General Francis L. Donovan gave the order on Friday that sent another suspected drug vessel to the bottom of the Eastern Pacific. According to U.S. Southern Command, the latest kinetic strike killed three men, bringing the total death toll in this months-long campaign to over 200 people. For the first time, the military released color video of the attack, showing burning debris floating in a dark sea as the Coast Guard moved in to search for survivors. The vessel, according to the report, was carrying 1,153 kg of cocaine and was operated by a designated terrorist organization.

The use of lethal force in the Eastern Pacific marks a significant escalation in the war on drug trafficking. While the administration maintains that these boats are legitimate military targets, the high death toll and the use of drone strikes against small vessels has drawn scrutiny. Southern Command reported that intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting a known narco-trafficking route. The physical reality of the war—burning boats, seizing tons of white powder, and the silent recovery of bodies—is now a daily occurrence in the Caribbean and the Pacific.

This paper supports the rule of law and the protection of our borders, yet we must ask what kind of peace is being won with these methods. The transition to color footage for these strikes suggests a military that is increasingly comfortable with the spectacle of kinetic warfare. As our soldiers meet with foreign commanders in Guantánamo Bay, the cycle of violence continues to grow, fueled by the insatiable demand for drugs in our cities and the cold efficiency of modern strike technology.