Deadly US Military Strikes Raise Alarming Questions About Due Process and Transparency

The Facts:

The United States military conducted another lethal strike in the Caribbean Sea on Saturday, resulting in the deaths of at least three individuals aboard a vessel that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth claimed was involved in drug smuggling operations. This marks the 15th announced strike in an offensive campaign that began in early September, with the total death toll now reaching approximately 65 people. Secretary Hegseth announced the attack through social media, posting a video that appeared to show an explosion, and stated that the vessel “was known by our intelligence to be involved in illicit narcotics smuggling.” Notably, he provided no evidence to substantiate this claim. The strike occurred in international waters, raising significant jurisdictional and legal questions. The campaign’s casualties include a man who is presumed dead after a search by the Mexican Navy failed to locate someone described by the United States as surviving an attack on October 27th in the eastern Pacific Ocean.

Opinion:

This escalating pattern of military strikes represents a deeply troubling departure from American values of due process, transparency, and respect for human life. The fact that these killings occur in international waters based on secret intelligence, without public evidence or judicial oversight, should alarm every citizen who values constitutional principles and the rule of law. While combating drug trafficking is a legitimate national security concern, we cannot sacrifice our nation’s moral compass and commitment to justice in pursuit of this goal. The absence of transparent evidence and the reliance on classified intelligence to justify taking human lives creates a dangerous precedent where the government acts as judge, jury, and executioner without accountability. This approach not only undermines international law and diplomatic relations but also erodes the very democratic foundations that distinguish America from authoritarian regimes. We must demand that our military operations, especially those resulting in loss of life, adhere to the highest standards of evidence, transparency, and respect for human rights. The war on drugs cannot become an excuse for abandoning the constitutional protections and moral principles that define our nation’s character. As Americans committed to liberty and justice, we must insist on accountability and evidence before our military engages in lethal force, regardless of the alleged criminality of the targets.