A new, disturbing detail in the “drug boat” controversy that has enveloped Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over the past week calls the purpose of the entire operation into question.
According to an exclusive report from CNN, the alleged narco-trafficking boat that the U.S. military targeted on September 2 in a “double tap” strike, which killed 11 people, wasn’t even heading to the U.S.
Navy Admiral Frank “Mitch” Bradley, who was in charge of the operation, reported to lawmakers that the boat they struck was actually en route to link up with a larger boat that was heading to Suriname, a country east of Venezuela, two sources with direct knowledge of his remarks said.
Bradley also said that it was still possible that the alleged drug shipment could have eventually ended up in the U.S., the sources told CNN—rather dubious justification for a strike that left several people dead.
Okay but… even if it was, who the fuck are we to unilaterally make the decision to execute them?
I’d wager the largest contributors to preventable deaths in the US (outside of maybe cholesterol-induced cardiovascular disease) are cigarettes and alcohol, so at best these strikes would be the equivalent of blowing up the trucks delivering the products to distribution centers.
At worst - and what we seem to be doing now - we are indiscriminately annihilating any vehicles that are in the general vicinity of the distilleries.
There have been rum runners, cigar runners, drug runners, all because of prohibition.
Seems like maybe it’s the prohibition part that’s the problem
These strikes are wrong and must end, but unfettered fentanyl is also not the solution.
Edit: No shit these guys aren’t transporting fentanyl into the US. I was responding to the comment that implied all drug enforcement should end.
Perfect, because these guys aren’t smuggling fentanyl.
They’re not making fentanyl on boats though