Under normal circumstances, Bradley would face court-martial, says former Air Force secretary

Former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall sharply criticized Navy Adm. Frank Bradleys justification for a second attack on a vessel in the Caribbean, where two injured survivors remained aboard. Kendall stated, In normal conditions, this action would result in a court-martial. He would be removed from his position and face military justice. He spoke during an appearance on MS NOW, emphasizing that the reasoning offered by the administration defies established legal precedent.

Other former U.S. officials and military leaders have similarly condemned the so-called double strike as a breach of the nations war law regulations. Bradley is expected to deliver a classified briefing to Congress on Thursday, as lawmakers continue to probe the strikes carried out under the Trump administration.

Kendall remarked, The admirals explanation for the second strike does not hold. The individuals were already wounded and posed no threat, making the action a clear example of a war crime. According to The Washington Post, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth instructed forces to eliminate everyone on the ship amid a campaign targeting alleged narcotics trafficking in Latin America, though Hegseth maintains he did not order a second strike.

John Yoo, former adviser to President George W. Bush, told CNN, You cannot target survivors incapable of fighting. The admiral should not have followed Hegseths order, and the troops carrying it out also acted incorrectly.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended Bradley, asserting he acted within his authority and the law. She claimed the strikes were justified because narcotics groups were classified as foreign terrorist organizations, allowing for lethal action under war regulations. Critics note this contradicts U.S. war law, which explicitly prohibits targeting shipwrecked individuals.

Legal experts have pointed out that the strike violates both peacetime statutes and the laws governing armed conflict.

Author: Maya Henderson