video screenshot

 

The US military has launched lethal strikes against two boats in the eastern Pacific this week, resulting in the deaths of all individuals aboard each vessel. US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth confirmed these actions, marking what seems to be an expansion in the military's campaign against alleged drug trafficking. These recent strikes are the eighth and ninth known attacks targeting suspected drug-smuggling vessels, following seven previous incidents concentrating on the Caribbean Sea.

 

Officials report that the nine strikes have resulted in the deaths of at least 37 people. Hegseth declared on Wednesday via social media that, “Narco-terrorists intending to bring poison to our shores will find no safe harbor anywhere in our hemisphere.” The operation has targeted vessels operated by what he described as Designated Terrorist Organisations involved in narcotics smuggling.

 

The strikes were conducted under the direction of US President Trump, according to Hegseth. He noted that the vessels were operating on known smuggling routes and were associated with illicit drug activities. Importantly, no US forces were harmed during these operations. The administration's actions equate the threat posed by drug cartels to that of past terrorism, with Hegseth comparing the traffickers to al Qaeda.

 

A classified legal opinion by the Trump administration reportedly provides justification for these lethal strikes, considering drug traffickers as enemy combatants. This classification could allow them to be targeted without judicial review, according to legal experts. Prior strikes in the Caribbean included one incident where survivors were repatriated to Ecuador and Colombia rather than detained, highlighting potential legal complexities.

 

Looking ahead, the expansion of these operations signals a definitive stance by the US government against narco-trafficking, suggesting further actions may be forthcoming. This development continues to be scrutinised for its legal implications and the potential international response.

 

 

Key Takeaways

 

• US military strikes have killed all aboard two boats in the Pacific.
• The campaign has expanded from previous operations in the Caribbean.
• Legal opinions treat drug traffickers as enemy combatants.

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  Adapted by ASEAN Now from CNN 2025-10-24

 

 

The title of this forum should be, "US Military Expands Lethal Strikes on ALLEGED Drug Boats in Pacific." 😞

 

Has the stars and stripes flag been replaced by the jolly roger?

52 minutes ago, WDSmart said:

The title of this forum should be, "US Military Expands Lethal Strikes on ALLEGED Drug Boats in Pacific." 😞

 

Other than the drug barons themselves and addicts whose supply may be interrupted, how could anybody possiblly   object to the systematic annihilation of these evil drug gangs peddling death and misery, and to their home country at that

This is the smartest thing Trump's tenor has done as far as the war on drugs. No need to enter South America, as they're coming north anyway. Maybe they'll get the picture when enough are decimated on the way. The other problem is people in the US in the middle.

1 hour ago, Bday Prang said:

Other than the drug barons themselves and addicts whose supply may be interrupted, how could anybody possiblly   object to the systematic annihilation of these evil drug gangs peddling death and misery, and to their home country at that

The argument above lacks the very same rationale as the way ICE is treating people and, in fact, most everything Trump does. The rationale is made up.

In the USA, no one trafficking in even a Class 1 (the worst) Drug or smuggling is subject to the death penalty. Also, the person would have to be accused, tried, and convicted before any sentence was given.  And, even someone accused of mass murder (or being in the country illegally) has the right to a trial. 

And their boats are PRESUMMED to be carrying drugs. Now, I have little doubt that these boats were carrying drugs, but, IMO, before we (the USA) can  "execute" these people by bombing their boat, the fact that they were trafficking in drugs would at least have to be proven beyond a doubt. And that is beyond the doubts of unbiased observers, like a jury is supposed to be, not just the CIA or the military. So, as in so many of Trump's actions, some ASSUMPTION is made (or made up) to justify some horrible actions. 

US Military Expands Lethal Strikes on Drug Boats in Pacific. 

 

Yea ,if they know that they are drug boats  and make a runner for sure   go for it  and blow them all up.

1 hour ago, WDSmart said:

The argument above lacks the very same rationale as the way ICE is treating people and, in fact, most everything Trump does. The rationale is made up.

In the USA, no one trafficking in even a Class 1 (the worst) Drug or smuggling is subject to the death penalty. Also, the person would have to be accused, tried, and convicted before any sentence was given.  And, even someone accused of mass murder (or being in the country illegally) has the right to a trial. 

