War Crimes Prosecutor Reed Brody on Trump's 'Murder on the High Seas' Strikes

Allegations of 'Murder on the High Seas'

• 🚢 The Trump administration is facing pressure to release video of a U.S. airstrike on September 2nd that killed two shipwrecked men in the Caribbean.
• ⚠️ This strike followed an earlier U.S. strike that killed nine people, with the administration claiming all passengers were involved in drug trafficking, though offering no proof.
• ⚖️ War crimes prosecutor Reed Brody argues that these actions constitute "murder on the high seas" rather than war crimes, as there is no declared war against an organized armed group.

Questioning the 'War on Drugs' Narrative

• 🎯 Brody likens the administration's justification to using a "war on drugs" metaphor to justify extrajudicial killings, similar to using a "war on corruption" to target insider traders.
• 🚫 He emphasizes that the U.S. can interdict and prosecute drug smugglers but cannot legally bomb ships and people without evidence of wrongdoing or a threat.
• 🗣️ Congressman Adam Smith noted that the two survivors were unarmed, the boat was incapacitated, and any claim of surviving drugs was difficult to reconcile with the observed situation.

Defense Secretary's Stance and Trump's Statements

• 📹 Defense Secretary Pete Hegsth stated they were reviewing the video of the strike, prioritizing operational security over immediate release.
• 🗣️ This contradicts President Trump's earlier statement that they would release whatever video they had, with "no problem."
• 🚨 Since September, the Pentagon has struck at least 22 boats in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific.

Parallels to International Criminal Cases and Political Pretext

• ⚖️ Brody draws a parallel between Trump and Defense Secretary Hegsth's actions and the trial of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte at the International Criminal Court for similar killings without due process.
• 🇭🇳 The discussion also touches upon the pardon of former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez, convicted of trafficking cocaine into the U.S.
• 🧐 Brody suggests the strikes might be a pretext, a form of bullying and intimidation against the Venezuelan government, rather than a genuine effort to combat drug trafficking, especially since most drugs enter the U.S. via land routes through Mexico.