US Military Conducts Another Strike Against Alleged Drug Smugglers in Eastern Pacific
The US military has carried out another strike against a boat accused of smuggling drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean, resulting in the immediate death of two people and leaving six survivors. This latest attack, which is part of an ongoing campaign against alleged traffickers in Latin America, brings the total number of people killed in boat strikes by the US military to over 210 since the Trump administration began targeting those it calls “narcoterrorists” in early September.
Concerns Over Legality and Effectiveness of Strikes
The US Southern Command stated that it targeted the alleged drug traffickers along known smuggling routes, but did not provide evidence that the vessel was ferrying drugs. Critics of the strikes have questioned their overall legality as well as their effectiveness, arguing that the fentanyl behind many fatal US drug overdoses is typically trafficked over land from Mexico, where it is produced with chemicals imported from China and India. President Trump has justified the attacks as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into the United States and fatal overdoses claiming American lives, but his administration has offered little evidence to support its claims of killing “narcoterrorists”.
A black and white video posted on X showed a boat speeding through the water before being struck by a visible projectile and then bursting into flames. The Pentagon did not immediately answer questions about the strike, and it is unclear if the survivors were rescued. However, the US Southern Command said that it notified the US Coast Guard. The strike has sparked concerns among lawmakers, with some demanding that the Pentagon release “unedited video” of the very first strike, and questioning whether a follow-on strike constituted a war crime.
Ongoing Investigation and Evaluation
The Pentagon’s watchdog said in May that it planned to look into whether the US military followed an established targeting framework when carrying out the strikes. However, the evaluation is focused specifically on what’s known as the six-phase Joint Targeting Cycle and not on the legality of the strikes, the inspector general’s office said. The ongoing campaign against alleged traffickers in Latin America has raised questions about the effectiveness of the strikes and the potential consequences for those involved. As the situation continues to unfold, it is essential to examine the facts and consider the perspectives of experts and authorities in the field.
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