Hegseth Ordered Second Strike to Kill Caribbean Boat Survivors

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The White House is trying to throw the admiral under the bus. THIS is why you don't obey illegal orders.

No. You don’t obey illegal orders because they’re illegal and we’re not supposed to commit war crimes.

He was unprofessional and unethical. He’s narcissistic enough to think that he’s too special for Trump to throw him under the bus just like he’s done to dozens before him. And he’s unethical and unprofessional enough to follow through. He should have resigned and retired. He can enjoy Leavenworth now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If I was someone who was all into this country I would be having a cow. I mean what Trump has made this country into by the people he put into leadership positions... no words.

I'm someone that isn't a huge patriotic flag waving person but everyone who is - not sure how you sleep at night. I'd be taking that flag down from my house and feel not so proud of our country. To suggest differently is to legitimize what is currently happening to the state of the nation. It's a travesty in every way - foreign and domestic policy wise.

Your comment relies more on emotionally charged rhetoric than on a reasoned argument. You make broad generalizations about the country, its leadership, and anyone who considers themselves patriotic, and you frame disagreement as a moral failing. The shaming language (“not sure how you sleep at night”) and catastrophic claims (“a travesty in every way”) are meant to provoke guilt and outrage rather than offer evidence. You also create a false dilemma by suggesting that anyone who doesn’t share your exact view is “legitimizing” what you oppose, while dividing people into “flag-waving patriots” versus those who supposedly see the truth more clearly. Overall, the message relies on exaggeration, identity-based attacks, and emotional pressure instead of clear reasoning or constructive critique.

ChatGPT entering the conversation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The White House is trying to throw the admiral under the bus. THIS is why you don't obey illegal orders.

Yep, using his name over and over and over. It’s just going to further tank Hesgeth’s reputation within the military. Follow his illegal orders and get thrown under the bus at the first sign of trouble.

The Admiral wanted that promotion. Trump made him an Admiral and then he was moved into this position in October when the other guy said, "deuces, I'm out. I am not following that order to shoot civilian boats out of the water". I mean what did this Admiral expect was going to happen - Trump would protect him. We will see.

Here is the thing. There is a piece of paper with admiral Frank M. Bradley signature showing he fully understands killing civilians and or ship wreck survivors is against US law. He is done. Hegseth will get a pardon but is still liable for damages. Accepting a pardon means legally you are guilty. The admiral and everyone else in the chain of command is f’ed- prison time, lose of benefits, reduction of rank, etc.

What you’re saying doesn’t really hold up because you’re jumping from a signed policy document straight to “this person is guilty” without showing any actual evidence that they broke the rule. Signing something that says you understand the law isn’t the same as proof you violated it. You’re also treating a pardon like it automatically means someone is legally guilty, which isn’t how that works. And saying everyone up the chain of command is “done” just because something happened is basically guilt by association, not a logical point. Predicting prison time, loss of benefits, or rank reductions as if they’re guaranteed skips over the entire legal process that would have to happen first.

You have no clue. Everyone in the COC is legally responsible down to the person pulling the trigger. All orders are recorded. You can not target civilians and you can not target survivors of a ship wreck. The admiral will face the death penalty and will be lucky to get life in prison.

If you accept a pardon you are guilty under the law. You can be compelled to testify to your crimes and everyone involved. Look it up. Accepting a pardon does not relieve civil action against you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MAGA, convince me this man is not a sociopath.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If I was someone who was all into this country I would be having a cow. I mean what Trump has made this country into by the people he put into leadership positions... no words.

I'm someone that isn't a huge patriotic flag waving person but everyone who is - not sure how you sleep at night. I'd be taking that flag down from my house and feel not so proud of our country. To suggest differently is to legitimize what is currently happening to the state of the nation. It's a travesty in every way - foreign and domestic policy wise.

Your comment relies more on emotionally charged rhetoric than on a reasoned argument. You make broad generalizations about the country, its leadership, and anyone who considers themselves patriotic, and you frame disagreement as a moral failing. The shaming language (“not sure how you sleep at night”) and catastrophic claims (“a travesty in every way”) are meant to provoke guilt and outrage rather than offer evidence. You also create a false dilemma by suggesting that anyone who doesn’t share your exact view is “legitimizing” what you oppose, while dividing people into “flag-waving patriots” versus those who supposedly see the truth more clearly. Overall, the message relies on exaggeration, identity-based attacks, and emotional pressure instead of clear reasoning or constructive critique.

ChatGPT entering the conversation.

totally

[Anonymous]

Looks like the Washington Post has crappy reporting yet again.
Nothing new.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If I was someone who was all into this country I would be having a cow. I mean what Trump has made this country into by the people he put into leadership positions... no words.

I'm someone that isn't a huge patriotic flag waving person but everyone who is - not sure how you sleep at night. I'd be taking that flag down from my house and feel not so proud of our country. To suggest differently is to legitimize what is currently happening to the state of the nation. It's a travesty in every way - foreign and domestic policy wise.

