White House says admiral ordered follow-on strike on alleged drug boat, insists attack was lawful

[groundloop]

Source: AP News

The White House said Monday that a Navy admiral acted “within his authority and the law” when he ordered a second, follow-up strike on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean Sea in a September U.S. military operation that has come under bipartisan scrutiny.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt offered the justification for the Sept. 2 strike after lawmakers from both parties on Sunday announced support for congressional reviews of U.S. military strikes against vessels suspected of smuggling drugs in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean, citing a published report that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a verbal order for a second strike that killed survivors on the boat in that incident.

Leavitt in her comments to reporters on Monday did not dispute a Washington Post report that there were survivors after the initial strike in the incident. Her explanation came after President Donald Trump a day earlier said that he “wouldn’t have wanted that — not a second strike” when asked about the incident.

“Secretary Hegseth authorized Admiral Bradley to conduct these kinetic strikes,” said Leavitt, referring to U.S. Navy Vice Admiral Frank Bradley, who at the time was the commander of Joint Special Operations Command. “Admiral Bradley worked well within his authority and the law, directing the engagement to ensure the boat was destroyed and the threat to the United States of America was eliminated.”

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-hegseth-maduro-512c66b99b2a13e9d1a3ed2699e78228

[groundloop]

1. I guess "kinetic strike" is a nicer way of saying murder.

[slightlv]

11. What did dubya call it when we struck first?

Preventative war? No.. that wasn't it. But it was something just as dumb...

[Diraven]

12. Preemptive War

We had to go to war first to prevent war.

[bucolic_frolic]

2. "White House says"

Sort of like "Simon says" do this, Simon says do that.

Do you believe them? Con game is on.

[Lovie777]

3. Whoa..............

gaslighting is what they do best (maybe).

The Children's Story "The Boy Who Cried Wolf".

Talk about the evil, uncaring, greedy with power that the Republicans hold at this point in time.

Everything must change, nothing stays the same.................................

And when it does, we shall prevail.

[drray23]

4. I see they are trying to throw him under the bus.

He resigned knowing it was illegal. If Hegseth ordered him, they are both guilty down to the sailors who piloted the drones or shot the missiles.
At least this admiral resigned. If he cooperated during investigations he might get leniency. Hegseth deserves none.

[COL Mustard]

17. I think you're referring to Admiral Holsey

Of US Southern Command. He’s the one who stepped down after a year in command. The admiral in the news it Frank Bailey, head of US Special Operations Command since October 3 of this year. But probably not for long.

[drray23]

20. You are absolutely correct.

Admiral Holsey did the right thing. Bailey not so much.

[Torchlight]

5. "It's his fault! He did what we ordered him to do! Blame him (but credit us)!"

There’s only one commander-in-chief. The buck stops there. Period. Spare us your sniveling excuses and cowardly finger-pointing, Mr. trump-- we already know you're not better than that.

[Justice matters.]

34. They lie to protect their dear murderer.

They also lied to protect their dear pedonold.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

6. Lawmakers spoke privately to Trump's top general after boat strike revelations

By Noah Robertson

The Pentagon’s top general held a call with senior lawmakers over the weekend to discuss the legality of lethal military strikes around Latin America, as Republican-led panels in both chambers vowed aggressive oversight following revelations that U.S. forces killed the survivors of a targeted boat strike.


The call, announced Monday by the office of Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine, occurred after The Washington Post reported Friday that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth gave a spoken order to kill the entire crew of a vessel thought to be ferrying narcotics in the Caribbean Sea, the first of more than 20 such strikes directed by the Trump administration since early September.

When two survivors were detected, the military commander overseeing the operation, Adm. Frank M. Bradley, directed another strike to comply with Hegseth’s order that no one be left alive, people with direct knowledge of the matter told The Post. The Trump administration has said 11 people were killed as a result of the attack.

Caine’s call with the Republican and Democratic leaders of the Senate and House Armed Services committees included a conversation about the Latin America mission’s “intent and legality,” Caine’s office said in its brief account of the exchange. The general also expressed his “trust and confidence in the experienced commanders at every echelon,” the readout says. The statement does not identify Bradley or any other military officials by name.

https://wapo.st/4oyWISF

[Dixiegrrrl]

23. Does "no one left alive" sound like .....witnesses?

Such an oddly specific order. Why?

[travelingthrulife]

24. Because the boats are not trafficking drugs and they are covering up their murders.

Don't let them change the narrative to pretend those 20 first strikes were any less illegal than the second strike.

