Here is basically the PROTOCOL to stop drug runners.
The speed boat is full of drug contraband and is moving with four marine engines at full throttle. Their goal is to make it to a destination for distribution of the contraband with four hours of fuel.
The drug runners are spotted by the USA Coast Guard on patrol no different than the spotting Hegseth is doing in the Caribbean. Once spotted the Coast Guard cutter ( click here) sets an intercept course. There is one problem, the speed boat has an advantage in distance and increasing the distance from the cutter.
The commander of the ship is not worried because on board of the cutter are sharp shooters and a helicopter. The helicopter lifts off with a full compliment of competent soldiers specially trained for this mission. In no time the helicopter catches up with the speed boat. What happens next only speaks to the magnificent expertise of the USA top brass in preparedness and respect for life.
The helicopter pilot announces their arrival and demands the speed boat to stop. It does not. The second warning is blasted from the helicopter but this time it is stated there will be consequences if the boat does not stop. It does not.
An order is given to the crew on board to prepare to fire. A third warning is announced and the speed boat does not stop. The side door of the helicopter is opened to reveal a gunman with a 50 caliper rifle. He takes aim at the speed boat’s first engine and fires. The first of four engines is penetrated by the 50 caliper bullet and ceases to operate.
This is a near impossible task. The speed boat is moving and even changing course to get away from the helicopter. The helicopter is flying in a trajectory to end the forward progress of the speed boat. The boat is on the ocean with waves and wakes from those engines. The engines are a moving target on an ocean with many moving parts.
The USA Coast Guard sharpshooter takes aim at the second engine and fires. The boat continues to try an evade the helicopter. The second engine is penetrated by a 50 caliper bullet, then third and then the four. The boat finally stops adrift on the ocean.
The helicopter hovers and announces all on board are under arrest and are to stand down. The sharpshooter remains on alert to end any thought of firing back at the helicopter. The cutter arrives to arrest the drug runners as members of the cutter crew populates the speed boat escorting the men to their ship and then confiscates all the contraband as proof to their mission.
The drug runners are intercepted, the contraband in government hands with no bloodshed or threat to human life. This is an absolutely true scenario that occurs with the USA Coast Guard all the time. These ships are specially outfitted with taxpayers dollars, the crew is specially trained by taxpayers money, and the missions are paid for by taxpayer money. At no time along the way is there ever an understanding that the speed boat crew is expendable. The drug runners have no respect for human life but that does not mean the USA military shouldn’t either.
This country and it’s soldiers are honorable with a clear understanding life is precious and the USA respects international law.
Mr. Hegseth is violating international law in international waters and is committing heinous crimes against humanity. Mr. Trump is demanding these missions, boasting about them for his own deranged purposes. The Congress needs to act to end this brutality. Bloodshed is not a political advertisement. It’s however failed diplomacy.
