The US government has created a secret list of 24 organizations that it claims are engaged in armed conflict with the United States. However, experts say there is no evidence that these groups are actually participating in such conflicts.
According to three government sources, the list includes Latin American cartels and criminal organizations, such as Tren de Aragua, Ejército de Liberación Nacional, Cártel de los Soles, and various Sinaloa Cartel groups. These organizations are supposedly engaged in "non-international armed conflict" with the US.
However, experts argue that this list is a farce, as America's adversaries do not even know they are considered at war with the US, nor do the American people know with whom the US is facing in a supposed state of armed conflict. In fact, some experts doubt the existence of Cártel de los Soles, describing it as more of a system of corruption than a group with a leadership structure.
The list has been used by the Trump administration to justify deadly strikes on alleged drug-smugglers at sea. The US military has carried out 17 known attacks on boats in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific Ocean since September, killing at least 70 people. However, lawmakers say that these strikes are illegal extrajudicial killings because the military is not permitted to deliberately target civilians.
The Pentagon has been withholding key information about the attacks and the list of designated terrorist organizations for almost two months. Even when provided with the list, some lawmakers claim they were not given enough information to understand the administration's interpretation of the law.
Experts warn that the strikes are a significant departure from standard practice in the long-running US war on drugs, which has traditionally involved law enforcement arresting suspected drug smugglers. The administration has no plans to seek an authorization for the use of military force similar to the 2001 AUMF used to justify counterterrorism operations following 9/11.
"This is not just a secret war, but a secret unauthorized war," said Brian Finucane, a former State Department lawyer. "This is the president, purely by fiat, saying that the US is in conflict with these undisclosed groups without any congressional authorization."
Lawmakers say that the strikes are illegal under US and international law because there is no evidence of an armed conflict between the US and these cartels. "If colleagues believe that a war against the narco-traffickers in the ocean or a war against Venezuela is a good idea, then put an [authorization of military force] on the table and debate and vote it," said Sen. Tim Kaine.
The full list of 24 DTOs has not been disclosed to all lawmakers on the House Armed Services Committee, sparking concerns about secrecy and accountability.
According to three government sources, the list includes Latin American cartels and criminal organizations, such as Tren de Aragua, Ejército de Liberación Nacional, Cártel de los Soles, and various Sinaloa Cartel groups. These organizations are supposedly engaged in "non-international armed conflict" with the US.
However, experts argue that this list is a farce, as America's adversaries do not even know they are considered at war with the US, nor do the American people know with whom the US is facing in a supposed state of armed conflict. In fact, some experts doubt the existence of Cártel de los Soles, describing it as more of a system of corruption than a group with a leadership structure.
The list has been used by the Trump administration to justify deadly strikes on alleged drug-smugglers at sea. The US military has carried out 17 known attacks on boats in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific Ocean since September, killing at least 70 people. However, lawmakers say that these strikes are illegal extrajudicial killings because the military is not permitted to deliberately target civilians.
The Pentagon has been withholding key information about the attacks and the list of designated terrorist organizations for almost two months. Even when provided with the list, some lawmakers claim they were not given enough information to understand the administration's interpretation of the law.
Experts warn that the strikes are a significant departure from standard practice in the long-running US war on drugs, which has traditionally involved law enforcement arresting suspected drug smugglers. The administration has no plans to seek an authorization for the use of military force similar to the 2001 AUMF used to justify counterterrorism operations following 9/11.
"This is not just a secret war, but a secret unauthorized war," said Brian Finucane, a former State Department lawyer. "This is the president, purely by fiat, saying that the US is in conflict with these undisclosed groups without any congressional authorization."
Lawmakers say that the strikes are illegal under US and international law because there is no evidence of an armed conflict between the US and these cartels. "If colleagues believe that a war against the narco-traffickers in the ocean or a war against Venezuela is a good idea, then put an [authorization of military force] on the table and debate and vote it," said Sen. Tim Kaine.
The full list of 24 DTOs has not been disclosed to all lawmakers on the House Armed Services Committee, sparking concerns about secrecy and accountability.
I'm worried about this whole situation with the secret list of groups the US government says are in armed conflict with them... I mean, come on 
, if there's no evidence these groups are even involved in conflicts, why are we attacking them? 
It sounds like a bunch of blanket statements to me, and it raises so many red flags about accountability and transparency.
We should be working with these countries to find solutions, not dropping bombs from the sky. 
... after all, we're the ones who have to live with the consequences of their actions 
. Like, what are they hiding? And those 70+ deaths in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific Ocean? That's crazy 
.
. We need to get our lawmakers together and figure out what's really going on here 
. This secret war thing needs to be exposed ASAP 
.
. No seriously tho, this list thingy seems super sketchy to me. I don't think we should be launching attacks without knowing for sure that we're actually in a war with these groups. That's just basic human rights stuff 
. And can we get some transparency on this? Like, who gets to decide which cartels are considered enemies of the state and why? 
It's just not right that lawmakers aren't being given all the info they need to make informed decisions about this. We should be having a national conversation about what's going on here, not some covert ops behind closed doors 
. The whole thing feels like a giant game of "gotcha" and it's up to us to keep an eye on it 
.
. Like, what's going on with our military, you know? They're just randomly dropping bombs on people in the ocean without even telling Congress, let alone the public 
This whole situation feels super shady to me 
.
. Experts are saying it's all a bunch of hooey and that America doesn't actually have an armed conflict with any of these groups 
. But the Trump admin is still dropping those deadly drone strikes like they're going outta style 
, killing at least 70 people in the process. That's just not cool 
. The Pentagon is being super shady too, withholding info from lawmakers and not even disclosing the full list of groups 
. I mean, what are we even fighting for here? It feels like a big ol' game of "let's pretend" 
, but it's not okay when innocent people get caught in the crossfire 
. We need some transparency and accountability ASAP 
! #NotMyWar #TransparencyMatters #JusticeForTheVictims
I mean, isn't it gonna be a total mess when the truth comes out? And what's up with all these strikes in the Caribbean and Pacific? At least 70 people dead already... 
.
not make up its own laws on the fly 
We need more transparency, not less.
. The fact that lawmakers are saying this is a secret unauthorized war is totally true 
. I mean, who gets to decide what's an armed conflict just by fiat? 
. But for real tho, if these cartels don't even know they're in a conflict with the US and America's people don't know who we're fighting, then what are we really doing here? These strikes seem legit sketchy to me... and why is there no congressional authorization for this? It just feels like more of the same secrecy and power plays that got us into trouble back in the 80s 
. It's all about national security, I guess