US Military's Deadly Airstrike: Survivors Left to Cling to Wreckage for an Hour Before Fatal Attack
A harrowing video of a US airstrike on a suspected drug smuggling boat in the Caribbean has raised concerns about the military's actions. The footage shows two men, shirtless and unarmed, clinging to the wreckage of their damaged vessel for over an hour before they were killed in a second deadly attack.
The incident occurred on September 2nd, when a US airburst munition exploded above the vessel, killing nine crew members. The survivors, who appeared disoriented and uninjured, then managed to float in the water for about an hour before being targeted by additional munitions. Despite their efforts to flip the boat over, they were unable to prevent their deaths.
The video of the attack has sparked widespread outrage, with lawmakers describing it as "one of the most troubling things I've seen in my time in public service." Democratic congressman Jim Himes said that the two survivors were clearly distressed and had no means of locomotion, emphasizing the military's role in attacking people who are not engaged in hostilities.
The Pentagon has defended the strike as a legitimate operation against drug traffickers, but many legal experts have rejected this rationale. Rebecca Ingber, a professor at Cardozo School of Law, stated that killing someone who is incapacitated or shipwrecked would be manifestly unlawful.
Critics argue that the US military's actions constitute potential war crimes, even before the killing of survivors. Marcus Stanley, director of studies at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, noted that the American people should have transparency and information about what is being done in their name.
The incident has raised questions about the legal basis for the US campaign to kill suspected drug smugglers. The Trump administration has argued that the US is at war with drug traffickers, but most experts reject this rationale.
As the debate continues, many are left wondering how such a tragic event could have occurred and what measures can be taken to prevent similar incidents in the future.
A harrowing video of a US airstrike on a suspected drug smuggling boat in the Caribbean has raised concerns about the military's actions. The footage shows two men, shirtless and unarmed, clinging to the wreckage of their damaged vessel for over an hour before they were killed in a second deadly attack.
The incident occurred on September 2nd, when a US airburst munition exploded above the vessel, killing nine crew members. The survivors, who appeared disoriented and uninjured, then managed to float in the water for about an hour before being targeted by additional munitions. Despite their efforts to flip the boat over, they were unable to prevent their deaths.
The video of the attack has sparked widespread outrage, with lawmakers describing it as "one of the most troubling things I've seen in my time in public service." Democratic congressman Jim Himes said that the two survivors were clearly distressed and had no means of locomotion, emphasizing the military's role in attacking people who are not engaged in hostilities.
The Pentagon has defended the strike as a legitimate operation against drug traffickers, but many legal experts have rejected this rationale. Rebecca Ingber, a professor at Cardozo School of Law, stated that killing someone who is incapacitated or shipwrecked would be manifestly unlawful.
Critics argue that the US military's actions constitute potential war crimes, even before the killing of survivors. Marcus Stanley, director of studies at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, noted that the American people should have transparency and information about what is being done in their name.
The incident has raised questions about the legal basis for the US campaign to kill suspected drug smugglers. The Trump administration has argued that the US is at war with drug traffickers, but most experts reject this rationale.
As the debate continues, many are left wondering how such a tragic event could have occurred and what measures can be taken to prevent similar incidents in the future.
This airstrike is just mind-blowing 
... I mean, who gets attacked twice for being helpless on their boat? 
Two guys just trying to survive after their boat got damaged, no big deal for them, and yet they get mowed down by the military. What's up with that? 
It's like they were saying 'nope, we're not done with you yet'. I'm so glad there are some lawmakers who are speaking out about this, it's time to get some answers 
The whole thing reeks of "we're gonna do whatever we want, and you'll just have to deal with it." I mean, no, that's not how it works in a civilized country. We need transparency and accountability now more than ever! 
The fact that they were unarmed and in no shape to pose a threat to anyone is mind-boggling. And now, we're debating whether it was a legitimate military operation or a war crime... 
It's all about setting the tone for our national security policies and making sure we're not compromising our values as a society.
This incident is a wake-up call for all of us, and I hope it sparks some much-needed reflection on where we're headed as a nation. 
it's not like these guys were even armed, let alone hostile towards anyone... this whole "war on drugs" thing needs to be taken seriously 
... I mean, two guys clinging to a boat that's literally sinking and they're still being targeted by the military like nothing's wrong. It's like, come on! You'd think you'd at least try to save them or help them get out of there. And then for the second airstrike to happen and finish them off... it's just horrific 
.
, like what even is going on here? 
it's like they're in a bad video game or something where you can just keep respawning people 
and nobody gets held accountable 
it's not even like they posed a threat anymore, just like...just leave them alone 
the video is so disturbing and the fact that those two survivors were left to cling to wreckage for an hour before they died is just heartbreaking 
. We need more transparency from our government about what's going on in these conflicts and whether or not it's even legal 
. The US military has got to keep people safe, even if that means taking out some bad guys. We can't just let drug smugglers run amok and expect everything to be okay 