"The military blew up a boat, killing nine people and leaving two alive. The alleged drug boat was apparently split in two. The two survivors were clinging to the top of a capsized piece of a boat trying to right it. The admiral in charge of the mission decided that the two survivors might radio for help, collect some floating bales of cocaine, and continue their effort to smuggle drugs."
"Call me a skeptic from the start: If you wanted to keep criminals from bringing cocaine into the United States, then you'd work with our allies, rather than work alone; you'd secure evidence, rather than destroy it; you'd capture and interrogate suspects, rather than bomb them; and you'd work your way up to the ringleaders of a cartel, and then go after them. Voila! Real progress in your new war on drugs."
U.S. forces conducted a unilateral maritime strike off Venezuela that destroyed a cocaine-carrying boat, killed nine people, and later killed two survivors. The admiral in charge judged the survivors might radio for help, retrieve floating bales of cocaine, and resume smuggling, so they were treated as combatants. The operation avoided allied cooperation, preservation of evidence, capture and interrogation of suspects, and efforts to reach cartel leaders. The approach favored violent, spectacle-driven tactics that prioritize immediate kills over building prosecutable cases. Public figures involved, including Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, have faced criticism for judgment and secrecy.
Read at Above the Law
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