Trump's 'War' on 'Drug Boats' Reveals a Long-Abandoned Principle: The Inevitability of Unchecked Executive Power.
The Trump administration has taken the U.S. military's strikes against alleged drug smugglers in international waters to unprecedented levels, launching a series of deadly attacks without clear evidence that the targets were even carrying drugs or posed an imminent threat to American interests. This brazen disregard for due process and civilian lives serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of unchecked executive power.
Critics point out that this latest campaign bears striking similarities to President Barack Obama's drone strikes during his time in office, which similarly used "signature" tactics to identify potential terrorists without knowing their identities. The underlying principle behind these programs – raining death down on targets deemed suspicious by a pre-defined set of criteria – has proven disastrous.
In 2017, when Donald Trump first took office, he immediately moved to dismantle many of the constraints placed on the drone program by his predecessor, resulting in a sharp increase in drone strikes and a corresponding lack of transparency about civilian casualties. Since then, President Joe Biden has taken a more measured approach, signing a classified policy aimed at limiting counterterrorism drone strikes outside conventional war zones.
Yet, with Trump's return to office, this trend appears to have reversed. The White House seems content to operate under the assumption that these strikes are justified by the concept of "self-defense," a principle that does not apply in this context. Instead, it is likely an attempt to circumvent any opposition from Congress or the courts.
The administration's cavalier attitude towards the law and accuracy has resulted in a lack of scrutiny for whose bodies wash up on foreign shores – as long as they provide a visible demonstration of American military might against a perceived enemy that doesn't even know it's being targeted.
The Trump administration has taken the U.S. military's strikes against alleged drug smugglers in international waters to unprecedented levels, launching a series of deadly attacks without clear evidence that the targets were even carrying drugs or posed an imminent threat to American interests. This brazen disregard for due process and civilian lives serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of unchecked executive power.
Critics point out that this latest campaign bears striking similarities to President Barack Obama's drone strikes during his time in office, which similarly used "signature" tactics to identify potential terrorists without knowing their identities. The underlying principle behind these programs – raining death down on targets deemed suspicious by a pre-defined set of criteria – has proven disastrous.
In 2017, when Donald Trump first took office, he immediately moved to dismantle many of the constraints placed on the drone program by his predecessor, resulting in a sharp increase in drone strikes and a corresponding lack of transparency about civilian casualties. Since then, President Joe Biden has taken a more measured approach, signing a classified policy aimed at limiting counterterrorism drone strikes outside conventional war zones.
Yet, with Trump's return to office, this trend appears to have reversed. The White House seems content to operate under the assumption that these strikes are justified by the concept of "self-defense," a principle that does not apply in this context. Instead, it is likely an attempt to circumvent any opposition from Congress or the courts.
The administration's cavalier attitude towards the law and accuracy has resulted in a lack of scrutiny for whose bodies wash up on foreign shores – as long as they provide a visible demonstration of American military might against a perceived enemy that doesn't even know it's being targeted.
What's next? A war on ocean currents to control the weather? 
Just saying, if we can't even identify who's carrying what in the water, shouldn't we just stick to fishing regulations? 
I'm thinking, Trump's all about taking drastic action without proof 
. It's like, remember the old saying "power corrupts" and this is living proof 
. He's got no problem launching strikes that could kill innocent people just to show the world who's boss 
. And what really gets me is how he's trying to play it cool about not following the law 
. It's like, yeah sure, buddy, you can just make up your own rules and hope nobody notices 
. The fact that Obama did similar stuff before doesn't necessarily excuse this behavior, but I guess it shows how far Trump has fallen 
. Can we please get back to some sense of accountability and respect for human life? 
& now joe biden's all like "oh no, lets r8 dis" but trump's all "nope, im still goin 4 it" 
its just plain sus. u can't jus start killin ppl w/o proof lol. wat's next? 
I'm getting so tired of these US presidents acting like they're above the law 
. Trump's drone strikes are literally just another name for a war on civilians, and the fact that he's doing it without any clear evidence is just insane 
. It's not about national security, it's about showing off America's military power 
. I mean, come on, if you're gonna bomb someone, at least have the decency to identify yourself 
. It's a slippery slope, folks, and we need to pay attention before it's too late 
.
- just dropping bombs without knowing who's under them. It's not exactly reassuring when you think about all those innocent people getting caught in the crossfire.
- it's like they think "that was just politics" or some nonsense like that.
Newsflash: being president ain't about taking lives without due process, it's about protecting people! 
meanwhile innocent people are losing their lives and it's all about showboating for your base 
it's wild how this whole thing reminds me of obama's drone strikes back in the day... same vibes, different dude 
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We need some serious oversight here, stat! 
. And don't even get me started on the lack of transparency - if you can't trust the government to tell you what's really going on, how can we trust them at all? 
It's time for some serious accountability, you know?
. We need to hold our leaders accountable for their actions, especially when they're putting lives on the line without proper evidence or due process. This is a huge red flag, and I hope someone does something about it before more innocent people get hurt 
. I mean, who needs evidence or due process when you've got a strong desire for power, right? It's all about projecting an image of strength and dominance, no matter the cost 
. And let's not forget, this is just another example of how the US government loves to point fingers at others while they're hiding their own secrets 
. Mark my words, this whole thing is going to blow up in their faces eventually... it always does 
.
. Does anyone know what "signature" tactics even are? Sounds like some kinda code word 
.
... It sounds like he's completely disregarding human lives and due process for the sake of showing strength 
. Can't we find a better way to address our problems than resorting to violence and aggression?