U.S. Military Kills Over 170 in 50 Strikes Targeting Civilian Boats in Caribbean
Key Takeaways
- Around 50 strikes targeting narco-boats in Caribbean and eastern Pacific, killing over 170.
- The first strike used a secret aircraft painted to resemble a civilian plane.
- Some outlets raise potential war crime concerns under law-of-war guidelines.
U.S. Military Boat Strikes
The Trump administration escalated a campaign of strikes targeting civilian vessels in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean.
The U.S. military claimed its victims were members of at least 24 cartels but refused to name them.
Experts and members of Congress say the strikes are illegal extrajudicial killings.
The summary executions are a significant departure from standard practice in the U.S. war on drugs.
Controversial Use of Civilian-Looking Aircraft
The Pentagon used a secret aircraft painted to resemble a civilian plane in its first strike.
Legal experts say this constitutes a war crime called perfidy.
Retired Major General Steven J. Lepper said that would be a war crime under the standards of armed conflict.
Two survivors appeared to wave at the aircraft before the military shot them down in a later attack.
Survivors and Rescue Efforts
The Coast Guard commenced search efforts after being alerted to a person in distress.
A French-flagged cargo ship and a U.S.-flagged research vessel conducted searches with negative results.
Most boat strike survivors have been purposefully killed or left to drown by the United States.
The military's handling of survivors has drawn intense scrutiny.
Congressional and Legal Backlash
Democratic lawmakers were highly critical of the strike.
The Trump administration labeled the alleged drug smugglers as unlawful combatants.
It has provided no definitive evidence that the vessels are involved in drug trafficking.
The U.S. Senate is preparing to vote on a War Powers resolution.
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