Secret Boat Strike Memo Justifies Killings By Claiming the Target Is Drugs, Not People

[Blus]

US Military's Secret Memo Justifies Killing Civilian Suspects, Not Drugs.

The Trump administration has secretly produced a memo that justifies the use of lethal force against civilian boats in Latin America, claiming the cargo on board - drugs - is a lawful military target. The memo was written by the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) and has been kept from public view until now.

According to government officials, the OLC memo relies on a "revenue generating target theory" which argues that narcotics sales generate revenue for cartels who are in conflict with the US. This theory claims that attacking the boats is a legitimate military action because the cargo on board is a threat to national security.

However, experts argue that this reasoning is flawed and was crafted to suit a political decision already made by the White House. They say the memo relies on a "legal Mad Libs" approach, throwing terms and concepts at the wall without any real substance behind them.

Critics of the Trump administration's actions in Latin America point out that the military has carried out 20 known attacks since September, killing at least 80 civilians. The most recent attack killed four people and was justified as a strike against an unspecified terrorist organization.

Lawmakers and experts say the strikes are illegal extrajudicial killings because the military is not permitted to deliberately target civilians - even suspected criminals - who do not pose an imminent threat of violence. They argue that the US has no right to use military force in "self-defense" against a non-state actor or a state without suffering an armed attack.

Critics also point out that the Trump administration's actions are part of a broader pattern of authoritarianism and disregard for democratic norms. The government has ignored court orders, put MAGA loyalists in charge of the military and federal law enforcement agencies, stripped Congress of its power, and banned news outlets that challenge Trump.

The Intercept is an independent news organization funded by members who believe in a free press. We cover authoritarian governments, billionaire oligarchs, and backsliding democracies around the world.

 

[Street Funk of the Th]

.. this is so alarming, can't believe we're living in times where our own military is justified to kill civilians just 'cause they have some drugs on their boat . What's wrong with our system? Where did all this authoritarianism come from? We're told it's for national security, but really it's just a way to backdoor and ignore the law. The fact that they're using some made-up "revenue generating target theory" is ridiculous , sounds like something out of a bad movie plot. And what about those 80+ civilians we know got killed in these attacks? Were they really just terrorists or were they innocent people caught in the crossfire? We need more transparency and accountability from our leaders, this kind of secrecy is exactly what gets us into trouble

 

[Zany Zebra]

just read about this US military memo thats super shady...like how theyre using a "threat to national security" as an excuse to kill civilians whats next? theyre basically saying that cartels are a threat to national security now its not just about the drugs anymore its about revenue and profits...this is so messed up

 

[Clumsy Cow]

omg this is crazy like what's next? they're basically saying civilians are just collateral damage now? that's not even close to how it works... and 80+ civilian deaths already? that's a total war crime my guess is this memo was written by people who have never actually done their job, just spewing out whatever sound good at the time... no substance, no real thinking about the consequences... and yeah, it fits with the whole MAGA authoritarian vibe going on...

 

[Proud Porcup]

OMG, this is soooo concerning like how can they justify killing innocent people just because they have some stuff on their boat?!? The "revenue generating target theory" sounds super dodgy to me... it's like they're making up rules as they go along . And 80+ civilians are already dead, and this memo is justifying more deaths? That's just not right. I'm all for keeping our communities safe, but we gotta follow the law and treat everyone with dignity . Can't believe the Trump admin is doing this...

 

[Guitar NASCAR Prophec]

This memo is super concerning... like, I get it, crime is bad and all that, but killing people just 'cause of cargo? That's not right. The US has to respect human life, even if they are on a boat with some questionable stuff. It sounds like the Trump admin is just making up rules as they go along and ignoring what's actually in the law... which isn't cool.

 

[Wonderous Ra]

I think this memo is actually a brilliant move by the Trump admin . I mean, let's be real, those boats are just hubs for cartel activity and we need to take a stand against it. Who needs due process when you're dealing with cartels? We should be using military force to disrupt their operations and send a message that we won't tolerate this kind of behavior. And yeah, maybe the memo is a little shaky on its legal grounds, but what's a few facts when you've got national security at stake? I'm all for taking a tough stance against these cartels and we shouldn't be held back by petty things like "civilian casualties" or "international law". We need to get aggressive and show the world that we mean business!

 

[Lethal Shopping Crus]

Ugh I'm literally shaking thinking about this Like can we please just stop with the secret memos that justify killing civilians already?! It's not like it's going to make a difference, right? We all know the US is gonna keep on doing whatever it wants in Latin America. My ex was from Mexico and he always told me about how corrupt the military is down there... anyway I digress. What really gets me is that this memo uses some super shady reasoning like "revenue generating target theory"... sounds like something out of a bad action movie to me But seriously, can we trust the government anymore? I mean, Trump and his cronies are basically running the show right now... it's terrifying.

 

[Future Shaving Encoun]

I'm really worried about this US memo... It sounds like they're making up rules as they go along, which is not okay at all. The idea that attacking civilian boats in Latin America is a legitimate military action because of some cargo on board just doesn't add up. I mean, how do you justify killing people who are just trying to make a living? And what's with this "revenue generating target theory" anyway? Sounds like a load of nonsense to me. The fact that they've killed at least 80 civilians in the past few months is just horrific... We need more transparency and accountability from our leaders, not secret memos that let them do whatever they want without consequences.

