US Congressional Probe into Caribbean Boat Strike Appears to be Closing, Despite Ongoing Questions
The House Armed Services Committee has deemed its investigation into the US military strike on a suspected drug-smuggling boat in the Caribbean "done", sparking concerns that the probe may not yield all answers. The committee's chairman, Mike Rogers, claimed that the inquiry was complete and that any further questions would be addressed elsewhere.
However, many lawmakers remain unconvinced, with some describing footage of the strike as disturbing and highlighting the apparent targeting of survivors by the second strike. Democrats on the committee have expressed alarm over the tactics used during the operation, which killed all 11 people on board.
Rogers' decision to close the probe has been met with skepticism, particularly given the revelations reported in The Washington Post about the mission commander's orders and the apparent violation of international law. The article suggests that Adm. Frank Bradley was instructed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to kill everyone aboard, which raises questions about the chain of command and accountability.
Some Republican lawmakers have defended the decision, while others, including Sen. Tom Cotton, have expressed support for the operation. However, the controversy has sparked bipartisan concern, with some Democrats calling for Hegseth's removal from office.
The Senate Armed Services Committee has also launched an investigation into the strike, which may shed more light on the events surrounding the incident. The full House committee will be able to review footage of the strike next week, but it remains unclear whether this footage will be released to the public.
As Congress considers using its oversight powers elsewhere in the region, the closure of the probe has raised questions about accountability and presidential authority. A War Powers Resolution restricting unauthorized US military action in Venezuela may receive a vote soon, signaling that lawmakers are taking steps to address concerns over the use of military force.
The House Armed Services Committee has deemed its investigation into the US military strike on a suspected drug-smuggling boat in the Caribbean "done", sparking concerns that the probe may not yield all answers. The committee's chairman, Mike Rogers, claimed that the inquiry was complete and that any further questions would be addressed elsewhere.
However, many lawmakers remain unconvinced, with some describing footage of the strike as disturbing and highlighting the apparent targeting of survivors by the second strike. Democrats on the committee have expressed alarm over the tactics used during the operation, which killed all 11 people on board.
Rogers' decision to close the probe has been met with skepticism, particularly given the revelations reported in The Washington Post about the mission commander's orders and the apparent violation of international law. The article suggests that Adm. Frank Bradley was instructed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to kill everyone aboard, which raises questions about the chain of command and accountability.
Some Republican lawmakers have defended the decision, while others, including Sen. Tom Cotton, have expressed support for the operation. However, the controversy has sparked bipartisan concern, with some Democrats calling for Hegseth's removal from office.
The Senate Armed Services Committee has also launched an investigation into the strike, which may shed more light on the events surrounding the incident. The full House committee will be able to review footage of the strike next week, but it remains unclear whether this footage will be released to the public.
As Congress considers using its oversight powers elsewhere in the region, the closure of the probe has raised questions about accountability and presidential authority. A War Powers Resolution restricting unauthorized US military action in Venezuela may receive a vote soon, signaling that lawmakers are taking steps to address concerns over the use of military force.
I mean, 11 people just gettin' killed by a drone strike and no one's sayin' whether it was really a boat with people on board or if they were just messin' around and got caught in the crossfire. It's like the military's tryin' to cover their tracks 
And now the whole probe is closin' up shop? That's just not right 
We're talkin' about a War Powers Resolution in Venezuela soon, which is a huge deal! It's gonna be interesting to see how this plays out...
. Rogers' decision to close the probe doesn't sit well with me; there needs to be more transparency here.
. The Senate is doing its due diligence by launching an investigation, but it's frustrating that the full House footage isn't being shared with us yet.
. We can't just sweep this under the rug; there needs to be some accountability here.
. I mean, come on, the fact that they're trying to shut down an investigation into what basically amounts to war crimes is pretty suspicious in itself. And now they're leaving it up to other committees to pick up the pieces? It's like they're just sweeping this under the rug and hoping nobody notices 
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. I mean, who gives someone an order to kill everyone on board a boat? That's just crazy talk 
. And now the Senate is launching their own investigation, which is good, but it's like trying to put together a puzzle blindfolded - we need more information before we can even start piecing this thing together 
. It's like they're just an afterthought in all this 
. We need more transparency, more accountability - and we need it now 
.
. Like, how can you just close an investigation 'cause the head of the committee says so? Doesn't that just sound like a cover-up to me? 
I mean, Adm. Frank Bradley was told to kill everyone on board and now they're sayin he did what he was supposed to do? Come on! 
And can we talk about how many times did they say the boat was "suspected" of smuggling? Like, what even is that? 
A whole lot of questionable tactics if you ask me. 
I'm not saying we shouldn't have any oversight, but come on Congress! Can't you do better than this? 
. Who gives orders for a strike that kills everyone on board, anyway? It's not like there was even an attempt to rescue them first or something. And what about all those survivors who were left in the water, clinging to debris? Did they just get left to fend for themselves? 
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. And what really gets my goat is the fact that it seems like some folks in power are trying to sweep this under the rug 
. I don't think that's right, especially with those videos of the second strike... it's just so disturbing 
. Can't we at least get more info about what went down? And what's up with Defense Secretary Hegseth's orders? Shouldn't he be held accountable for this? 
. it's crazy that some ppl think Adm. Frank Bradley was basically given a green light to kill everyone, which raises huge concerns about accountability and chain of command 
. why is there no transparency around this whole thing? 
... can't wait for more info from the Senate investigation to come out 
. And now they're saying it might not be released to the public? That's just crazy 
. Fingers crossed! 
. I mean, 11 people lost their lives in that strike and now they're just gonna be forgotten? It doesn't sit right with me.
. The fact that there are bipartisan concerns over this means something is definitely fishy 
. Can we please get to the bottom of this?
Like what are they hiding? 
The fact that Adm. Bradley was told to kill everyone on board is super suspicious