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Trump Accused Of Committing War Crimes After 61 Killed In Drug Boat Raids
Outrage grows after President Trump’s “drug war at sea” leaves 61 dead. U.N. officials and legal experts say the killings could amount to war crimes under international law.
newzsquare.com
President Donald Trump’s “war on drug boats” is facing global backlash after U.S. forces killed at least 61 people in international waters a move international law experts say may amount to illegal executions or even war crimes.
According to reports, the U.S. military has launched 10 deadly strikes since early September against suspected drug traffickers in the Caribbean and off the coasts of Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, and Trinidad. The Trump administration insists the killings are part of a “war on narco-terrorism.” But critics say that’s not how the law or reality works.
“This is murder, plain and simple,” said Colombian President Gustavo Petro, who revealed one of the victims was actually a fisherman. The U.N. Human Rights Chief, Volker Türk, condemned the killings on Friday, saying they violate international law and show “complete disregard for human life.”
But Trump doesn’t appear to care. His administration has brushed off international outrage and even refused to share evidence with Congress.
Philippe Sands, a renowned international law expert and author who’s argued before global tribunals, told POLITICO Magazine the operation is “contrary to the basic precepts of international law.”
“Drug traffickers are criminals, not combatants,” Sands said. “If the U.S. claims it can kill them under the laws of war, then what stops other countries from using the same excuse to kill whoever they want?”
Sands said the U.S. justification claiming self-defense under Article 51 of the U.N. Charter doesn’t hold up. “Self-defense applies only if an armed attack occurs. Drug trafficking isn’t an armed attack,” he explained. “This should be handled under criminal law, not by military force.”
He warned that if the U.S. keeps using the military this way, it could “cross the line into international criminality.”
The controversy comes just months after the U.S. Supreme Court granted presidents sweeping immunity for official actions, in a ruling that experts fear could embolden Trump.
“The concern is that a president now has a green light to torture, disappear, or even kill people — as long as he claims it’s in the name of national defense,” Sands said.
International courts are watching closely. The International Criminal Court (ICC) recently issued arrest warrants for former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte over similar “anti-drug” killings. While the U.S. isn’t a member of the ICC, any killings on foreign-flagged vessels could still trigger international jurisdiction.
“America helped write the rules after World War II,” Sands said. “Now it’s breaking them.”
The backlash is growing fast. Human rights groups are demanding an investigation, and South American leaders are furious. “If these attacks continue, countries like Colombia or Venezuela could bring charges against U.S. officials,” Sands warned.
The Trump administration has shrugged off those threats but the world is paying attention.
“This isn’t just about drug traffickers,” Sands said. “It’s about whether the U.S. still believes in the laws it helped create.”
For now, the message from Trump’s America seems clear:
Forget diplomacy — we’ll kill first, and answer later.
