US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth faces mounting pressure after a double-tap strike killed two survivors of the Trump administration's initial boat strike in the Caribbean. Sources close to the government say that Hegseth personally ordered the follow-up attack, with one former staff judge advocate describing it as "patently illegal."
Hegseth's actions could result in him and the entire chain of command being investigated for a war crime or outright murder. Todd Huntley, a former Staff Judge Advocate, said: "Those directly involved in the strike could be charged with murder under the UCMJ or federal law." The Pentagon's Law of War Manual states that attacking defenseless people is unacceptable, and that persons who have been incapacitated by wounds, sickness, or shipwreck are hors de combat.
The US military has carried out 21 known attacks in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean since September, killing at least 83 civilians. Experts say that the strikes are illegal extrajudicial killings because the military is not permitted to deliberately target civilians – even suspected criminals who do not pose an imminent threat of violence.
Top Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill have vowed to increase their scrutiny of the attacks. Sarah Harrison, a former Pentagon official, said that each strike creates potential legal liability for the entire chain of command involved in the attacks. "Every single strike exposes those in the chain of command to the risk of criminal liability under murder statutes and international law prohibiting extrajudicial killings," she said.
The Trump administration insists that the attacks are defensible because they are engaged in a non-international armed conflict with designated terrorist organizations. However, experts say that this justification is weak and does not apply to the situation. The Former JAGs Working Group has condemned Hegseth's reported kill-everybody order as "war crimes, murder, or both."
In response to criticism, Hegseth has suggested that he was not responsible for the decision surrounding the September 2 strike and has defended his actions as necessary in a war situation. However, many are skeptical of this explanation and say that it is clear that Hegseth and others are involved in a cover-up.
The Intercept's reporting on the Trump administration's deadly drone strikes in the Caribbean has shed light on a long-neglected aspect of US policy in the region. The US government's actions have raised serious concerns about its commitment to international law and human rights, and the need for greater scrutiny of its military operations is essential.
Hegseth's actions could result in him and the entire chain of command being investigated for a war crime or outright murder. Todd Huntley, a former Staff Judge Advocate, said: "Those directly involved in the strike could be charged with murder under the UCMJ or federal law." The Pentagon's Law of War Manual states that attacking defenseless people is unacceptable, and that persons who have been incapacitated by wounds, sickness, or shipwreck are hors de combat.
The US military has carried out 21 known attacks in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean since September, killing at least 83 civilians. Experts say that the strikes are illegal extrajudicial killings because the military is not permitted to deliberately target civilians – even suspected criminals who do not pose an imminent threat of violence.
Top Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill have vowed to increase their scrutiny of the attacks. Sarah Harrison, a former Pentagon official, said that each strike creates potential legal liability for the entire chain of command involved in the attacks. "Every single strike exposes those in the chain of command to the risk of criminal liability under murder statutes and international law prohibiting extrajudicial killings," she said.
The Trump administration insists that the attacks are defensible because they are engaged in a non-international armed conflict with designated terrorist organizations. However, experts say that this justification is weak and does not apply to the situation. The Former JAGs Working Group has condemned Hegseth's reported kill-everybody order as "war crimes, murder, or both."
In response to criticism, Hegseth has suggested that he was not responsible for the decision surrounding the September 2 strike and has defended his actions as necessary in a war situation. However, many are skeptical of this explanation and say that it is clear that Hegseth and others are involved in a cover-up.
The Intercept's reporting on the Trump administration's deadly drone strikes in the Caribbean has shed light on a long-neglected aspect of US policy in the region. The US government's actions have raised serious concerns about its commitment to international law and human rights, and the need for greater scrutiny of its military operations is essential.
. It seems like the US military has gotten completely out of hand with these drone strikes. I mean, two people get killed in a double-tap strike and nobody gets held accountable? That's just not right 
. And now they're saying that Hegseth might've ordered it himself? That's some serious red flags waving 
. If he did indeed order it, that could lead to some major investigations and potentially even war crimes charges 
. Can't we have some accountability for our military actions? It seems like they're just sweeping everything under the rug and expecting us to be okay with it 
.
like seriously can't believe what's happening with Hegseth and those double-tap strikes in the Caribbean 
two survivors still alive from that initial boat strike and then BAM another one hits 'em 
got to ask why they're doing it and who's giving the orders 
seems like a total cover-up to me 
and what's with this war situation justification 
experts say it's weak and doesn't apply here... this just keeps getting weirder by the day 
This whole thing is just sickening 
. I mean, what is going on with our governments? They're more worried about keeping their power than actually doing what's right 
. Newsflash: you can't just erase human lives like that. And to make matters worse, Pete Hegseth is trying to blame someone else for the whole thing 
. Come on, man, be honest for once 
.
. We can't just sit back and watch while they go around killing people left and right 
.
If sources say he did that personally, then yeah, we gotta be worried. Murder charges? War crimes? This is serious business 
But at the same time, isn't this just another example of how the military and the government are always trying to justify their actions? 
And don't even get me started on these "non-international armed conflicts" 
... sounds like just an excuse to me. We need more transparency and accountability here 
Can someone explain to me how this is all supposed to work?