Caribbean Strike: War Crime Allegations Rock Defense Secretary

Resources

Resources & Recommendations

Books

• "The Law of the Sea" - Mentioned as a body of law that military personnel need to understand, alongside the Geneva Conventions.

Articles & Papers

• "Washington Post reported that on September 2nd US forces struck one of those boats leaving survivors afterwards and so Hegseth gave an order to kill those survivors" (The Washington Post) - This report detailed an incident where Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth allegedly gave an order to kill survivors after a US strike on a boat.
• "Reports from Human Rights Watch that they engaged in torture and also illegal killings" (Human Rights Watch) - These reports documented alleged abuses by the "zero unit" paramilitary group in Afghanistan, of which Rahman Lawal was a member.

Organizations & Institutions

• Human Rights Watch - An organization that reported on alleged torture and illegal killings by a paramilitary group in Afghanistan.
• Department of Defense - The US government agency that denied the narrative about Defense Secretary Hegseth's orders regarding the boat strike.
• US Navy - The branch of the US military that Admiral Frank M. Bradley is a part of.
• Congress - Both the Senate and House Armed Services Committees are mentioned as planning to investigate the strikes on Venezuelan boats.
• VA (Department of Veterans Affairs) - The US government agency that provides benefits to veterans and has warned companies about charging veterans for help with initial disability claims.

People Mentioned

• Pete Hegseth (Defense Secretary) - Mentioned in connection with ordering strikes on boats in the Caribbean, leading to accusations of war crimes.
• Marco Rubio (Secretary of State) - Mentioned as a potential attendee at a meeting with President Trump regarding Venezuela.
• Frank M. Bradley (US Navy Admiral) - Authorized by Secretary Hegseth to conduct kinetic strikes, and is expected to give a classified briefing on the incidents.
• Nicolás Maduro (Venezuelan President) - Spoke with President Trump and has accused the US of aiming for regime change and seizing oil reserves.
• Tom Bowman (NPR Colleague) - Provided new reporting on the boat strikes, pushing back on the White House's account.
• Mark Kelly (Arizona Democratic Senator, retired naval officer) - Spoke about the legality of the boat strikes, emphasizing the importance of understanding the law of the sea and Geneva Conventions.
• Steve Witkoff (US Envoy) - In Moscow for talks with Vladimir Putin, focusing on a US peace plan for Ukraine.
• Jared Kushner (President Trump's son-in-law) - Joined Steve Witkoff in Moscow for peace talks, having previously been involved in negotiations with the Ukrainian delegation.
• Vladimir Putin (Russian President) - Met with US Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to discuss a peace plan for Ukraine.
• Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Ukrainian President) - Met with French President Emmanuel Macron to discuss long-term security guarantees for Ukraine.
• Emmanuel Macron (French President) - Met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
• Rahman Lawal (Afghan man) - Accused of shooting two National Guard members in Washington D.C., with his personal crisis and military history as a member of "zero unit" being discussed.
• Sarah Beckstrom (National Guard member from West Virginia) - Died from wounds after being shot by Rahman Lawal.
• Andrew Wolf (National Guard member) - Remains in serious condition after being shot by Rahman Lawal.
• Kristie Noem (Homeland Security Secretary) - Stated that Rahman Lawal was radicalized after coming to the US.
• Enrique Miranda Cardenas (Marine Corps Veteran) - Shared his experience with Trajector Medical, stating they were aggressive in trying to collect payments.

Other Resources

• Geneva Conventions - Mentioned as a body of law that military personnel need to understand, alongside the law of the sea.