The Pentagon is not interested in pursuing survivors of attacks on ships accused of drug smuggling in the Caribbean because it would force the US administration to provide a legal justification for its actions, according to The New York Times (NYT).
According to the sources of the newspaper, Pentagon officials had a meeting with dozens of diplomats at the end of October. Defense Department officials believe that survivors should be sent to third countries or their home countries, but not to the United States.
According to the NYT, the Pentagon does not want the survivors to end up in the hands of the American judicial system, as this would force the US administration to present justifications for a military campaign in the region.
Since September 2, the US military has carried out at least 22 attacks on ships in the Caribbean and the eastern Pacific under the pretext of fighting drug smuggling. At least 87 people died and two survivors were rescued and returned to their home countries of Colombia and Ecuador.
The NYT notes that the military has not provided evidence to show that the destroyed ships were actually used for drug trafficking.
