US Strikes on Alleged Drug Boats May Be ‘Crimes Against Humanity’, UN Says

The image of a warship firing on a small boat in calm Caribbean waters evokes chaos and confusion. However, when the smoke clears, the reality is stark: the United States military has been engaging in extrajudicial killings in international waters, leaving at least 223 people dead.

The UN’s special rapporteur on human rights and counterterrorism, Ben Saul, has criticized the US government’s actions in a report that details the true nature of these strikes. The findings are damning: the US military’s attacks in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean have been carried out without proper authorization, violating international law and the right to life.

The US government defends its actions as self-defense against “narco-terrorists,” but this framing is a smokescreen. In reality, drug trafficking does not meet the legal threshold for an armed attack, and the US has no right to use force in self-defense in this context.

A total of 68 vessels have been struck, with at least 223 people killed. The Pentagon’s release of videos showing these strikes on social media is a rare example of transparency, but it discloses little about who was killed or what evidence linked them to drug trafficking.

Saul’s report highlights the availability of less-lethal alternatives, such as maritime interception of vessels. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has acknowledged that this approach is feasible. The fact that these options have not been explored suggests a disregard for human life and international law.

For those affected by these strikes, it means a lifetime of grief and unanswered questions. For communities living in fear of these operations, it perpetuates violence and instability. The world at large is left to question the nature of justice and accountability.

The report also raises questions about the effectiveness of this campaign in reducing drug trafficking to the US. Cocaine seizures at the border have remained steady, and much of the region’s cocaine moves through container ships that are rarely inspected – not the small boats being targeted by the US military. The strikes have done nothing to address fentanyl and opioids, which are typically trafficked overland from Venezuela.

In a world grappling with global security and human rights complexities, the US strikes in international waters serve as a reminder of the need for accountability and transparency. By killing low-level suspects, these operations may be undermining efforts to dismantle cartel networks and prosecute their leaders.

As Ben Saul noted, “The use of force must always be lawful, proportionate, and strictly necessary.” The US military’s actions in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean have failed this test.