Pentagon 'Absolutely' Knows Who They Killed: Prove It, Says Lawmaker Not Funded by Defense Lobby
The Intercept reports the Pentagon assuring a lawmaker it 'absolutely' knows who it killed during a Venezuelan boat strike. This assertion comes while the US military continues to operate with stunning impunity, rarely held to account for the actual identities of its 'collateral damage.' The Department of Defense's consistent refrain—from drone strikes in Afghanistan to 'precision' bombings in
Iraq—has been either absolute certainty without proof, or total ignorance until public outcry forces a limited admission. Perhaps this newfound 'absolute' knowledge is a temporary measure, a performative transparency. After all, accountability is a luxury rarely afforded to the victims of US military interventions, especially those in resource-rich nations. Our media rarely questions these
'accidents,' preferring to parrot Pentagon press releases while overlooking decades of civilian body counts, from My Lai to the 'forever wars.' One might conclude the Pentagon only 'absolutely' knows who it killed when it suits a specific political narrative, or when a lawmaker like Kingsley Wilson (who notably does not appear in OpenSecrets' top defense contractor PAC donor lists) demands an
answer.