Trumpโ Considers Expanding Anti-Drug Operations with Potential โฃGround Missions in Venezuela and Colombia
Washington D.C. โข – President Donald Trumpโ is considering expanding โU.S. anti-drug operations โขto include potential ground โmissions in Venezuela and Colombia, following a seriesโ ofโฃ naval engagements in the Caribbeanโค and Pacific. senator Lindseyโ Graham revealed this possibility on Sunday,stating the President intends to brief Congress on the matter upon his โreturn โคfrom Asia.
“President Trumpโค told me yesterday that heโ plans to brief members of Congress about possible future militaryโ operations against Venezuela and Colombia,” Graham said in an interview on CBS’ ‘Face Theโค Nation.’ He affirmed that the White House isโ indeed contemplating ground attacks,โ adding, “There will โbe a briefing in โCongress โคon the possible expansion of the sea to โฃland. I support that โidea.”
The announcement โcomes after over a month of U.S. military actions targeting vessels suspectedโฃ of drug trafficking near the โcoasts โof Venezuela and โฃColombia. The U.S. Army has confirmed sinking at โขleast ten boats sinceโ early September, โresulting in the โฃdeaths of approximately 43 โคindividuals. The White Houseโข defends โฃthese actions asโข necessary โฃto protect Americans from the โขinflux of illegal drugs.
However, the operations have โคdrawn criticism, with some arguing the attacksโข are โคunlawful due to the lack of due process for those aboard the vessels and the โinability to โdefinitively prove they โขwere transporting narcotics.
Senator Rubรฉn Gallego (D-AZ) labeled the military actions “authorized murder” in an interview with NBCS โ’Meet the Press,’ deeming the resulting deathsโค “needless.”
Senator Graham strongly refutedโ this criticism, asserting that the U.S. โคmilitary is not engaging in unlawful killings. “they are making the United Statesโ safer โคby pursuing a narco-terrorist. Theyโ are following legal orders,” he stated, defending the President’s authority to order โthe sinking โof suspected drug-smuggling shipsโ as part of the broader war on drugs.
Graham emphasizedโ that these actions are aimed at protecting the U.S.from “poisoningโ by narcoterrorists โfrom Venezuela and Colombia.”
Barack Obama speaks at the 2019 George E. Paley Lecture at Columbia University.”>
