US Military Conducts Another Strike Against Suspected Drug Traffickers
The US Southern Command has announced that it conducted another strike against a small boat in the eastern Pacific Ocean on Thursday, marking the 22nd such strike in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean. The Trump administration has claimed that these boats were involved in drug trafficking.
According to the US military, there were four casualties in Thursday’s strike, bringing the total death toll of the campaign to at least 87 people. A video accompanying the announcement shows a small boat moving across the water before being consumed by a large explosion, with the boat subsequently covered in flames and billowing smoke.
Investigation and Controversy
The strike was conducted on the same day that Adm. Frank “Mitch” Bradley appeared for a series of closed-door classified briefings at the US Capitol, as lawmakers began an investigation into the first strike carried out by the military on September 2. The investigation comes after a report that Bradley ordered a follow-on attack that killed survivors to comply with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s demands.
Bradley told lawmakers that there was no “kill them all” order from Hegseth, but a stark video of the entire series of attacks has left some lawmakers with serious questions. Legal experts have stated that killing survivors of a strike at sea could be a violation of the laws of military warfare.
Lawmaker Reactions and Concerns
Lawmakers have offered differing accounts of what they saw on the video, with some expressing concern and outrage. Republican Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas claimed that the survivors were “trying to flip a boat loaded with drugs bound for the United States back over so they could stay in the fight.” In contrast, Connecticut Rep. Jim Himes, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, described the video as “one of the most troubling things I’ve seen in my time in public service.”
Washington Rep. Adam Smith, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, also expressed concern, stating that the survivors were “basically two shirtless people clinging to the bow of a capsized and inoperable boat, drifting in the water — until the missiles come and kill them.” These differing accounts and concerns highlight the need for further investigation and clarity on the matter.
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