2d ago

Trump declares drug cartels in Caribbean unlawful combatants

Trump says US is in 'armed conflict' with drug cartels after ordering strikes in the Caribbean

President Donald Trump has declared drug cartels operating in the Caribbean are unlawful combatants and says the United States is now in a “non-international armed conflict,” according to a Trump administration memo obtained by The Associated Press on Thursday.

A U.S. official familiar with the matter who was not authorized to comment publicly said the Congress was notified about the designation by Pentagon officials on Wednesday.

The move comes after the U.S. military last month carried out three deadly strikes against alleged drug smuggling boats in the Caribbean. At least two of those operations were carried out on vessels that originated from Venezuela.

17 comments

He’s declaring war by not declaring war. Effectively dancing around Congress.
- Where have I seen that before?
  
  Hmm, I'm sure it happened once or twice in the last 80 years or so...
Wasn't this the plot for Tom Clancy's "Clear and Present Danger"?
- It was and he also certainly is.
“non-international armed conflict,”
Does this mean he's trying to justify war in our country? I don't understand this designation.
- It’s saying they want to kill international citizens, without starting an international war. Quite the strategy, can’t believe no one has tried it before. 🤦‍♂️
  
  Ahhh, so he's trolling the rest of the world and congress so he can have his war and he doesn't have to follow any laws regarding war crimes.
- It’s the George W Bush “enemy combatant” bs to get a license to commit war crimes which the Democratic Party let slide because they’re centrists that are not interested in enforcing the laws.
Words loose all meaning with Trump and MAGA.
Everyone are “drug cartels and terrorists”
I’m pretty sure one cannot just declare something like this and have it be true.
- There's also nothing such as unlawful combatants; it's a weird mantra US imperialists (on both sides of the aisle) use to convince everyone else the rules of war don't exist.
- Truth is not a costant of nature but a social construct, so yes, one can try. And Trump is terrifyingly good at constructing an alternative reality for his followers.
- You are right but also no one is stopping him so…
Private bonespurs showing how tough he is a few decades late.

17 comments