I can for sure see this happening. Everybody sailing a Beneteau or other popular production cruiser must be cringing at the thought of a Predator putting them in their crosshairs for a Hellfire. The cartels would love to have some accidental "friendly fire" accidents, to cause an outcry and get the open-ocean interdictions called off. Or, at least, go back to boarding and inspecting, instead of sudden death from above. Boarding and inspecting is far more difficult, and more "leakers" will get through with the drugs. Cartels are willing to lose a percentage, but they hate being shut down, as they are today.
The drugs will never be stopped which is why the war on drugs is a make jobs program for gov and a nod to the MIC.
Btw if ya think drugs ARE being stopped I suggest you go out on the corner of the seediest neighborhood in your area and ask about availability and price. You’ll find your claims are bumpkis.
Even if the Trump administration had and revealed conclusive evidence that the boats they have destroyed and the seaman they have killed were in fact actively engaged in transporting drugs to the United States it would not change the fact that these actions are extrajudicial killings, indistinguishable from murder. These are gross violations of international maritime law and subject those carrying out these unlawful orders to prosecution, as they should be.
Not when 100,000 plus Americans are dying per year from drug overdoses, often from doctored pills. We are not talking about just the junkies dying anymore. Under the old "stop and board," the drug boat crews just got a free trip to Miami, where they would bond out and disappear. It's a different ball game when your drug boat is blown up.
BTW, American warship in the early 1800's routinely destroyed every corsair pirate ship they found. All sides literally put up false flags to lure the other ship into range. Was that murder, if they didn't find out if they were really corsair pirates, as opposed to innocent Algerian merchants?
They are dying because they choose to ingest unknown substances. The “War on Drugs” has never done anything other than increase the social costs of drug use. It is bad policy and just a cover for our refusal to deal with the real problems which plague our society.
Former/Always 82nd Airborne Infantryman, Disabled Veteran for Life, & Author of the book, "The Separation of Corporation and State" subtitled "Common Sense and the Two-Party Crisis" Available on Amazon.
Yup...that is what democrat&republican politicians do, and have been doing all my life.
Lebo Von Lo~Debar
Former/Always 82nd Airborne Infantryman, Disabled Veteran for Life, & Author of the book, "The Separation of Corporation and State" subtitled "Common Sense and the Two-Party Crisis" Available on Amazon.
More "fear porn." Presumably we have overhead surveillance of the drug boats being loaded. Then they are tracked to international waters where they are turned into chum.
The fact that the cartels use "go-fasts" as well as slow, long-range semi-submersibles shows their adaptability. They literally manufacture their own 50-60 foot LOA fiberglass semi-subs, and that is not a trivial undertaking. It's much easier to purchase cruising sailboats and try to blend in with the cruising traffic. I don't think the US Navy will risk blowing up an innocent cruising couple or family, so they'll have to go back to stop and board, and the cartels will take those odds, win a few, lose a few.
"One of the great mistakes is to judge policies and programs by their intentions rather than their results".
Milton Freidman
The war on drugs has accomplished two things. It’s made drugs wildly more profitable. And made millions in gov and the private sector rich, welfare recipients, paid for accomplishing nothing. Oh I forgot one other accomplishment, suppressing liberty and due process. The results won’t be any different this time. But many are just too lazy intellectually to admit that.
You're right, Peter. This is not a passive and predictable risk, like weather. What you have called a 'battlespace' is probably the right characterisation. 'Looks safe' is meaningless when you're not even in the same information space. Engaging due process normally protects you from what you don't know, but due process has been abandoned. The revised protocols are not the new due process -- they are ad-hoc risk transfer by a public sector under political strain.
Or maybe it’s all a ploy to get publicity for an organization no one has ever heard of of…1500 members is a pittance. Do some research, Boat US has more than 750,000 members.
I can for sure see this happening. Everybody sailing a Beneteau or other popular production cruiser must be cringing at the thought of a Predator putting them in their crosshairs for a Hellfire. The cartels would love to have some accidental "friendly fire" accidents, to cause an outcry and get the open-ocean interdictions called off. Or, at least, go back to boarding and inspecting, instead of sudden death from above. Boarding and inspecting is far more difficult, and more "leakers" will get through with the drugs. Cartels are willing to lose a percentage, but they hate being shut down, as they are today.
