US War Department Insists it Knows Who It Killed in Boat Strikes, but Can't Produce Evidence.
The US Department of Defense claims to have "absolutely confirmed" that the individuals killed in recent boat strikes were drug smugglers and narcoterrorists. However, lawmakers are demanding proof for these claims, with some experts labeling the strikes as illegal extrajudicial killings.
Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson declared during a briefing on Tuesday that every single person killed in the strikes was a narcoterrorist, citing intelligence that confirms it. She also stated that military and civilian lawyers were aware of this, suggesting that there is a clear understanding of who was targeted.
However, Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa., expressed skepticism over these claims, calling on Wilson to provide evidence to back up the Pentagon's assertions. The lawmaker argued that if intelligence confirms such information, then Congress should be able to see it and ensure proper oversight.
Lawmakers have been briefed about the strikes in classified sessions, but even in those briefings, officials admitted they didn't know who was killed. Rep. Sara Jacobs, D-Calif., shared similar sentiments, stating that Pentagon officials told her that they don't need to positively identify individuals on vessels before conducting strikes, as long as there's a connection to designated terrorist organizations.
Critics argue that the strikes are in violation of international law, which prohibits targeting civilians or suspected criminals who do not pose an imminent threat of violence. The double-tap strike during one of the initial attacks has also raised concerns about the illegality of the operation.
President Donald Trump recently called on lawmakers from the "Seditious Six" group to face arrest and trial for defying orders, while Secretary Pete Hegseth distanced himself from the killing of survivors who were struggling to stay afloat. Hegseth has been under fire over his role in ordering follow-up strikes and sharing sensitive information on an encrypted messaging app.
As tensions rise, concerns are growing about the administration's handling of the situation and whether there is an ongoing authoritarian takeover. The Intercept argues that this is a critical moment for press freedom to defend democracy and ensure transparency in governance.
The US Department of Defense claims to have "absolutely confirmed" that the individuals killed in recent boat strikes were drug smugglers and narcoterrorists. However, lawmakers are demanding proof for these claims, with some experts labeling the strikes as illegal extrajudicial killings.
Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson declared during a briefing on Tuesday that every single person killed in the strikes was a narcoterrorist, citing intelligence that confirms it. She also stated that military and civilian lawyers were aware of this, suggesting that there is a clear understanding of who was targeted.
However, Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa., expressed skepticism over these claims, calling on Wilson to provide evidence to back up the Pentagon's assertions. The lawmaker argued that if intelligence confirms such information, then Congress should be able to see it and ensure proper oversight.
Lawmakers have been briefed about the strikes in classified sessions, but even in those briefings, officials admitted they didn't know who was killed. Rep. Sara Jacobs, D-Calif., shared similar sentiments, stating that Pentagon officials told her that they don't need to positively identify individuals on vessels before conducting strikes, as long as there's a connection to designated terrorist organizations.
Critics argue that the strikes are in violation of international law, which prohibits targeting civilians or suspected criminals who do not pose an imminent threat of violence. The double-tap strike during one of the initial attacks has also raised concerns about the illegality of the operation.
President Donald Trump recently called on lawmakers from the "Seditious Six" group to face arrest and trial for defying orders, while Secretary Pete Hegseth distanced himself from the killing of survivors who were struggling to stay afloat. Hegseth has been under fire over his role in ordering follow-up strikes and sharing sensitive information on an encrypted messaging app.
As tensions rise, concerns are growing about the administration's handling of the situation and whether there is an ongoing authoritarian takeover. The Intercept argues that this is a critical moment for press freedom to defend democracy and ensure transparency in governance.
. I mean, how can they just "absolutely confirm" who's dead without showing any proof? It sounds like they're making it all up as they go along 
. And what's with the lack of transparency? We're not even supposed to know who was killed before Congress even gets briefed on it 
. I'm not saying the strikes aren't justified, but come on, you gotta have some basic accountability in place. It feels like we're just being fed whatever story they want us to believe without any hard evidence 
. Can't help but wonder if we're living in a dystopian novel or something 
.
anyway back to this whole US thing... i feel bad for those people who were killed in the boat strikes, but at the same time i don't think it's right that they're not getting a proper investigation 
what if some of them were innocent? 
i remember when i was on a plane flight and we hit some turbulence and everyone got all anxious... 
and what's with all these "Seditious Six" people... 
. I mean, we all know that intelligence can be wrong or incomplete sometimes, right? And what about due process and the rule of law? If they're killing people in boat strikes, shouldn't there be some accountability? 
. Lawmakers are being briefed on classified info, but even then, officials don't know who was killed 
.
. We need to make sure that our government is transparent and accountable, especially when it comes to things like this. Otherwise, we risk losing our democratic values 
This whole thing is just really suspicious to me...
.
. We need some transparency, some accountability... and maybe a few less secrets 
.
US War Department needs to get its story straight before taking out whole squads 
. And don't even get me started on the fact that military lawyers are supposedly in the loop, but still didn't know who was killed until after the fact... That just doesn't add up, you know? 
gotta ask why Pentagon says they got proof but can't show it 
? Like, how much intel do they have that's so top secret 
? Can't just claim people were narcoterrorists without backing up claims 
. Congress has a right to know what's going on 
.
And don't even get me started on the double-tap strike... that's just crazy! 
Can we please just have some transparency here? 
. But I think this goes deeper than that. It's about whether our leaders are willing to take the high road or resort to questionable tactics in the name of security. As a nation, we need to be vigilant and demand better from our officials 
.
.
. as someone who's all about transparency and freedom of speech, it's super concerning to see our government just kind of... doing whatever they want without anyone holding them accountable 