And their boats are PRESUMMED to be carrying drugs. Now, I have little doubt that these boats were carrying drugs, but, IMO, before we (the USA) can  "execute" these people by bombing their boat, the fact that they were trafficking in drugs would at least have to be proven beyond a doubt. And that is beyond the doubts of unbiased observers, like a jury is supposed to be, not just the CIA or the military. So, as in so many of Trump's actions, some ASSUMPTION is made (or made up) to justify some horrible actions. 

                   The time for pussy footing around is over, History has proved that time and time again, of course those boats are carrying drugs ,you admit to having little doubt yourself , that is what these high speed craft are specifically designed for , nothing else,

                  The  the authorities involved have plenty of evidence that proves this beyond any doubt, despite what many think ,the US has little to gain by the arbitrary murder of innocent people  simply enjoying a boat trip,  and how likely is it in reality, that that is what they are doing ?  Even if the boats were empty and conducting a trial run , so what ? Its still acceptable to annihilate them

                   These criminals operate outside the law and have enjoyed relative impunity for long enough It's time to get tough, in fact its long overdue ,and if that  infringes on their "human rights" or upsets a few lefties then so be it, consider the hundreds of thousands of people who's lives are ruined by the poison these scum are peddling , not to mention  the knock on effects on society in general.

                  They have laughed at the US authorities for long enough , they are laughing  as much now, I will guarantee that the amount of drugs imported by this method on these established routes will decrease significantly 

                   The same goes for illegal immigrants, borders are there for a reason and need to be enforced, A few hurty words or a bit of physical violence is  necessary now to clear up the mess that has accumulated over many years and to deter others from following the same path

                    You should keep your lefty opinions on these matters to yourself its people who think like that who are responsible for the atrocious mess we find ourselves in. 

                    The lily livered lefty approach to these problems have  failed, and failed miserably, Its clearly embarrassing for you lot , but  its time to let the real men sort it out, thank god for Trump  because it would only be getting worse if cackling harris had won 

                     There is nothing made up about the rationale, it is real and it is happening in real time in front of your eyes

45 minutes ago, digger70 said:

US Military Expands Lethal Strikes on Drug Boats in Pacific. 

 

Yea ,if they know that they are drug boats  and make a runner for sure   go for it  and blow them all up.

Blow them all up anyway, as they say , if it saves just one innocent kids life its worth it

It would be interesting if the navy warships looked for survivors or plastic packets floating on the water as proof they had stopped drug smuggling. Not saying those cigarette boats and submarines were not drug smugglers, but justifiable evidence would satisfy anyone shouting "Truth, Justice and the American way!"

What if police executed drug dealers on the streets of New York?

My main reason for despising both Thaksin and Duterte were their extrajudicial killings. Now that AmeriKKKa has joined these thugs, it's just another step down from any perceived pride that it once had.

1 hour ago, Bday Prang said:

                   The time for pussy footing around is over, History has proved that time and time again, of course those boats are carrying drugs ,you admit to having little doubt yourself , that is what these high speed craft are specifically designed for , nothing else,

                  The  the authorities involved have plenty of evidence that proves this beyond any doubt, despite what many think ,the US has little to gain by the arbitrary murder of innocent people  simply enjoying a boat trip,  and how likely is it in reality, that that is what they are doing ?  Even if the boats were empty and conducting a trial run , so what ? Its still acceptable to annihilate them

                   These criminals operate outside the law and have enjoyed relative impunity for long enough It's time to get tough, in fact its long overdue ,and if that  infringes on their "human rights" or upsets a few lefties then so be it, consider the hundreds of thousands of people who's lives are ruined by the poison these scum are peddling , not to mention  the knock on effects on society in general.

                  They have laughed at the US authorities for long enough , they are laughing  as much now, I will guarantee that the amount of drugs imported by this method on these established routes will decrease significantly 

                   The same goes for illegal immigrants, borders are there for a reason and need to be enforced, A few hurty words or a bit of physical violence is  necessary now to clear up the mess that has accumulated over many years and to deter others from following the same path

                    You should keep your lefty opinions on these matters to yourself its people who think like that who are responsible for the atrocious mess we find ourselves in. 

