US Airstrike Critics Deny White House Claims of 'Self-Defense'
The US government's assertion that a September airstrike on a suspected drug boat was carried out in "self-defense" has been met with skepticism by some critics, who are calling the move a war crime. According to a statement from White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, Admiral Frank Bradley gave the order for a second strike and was within his authority and the law.
However, recent reports suggest that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth had ordered his subordinates to "kill them all" before the September 2 operation. The Washington Post obtained documents showing Hegseth's involvement in planning the attack and has called it a "fake news" report, claiming that the strike was legal under US and international law.
Hegseth took to social media platform X to dispute the allegations, stating that the fake news is delivering fabricated reporting aimed at discrediting American warriors fighting to protect the homeland. He claimed that the operations in the Caribbean were lawful under both US and international law, with all actions taken in compliance with the law of armed conflict and approved by top military and civilian lawyers.
The White House's claim of self-defense has raised eyebrows among human rights groups and some lawmakers, who are questioning the legitimacy of the strike. Critics argue that Hegseth's order to "kill them all" was a reckless disregard for human life, raising concerns about accountability and adherence to international law in military operations.
The US government's assertion that a September airstrike on a suspected drug boat was carried out in "self-defense" has been met with skepticism by some critics, who are calling the move a war crime. According to a statement from White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, Admiral Frank Bradley gave the order for a second strike and was within his authority and the law.
However, recent reports suggest that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth had ordered his subordinates to "kill them all" before the September 2 operation. The Washington Post obtained documents showing Hegseth's involvement in planning the attack and has called it a "fake news" report, claiming that the strike was legal under US and international law.
Hegseth took to social media platform X to dispute the allegations, stating that the fake news is delivering fabricated reporting aimed at discrediting American warriors fighting to protect the homeland. He claimed that the operations in the Caribbean were lawful under both US and international law, with all actions taken in compliance with the law of armed conflict and approved by top military and civilian lawyers.
The White House's claim of self-defense has raised eyebrows among human rights groups and some lawmakers, who are questioning the legitimacy of the strike. Critics argue that Hegseth's order to "kill them all" was a reckless disregard for human life, raising concerns about accountability and adherence to international law in military operations.
this is getting really weird... i mean, if sec def piethegseth said kill 'em all then shouldn't we know what actually happened? 
white house says it was self defense but now it sounds like they might've been just winging it. 
isn't that what war crimes are made of? 
If there's nothing to hide, then why not release the actual orders or plans for the operation? This whole thing feels like a cover-up to me.
. If the Secretary of Defense ordered his subordinates to "kill them all", that's like, totally against the rules of war 
. I don't think it's okay for someone in power to just disregard human life like that. The fact that they're trying to cover it up by calling it fake news is even more suspicious 
. It feels like they're more worried about saving face than doing what's right. And now, the White House is saying it was self-defense? Come on, if someone orders people to die just because they don't want them to be a problem anymore, that's not self-defense - that's murder 
. I wish there were some real accountability here 
.
. And now they're calling it fake news? Like, no way, dude 
. I'm not buying it at all. The fact that human rights groups and lawmakers are speaking out against this raises some serious questions about accountability and if the US is even following international law in these operations. It's all just so shady 
, if sec def Pete Hegseth is saying we need to kill everything on this boat, shouldn't he be the one calling for an airstrike then? why did it come from admiral frank bradley after wards? seems fishy to me... also, x social media platform?? who does he think he's talking to there? 