US Kills 14 on 'Alleged' Drug Boats; 'Alleged' Human Rights Apply Only to Some
Al Jazeera reports the US military killed 14 individuals in three strikes on 'alleged' drug-smuggling boats in the Eastern Pacific. This brings the total known death toll from this specific US 'bombing campaign' to 57. The consistent use of 'alleged' to describe the cargo—not the dead—highlights a convenient presumption of guilt for the victims, a luxury not extended to, say, Saudi princes or
corporate executives. One might wonder if these 'alleged' smugglers received due process, a trial, or even a stern warning before being vaporized. The narrative here is chillingly familiar: unilateral US action, lethal force, and a vague justification involving 'drugs'—a convenient catch-all that has historically served as pretext for interventions far beyond simple law enforcement. How many
'alleged' threats justify unverified summary executions?