Your comment relies more on emotionally charged rhetoric than on a reasoned argument. You make broad generalizations about the country, its leadership, and anyone who considers themselves patriotic, and you frame disagreement as a moral failing. The shaming language (“not sure how you sleep at night”) and catastrophic claims (“a travesty in every way”) are meant to provoke guilt and outrage rather than offer evidence. You also create a false dilemma by suggesting that anyone who doesn’t share your exact view is “legitimizing” what you oppose, while dividing people into “flag-waving patriots” versus those who supposedly see the truth more clearly. Overall, the message relies on exaggeration, identity-based attacks, and emotional pressure instead of clear reasoning or constructive critique.

Nice AI analysis.

Analysis is a response to propaganda

AI is a crutch for people who can’t think for themselves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Looks like the Washington Post has crappy reporting yet again.
Nothing new.

I’m so confused.

“White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed Monday that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth authorized the second, follow-up strike on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean in September following a bombshell Washington Post report that claimed he ordered the military to “kill everybody.”
Leavitt told reporters at the White House press briefing that Hegseth authorized Adm. Frank Bradley to carry out the second strike, which reportedly killed two people who were hanging onto the burning vessel after an initial strike.”

[twitter]https://thehill.com/homenews/5628447-defense-secretary-authorizes-drug-boat-strike/[/twitter]

[Anonymous]

They’re trying to pin it all on the admiral…as predicted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Looks like Admiral Bradley will be the fall guy. NYT reporting that 5 US officials say that Hegseth ordered the lethal strike but not the killing of survivors. I wonder who these officials are.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/01/us/hegseth-drug-boat-strike-order-venezuela.html?unlocked_article_code=1.5k8.-yHq.zVOjPTQjYJiI&smid=url-share

They’re going to blame him but he’s also guilty. He 110% knew it was an illegal order and he should have just resigned instead. His fault.

He’s no victim.

Obviously I believe Pete should be held responsible but I don’t think he will be. His rhetoric “kill them all” is not a responsible way for a SECDEF to give orders.

Trump is likely not implicated here because although he never shows any sense of right and wrong, he likely wasn’t giving orders in this particular case.

All that said, of course the Admiral should be held accountable. We expect our general officers to know what is allowable and not and to show good decision making. This man is not fit to wear his uniform.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Looks like the Washington Post has crappy reporting yet again.
Nothing new.

I don’t think this is contradictory. Admiral took the “kill them all” statement to be an order to “kill them all” which is what the Washington Post said. Question of whether Pete was involved in micromanaging the second kill order is going to be the subject of the congressional investigation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Looks like Admiral Bradley will be the fall guy. NYT reporting that 5 US officials say that Hegseth ordered the lethal strike but not the killing of survivors. I wonder who these officials are.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/01/us/hegseth-drug-boat-strike-order-venezuela.html?unlocked_article_code=1.5k8.-yHq.zVOjPTQjYJiI&smid=url-share

They’re going to blame him but he’s also guilty. He 110% knew it was an illegal order and he should have just resigned instead. His fault.

He’s no victim.

+100

[Anonymous]

This is a short summary of the conflicting takes on this story:

*The White House scrambled yesterday to shift blame from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over the lethal targeting of survivors of a strike on a boat in the Caribbean this past September. White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said Admiral Frank M. Bradley directed the event. Some inside the Pentagon viewed those remarks as "‘protect Pete’ bulls—." Bradley "directed another strike to comply with Hegseth’s order that no one be left alive, people with direct knowledge of the matter

*Five officials told the New York Times that Hegseth did not give Bradley any subsequent orders to kill survivors after his written initial order. Two said he did not issue a verbal order, which is what the Post reported—and Hegseth disputes—last week. (NYT)

*Lawmakers from both parties plan to pursue more clarity on the situation. (WSJ)

--Washingtonian

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Pentagon admits Kabul drone strike that killed 10 civilians, including up to 7 children, was a 'tragic mistake'

US officials have apologised for killing innocent civilians in a drone strike near Kabul airport on 29 August, admitting they had mistakenly thought they were targeting a facilitator for ISIS-K.

By Alexa Phillips, news reporter
Saturday 18 September 2021

Excerpts.....

"Gen Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters two days after the attack that it appeared to have been a "righteous" strike and that at least one of the people killed was a "facilitator" for ISIS-K - the Islamic State group's Afghanistan affiliate."

"Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said: "We now know that there was no connection between Mr Ahmadi and ISIS-Khorasan, that his activities on that day were completely harmless and not at all related to the imminent threat we believed we faced."

"We apologise, and we will endeavour to learn from this horrible mistake."

"US President Joe Biden had touted the strike as a success and as proof that the US could carry out "over the horizon" strikes from outside Afghanistan."

https://news.sky.com/story/pentagon-admits-kabul-drone-strike-that-killed-10-civilians-including-up-to-7-children-was-a-tragic-mistake-12410757

Exactly, a mistake. As opposed to Trump and Hesgeth’s illegal murder order. Thanks for clarifying for this board.

Also we were at war with Afghanistan on the date of attack and are not at war with Venezuela

We were no more at war with Afghanistan then than we are with Venezuela now.
Frankly it’s all been illegal and a predictable progression from the drone strikes of the Obama years and the clandestine stuff that proceeded that.

[Anonymous]

I’m a former judge advocate. Was deployed as a lawyer in Afghanistan. Striking the boat a second time was not manifestly unlawful; therefore, the order needed followed. Not a war crime. Not murder.