It takes a lot to be somehow more disturbing and controversial in the United States than President Donald Trump, but one high-ranking official is somehow getting that job done.
In case you haven’t been following it, there is a growing controversy over how the U.S. Navy has been destroying boats leaving Venezuela reportedly for the U.S. without a declaration of war, or due process, or taking them into custody even though a battlegroup including the aircraft carrier U.S.S Gerald Ford has them outgunned a million to one.
The current double-tap controversy concerns the first of those strikes, where there were apparently known survivors on board one boat, until a second volley was launched at a completely helpless opponent.
No matter which way you cut it, that is a possible war crime either by killing a helpless foe, or by repeatedly attacking boats from another sovereign nation in what becomes a de facto declaration of war, something that is supposed to go through congress.
Yesterday, U.S. Secretary of War (his new title) Pete Hesgeth cited the “fog of war” in that “double tap” strike saying he “didn’t stick around” after the initial attack but supported the Admiral who ordered it.
I would humbly suggest to the person overseeing military operations near Venezuela that he should be doing that job more and making inappropriate use of Canadian fictional turtles less.
Hegseth also recently posted on social media recently a mock cover of a Franklin the Turtle’s children’s book titled “Franklin Targets Narco Terrorists.”…with Franklin (a pacifist) firing a weapon.
To that I say the following. Mr Hesgeth, keep your hands off Franklin and put them back on the wheel you are supposed to be steering. At the very least, stick around to see how badly you are breaking international laws when you ignore them.
I’m Paul Martin and that’s what I see looking Beyond the Headlines.
