Former GOP Governor Questions Legality of US Military Boat Strikes: 'Vigilante Justice'

Legality of US Military Boat Strikes

• ❓ Former Governor Mark Rosco questions the legality of US military strikes on at least 29 vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific, resulting in over 100 deaths.
• ⚖️ He argues that these actions lack evidence of armed conflict, enemy combatants, or offensive action, raising the possibility of murder charges for those involved.
• 🚫 The argument that strikes are necessary to combat drug trafficking is dismissed, as legal methods like those employed by the Coast Guard exist and involve due process.

Due Process and Evidence

• 🧐 Senator Mark Warner is cited for stating he lacked evidence that all individuals on the boats were narco-traffickers or that all vessels carried drugs.
• 📄 Rosco emphasizes that the burden of proof lies with those conducting lethal actions, not with critics like Senator Warner.
• 🔍 There is a lack of clear evidence of weapons, confirmed drugs, or enemy combatant status for those on the boats, yet they are being subjected to lethal force.

Punishments and Extrajudicial Killings

• 💀 While drug smuggling may carry penalties, Rosco questions whether it is a crime punishable by death, especially without due process or established enemy combatant status.
• 🎮 The administration's labeling of these incidents as campaigns against drug trafficking is criticized as an attempt to explain away actions with legally inaccurate interpretations.
• 🚨 The September 2nd "double tap" strike, where survivors were hit again, is highlighted as particularly disturbing and potentially a prosecutable offense under maritime law regarding shipwrecks.

Transparency and Public Trust

• 📺 Rosco advocates for the release of unedited videos of these strikes, comparing the administration's secrecy to the movie "A Few Good Men" where the truth is withheld.
• 🏛️ He criticizes the administration for acting like a "rogue nation" or "banana republic" and calls for transparency to allow the American people to understand and judge these actions.
• 📉 The longer the truth is withheld, the worse it will be for the country, as it erodes fundamental American values like due process.

Congressional Oversight and Accountability

• 🗣️ Congress is urged to conduct proper inquiry and oversight, rather than accepting superficial explanations from the administration.
• 🇺🇸 The executive branch is acting arbitrarily, akin to "vigilante justice," which tarnishes the nation's soul and the spirit of its people.
• ⚖️ The legality of the strikes, especially concerning shipwrecks and the use of excessive force for drug interdiction, is questioned, with potential implications for war crimes under international law.

Legal Orders and Accountability

• ⚠️ Military personnel have a duty to judge the legality of orders, a heavy burden in dangerous situations.
• 📜 While figures like Secretary Pete Buttigieg are not subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice, those in uniform are, and accountability can extend up the chain of command, though direct orders are key for top officials.
• 🚢 The seizure of oil tankers off Venezuela, which involved legal warrants, is contrasted with the boat strikes, highlighting the lack of due process in the latter.
• 🌍 The actions are seen as potentially leading to dangerous circumstances and a slippery slope towards wider conflict, with a strong aversion to engaging in land combat or precipitating a world war.