Legality of U.S. boat strikes in the Caribbean gets blurrier after latest Washington Post report - MS NOW Reports

[Rhiannon12866]

A Washington Post report claims Defense Secretary Hegseth verbally ordered a second strike to kill survivors of an initial boat strike on September 2nd, leading House and Senate committees to launch inquiries into the strikes.

Former U.S. attorney and MS NOW contributor Joyce Vance joins Alex Witt to share her legal analysis on this and more. - Aired on 11/30/2025.

[Skittles]

1. Kegseth says he didn't and Trump believes him

case closed

[Rhiannon12866]

2. Small wonder that Congress plans an investigation, there certainly must be witnesses

[tavernier]

3. I think Kill Survivors means All Witnesses.

Suddenly people’s memories will get very fuzzy.

[KS Toronado]

4. We don't hear much about the other boat strike where there was 2 survivors

Were they intimidated into silence? Inquiring minds want to know.

[Rhiannon12866]

5. That's an excellent point, there were 2 survivors who were sent back to their country, but what country was that?

I don't remember hearing that it was Venezuela, which might be the reason...

[sop]

6. Trump issued the kill orders, Hegseth was just doing his bidding.

Trump (October 2025) discussing military strikes against alleged drug cartels off the coast of Venezuela:: "I think WE ARE GOING TO KILL PEOPLE that are bringing drugs into our country, OK? We are going to kill them, you know? THEY ARE GOING TO BE, LIKE, DEAD."

Trump social media post following a U.S. strike off the Venezuelan coast: ""BE WARNED – IF YOU ARE TRANSPORTING DRUGS THAT CAN KILL AMERICANS, WE ARE HUNTING YOU."

[Rhiannon12866]

7. Agreed, I've heard that from the felon-in-chief's insulting nasty mouth.

[Wonder Why]

8. Some NAVY admirals are going to face charges in the future for going along with a second attack.

Those involved committed a crime.

Hogshead couldn't get away with ordering anything illegal if the military would refuse to follow illegal orders. But, then again, they'd lose all those nice Admiral's perks.

I remember a PBS show (probably 30-40 years ago) where senior members of different groups (doctors, lawyers, politicians, military and others) each faced a group of questioners to the the particular group of professionals bringing up legal and moral issues that got tougher and tougher. IMHO, they all failed except the military. The rest weaseled their way around their lack of morality and legal responsibility especially for the tougher issues. The worst were the lawyers.

When the military were confronted with a (made-up) situation where a POW was known to have information that would save the lives of many American soldiers but refused to say anything and then were asked about using torture to get that information, each and every military person said that torture of a prisoner was not justified.

I wonder how much worse all the groups would fare today.