Bulwark Takes Sen. Tom Cotton Defends the Indefensible
Dec 5, 2025
Tim Miller and JVL dissect a controversial video that has divided Congress. They highlight Jim Himes’ alarm over the legality of a 'double tap' strike that resembles an attack on shipwrecked sailors. In contrast, Senator Tom Cotton defends the strikes, labeling smugglers as narco-terrorists, but his macho justification earns criticism. The hosts also note ironies in the narrative surrounding the boat's condition and raise questions about conflicting accounts. They wrap up by contrasting Cotton's fervor with Senator Wicker's more cautious approach.
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Video Appears To Show Attack On Shipwrecked Sailors
- Jim Himes said the video looks like the U.S. attacked shipwrecked sailors with no locomotion and that he found it deeply troubling.
- He acknowledged context but warned the raw footage appears to show an impermissible attack under the DOD manual.
Tom Cotton Declares Strikes Righteous And Lawful
- Tom Cotton framed the strikes as lawful and necessary to stop narco-terrorists trafficking deadly drugs to the U.S.
- He expressed no disturbance and said he would have ordered the same strikes if delegated that authority.
Same Video, Conflicting Congressional Narratives
- Tim Miller and JVL highlight that different lawmakers described the same footage in radically different ways.
- That divergence suggests conflicting narratives rather than a single clear interpretation of the video.