US creating new counter-narcotics task force in its Southern Command, Hegseth says

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Reuters

October 11, 2025 2:58 AM EDT Updated 16 hours ago


WASHINGTON, Oct 10 (Reuters) - The Pentagon announced on Friday it is establishing a new counter-narcotics joint task force overseeing operations in Latin America, a move aimed to strengthen already intensifying military operations that have raised questions among legal experts. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the task force aimed "to crush the cartels, stop the poison, and keep America safe." "The message is clear: if you traffic drugs toward our shores, we will stop you cold," Hegseth said on X.

STRIKING SUSPECTED DRUG BOATS

So far the missions have focused entirely on striking suspected drug boats in the waters of the Caribbean. The U.S. military has blown up at least four so far, killing 21 people. The U.S. military's Southern Command, which oversees U.S. operations in Latin America, said the new task force would be led by II Marine Expeditionary Force, a muscular unit capable of rapid overseas operations which is based at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.

The U.S. military's Southern Command said the II MEF, as it's known in military parlance, would "synchronize and augment counter-narcotics efforts across the Western Hemisphere."

"By forming a (task force) around II MEF headquarters, we enhance our ability to detect, disrupt, and dismantle illicit trafficking networks faster and at greater depth – together with our U.S. and partner-nation counterparts," Admiral Alvin Holsey, who leads Southern Command, said in a statement. It was unclear if the creation of the task force granted the U.S. troops in Latin America any additional authorities as President Donald Trump mulls potentially striking suspected drug trafficking sites inside Venezuela.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-creating-new-counter-narcotics-task-force-its-southern-command-hegseth-says-2025-10-10/

[Irish_Dem]

1. Trump Crime Syndicate wants to steal all South American resources.

[Blues Heron]

2. Ooh muscular! More like psycho 'roid rage murderers, killing for bloodlust

[2na fisherman]

3. Ask Admiral Holsey

Someday he will face an Armed Services Committee and be asked who authorized the attacks on those purported drug running boats. Many legal scholars say this may have been based on an illegal order and should be investigated as murder. There must be accountability for such acts to prevent them from happening again. Trump and Hegseth approved these strikes just to show the world that Trump could kill anyone with impunity. And this Admiral went along with it in apparent violation of his oath of service to the country. Everyone who participates in such illegal actions on behalf of the Trump regime can be held accountable and are not shielded by presidential immunity. And there is no statute of limitations on murder. Only Congress may authorize the use of military force and Trump thinks Article II permits him "to do anything I want." This will end badly if Trump blunders into a war with Latin American countries under the pretext of drug interdiction. He has no "additional authorities" to commit acts of war there. And this may force those once friendly countries to become closer to China.

[groundloop]

4. Striking SUSPECTED drug boats, without proof.

Since when is it ever ok for the military to kill people without proof of who they are or what they're doing?

My god, tRump's first attack was on a boat carrying migrants. There is absolutely no way in hell that a boat transporting drugs would have 11 people in it. They were murdered in cold blood by OUR military. I'm sickened by what this country is becoming.