Senator Tim Kaine has expressed concerns over the US military’s strikes on alleged drug boats, suggesting that some of those killed may not have been involved in narcotrafficking. In a letter to President Donald Trump, Kaine stated that the US is engaged in violent and fatal attacks against people beyond the parameters of a classified legal opinion.
Operation Southern Spear
The US military has killed at least 221 people and destroyed at least 67 vessels in the ‘Operation Southern Spear’ campaign, which began last September. The administration has labeled those killed as ‘unlawful combatants’ and claims the ability to engage in lethal strikes without judicial review due to a classified Justice Department finding.
Kaine, who sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee, has urged Trump to examine the circumstances of these strikes and cease what he called an ‘illegal, costly and ineffective’ operation. The senator’s comments come during a pause on the boat strikes, with the most recent occurrence on June 21.
The White House has defended the strikes, stating that they have been against designated narcoterrorists bringing deadly poison to the US shores. However, Kaine’s concerns highlight the need for greater transparency and accountability in the US military’s actions.
Original reporting: KEYT (Ventura/Santa Barbara) — read the source article.