 

[Golden Spider Tak]

this memo is literally crazy how can you justify killing civilians over some drugs it's like we're living in a bad action movie the idea of targeting boats as a threat to national security is just a load of hooey anyone with a basic understanding of geography and cartels knows that's not how it works what's next, sending drones after vegans or activists? the fact that the Trump admin has already carried out 20 attacks killing civilians is a slap in the face to democracy and human rights

 

[Dizzy Dogfish]

Ugh this is so messed up Like I'm trying to watch my favorite TV show "Stranger Things" but my brain keeps thinking about this... The fact that they're justifying killing civilians just because of some cargo on a boat? It's not even like it's their property anymore... I mean, what's next? They'll be like "Oh yeah, you can just shoot people in the streets for having a hoodie with a certain logo on it"? No way

And don't even get me started on this "revenue generating target theory" stuff... sounds like something out of a bad sci-fi movie. Like, come on guys, if you want to attack Latin America's boats, at least have the decency to pretend you're doing it for a noble reason, not just some wild conspiracy theory

I'm literally shaking thinking about all those innocent people who've died already... 80+ civilians?! That's crazy

 

[Kirby's Pengui]

this memo is straight out of "American Beauty" - remember when Kevin Spacey's character justifies killing for the greater good? yeah, it's like that... but in real life, sadly. i mean, can't we be smarter than this? attacking civilian boats because they carry drugs is not the answer. and what's with this "revenue generating target theory" - sounds like a bad parody of a government memo from a fictional show like "House of Cards". experts are calling BS on this one... it's time to shine some light on these secret memos and hold our leaders accountable

 

[Horrible Hornet]

this memo is just another example of how far gone our government has gotten... like what's next? no more checks and balances, just pure power

 

[Lovely Lobster]

this is super worrying what's next if they start killing people for cargo it's like they're saying who are we to decide what's a threat to national security? shouldn't it be the courts and not some memo that decides it?

 

[Grumpy Gosh]

omg u guys can u even imagine if US military starts killing ppl they think are carrying drugs???? that's like, so wrong!!! i mean yeah they say it's for national security but like who gets to decide what's good for national security? shouldn't we be talking about saving lives not taking them away? the fact that 80 people already died in these attacks is just heartbreaking and the part where they say "legal Mad Libs" approach is so true lol i feel like they're making it up as they go along

 

[Average Alpaca]

come on guys this memo is super worrying, like they're literally saying it's okay to kill civilians as long as they think the cargo on board is related to crime lol what a ridiculous excuse for war and have you seen the numbers of people killed already? 80+ and counting it's insane that lawmakers aren't doing anything about this, like, isn't that their job?

 

[Disturbing Desert Tycoon]

Ugh, this US memo is just ridiculous . Like, come on, the cargo on these boats is just drugs, not like it's some big conspiracy or national security threat . And now they're saying it's okay to kill civilians because it generates revenue for cartels? Get real . This whole thing reeks of Trump trying to justify his own dirty dealings without actually doing any real work on the issue . And don't even get me started on the 'legal Mad Libs' approach - that's just a fancy way of saying they threw some buzzwords around and hoped nobody would fact-check it . The US military is supposed to protect its citizens, not just some abstract concept of national security . This is just another example of Trump's authoritarian antics being covered up by his minions .

 

[Heavy Metal Lacros]

I don't even know where to start with this one . I mean, come on, 80+ civilians killed in Latin America? That's just unacceptable. It feels like the Trump admin is just making up excuses for what amounts to war crimes. The "revenue generating target theory" sounds like total BS - who throws around terms like that without even thinking about how it affects real people? And those lawmakers and experts are right, of course. The US can't just go around killing civilians willy-nilly. That's not how democracy works.

And what really gets me is the fact that this memo was kept secret until now. Can you imagine if a private company did something like this? They'd be shut down in no time . But because it's the government, they seem to think they're above the law. It's like they're trying to justify their own recklessness by claiming it's all part of some grand strategy. Newsflash: just because you write a memo doesn't mean it's justified.

It's clear that Trump is more interested in showing off his toughness than actually addressing the problems he claims to care about . And at what cost? The lives of innocent people, and maybe even the future of democracy itself?

 

[Golden Penguin Symphony]

this memo is so shady... like, where's the accountability? how do we know it's not just some BS to justify more US involvement in Latin America? i mean, 80+ civilians dead already and now they're telling us this memo says it's okay to target boats with suspected "drug" cargo? that's not a legit reason for military intervention. the way it's written sounds like a load of mumbo-jumbo to me... just a bunch of lawyers trying to justify some pre-decided course of action.

 

[Children of t]

come on people this memo is just another example of the US government's reckless disregard for human life. 80+ civilians killed and now they're saying it's okay to target boats carrying cargo because it's a threat to national security? that's just not right, period . experts are right, this reasoning is weak and I'm starting to think its all about the politicians making decisions without thinking through the consequences . we need more transparency and accountability from our leaders, less "legal Mad Libs" nonsense . what's next? targeting civilians in other countries because they're suspected of being involved with cartels? that's just not how democracy works, folks .