Survivors Clung to Wreckage for Some 45 Minutes Before U.S. Military Killed Them
3 days ago
- #military-strike
- #authoritarianism
- #human-rights
- Two survivors of a U.S. military attack on a vessel were killed in a second strike ordered by Adm. Frank Bradley after clinging to wreckage for 45 minutes.
- Secretary of War Pete Hegseth distanced himself from the follow-up strike, citing the 'fog of war' and claiming he didn't see survivors.
- Rep. Adam Smith criticized the decision, stating there was ample time to assess the situation and that the survivors posed no threat.
- Adm. Bradley justified the strikes by claiming the survivors could still transport cocaine, seen as a weapon, though no evidence supported this.
- Legal experts and lawmakers argue the strikes were illegal extrajudicial killings, as the men posed no imminent threat.
- The Trump administration's legal theory classifies narcotics as military targets, linking them to cartels in armed conflict with the U.S.
- The military has conducted 22 attacks since September, killing at least 87 civilians, with the latest killing four people in the Pacific Ocean.
- Critics warn of an authoritarian takeover by Trump, with ignored court orders, loyalists in key positions, and attacks on press freedom.