Pentagon's Lethal Strike Raises More Questions Over War on Drugs
In a statement released on Thursday, the Pentagon confirmed what had been long suspected: another deadly strike has taken place in the Pacific, this time killing four men suspected of carrying illicit narcotics. The target vessel was reportedly operated by a designated terrorist organization and was transiting along a known narco-trafficking route.
Video footage obtained by US southern command shows the devastating consequences of the attack, which was carried out at the direction of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. According to officials, intelligence confirmed that the vessel was carrying illicit narcotics before being targeted in an airstrike. The Pentagon claims this is part of a broader campaign to combat narco-trafficking, with the US military asserting it has the authority to strike such targets under the rules of war.
However, not everyone agrees on the legality of these strikes. Critics argue that the administration's assertion that it is waging war against drug traffickers does not justify targeted killings in international waters. Democrats have called for greater transparency and accountability regarding the use of military force in this area, with some lawmakers vowing to investigate the first such attack last September.
Following a report from the Washington Post that Hegseth had directed the military to "kill them all," the defense secretary denied any such order was given. Yet, footage of the September strike remains highly disturbing, with many lawmakers expressing concerns over the implications of such actions for civilian safety and the rule of law.
As tensions surrounding this issue continue to escalate, it remains unclear whether the Pentagon's tactics will be subject to greater scrutiny in the coming days.
In a statement released on Thursday, the Pentagon confirmed what had been long suspected: another deadly strike has taken place in the Pacific, this time killing four men suspected of carrying illicit narcotics. The target vessel was reportedly operated by a designated terrorist organization and was transiting along a known narco-trafficking route.
Video footage obtained by US southern command shows the devastating consequences of the attack, which was carried out at the direction of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. According to officials, intelligence confirmed that the vessel was carrying illicit narcotics before being targeted in an airstrike. The Pentagon claims this is part of a broader campaign to combat narco-trafficking, with the US military asserting it has the authority to strike such targets under the rules of war.
However, not everyone agrees on the legality of these strikes. Critics argue that the administration's assertion that it is waging war against drug traffickers does not justify targeted killings in international waters. Democrats have called for greater transparency and accountability regarding the use of military force in this area, with some lawmakers vowing to investigate the first such attack last September.
Following a report from the Washington Post that Hegseth had directed the military to "kill them all," the defense secretary denied any such order was given. Yet, footage of the September strike remains highly disturbing, with many lawmakers expressing concerns over the implications of such actions for civilian safety and the rule of law.
As tensions surrounding this issue continue to escalate, it remains unclear whether the Pentagon's tactics will be subject to greater scrutiny in the coming days.
The whole thing is pretty sketchy 
. I mean, we know that the US is fighting a war on drugs, but taking out suspected narco-traffickers by drone strike? It's not like they're enemy combatants or anything 
️. What's to stop this from becoming another case of civilian casualties or collateral damage? And what about due process? These guys were just being intercepted by the military - no trial or arrest warrant in sight 
. I'm all for cracking down on narco-trafficking, but you gotta do it right 
. This whole situation feels like a big grey area and I don't think we're getting the full story 
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. This whole war on drugs thing just seems like a smokescreen to me. I mean, what's really going on? Are we really just trying to combat narco-trafficking or are there other factors at play? The more I think about it, the more I'm convinced that our governments are hiding something 
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. We can't let that happen, folks! We need to hold our leaders accountable for their actions and make sure we're not sacrificing our values of freedom and justice in the name of security 
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... like we haven't been here before. Can't these guys just get their act together and go after the cartels instead of blowing up innocent fishermen? 
I mean, come on, you can't even get a straight answer from Hegseth about what really happened in that September strike - yeah, great leadership style.
? It's not like we're talking about actual human lives here... just " suspected" traffickers 
but isn't that kinda a grey area tho? i mean, i get that they wanna stop narco-trafficking but killing people who might be carrying drugs just seems so extreme 
i guess it's kinda like when our school admin says there are cameras everywhere but you know as soon as you get to the cafeteria, they start getting all blurry and stuff 