                    The lily livered lefty approach to these problems have  failed, and failed miserably, Its clearly embarrassing for you lot , but  its time to let the real men sort it out, thank god for Trump  because it would only be getting worse if cackling harris had won 

                     There is nothing made up about the rationale, it is real and it is happening in real time in front of your eyes

I could go through your post above, one by one, and point out the specific flaws in your thinking, but that would be time-consuming and unnecessary. They all have the same flawed reasoning and excuse that Trump and MAGA use every time they commit atrocities like these, and that is that having contempt for those you oppose, showing strength is good, and rules don't matter.  

For me, a very far-left left-winger, showing contempt shows weakness; showing empathy (Woke) makes the entire society strong, which is much more desirable than any individual (king) or group (MAGA) being strong. And the fundamental quality that has made our country (USA) so successful (in the past) is following the rules set out in our Constitution and the legal processes that followed.  Ignoring them is tantamount to sedition and treason.

I will continue to voice my "left opinions" in the hope that at least just one other individual will begin to understand that there is a difference between being strong and being free.  

Maybe someone has read ' The Cobra' by Frederick Forsyth. Obviously it is fiction, and a great read, but the storyline would be effective in real life.

1 hour ago, Purdey said:

It would be interesting if the navy warships looked for survivors or plastic packets floating on the water as proof they had stopped drug smuggling. Not saying those cigarette boats and submarines were not drug smugglers, but justifiable evidence would satisfy anyone shouting "Truth, Justice and the American way!"

What if police executed drug dealers on the streets of New York?

Solve a fair bit of crime if they did and save a few lives as well.

48 minutes ago, WDSmart said:

I could go through your post above, one by one, and point out the specific flaws in your thinking, but that would be time-consuming and unnecessary. They all have the same flawed reasoning and excuse that Trump and MAGA use every time they commit atrocities like these, and that is that having contempt for those you oppose, showing strength is good, and rules don't matter.  

For me, a very far-left left-winger, showing contempt shows weakness; showing empathy (Woke) makes the entire society strong, which is much more desirable than any individual (king) or group (MAGA) being strong. And the fundamental quality that has made our country (USA) so successful (in the past) is following the rules set out in our Constitution and the legal processes that followed.  Ignoring them is tantamount to sedition and treason.

I will continue to voice my "left opinions" in the hope that at least just one other individual will begin to understand that there is a difference between being strong and being free.  

Yet you cannot see that your very left, woke, philosophy is the root cause to the problems facing the US.

19 minutes ago, emptypockets said:

Yet you cannot see that your very left, woke, philosophy is the root cause to the problems facing the US.

No, of course I have a different opinion. The root cause of the problems we have in the USA right now is the far right, which is the home of White supremacy, xenophobia, fascism, capitalism, and a president who wants to be a king. 😞 

28 minutes ago, emptypockets said:

Maybe someone has read ' The Cobra' by Frederick Forsyth. Obviously it is fiction, and a great read, but the storyline would be effective in real life.

How about this one from Red Country, by Joel Abercrombie, 2012. Here's an excerpt. Great title! Prescient!
 

"Evil turned out not to be a grand thing. Not sneering Emperors with their world-conquering designs. Not cackling demons plotting in the darkness beyond the world. It was small men with their small acts and their small reasons. It was selfishness and carelessness, and waste. It was bad luck, incompetence, and stupidity. It was violence divorced from conscience or consequence. It was high ideals, even, and low methods."

 

 

 

4 minutes ago, WDSmart said:

No, of course I have a different opinion. The root cause of the problems we have in the USA right now is the far right, which is the home of White supremacy, xenophobia, fascism, capitalism, and a president who wants to be a king. 😞 

Oh dear. You really have it bad.

The only people talking about kings are the left.

5 minutes ago, emptypockets said:

<snip>

The only people talking about kings are the left.

That doesn't mean what you think it means!   🙂

14 hours ago, webfact said:

A classified legal opinion by the Trump administration reportedly provides justification for these lethal strikes,

 

George had a classified legal opinion, too.

 

Coincidentally, George's memo used the term "enhanced interrogation", a direct translation of the term "verschärfte Vernehmung" from the Gestapo memo making it all nice and legal.

 

The Gestapo memo forbids waterboarding, hypothermia and several other techniques that the Bush Administration permits. And it imposed strict limits on how these “enhanced techniques” could be used – requiring oversight and permits.