I was wondering what your take would be.
The drugs will never be stopped which is why the war on drugs is a make jobs program for gov and a nod to the MIC.
Btw if ya think drugs ARE being stopped I suggest you go out on the corner of the seediest neighborhood in your area and ask about availability and price. You’ll find your claims are bumpkis.
Precisely.
Even if the Trump administration had and revealed conclusive evidence that the boats they have destroyed and the seaman they have killed were in fact actively engaged in transporting drugs to the United States it would not change the fact that these actions are extrajudicial killings, indistinguishable from murder. These are gross violations of international maritime law and subject those carrying out these unlawful orders to prosecution, as they should be.
Not when 100,000 plus Americans are dying per year from drug overdoses, often from doctored pills. We are not talking about just the junkies dying anymore. Under the old "stop and board," the drug boat crews just got a free trip to Miami, where they would bond out and disappear. It's a different ball game when your drug boat is blown up.
BTW, American warship in the early 1800's routinely destroyed every corsair pirate ship they found. All sides literally put up false flags to lure the other ship into range. Was that murder, if they didn't find out if they were really corsair pirates, as opposed to innocent Algerian merchants?
They are dying because they choose to ingest unknown substances. The “War on Drugs” has never done anything other than increase the social costs of drug use. It is bad policy and just a cover for our refusal to deal with the real problems which plague our society.
So, because 47,000 Americans die each year from gunshot wounds, it's ok to bomb the gun factories and stores?
I disagree...hence the "war on drugs."
Lebo Von Lo~Debar
Former/Always 82nd Airborne Infantryman, Disabled Veteran for Life, & Author of the book, "The Separation of Corporation and State" subtitled "Common Sense and the Two-Party Crisis" Available on Amazon.
https://a.co/d/fy5rSdW
Great strategy for our bloated gov. Declare war on drugs. Declare war on terrorism. Declare war on poverty. Declare war on…….
And then anything is possible.
Yup...that is what democrat&republican politicians do, and have been doing all my life.
Lebo Von Lo~Debar
Former/Always 82nd Airborne Infantryman, Disabled Veteran for Life, & Author of the book, "The Separation of Corporation and State" subtitled "Common Sense and the Two-Party Crisis" Available on Amazon.
https://a.co/d/fy5rSdW
Here's an idea. How about the USA just stop murdering people! Or, stop supporting a government that doesn't condemn this.
More "fear porn." Presumably we have overhead surveillance of the drug boats being loaded. Then they are tracked to international waters where they are turned into chum.
Right, because you can absolutely trust Donald Trump to do the right thing. SMH
Luckily for us, the US citizen, our gov has never lied. The Vietnam war was on the up and up. Ditto Iraq.
Regardless almost anyplace is a better place to be if ya enjoy liberty.
The fact that the cartels use "go-fasts" as well as slow, long-range semi-submersibles shows their adaptability. They literally manufacture their own 50-60 foot LOA fiberglass semi-subs, and that is not a trivial undertaking. It's much easier to purchase cruising sailboats and try to blend in with the cruising traffic. I don't think the US Navy will risk blowing up an innocent cruising couple or family, so they'll have to go back to stop and board, and the cartels will take those odds, win a few, lose a few.
"One of the great mistakes is to judge policies and programs by their intentions rather than their results".
Milton Freidman
The war on drugs has accomplished two things. It’s made drugs wildly more profitable. And made millions in gov and the private sector rich, welfare recipients, paid for accomplishing nothing. Oh I forgot one other accomplishment, suppressing liberty and due process. The results won’t be any different this time. But many are just too lazy intellectually to admit that.
Or maybe those many benefit from war?
You're right, Peter. This is not a passive and predictable risk, like weather. What you have called a 'battlespace' is probably the right characterisation. 'Looks safe' is meaningless when you're not even in the same information space. Engaging due process normally protects you from what you don't know, but due process has been abandoned. The revised protocols are not the new due process -- they are ad-hoc risk transfer by a public sector under political strain.
Or maybe it’s all a ploy to get publicity for an organization no one has ever heard of of…1500 members is a pittance. Do some research, Boat US has more than 750,000 members.