Washington D.C., with some Republicans calling it a 'victory' for America's future.
The announcement was made by Hegseth in a social media post, without providing any further details. The US Southern Command has been working to combat trafficking and narcotics smuggling in the Caribbean, with a focus on detection and monitoring of illicit shipments.
In related news, the Trump administration is suing California Governor Gavin Newsom over new congressional maps that voters overwhelmingly approved through Proposition 50. The state's GOP-run legislature gerrymandered their own map.
In other developments, former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James are set to have a case heard by a federal judge in Alexandria, Virginia. The two allege that Lindsey Halligan, the new US attorney for the Eastern District of New York, was illegally installed by Donald Trump.
Operation Southern Spear is gonna be a wild ride... like, I don't know if it's even possible to completely eradicate narco-terrorists in the Western Hemisphere. The more they try to crack down on them, the more they'll just adapt and become more ruthless. It's like trying to stop a bad guy from escaping - the moment you think you've got him cornered, he's gonna find another way out. And what's with all this 'America First' politics? Is it really about protecting America or is it about flexing some muscle in the region? I mean, Venezuela and Maduro's regime are already getting a bad rep... can't we just work on diplomacy instead of sending in troops? 
But at the same time, it's hard not to wonder if this operation will really help combat narco-terrorists or just provide an excuse for US military involvement in the region.
And what's with all the different opinions from lawmakers and politicians - some are worried about US involvement, while others see it as a great opportunity to show America's strength. It's definitely making me think... 
also gotta wonder why pete hegseth didn't give us any more deets, that's like super suspicious, dude... 
and can we talk about how ridiculous it is for some dems to call this 'america first' politics? 
like, hello, we got real problems in our own country and we're over here making deals with other countries... 
.
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. It shows me that there are still some people in power who actually care about human rights and compassion. 
it sounds like us are getting pulled into another mess we don't even know the details of... meanwhile california is over here supporting venezuela migrants and trump is all about cutting aid to those countries that dont comply with human rights 
also can't help but think that this whole thing might be just an excuse for Trump to flex his military muscles again 
meanwhile California Governor Gavin Newsom is over here trying to protect the people of Venezuela who are literally fleeing for their lives, and what does he get in return? 