 

https://harpers.org/2007/05/the-german-experience-with-enhanced-interrogation/

 

 

2 hours ago, Bday Prang said:

Blow them all up anyway, as they say , if it saves just one innocent kids life its worth it

 

Wonder if the guys that flew airplanes into the World Trade Center said something similar?

5 hours ago, WDSmart said:

The title of this forum should be, "US Military Expands Lethal Strikes on ALLEGED Drug Boats in Pacific." 😞

 

 

You missed a few important points.

 

"US Military Expands Illegal Lethal Execution Missile Strikes on ALLEGED Civilian Drug Boats in International waters without trial or warning."

 

 

18 minutes ago, Peabody said:

That doesn't mean what you think it means!   🙂

Oh really? What does it mean?

19 minutes ago, emptypockets said:

Oh dear. You really have it bad.

The only people talking about kings are the left.

Okay, all you Trump and MAGA supporters, does this sound familiar to you at all??? Isn't this like looking in a mirror?

"Fascism is a political ideology and mass movement that emerged in the early 20th century, characterized by extreme nationalism, militarism, and authoritarianism. It dominated parts of Europe between 1919 and 1945, promoting the supremacy of the state over individual rights and often opposing ..., socialism, and communism. ... Fascism emphasizes a natural social hierarchy and the belief in the rule of elites, often leading to oppressive regimes. In contemporary discussions, fascism is often referenced in the context of rising authoritarianism and nationalism around the world." - Encyclopedia Britannica

5 hours ago, Bday Prang said:

how could anybody possiblly   object to the systematic annihilation of these evil drug gangs peddling death and misery, and to their home country at that

Being pacifist and/or criminals.

4 minutes ago, WDSmart said:

Okay, all you Trump and MAGA supporters, does this sound familiar to you at all??? Isn't this like looking in a mirror?

"Fascism is a political ideology and mass movement that emerged in the early 20th century, characterized by extreme nationalism, militarism, and authoritarianism. It dominated parts of Europe between 1919 and 1945, promoting the supremacy of the state over individual rights and often opposing ..., socialism, and communism. ... Fascism emphasizes a natural social hierarchy and the belief in the rule of elites, often leading to oppressive regimes. In contemporary discussions, fascism is often referenced in the context of rising authoritarianism and nationalism around the world." - Encyclopedia Britannica

Check what you great leftie leader Joseph Stalin did to his own people.

Millions dead. Same as Mao.

Useful and useless idiots.

15 minutes ago, WDSmart said:

Okay, all you Trump and MAGA supporters, does this sound familiar to you at all??? Isn't this like looking in a mirror?

"Fascism is a political ideology and mass movement that emerged in the early 20th century, characterized by extreme nationalism, militarism, and authoritarianism. It dominated parts of Europe between 1919 and 1945, promoting the supremacy of the state over individual rights and often opposing ..., socialism, and communism. ... Fascism emphasizes a natural social hierarchy and the belief in the rule of elites, often leading to oppressive regimes. In contemporary discussions, fascism is often referenced in the context of rising authoritarianism and nationalism around the world." - Encyclopedia Britannica

“The National Fascist Party was founded in Italy in 1919 by Benito Mussolini — a lifelong socialist. A journalist, editor of Avanti, raised in a Marxist home, he led strikes and labor protests before breaking from the Socialist Party because he supported Italy’s war effort. Fascism wasn’t conservative or capitalist. It was a third position — socialism fused with state-controlled nationalism. You could own a business, but the state dictated how you ran it. You could work, but your labor belonged to the state. Their slogan said it all:

‘Everything in the State, nothing outside the State, nothing against the State.’

That’s not freedom — that’s total centralized control.

Fascism isn’t a right-wing disease. It’s a socialist mutation that worships the state and crushes the individual. And when today’s left uses the state and corporations to censor speech and enforce ideology, they’re repeating the same playbook they pretend to oppose.”

 

Guess that when traditionnal law enforcement methods do not work, this would seem the only was to deterrence. However, before gunning down these boats, hope that they are 110% sure on the criminal intent of the vessel ?

1 hour ago, NoDisplayName said:

 

Wonder if the guys that flew airplanes into the World Trade Center said something similar?

I doubt it those terrorists were not interested in saving anybody's life , not even there own,,  What is your point ? 

1 minute ago, Bday Prang said:

It be one of a handful of pics we have all seen dozens of times already

And all have been refuted by reliable sources.