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Pentagon’s own watchdog investigates U.S. strikes allegedly on drug boats
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The inspector general of the Defense Department said Monday it is investigating U.S. Southern Command for its targeting of suspected drug-smuggling ships in the military campaign against drug cartels. Subscribe to read the story without ads
Get access to unlimited adfree articles and exclusive material. According to the Pentagon, Southern Command targeted nearly 60 small vessels that the military claimed were transporting drug through the Caribbean Sea or the Pacific Ocean. They destroyed 59 vessels, and killed 193 people, since the campaign started last fall. The internal watchdog is going to examine the targeting and intelligence used by Southern Command for the strikes. It will also look at other aspects of the operations against drug cartels. After a U.S. attack in the Eastern Pacific, smoke rises from an American boat on April 13, U.S. Southern Command-
“The scope includes the joint processes for targeted vessels within the U.S. Southern Command’s area of responsibility, as part of Operation Southern Spear,” a spokesperson for the inspector-general said in a statement to a press inquiry. Operation Southern Spear was the Pentagon’s term for its campaign to stop alleged drug-smuggling ships. The spokeswoman stated that the inspector general was the one who initiated the investigation. This project was initiated based upon the ongoing
assessment of… programs and operational activities. The letter states that the probe will include investigations at the Pentagon as well as the Southern Command’s Miami headquarters. No comment was made by Southern Command or the Pentagon. According to the correspondence, the investigation will focus on the military doctrine that guides how Southern Command targets small boat drug runners. According to the U.S. Official, in this context, targeting is divided into six phases – the commander’s intention, the development and analysis of each target and the intelligence surrounding it, as well as the decision to strike that target. The senior military attorney for the combatant commands overseeing the lethal strikes against the alleged drug smuggler boats near Venezuela did not agree with the Trump administration that the operations were legal, and was ignored,
. Many lawmakers have questioned the legality of these operations and demanded more oversight. The ongoing strikes have been overshadowed by the conflict with Iran. Pentagon data indicates that Southern Command has carried out three strikes this month, killing seven individuals. In one case, the U.S. attacked a boat with survivors, and then returned to kill them, potentially violating the law of armed conflicts. letter from the Pentagon’s Office of Inspector General After the Pentagon’s campaign against drug cartels began in September, Adm. Alvin Holsey of Southern Command announced that he would be stepping down from his position after just one year. Frank Donovan was appointed to replace him.
