Calls for Transparency Rise After Deadly Caribbean Double-Tap Strike:

Pressure is growing in Washington for the US government to release video footage of a controversial “double-tap” strike carried out on a suspected drug-smuggling boat in the Caribbean. The calls came from both Democratic and Republican lawmakers after they viewed the video in a closed-door briefing last week. However, their reactions were sharply divided along party lines, raising new questions about the legality of the military’s expanding anti-drug operations. The incident took place on September 2, when US forces targeted a small vessel believed to be involved in drug trafficking. After the first strike destroyed the boat, two people survived and were left clinging to debris in the water. According to recent reports, a second strike was then ordered, killing the survivors. This follow-up attack has become the centre of the current controversy. Democrats who saw the footage said the survivors were clearly no longer a threat. Adam Smith, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, said the vessel was “clearly incapacitated” and the two men in the water were unarmed and unable to communicate. He argued that the public must see the video to understand the seriousness of the situation. “They ought to release the video,” Smith said during an appearance on ABC News. “If people see it, they will understand why it is so difficult to justify.” He suggested that the Pentagon’s hesitation to release the footage shows that officials know it will raise serious concerns. Jim Himes, the leading Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, also supported making the video public. He said Americans should see what it looks like when the US military uses extreme force against people who appear helpless. “I think it’s really important that people see what it looks like when the full force of the United States military is turned on two guys clinging to a piece of wood,” he told CBS News. Several Republican lawmakers said they would not oppose the video’s release, though many defended the actions taken during the operation. Senator Tom Cotton said he did not find the footage disturbing and compared it to many other strikes carried out in conflict zones over the years. However, his claim that the survivors attempted to “flip” the damaged boat and continue travelling was strongly disputed by Democrats. Republican Senator John Curtis also supported more transparency, saying the American public should be able to judge for themselves rather than rely only on official statements. President Donald Trump said last week that he had “no problem” with releasing the video. But Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth struck a more cautious tone, saying officials must make a “responsible” decision as they review the possibility. The controversy intensified after The Washington Post reported that Hegseth had instructed commanders to leave no survivors, leading directly to the second strike. Hegseth has denied these claims, calling the report “fake news” and “fabricated.” Legal experts have also raised alarms. Some argue that both the double-tap strike and the broader military campaign against suspected drug traffickers violate US and international law. At least 87 people have been killed since the operations began in September, and the administration has not publicly provided evidence that the targeted boats carried drugs or were linked to criminal cartels. As calls for transparency grow louder, the debate over the legality and morality of these strikes is likely to intensify in the coming weeks.

NEWS