Angry Planet Yes, US Strikes On Alleged Drug Traffickers Are Illegal. That Won’t Stop Them
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Oct 31, 2025 Dan Maurer, a retired Army Lieutenant Colonel and former JAG officer now teaching law, dives deep into the controversial legality of U.S. strikes against alleged drug traffickers. He discusses the impact of military legal advisors being sidelined under the Trump administration and the troubling trend of repurposing JAGs as immigration judges. Maurer argues that while these strikes might be deemed unlawful, they are framed as necessary by authorities, raising significant moral and legal dilemmas for military justice and public trust.
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Role Of JAGs As Internal Legal Regulators
- JAGs are embedded military lawyers who advise commanders on operations, criminal law, and service-member representation.
- They act as internal regulators to keep military force lawful and constrain commanders' actions.
Top JAGs Fired And Political Pressure
- Secretary Hegseth openly distrusts JAGs and removed top service judge advocates early in the administration.
- That purge signals political pressure that undermines neutral legal advice inside the Pentagon.
Perversion Of Conflict Labels To Justify Strikes
- The administration frames narco-traffickers as combatants to justify kinetic strikes at sea.
- Maurer argues that traffickers are criminals, not combatants, so summary strikes lack legal basis.
