“The currently governing DOD Manual in Section 5.9 states clearly that persons ‘placed hors de combat may not be made the object of attack.’ The Manual defines ‘hors de combat’ to include ‘persons . . . otherwise incapacitated by . . . shipwreck.’”

Not just a failure of ethics, it’s an existential collapse of institutional legitimacy. Legal systems exist to uphold justice, media exists to inform truthfully, and academia exists to pursue and disseminate knowledge. Capitulating to authoritarian payfor favor demands destroys all three.

The pattern absolutely resembles what happens when a government operation is being run to benefit a bigger cartel or competitor. Small‑time traffickers get wiped out with extraordinary force, zero transparency, and no follow up investigation. That’s exactly how you clear a lane for someone else.

I cannot believe that there have been no reports! This seems like a gimme.

And this is exactly why moves like this must go through Congress. If you want massive new enforcement powers, you don’t invent them by speech, you make your case to congress.

*That’s how voters get a say and how we hold congress accountable at the ballot box.* When they pull BS we vote them out.

Hegseth: “the order was to kill everybody” aboard. After the initial attack, two survivors reportedly remained so they killed them too(!)

The people on the boat were not part of a recognized armed conflict against the U.S., nor did they seem to pose an immediate combat threat.

While here I will make a plug to support @aftynbehn.bsky.social in her Tuesday special election in TN-07. Trump/GOP melting down, late polling has this race a toss up. Would be a huge, huge upset.

Watch my new interview with her and donate 👇
bsky.app/profile/simo...

Look at this incredible data. Republicans have bailed on Mike Johnson. His Speakership is in trouble, and there is a reason why @aftynbehn.bsky.social has made a +22 Trump district competitive. 3/

Trump's standing with the public has taken a huge hit in the past few months. He's now regularly polling in the 30s. And their big play to reverse this decline? War in Venezuela - and that's even more unpopular than his handling of inflation. 4/

"...he wanted us all to “feel like entrepreneurs” when we’re “able to go out and negotiate their own health insurance.” To anyone who has had to fight with an insurance company to get their care covered, that sounds less like an exciting opportunity and more like a nightmare." 😆

Deadline Dec 15th.

This is nuts because he’s talking about a ‘land crackdown’ with zero due process. You can’t just brand whole groups as traffickers and bypass warrants, evidence, and hearings. That’s not enforcement, that’s authoritarianism.