Lawmakers Question Legality of US Strikes Near Venezuela Amidst Briefing Exclusion
US lawmakers question the legality of American boat strikes near Venezuela. Democrats criticize the Trump administration for excluding them from a classified briefing.
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Overview
- Lawmakers from both Republican and Democratic parties are raising concerns regarding the legality of recent American military strikes targeting boats in South America, specifically near Venezuela.
- The Senate will vote next week on a war powers resolution regarding the strikes near Venezuela, forced by Democrats to assert congressional authority over military actions.
- The Trump administration faced criticism for excluding Democrats from a classified briefing on the boat strikes, prompting strong reactions from top intelligence Democrats.
- Senator Warner stressed the need for bipartisan national security briefings, criticizing the Trump administration's practice of holding GOP-only briefings on military actions.
- Warner specifically criticized the Trump administration's decision to exclude Democrats from the briefing on military actions in Venezuela, highlighting the need for transparency and collaboration.
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Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame this story by emphasizing the Trump administration's departure from established bipartisan norms in national security briefings. They highlight Democratic concerns that excluding lawmakers could endanger troops and public information, portraying it as a concerning pattern of politicizing critical decisions. While including some Republican perspectives, the narrative consistently underscores the unusual nature and potential negative implications of these exclusions.
"The Trump administration has launched at least 14 strikes on vessels that it claims were involved with drug trafficking since early September."
NBC News"The Trump administration’s increasing efforts to exclude Democrats from national security briefings could endanger troops and keep important information from the public, the top Democrat on the Senate intelligence committee warned Thursday."
ABC NewsArticles (6)
FAQ
Experts and the governments of Colombia and Venezuela have questioned the legality of the US strikes under US and international law, with accusations of extrajudicial killings and insufficient publicly provided evidence to justify the attacks.
The Trump administration excluded Democrats from the classified briefing on the military strikes near Venezuela, a decision that was heavily criticized as undermining transparency and bipartisan collaboration on national security matters.
The US administration stated that the strikes aimed to fight drug trafficking by targeting vessels operated by narcoterrorist groups, including Venezuelan and Colombian criminal organizations, although it has not publicly released evidence to substantiate these claims.
The Senate is scheduled to vote on a war powers resolution initiated by Democrats to assert congressional authority over the US military strikes near Venezuela, reflecting bipartisan concern over oversight of the military actions.
Venezuela's government and international experts accuse the US of extrajudicial murder and suggest the strikes may have motives beyond drug interdiction, including regime change against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
History
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