Strike on Suspected Drug Boat in Caribbean Leaves Survivors
It’s the first strike to leave behind survivors.
The Trump administration struck another drug vessel in the Caribbean.
It’s the sixth strike since September.
However, this strike left behind two to three survivors. It’s also the first time I have not seen President Donald Trump or Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announce the attack.
The first five strikes have killed at least 27 people.
An official told Reuters about the survivors, but did not elaborate on any details.
Either the same official or another one revealed to Fox News that the “military launched search and rescue assets, including a rescue helicopter, but it is not clear if any of the survivors were rescued.”
Trump already disclosed to Congress that America has become involved in a “non-international armed conflict.”
Last week, Leslie wrote about Trump shutting down talks with Venezuela concerning drug trafficking to the U.S. and the cartels behind it.
The next move could be military action against the cartels and maybe even against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s government.
The Trump administration has expanded the United States’ military presence in the Caribbean since August, deploying warships and other vessels.
Will the U.S. attack on Venezuelan soil? Maybe.
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Watch the ACLU or its equivalent hunt them down to file some sort of action on their behalf to challenge the legality of the strike.
“leaves survivors?”
In war, “take no prisoners” makes life easier for all concerned.
Hmm
How do we know that there were Three survivors, but do not know that any survivors were rescued? If we know how many still live, we should have a good idea of where they ended up after the attack.
Will the U.S. attack on Venezuelan soil?
That has been tasked to the CIA.
so now the survivors can go tell their buddies not to f with the usa!
More likely they will tell of how they and their significant others were simply out on the water for a short cruise with friends when: Bang! they were blown up and the boat sank.. “Drugs? What drugs? We don’t got no stinkin’ drugs!”
That is only if the rescue team got them before the sharks did….
A three hour cruise……
Always new that professor was into making meth
Drug cartels don’t get Geneva Convention protections. Any survivors should be machine-gunned in the water.
nah, they are intel assets
Hmm, not announced? Do we have a copy-cat, or maybe Maduro threw a false flag?
New heroes after Gaza.
They’re only survivors if someone picks them up.
Ok, the US did not announce the strike, but a boat exploded and there are survivors. Seems odd that the US did not announce the strike like the rest. Could an actual fishing boat unrelated to this at all have suffered a gas tank explosion, and we’re looking at this through the funhouse lens of international politics and ignorant reporters?
Everybody is a survivor. The sur- part is useless. Just viver would to. It’s the dead that are notable.
Good. Hope they can squeeze intel out of them.
Sounds like a follow up strike is needed, then.
The USA now has prisoners.
Should they be held as prisoners of war, to be held until the cartel war is ended (perhaps forever?)
If so, no trial is needed.
Pop the boat. Strafe any survivors. These are not enemy soldiers. They are terrorists.
I really don’t like these strikes on boats in International Waters.
Meh. IMO it is past time for the USA to focus its military, economic and diplomatic pressure to our own hemisphere and remind our neighbors that;
1. the USA is still the regional hegemonic power
2. We have the capacity to be no better friend and no worse enemy
3. The days of free riding and false assumptions that the eyes, energy and efforts of the USA would always be focused on Europe, the Middle East or otherwise outside our own backyard have come to an end
Thucydides observed that ‘The strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must’. True then and still true now. Just b/c the USA has been focused for far too long on far distant areas of the world doesn’t mean the USA must put up with hostile acts from our neighbors without eventually seeking redress. Venezuela’s govt can put a stop to the export of drugs in whatever manner they wish, so long as it is effective, if they object to the manner in which the USA chooses to limit the import…but they haven’t.
To commo chief,
Normally, I agree with most of the things you post here.
Do you really stand behind the concept that the president just points someone in international waters and says kill them with no evidence, no judge, and no jury?
You can’t see any possible scenario with a problem for mistaken identity, personal revenge for any million other reasons?
The internationally recognized method of using police powers to seize the boat, arrest of the crew, present the evidence in court and get a conviction works well.
The federal courts have shown that they can lock these people up for decades.
The penalty for drug smuggling is not instant execution by the police.
As a Sailor, Who has transited the waters off the coast of Venezuela, I see huge problems with just blowing up Boats just cause the president says so.
Your predicate is wrong. The POTUS isn’t simply pointing at this boat v that boat and choosing to destroy it. Instead these craft are following a known smuggling route, departing from known smuggling ports and under surveillance along the way.
This is a National Security problem not a Law Enforcement problem and Congress has delegated significant authority to the Executive to do exactly what is occurring. I am open to discussion about whether the decision by Congress put too much authority in the hands of the Executive …but that’s separate argument. Here the USA is using military force and doctrines v a National Security threat…. the prior LEO tactics and constraints no longer apply.
IMO we should simplify the entire narrative around drug smuggling by narcoterrorist entities and view them as Pirates/Brigands and as such they are ‘enemies of all mankind’ liable to immediate execution on the spot wherever they are located.
“It’s the first strike to leave behind survivors.”
I hope they indeed were left behind.
The question is interesting:
Let’s say the survivors (I can’t accept that an American Commander would leave ANYONE abandoned to drown; there’s odd naval-logic of if we kill you right away too bad, but if we fail at that we must rescue you) claim the citizenship of Venezuela.
However for Venezuela to acknowledge them will add strength to Trump’s pressure campaign. I wonder if Maduro might choose to disown them.
Then what?
(I can’t accept that an American Commander would leave ANYONE abandoned to drown; there’s odd naval-logic of if we kill you right away too bad, but if we fail at that we must rescue you)
it’s not odd naval-logic–is a matter of honor–is one thing in combat to do whatever is necessary to vanquish your opponent but once his vessel is sunk or otherwise destroyed is another matter entirely to kill a wounded/helpless individual(s) adrift in the ocean