'The View' hosts discuss Pete Hegseth’s boat strike orders: 'At some point, somebody is responsible'
WASHINGTON, DC: Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has been facing harsh criticism over narcotics-related strikes on a boat in the Caribbean, which resulted in the deaths of the entire crew.
On the recent episode of ‘The View’, the hosts debated the possibility of a "war crime" being committed and whether troops could be held responsible for following Hegseth’s orders if this is found to be a war crime.
Sunny Hostin thinks Pete Hegseth can be held accountable for the deaths
According to Sunny Hostin, the debate was held to discuss the reason that Sen Mark Kelly, a veteran, made a statement urging the soldiers not to follow illegal orders.
“If this is deemed to be war crimes […] what you’re supposed to do under international law [is] you’re supposed to take those survivors as war criminals, prisoners of war, and you’re supposed to give them refuge, and you’re supposed to take care of them and then you’re supposed to put them into a court of law,” she explained during the Monday, December 1 broadcast.
She continued, “Instead, they killed them. That means the person who gave the order can be held accountable and put in prison, and that means the people who conducted the orders, who pulled the trigger, are also responsible and can be held accountable.” Hostin added that this could put “people that are serving this country as patriots” at risk.
Whoopi Goldberg accuses Pete Hegseth of ‘setting’ troops up
Afterward, Whoopi Goldberg claimed that Pete Hegseth had been "setting" the troops up by giving them these potentially illegal orders.
“What he’s done is he’s set them up,” she declared. “Listen, this is not the first time it’s happened. This is like the fifth, sixth or seven time. At some point, somebody is responsible and the buck stops there.”
“This is not new. But he’s setting our people up, and it’s not pretty,” Goldberg stated.
Ana Navarro pointed out that “upwards of 80 people” have been killed in these strikes.
Hegseth has said the campaign is right since the ships targeted were confirmed by US intelligence to be the ones carrying d**gs in the narcotics-smuggling operations on the trafficking routes that are well-known.
He said in the recent Pacific and Caribbean operations that those on board were “narco-te**orists,” that the strikes were carried out in international waters, and that no US forces were injured.
Hegseth has since denied the allegations, and President Donald Trump has backed him, claiming he has “great confidence” in the defense secretary.
