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Trump Orders US Strike on Drug Smugglers in International Waters // Ron Paul Liberty Report
Ron Paul | Trusted Newsmaker
Trump’s Strike on a “Drug Boat”: War on Terror Meets War on Drugs
The Trump administration recently ordered a U.S. Navy strike on a small vessel off Venezuela’s coast. Officials labeled it a “drug boat” tied to narco-terrorists, but questions remain: no hard evidence was presented, intelligence assessments contradicted White House claims, and critics argue this action merges two failed policies — the war on drugs and the war on terror — into one dangerous new front .
Gold, Debt, and the Bigger Picture
Before the strike, financial signals were already flashing red. Gold surged to $3,500 an ounce, while U.S. debt ballooned unchecked. Analysts warn these are classic signs of a “crack-up boom,” where confidence in currency collapses and citizens scramble for anything tangible. Against this backdrop, Washington escalates foreign wars, further draining resources while America’s middle class shoulders the burden .
The Strike in Venezuela
Trump announced that U.S. forces sank a Venezuelan boat carrying alleged “Tren de Aragua” militants, killing eleven. He tied the gang to President Nicolás Maduro, accusing him of mass murder, trafficking, and terror across the hemisphere. Yet declassified U.S. intelligence reports concluded Maduro does not control Tren de Aragua, treating them instead as a threat. This contradiction casts doubt on Trump’s justification for the strike .
Merging Wars for Political Gain
The Liberty Report panel underscored how the strike merges the war on drugs with the war on terror — both decades-long failures. By framing Venezuela as harboring “narco-terrorists,” the administration creates a catch-all rationale for intervention. Critics argue the real motive is oil: Venezuela holds the world’s largest proven reserves, making it a perpetual target for U.S. empire-building .
The Due Process Problem
Legal experts stress that even if those aboard were traffickers, U.S. law does not prescribe the death penalty for drug crimes, and due process requires trial, not summary execution. “Trust me, bro” claims from the administration — absent names, photos, or recovered contraband — echo the false narratives of Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction. Once again, military force was used first, evidence second .
Alcohol, Fentanyl, and Hypocrisy
Commentators noted the selective outrage. In one recent year, alcohol killed 178,000 Americans, far more than fentanyl. Yet Washington never proposes prohibition of alcohol — because lawmakers themselves consume it. Instead, fentanyl deaths become a rallying cry to justify military operations abroad, while domestic roots of addiction go unaddressed. The hypocrisy is glaring: wars abroad are fought in the name of health, while domestic crises are ignored .
Historical Echoes: From Noriega to Maduro
The operation draws comparisons to past interventions. In 1989, the U.S. invaded Panama to oust Manuel Noriega under the pretext of drug trafficking. Observers warn Venezuela could be “Noriega Part 2,” with Trump’s policy driven heavily by Senator Marco Rubio, a longtime advocate of regime change in Caracas. History suggests such operations have little to do with drugs — and everything to do with expanding U.S. military reach .
Cognitive Warfare and Media Complicity
Analysts argue the first phase of war is always narrative control. Western media largely repeated Trump’s framing of the incident without demanding proof. By labeling the victims “narco-terrorists,” officials bypassed scrutiny and generated support. This mirrors the run-up to Iraq, where lies about weapons of mass destruction were amplified until war was inevitable. Media silence today risks enabling another cycle of endless conflict .
Trump’s strike on an alleged Venezuelan “drug boat” highlights a dangerous pattern: wars justified with thin evidence, merging failed campaigns into new pretexts, and targeting resource-rich nations under the guise of public safety. Without oversight, the U.S. risks deepening its empire of endless wars — paid for not by elites, but by the American middle class. As critics argue, true security lies not in foreign strikes, but in restoring principles of non-intervention, fiscal sanity, and respect for the Constitution .
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