As of Nov. 4, the U.S. Navy has bombed 15 boats and killed 67 people in the Caribbean and Pacific. President Trump claimed every boat down saved 25,000 American lives.
But why is the U.S. bombing boats at all? The Trump administration claims they are smuggling drugs into the country. In the past, boats suspected of drug smuggling would be seized, the passengers arrested, and prosecuted. Instead, over the past two months, the U.S. has bombed 15 boats.
While the American people are still waiting on evidence of drug smuggling, it has been confirmed that Colombians, Ecuadorians and a man from Trinidad are among the dead as a result of the attack. The Colombian president has condemned the violence and stopped sharing intelligence with the U.S. over the issue. Similarly, our allies in the U.K. have stopped sharing intelligence.
American bombing in the Caribbean and Pacific has alienated us from our allies and other nations we had previously been cooperating with on issues of terrorism and drug smuggling.
The U.S. was further alienated when the United Nations warned that the U.S. has violated international humanitarian law with these strikes, which puts the U.S. on the path to committing crimes against humanity. The U.S. has enjoyed decades of leadership and respect at the U.N., and in two short months this administration has destroyed that. But for what gain?
All of this shows a lot of harm to the U.S. reputation and relations with our allies and neighbors without any benefit.
If anything is clear, it is that these strikes don’t serve the American interest. Americans don’t want war with Venezuela. These strikes do not make Americans more secure. Drawing Americans closer to a war makes us less secure, and it is our communities that will pay the price if this leads to war.
Rachel Hawks, American Fork
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