We do have two survivors who were sent home, which was also weird if they were such horrendous criminals. Plenty of widows to interview by now.

[Irish_Dem]

7. I hope you GD generals are paying close attention.

An active duty Admiral just got thrown under the damn bus by Trump.

YOU ARE NEXT.

Wake the hell up.

[Midnight Writer]

8. This is exactly why it is in the best interests of the service members to refuse illegal orders.

Trump and Co. are going to hang this Admiral for obeying the orders they gave him.

The Admiral had to have known the order was illegal. I have never served, let alone reached the rank of Admiral, and I know the order is illegal.

Anybody who joins Team Trump or bows down to their pressure will be thrown under the bus. Maybe not right away. But someday soon. People, even the ones who pass Trump's loyalty tests, are nothing but fodder to be used and discarded.

As the tech bro billionaires have declared, we are all NPCs (non-player characters). In other words, we are all game pieces in their personal power games.

[Irish_Dem]

9. Trump eventually throws EVERYONE under the bus.

His friends, employees, etc are always shocked.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

25. Exactly

How's Rudy Giuliani doing these days?

[Aussie105]

10. Sure. Totally lawful!

About as lawful as sending in a helicopter hit squad to a foreign country to take out Osama bin Laden.

But at least there was evidence for doing that.

Where is the evidence for the 'narco boats'? You blew all of that up if you remember!

[Buddyzbuddy]

13. All I know is, one guy holds the golden ticket, his immunity card.

Everybody else, uh oh! A pardon won't save your arse with the I.C.C.
I'm guessing we will be cooperating with that body if we are prevented from interrogating and prosecuting due to pardons. Also, extradition to Venezuela is a distinct possibility. Remember, you'll be dealing with some very angry Democrats looking for justice in any method possible.

[tblue37]

26. The US is not a signatory to the ICC.

[Buddyzbuddy]

33. Thank you, I'm aware of that.

That only means we are not required to follow I.C.C. mandates. That does not block the U.S. from cooperating or becoming part of the I.C.C. at a later date. Also, the I.C.C. has warrants currently issued for Putin and Netanyahu. Therefore, if they step foot in a Country that is part of the I.C.C. then they can be arrested and held for trial at the Hague much like Dutuerte, the former President of the Phillipines is currently being held.

As a note, Jack Smith, the prosecutor that indicted the Felon was working with the I.C.C. just prior to charging the current President.

So, U.S. citizens can be arrested and charged regardless of the U.S.' status. It's just more difficult.

Crimes against humanity and war crimes are in their wheelhouse.

[Prairie Gates]

14. This sinking, disabled vehicle with dazed and wounded survivors was a "threat to the United States?"

Even the dimmest MAGA beer bellies must have a hard time wrapping their heads around that one.

[paleotn]

15. That's not going to play well in the officer class or the rank and file.

Throwing the military under the bus and then backing over them a couple times. And resigning doesn't get you off the hook, Admiral. You followed and commanded your subordinates to follow an obviously unlawful order. You're just as guilty as Whisky Pete. And a disgrace to the service. May you both rot in hell...or in jail. Whichever comes first.

[kacekwl]

29. We will see.

[LiberalArkie]

16. Uhh.. Firing on shipwrecked people is the textbook definition of a war crime.. Litterally 18.3.1.1

[Ford_Prefect]

18. Lies and more lies, upon yet more lies. Where's the damn evidence???????

WHERE ARE THE EPSTEIN FILES ???????????

[tblue37]

27. Maybe they were in the boat.

[duckworth969]

19. Admiral Bradley going under The Chump Bus

[Akakoji]

21. Hesgeth should be arrested and put on trial for murder

There's no war. There's no threat. Trump's pardon of the convicted former president of Honduras shows it has nothing to do with drug trafficking. It has to do with Trump trying to show he's a tough guy. He's not. He's a bloated sundowning coward.

[BidenRocks]

22. Since it is NEVER legal,

what is he talking about attempting to justify killing survivors.

[kacekwl]

28. Ok assholes, show up

tomorrow at Congress with EVIDENCE in hand or prepare to go to prison.

[CanonRay]

30. We didn't do it, but if we did it's legal.

And if it's a crime, then that guy over there did it.

[thought crime]

32. And that guy over there will be pardoned

... and will be promoted as a hero for the far-right.

[Mysterian]

31. No, it's not lawful to kill defenseless combatants or civilians

The current regime is led by murderers and psychopaths who must be held accountable for their crimes when the rule of law is re-established in this nation.