Unlawful and Ineffective: Retired Coast Guard Officers Oppose Sea Drug Strikes

Just Security argues that a year of U.S. military strikes against suspected drug smugglers at sea is legally unsound without an armed conflict, strategically counterproductive, and morally corrosive. The piece cautions these actions undermine long-standing maritime law‑enforcement partnerships, destroy evidence and intelligence, and threaten personnel safety and ethics. Public signals suggest trafficking levels rebound after initial disruption, and several allies have curtailed intelligence sharing. The authors—retired Coast Guard officers—advocate restoring the Coast Guard–led, law‑enforcement maritime interdiction model that respects domestic and international law and sovereignty while effectively targeting criminal networks.