US Strike Off Venezuelan Coast Sparks Outrage. It is war crime
US strike off Venezuelan coast kills 11, sparking outrage over lack of evidence, Congressional approval, and escalating illegal war risks.
WASHINGTON, Sept 6 – A controversial US military strike that killed 11 people aboard a boat off Venezuelan waters has drawn fierce criticism from rights advocates and foreign policy watchdogs, who say the attack lacked legal authority, evidence, and transparency.
Initially, Secretary of State Marco Rubio claimed the vessel was headed to Trinidad. Hours later, President Donald Trump offered shifting explanations, alleging the boat was carrying drugs bound for Florida and later calling the passengers “terrorists.” The Pentagon has refused to release any proof to support these claims.
“This administration cannot be allowed to kill whomever it wants, wherever it wants, simply by labeling them terrorists,” said the advocacy group Just Foreign Policy in a statement. “Congress has been sidelined, the courts ignored, and innocent lives lost. This is a dangerous precedent that risks dragging the US into an illegal war with Venezuela.”
War crime
The strike has raised alarms about creeping military escalation in the Caribbean, with critics warning it echoes the failures of both the “War on Drugs” and the “War on Terror.” Analysts note that successive presidents have expanded unilateral war-making powers, often bypassing Congress and the public.
For many, the incident underscores a broader crisis of accountability in US foreign policy. “This isn’t just about one strike,” the group warned. “It’s about decades of unchecked executive power in matters of war and peace.”
Kazi Mahmood