"President Donald Trump has declared drug cartels to be unlawful combatants and says the United States is now in a non-international armed conflict, according to a Trump administration memo obtained Thursday by The Associated Press, after recent U.S. strikes on boats in the Caribbean. A person familiar with the matter who was not authorized to comment publicly said the Congress was notified about the designation by Pentagon officials on Wednesday."
"The move comes after the U.S. military last month carried out three deadly strikes against alleged drug smuggling boats in the Caribbean. At least two of those operations were carried out on vessels that originated from Venezuela. Pentagon officials could not provide a list of the designated terrorist organizations at the center of the conflict, a matter that was a major source of frustration for some of the lawmakers who were briefed, according to the person."
President Donald Trump declared drug cartels unlawful combatants and said the United States is now in a non-international armed conflict, citing a Trump administration memo and recent strikes. Pentagon officials notified Congress of the designation. The declaration followed U.S. military strikes that killed multiple people on alleged drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean, including vessels originating from Venezuela. Pentagon officials could not provide a list of the designated terrorist organizations, frustrating lawmakers. Democrats urged formal congressional war-powers authorization. Senators characterized a classified briefing as advancing a new legal framework and raised questions about Congress’s role in authorizing such operations.
Read at www.mercurynews.com
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