Venezuelan strongman dictator Nicolás Maduro has been having a bad few weeks. You see, too many of the drug-smuggling boats leaving El Presidente's ports loaded with drugs for American buyers are getting turned into flying chunks of aluminum and fiberglass, and in some cases, the crews are getting new lodgings in Davey Jones' locker.
And, on Monday morning, at President Trump's order, we got another one.
The President's Truth Social Post reads:
This morning, on my Orders, U.S. Military Forces conducted a SECOND Kinetic Strike against positively identified, extraordinarily violent drug trafficking cartels and narcoterrorists in the SOUTHCOM area of responsibility. The Strike occurred while these confirmed narcoterrorists from Venezuela were in International Waters transporting illegal narcotics (A DEADLY WEAPON POISONING AMERICANS!) headed to the U.S.
These extremely violent drug trafficking cartels POSE A THREAT to U.S. National Security, Foreign Policy, and vital U.S. Interests. The Strike resulted in 3 male terrorists killed in action. No U.S. Forces were harmed in this Strike. BE WARNED — IF YOU ARE TRANSPORTING DRUGS THAT CAN KILL AMERICANS, WE ARE HUNTING YOU! The illicit activities by these cartels have wrought DEVASTATING CONSEQUENCES ON AMERICAN COMMUNITIES FOR DECADES, killing millions of American Citizens. NO LONGER. Thank you for your attention to this matter!!!
Now, looking at the video, it appears the boat was stopped. The strike was filmed from either an aircraft or a drone, and there's no indication what munitions were used or how they were launched, nor should there be. As an old magician buddy of mine used to say, "If I told you how, then anyone could do it." It's unclear if the boat was stopped by surface craft or if anyone was taken off. President Trump does note that three drug traffickers were on the boat when it was hit, and that those three are now communing with the fish on the bottom of the ocean.
Un-aliving drug smugglers from foreign countries, who are trying to bring lethal illegal drugs into the USA, is always a good idea.
Read More: Operation Pacific Viper: Coast Guard Vaporizes Drug Boat, Seizes Tons of Cocaine
CNN had (predictably) this to say on the matter:
The second strike on Monday comes amid rising tensions with Venezuela, as the US has deployed military assets to the region, including the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group and 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, and 10 F-35 fighter jets to Puerto Rico. Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil said last week that Venezuela is “not betting on conflict” with the US, “nor do we want conflict.”
CNN reported last week that Defense Department officials did not present conclusive evidence that the targets of the first attack were members of Tren de Aragua, and that the briefers could not determine exactly where they were headed. A source also told CNN that the briefers said the boat turned around at one point, which raises more questions about whether it posed an immediate threat.
I would caution CNN, when they note that "Defense War Department officials did not present conclusive evidence that the targets of the first attack were members of Tren de Aragua," that there is a big difference between "did not present conclusive evidence" and "can not present conclusive evidence." Secretary of War Pete Hegseth seems to have the right take on it:
“We knew exactly who they were, exactly what they were doing, what they represented, and why they were going where they were going,” Hegseth told reporters on September 4 during a visit to Fort Benning, Georgia.
“How did you know?” a reporter asked.
“Why would I tell you that?” Hegseth responded.
That's the right answer. There's an old apocryphal story from World War 2 in the Pacific, when one of "Bull" Halsey's aides, while the Admiral and his staff were planning an operation, asked, "What should we tell the press?" Halsey reportedly replied, "Tell them nothing. When it's over, tell them who won."
When it comes to Venezuelan drug runners, the one of their boats we can put on the bottom, the better. If the crews want to surrender and be arrested, fine. If not... Well, the War Department has already given them several lessons in what "or else" looks like.
Editor’s Note: Democrat politicians and their radical supporters will do everything they can to interfere with and threaten ICE agents enforcing our immigration laws.
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