Episode 502: Sinking Cartels: The U.S. Takes on Narco-Traffickers
Fault Lines · National Security Institute
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Show Notes
Today, Jess, Jamil, and Les discuss U.S. military strikes that have sunk Venezuelan gang boats in Caribbean waters, with Washington alleging that they were carrying drugs bound for the U.S. The strikes mark a sharp escalation in the war on drugs, with the Trump Administration designating several gangs as terrorist organizations and authorizing preemptive military action to protect American security.
Is this approach more effective than past law enforcement–led efforts, or simply a show of unilateral force? What does it signal about America’s security priorities as China and Russia press their own challenges abroad? And how might it shift U.S.–Venezuela relations, regional stability, and the line between military and police power in fighting the drug trade?
Check out these sources that helped shape our experts’ opinions:
https://www.npr.org/2025/09/16/g-s1-88985/u-s-military-again-targeted-boat-carrying-drugs-venezuela
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna231505
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/09/15/trump-venezuela-drug-strike/
@NotTVJessJones
@lestermunson
@jamil_n_jaffer
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