International Law on US Strikes Against Alleged Drug Boats

Legality of Strikes on Drug Boats

• ⚖️ International law generally does not justify attacks on alleged drug boats, according to legal expert Alan Weiner.
• ⚠️ A prerequisite for armed conflict is an armed attack that launches a war, which drug smuggling alone does not meet.
• 🎯 The conflict must be between a state and an organized armed group, a status that drug smuggling gangs likely do not qualify for.

The Second Strike and Laws of War

• 💥 The second strike, where individuals were reportedly clinging to the boat and unable to fight, is particularly problematic.
• 🚨 Even in a state of armed conflict, there is an obligation to protect individuals who are out of combat and no longer able to fight.
• 🚫 The reported order to "kill everyone" is a clear violation of treaties forbidding the declaration that no quarter shall be given.

Concerns from Lawmakers

• 🗣️ Lawmakers from both Republican and Democratic parties have expressed serious concerns about the strikes.
• 📜 Concerns include potential violations of the DoD's own laws of war and international laws regarding the treatment of individuals.
• ⚠️ If the reporting is true, the actions could rise to the level of a war crime.