US Military's Video of Killing Boat Strike Survivors Reveals Graphic Atrocity, Lawmakers Say a disturbing video of the US military's killing of survivors from a boat strike has left lawmakers shaken.
The footage, which was shown in closed-door briefings to lawmakers on Thursday, depicts two individuals in distress clinging to wreckage before being struck and killed by the US military. The incident occurred on September 2 and appears to contradict the narrative that the victims were combatants who had been killed during an attack.
Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut said the unedited video clearly shows the US military targeting helpless people, adding that "any American who sees this will see the United States military attacking shipwrecked sailors."
The Pentagon has argued that it is at war with undisclosed drug cartels and gangs, but some lawmakers are calling for a broader investigation into the maritime bombing campaign. Lawmakers from both parties have described the strikes as illegal extrajudicial killings because the military is not permitted to deliberately target civilians.
Experts in the laws of war say that radioing for help should not render someone a target under international law. They also note that the Pentagon's Law of War Manual prohibits attacking defenseless people who are unable to fight due to injuries or illness.
The US has carried out 21 known attacks, destroying 22 boats in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean since September, killing at least 83 civilians. The most recent strike on a vessel was November 15.
Critics argue that the Trump administration's handling of the situation is authoritarian and that the media is covering it up by using language like "unconventional" and "testing boundaries."
The footage, which was shown in closed-door briefings to lawmakers on Thursday, depicts two individuals in distress clinging to wreckage before being struck and killed by the US military. The incident occurred on September 2 and appears to contradict the narrative that the victims were combatants who had been killed during an attack.
Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut said the unedited video clearly shows the US military targeting helpless people, adding that "any American who sees this will see the United States military attacking shipwrecked sailors."
The Pentagon has argued that it is at war with undisclosed drug cartels and gangs, but some lawmakers are calling for a broader investigation into the maritime bombing campaign. Lawmakers from both parties have described the strikes as illegal extrajudicial killings because the military is not permitted to deliberately target civilians.
Experts in the laws of war say that radioing for help should not render someone a target under international law. They also note that the Pentagon's Law of War Manual prohibits attacking defenseless people who are unable to fight due to injuries or illness.
The US has carried out 21 known attacks, destroying 22 boats in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean since September, killing at least 83 civilians. The most recent strike on a vessel was November 15.
Critics argue that the Trump administration's handling of the situation is authoritarian and that the media is covering it up by using language like "unconventional" and "testing boundaries."
. I mean, I knew things were sketchy with these attacks but to see actual footage of survivors being targeted...it's just brutal 
. I get why lawmakers are calling for a broader investigation - it's clear that the Pentagon's narrative is being called out for what it is: a total fabrication 
. But at the same time, I'm also kinda concerned that this might be used to score political points rather than actually leading to meaningful change 
. I mean, we all want answers and accountability, but do we really think this stuff will just magically resolve itself? 
It's gonna take a lot more than just some video footage to fix this mess...
I'm literally shaking thinking about this! How can our military justify targeting innocent people who are just trying to survive after being shipwrecked? 
They're like, literally clinging to pieces of wood... it's not even a fight, it's a desperate cry for help! 
It's so hard to believe that we have an administration that thinks this is okay. I mean, what would we say if we were in their shoes? That they're just "testing boundaries" and being "unconventional"? 
No way! We'd be like, calling for accountability and justice! 
The fact that experts are saying it's illegal under international law and our military is knowingly breaking those rules is just heartbreaking. Can't we find a better way to deal with these cartels? This isn't even about national security; it's about basic humanity! 
the us military is literally killing innocent people and no one seems to care?!?! i mean, what if someone was in my family and they were just trying to call for help? that's not combatants, those are ppl who need help! 
and another thing, why is this all being covered up by the media? shouldn't they be holding the us military accountable? 
it's like they're saying "oh, it's complicated" but it's not complicated, it's just plain wrong 
we need to know what's really going on and who is behind these attacks. this is getting out of control 
this is just getting outta hand... I mean, I know we've got to protect our interests and all, but can't we at least try to treat human life as more than just a statistic? 
And don't even get me started on the language used to describe these attacks... "unconventional" really? That's just code for "we messed up". 
It's time for us to take a step back and re-evaluate our actions and make sure we're not losing sight of what matters most. 
. I mean, if we're saying that any American who sees this will see the US military attacking shipwrecked sailors, what's the point of even claiming they were combatants? It just sounds like a load of BS to me. And 83 civilians killed already? That's just insane - 
This is getting crazy, folks! I mean, we're talking about a video that shows the US military killing innocent people who are trying to save themselves. That's just not right. It's like we're living in some kind of parallel universe where the rules don't apply anymore. 
this video is super disturbing... i mean, what kinda military even does this?! 
.
And now lawmakers are all over it, saying the strikes are ILLEGAL 
. I mean, come on, radioing for help shouldn't make you a target in international law 
!
️. And now we're talking about 83 civilian deaths and counting? It's a nightmare 
...
the fact that a video of this atrocity was shown to lawmakers in closed-door briefings just adds to the horror of it all 
83 lives lost, that's just not acceptable 
. And let's be real, if we started prosecuting every time someone got in our way, society would grind to a halt 
. I'm not saying it was easy or justified, but let's keep things in perspective, okay? 
. This whole thing just stinks of imperialism and disregard for human life 