Journalism of Courage
The White House on Monday confirmed that a US Navy Commander ordered a second round of military strikes on an alleged drug boat from Venezuela in the Caribbean Sea in September and that the admiral acted “within his authority and the law” as the action has come under bipartisan scrutiny with some congressional Republicans expressing concern about US military action, AP reported.
The justification for the September 2 strike was offered by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt after lawmakers from both parties joined the chorus to order a congressional review of US military strikes against alleged drug carrying vessels in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean. “Admiral (Frank) Bradley worked well within his authority and the law in ordering the additional strikes,” Leavitt said.
The lawmakers, including Republicans, sought to review the military strikes on the basis of a published report which stated that Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the second strike verbally on the alleged drug carrying boat that killed survivors in the September incident. The US lawmakers have vowed to investigate the incident for possible war crimes.
During a press briefing on Monday, Leavitt said, “Secretary Hegseth authorized Admiral Bradley to conduct these kinetic strikes. Admiral Bradley worked well within his authority and the law, directing the engagement to ensure the boat was destroyed and the threat to the United States of America was eliminated,” referring to US Navy Vice Admiral Frank Bradley, who was the commander of Joint Special Operations Command when the strikes took place.
A report earlier in the Washington Post has alleged that Defence Secretary Hegseth gave the verbal order to “kill everybody” on board the vessel in September and therefore a second strike took place on the drug carrying boat but White House denied it.
US President Donald Trump has decided to meet his national security team on Monday after bipartisan scrutiny mounted over the September strikes. Trump, however, defended Hegseth and said, “Pete said he did not order the death of those two men. And I believe him.”
(with inputs from agencies)
