U.S. military force used against drug traffickers

[KevinB]

Now interestingly enough doing a frame by frame on my desktop - it gives a totally different picture than my iPhone did.

I can see the AOA from the Sensor Bird isn't blurred out (it just looked that way on my phone), and there appears to be two potential objects on the screen that could have gone boom.
1) May come in (caveats for video resolution quality) on a parabolic arc from the top left - and explodes directly over the vessel.
That is what I originally took to be the missile on my phone
2) A small Red Object that emerges from the water on the starboard of the vessel around 2/3 down the hull and moves up and then the picture is obscured by detonation.

 

[Infanteer]

the U.S. are blending their concepts of organized crime and foreign terrorist groups.

While I understand your distinction between law enforcement and military targeting, is there value in strict separation the two concepts with some of these groups? One could argue that the narcos have done the blending with their activities.

 

[QV]

I'm cool with this. Good decision.

 

[brihard]

While I understand your distinction between law enforcement and military targeting, is there value in strict separation the two concepts with some of these groups? One could argue that the narcos have done the blending with their activities.

I’m only speaking from the standpoint of how this shift might potentially disrupt well established conventional criminal intelligence sharing.

You’re absolutely fair to say that the narcos have in some ways and instances gone beyond traditional organized crime in how they’ve challenged state power and monopolies of force and even in some cases control territories. I cannot speak to whether this is the case for Venezuelan narco gangs.

I’m just saying that countries and entities that have freely shared actionable criminal intelligence in the past have always done so under a rule set that may have abruptly changed. In Canada this might have ramifications due to the Avoiding Complicity in Mistreatment by Foreign Entities Act, or, short of that, simple risk aversion. “What if we share int and a bad guy gets splattered by a hellfire?” is a question that will be seen differently by, say, RCMP or FINTRAC versus CAF.

I don’t have any great moral objection to taking out narco trafficker boats. I’m only musing potential legal and policy ramifications.

 

[SeaKingTacco]

If you go frame by frame you can see the delivery system and it’s telemetry data just before it’s detonation. The telemetry is blurred out but the object is visible.

View attachment 95544

Yeah, I’m not seeing it…

 

[KevinB]

I mean there is a reason why they are called Narco-terrorists…

If someone is terrorizing, it shouldn’t matter if the reason is financial gain, or religious zealotry.

 

[Retired AF Guy]

I'm trying to figure out what the hell they hit it with.

Honestly, it looks more like a bomb went off.

The only thing that would make an explosion that small would be, that I can think off, a Hellfire or a round from a 5inch gun. The problem with the idea of it being a round from a 5" is how accurate the "hit" would have to be for that explosion to occur where it did, and I'm dubious about that. For a hellfire, I would think that you would see portion of the explosion (and the associated debris) projected past the boat along the same direction that the missile was flying when it hit it. Instead, this explosion seems very symmetrical and "straight up".

So, if it was a Hellfire, it would have to have been dropped (I think) from almost directly above the boat, or else it looks like a bomb was planted and they blew this boat up at this moment with the cameras rolling for propaganda.

Thoughts, anyone?

Also, welcome back, Gunboat Diplomacy.

Gulf of Tonkin 2.0?

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Assuming it actually was carrying anything; their approach to designating random people gang members and terrorists for deportation isn't really encouraging.

Also blowing up a ship where you could easily board it with the forces in the area is insane and actually seize the cocaine (if it's there) is insane..

They don't want the legal issues of seizing people in international waters and detaining them for long periods. Taking out the boat without attempting to stop, just sent a very clear message to all the smugglers that the rules of the game have changed. Likely you see a quick drop in smuggling runs and diversion to other methods of moving the drugs, while they wait out the USN deployment and then back to business as usual.

 

[Retired AF Guy]

According to USNI, the US has the following assets in the "Caribbean."

In the Caribbean

The Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group is operating in the Caribbean. Amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD-7) left Naval Station Norfolk, Va., last week.

The Amphibious Ready Group includes USS Fort Lauderdale (LPD-28), USS San Antonio (LPD-17), and the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit based in Camp Lejeune and Marine Corps Air Base New River. The 22nd MEU consists of Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 263 (Reinforced), Combat Logistics Battalion 26 and the Battalion Landing Team, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment.

There are two U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyers operating in the Caribbean.

• USS Jason Dunham (DDG-109), homeported at Naval Station Mayport, Fla.
• USS Gravely (DDG-107), homeported at Naval Station Norfolk, Va.

Guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Erie (CG-70) is also operating in the Caribbean. Lake Erie was spotted transiting the Panama Canal northward on Friday and is operating in U.S. Southern Command area of operations. Lake Erie is homeported at Naval Base San Diego, Calif.

Link

I've heard OSINT reports that a submarine is in the area, but that is probably someting the USN doesn't broadcast. Same for SOF.