U.S. destroys Venezuelan vessels | Double Tap strike scrutiny

  • Thread starter Thread starter nycfan
  • Start date Start date
  • Replies: 1K
  • Views: 29K
  • Politics 

Democrats call Trump's bluff on releasing boat strike video​




The lawmakers are seizing on to President Trump's own comments this week that he would have "no problem" releasing the footage to the public.
  • "We look forward to your prompt response and release of this footage to the public, as has already been promised by President Trump," the lawmakers, led by Rep. Pat Ryan (D-N.Y.) wrote in a letter to Hegseth that was obtained by Axios.
  • "The American people deserve transparency on these attacks," they wrote, "it is your obligation to release the footage."
 

Exclusive: Boat at center of double-tap strike controversy was meeting vessel headed to Suriname, admiral told lawmakers​


The alleged drug traffickers killed by the US military in a strike on September 2 were heading to link up with another, larger vessel that was bound for Suriname — a small South American country east of Venezuela – the admiral who oversaw the operation told lawmakers on Thursday, according to two sources with direct knowledge of his remarks.

According to intelligence collected by US forces, the struck boat planned to “rendezvous” with the second vessel and transfer drugs to it, Adm. Frank Bradley said during the briefings, but the military was unable to locate the second vessel. Bradley argued there was still a possibility the drug shipment could have ultimately made its way from Suriname to the US, the sources said, telling lawmakers that justified striking the smaller boat even if it wasn’t directly heading to US shores at the time it was hit.

US drug enforcement officials say that trafficking routes via Suriname are primarily destined for European markets. US-bound drug trafficking routes have been concentrated on the Pacific Ocean in recent years
. . .
Bradley, who led Joint Special Operations Command at the time of the strike, also acknowledged that the boat had turned around before being struck, because the people on board appeared to see the American aircraft in the air, the sources said. CNN reported in September that the boat turned around before being hit.

The US military ultimately struck the boat four times—the first time splitting the boat in half and leaving two survivors clinging to a capsized portion, CNN reported on Thursday. The second, third and fourth strikes killed them and sunk the vessel.

The survivors were also waving at something in the air, the sources said Bradley told them and the video showed, although it’s unclear whether they might have been surrendering or asking the US aircraft they had spotted for help.
. . .
Lawmakers were told on Thursday that Hegseth had made clear before the mission began that the strikes should be lethal, CNN has reported, but that he was not made aware of the survivors until after they had been killed, one of the sources with direct knowledge said.

Bradley understood the mission objective to be to kill all 11 individuals on board and sink the boat, a US official said. But the order was not specifically an order to kill all and provide no quarter, meaning that someone who surrenders will be killed, which has “specific implications” and is illegal, the US official said.
 
Ramrouser said:
Fair response.

I admit that I am guilty of currently modeling politics as a scoreboard for my team in this political environment. I would argue, however, that I've been forced into this defensive position simply because the Dems have been so relentless in attacking Trump from the day he was sworn in. Since Dems have been out for scalps for Trump and his supporters this has forced MAGA into defending Trump for almost everything he has done. Since 2023 alone Dems have done everything imaginable to bankrupt him and put him in jail for life. The NY criminal and civil cases were particularly egregious. I know you won't agree with me on this but can't you at least understand our position? Do you really think those cases would have been brought against anyone not named Trump?

Now we're in such a heated political environment that we're (and ICE and the NG and police) are routinely and loudly called fascists, NAZIs, dictators, Gestapo, Himmler, Goebbels, etc. In my opinion this has lead to Trump's assassination attempts, Kirk's assassination and the targeting and murder of the NG solders in DC. I expect in the near future we'll be talking about the murder of ICE or Border Patrol officials.

So yeah I, along with other of the President's supporters, bend over backwards to defend him but it's reasonable in light of the left's actions. Part of me wishes we could return to the pre Trump political environment since neither side appears willing to put down their swords anytime soon.
Click to expand...
Taylor Swift 2018 Bbmas GIF by Billboard Music Awards
One of my favorite lines of defense from those on the right.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top