By Chuck Warren
President Trump announced that the U.S. military, on his order, had sunk another cartel ship coming from Venezuela. I wrote that this is legal under presidential authorities, but the question is whether it is enough. The president needs more military authority from Congress to stop these cartels. He should ask Congress to authorize the use of force, and Congress should give it to him.
This is not the first time we have dealt with drugs coming from Venezuela militarily. George H.W. Bush overthrew Manuel Noriega in Panama. He did not ask for Congressional authorization because the president can use the military for 60 days without approval, and that war lasted for only six weeks. President George W. Bush provided logistical support and training to the Colombian military to win the war against FARC terrorists, which also did not require authorization.
Venezuela is different. Unlike Colombia, which was our partner against cartels, Venezuela is supporting the cartels. A war with Venezuela would also last longer than 60 days.
The third option is to keep sinking ships, which is very expensive. It will stop the drugs from coming in for a while, until the cartel terrorists adapt. Also, we already have too few ships, and we need them in the Indo–Pacific to deter China. This is good for now, but not sustainable in the long term.
The only permanent solution is defeating the cartels and the Venezuelan government that supports them. Something the United States can do, but only if Congress authorizes the president.
Republicans will support the president, of course, but this authorization will need Democratic votes too. Democrats’ decision will be a difficult one: Do they want to set the president up for success by voting for authorization or vote no and explain to the voters why they oppose going after the cartels that are killing Americans and terrorizing Latin America, supported by Iran and Hezbollah terrorists?
The patriotic thing to do is to set aside their partisanship and stop the drugs from coming in, save American lives, and make Latin America a better place. This is good for everyone.
The president should go to Congress and ask for authorization for the use of force against these cartels and the states supporting and funding them, and force the issue on the Democrats. And Congress should give him this power, or go to voters and explain why they are against blowing up drug cartels, terrorists, and the communist Venezuelan government.
Of course, Democrats will say that they do not trust Trump to win a war, but let us remember that Trump defeated the Islamic State in the Middle East, not Obama, not Biden. It is time that he defeats these terrorists much closer to home.
If Congress says no, the president can continue doing what he has been doing for the past month. But if it says yes, he can finally win this.
And in 2026, Democrats can answer for their "no" vote and the war on drugs.
Note: the opinions expressed herein are those of Chuck Warren only and not his co-host Sam Stone or Breaking Battlegrounds’ staff.
