The Trump administration has secretly compiled a list of 24 "designated terrorist organizations" that allegedly pose an armed threat to the US, despite having no credible evidence to support such claims. According to three government sources, this list justifies the deadly drone strikes on alleged drug smugglers at sea.
The list includes notorious Latin American cartels and criminal organizations like Tren de Aragua, Ejército de Liberación Nacional, and Cártel de los Soles, which have been linked to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. However, experts argue that these groups are more likely to be involved in smuggling operations than actual terrorist activities.
The Pentagon's use of secret information from human sources and signals intelligence to identify the target vessels has raised concerns about accountability and oversight. Moreover, military officials admit that they do not always know the identities of those on board before conducting lethal strikes.
Critics point out that these drone attacks amount to extrajudicial killings of civilians who are merely suspected smugglers or laborers, rather than actual terrorists posing an immediate threat. The lack of transparency and accountability in this operation undermines the principles of the law of war and is seen as a blatant overreach of executive power.
Lawmakers have expressed outrage at the administration's handling of these strikes, with some even questioning whether Congress has any authority to oversee such actions without explicit authorization from the president. Senate Republicans blocked a proposed resolution aimed at preventing future attacks on Venezuela, highlighting the partisan divisions in Congress on this issue.
The Intercept has uncovered that top-secret information is being withheld from lawmakers and other government agencies, fueling concerns about the administration's secrecy and lack of transparency on these operations.
While some experts doubt the Cártel de los Soles' existence as a separate entity, most acknowledge that the strikes themselves are illegal under international law. The list of 24 designated terrorist organizations appears to be nothing more than a justification for targeted killings without congressional oversight or authorization.
As one expert puts it, "The administration has established a factual and legal alternate universe for the executive branch." Critics argue that this is not just a secret war but an unauthorized one, with devastating consequences for civilians caught in the crossfire.
The list includes notorious Latin American cartels and criminal organizations like Tren de Aragua, Ejército de Liberación Nacional, and Cártel de los Soles, which have been linked to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. However, experts argue that these groups are more likely to be involved in smuggling operations than actual terrorist activities.
The Pentagon's use of secret information from human sources and signals intelligence to identify the target vessels has raised concerns about accountability and oversight. Moreover, military officials admit that they do not always know the identities of those on board before conducting lethal strikes.
Critics point out that these drone attacks amount to extrajudicial killings of civilians who are merely suspected smugglers or laborers, rather than actual terrorists posing an immediate threat. The lack of transparency and accountability in this operation undermines the principles of the law of war and is seen as a blatant overreach of executive power.
Lawmakers have expressed outrage at the administration's handling of these strikes, with some even questioning whether Congress has any authority to oversee such actions without explicit authorization from the president. Senate Republicans blocked a proposed resolution aimed at preventing future attacks on Venezuela, highlighting the partisan divisions in Congress on this issue.
The Intercept has uncovered that top-secret information is being withheld from lawmakers and other government agencies, fueling concerns about the administration's secrecy and lack of transparency on these operations.
While some experts doubt the Cártel de los Soles' existence as a separate entity, most acknowledge that the strikes themselves are illegal under international law. The list of 24 designated terrorist organizations appears to be nothing more than a justification for targeted killings without congressional oversight or authorization.
As one expert puts it, "The administration has established a factual and legal alternate universe for the executive branch." Critics argue that this is not just a secret war but an unauthorized one, with devastating consequences for civilians caught in the crossfire.
... I mean, who needs oversight when it comes to national security? But at the same time, it's not right to just assassinate people without a fair trial or any evidence of their involvement in terrorist activities... I don't know, maybe we should just leave it up to the experts and let them decide what's best for the country? 
Wait, no, that's exactly what got us into this mess in the first place – overreaching executive power! But on the other hand, can't Congress do anything about it without some kind of blanket authorization from the president? It seems like we're caught between a rock and a hard place... 
Ugh, I just don't know what's right anymore! 
I'm freaking out over here! This is a total disaster 
. We're talking about innocent people who might be laborers or smugglers, not actual terrorists 
.
.
. We need transparency and oversight, stat! This is a classic case of executive overreach 
and a blatant disregard for international law 
. Congress needs to step in here and make sure this isn't just some covert op that's going on behind our backs 
.
and it's got me worried about the future of democracy in this country 
. We need more truth, transparency, and less secrecy 
. Period! 
This whole situation is super messed up 
to justify these drone strikes. And what about those civilians on board? They didn't even get a chance to go to court or anything 
.
. Like, are we seriously just going to let the executive branch do whatever it wants without checking in with anyone else? 
.
It's all so shady and secretive...and for what? So the prez can say he's taking care of national security without actually having to do the hard work of oversight 
. Like, what even are we doing? We're literally killing people who might be innocent, and then they just pretend like it's not a big deal 
. And the lack of transparency is straight-up shady 
. I'm all for national security and all that, but not when it comes at the expense of human lives 
. We need to be more careful with this stuff and make sure we're following the law.
. We need more transparency and accountability when it comes to things like this.
.
. It's like the whole thing is a big mess, with no transparency or accountability in sight 
.
. This whole thing reeks of abuse of power and executive overreach 
. What's next, a secret list of "designated enemies" to justify more military actions? 
. They're just playing politics as usual. And what's with all the whining about transparency and accountability? Can't they just trust the administration to do its job? 
... what's even more concerning is that some of these groups on the list might be innocent people caught in the wrong place at the wrong time 
Meanwhile, lawmakers are over here scratching their heads like "wait, how did this even happen?" 
They kill people who might be smuggling or working at sea and we don't even know if they're guilty of anything. It's all done in secret with no one to ask questions. The government is hiding stuff from Congress, which means there's no check on what the president is doing. This is a huge problem because it feels like the government is making up rules as it goes along. 
, except it's real life and people's lives are at stake. And the lack of transparency is just crazy