Posted on 01/28/2025 9:21:45 AM PST by Red Badger
U.S. Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) has an amazing plan to fight the cartels: bring back legal pirating, which is fully authorized in our Constitution.
Check out his thread on how it will work:
1/ What Are Letters Of Marque And Reprisal And How Could They Be Used To Weaken Drug Cartels?
2/ Letters of marque and reprisal are government-issued commissions that authorize private citizens (privateers) to perform acts that would otherwise be considered piracy, like attacking enemy ships during wartime Privateers are rewarded with a cut of the loot they 'bring home'
3/ Legal Basis in the U.S. The U.S. Constitution authorizes these commissions in Article I, Section 8, giving Congress the power to 'grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal' While Congress hasn't issued one in over a century, the authority to do so still exists
4/ Modern Context: Mexican Drug Cartels Using letters of marque could be a novel, but effective response to unique threats posed by drug cartels — especially in response to threats by the cartels to target U.S. planes returning illegal immigrants to their countries of origin
5/ How Could They Be Applied? - Authorization: Congress could issue letters of marque and reprisal authorizing private security firms or specially trained civilians to intercept cartel operations, particularly those involving drug shipments or human trafficking across borders - Targets: Focus on disrupting supply lines, capturing high-value targets, or seizing assets like boats, vehicles, cash, gold, or equipment used in criminal activities
6/ Advantages - Flexibility: Private entities operate with more agility than the government, adapting quickly with the tactics of cartels - Cost: Would reduce the financial burden on taxpayers, as privateers receive only a cut of what they recover & return to the U.S.
7/ Criticism The use of letters of marque and reprisal would undoubtedly draw criticism, especially from those inclined to elevate abstract, often-inchoate principles of what they deem 'international law' above the sovereign interests of the United States
8/ Dismissing the possible use of letters of marque to combat Mexican drug cartels — either on the basis of 'international law' or otherwise — overlooks the clear and present threat posed by those cartels to the U.S. This could prove to be an effective alternative to war
9/ We have no desire to go to war with our southern neighbor But we also can't ignore the fact that drug cartels are now threatening to target U.S. planes deporting illegal aliens That sounds like a great reason to consider issuing letters of marque and reprisal
10/ Letters of marque and reprisal have worked well for the U.S. — and countless other countries — in the past We'd be wrong not to consider using them against the cartels
We're entering into an extraordinary period of history. Think of Queen Elizabeth I and the famous privateer Sir Francis Drake.
So what do you say, folks? Want to come down to the border and be a pirate privateer with me?
Absolutely. You shoot further, faster, and more accurately with decent optics.
> They are extremely organized and efficient. <
Private contractors, yes indeed. Privateers, not so much.
Private contractors are hired help, with set instructions and set pay. Sort of like police officers. Privateers are more like bounty hunters.
Perhaps Sen. Lee wants to hire private contractors under the guise of the privateering law. If so, that makes some sense.
Letters of Marque are usually for activities outside the country of issuance...........
Well, my friends and I would be happy to go to Mexico, kill a dozen Mexicans, explain to the Mexican police that we have permission, and then we’d cross the US border with our newly acquired cocaine and fentanyl, and drop it off at a DEA office.
We are all grateful for your well thought out point by point rebuttal.
Not.
L
I agree. I think killing the banking and ANY access they have to legitimate businesses is the way. A team of accountants is the way to kill them... like Al Capone found out.
But if we go kinetic, B-2 bombers and F-18s dropping JDAMS simultaneously on Haciendas, bases, factories, etc... simultaneously at 3am one day, combined with a large conventional force seriously blocking our border is the way.
We seriously abuse SOF these days. Extortion 17 was a flying clown car stuffed with SEALS. A disaster waiting to happen. Using them as conventional infantry is utterly wrong. They aren’t very good for large size actions. Just as Infantry is not the tool for small fast raids.
And in that case, an AC-130 was overhead with the pilot screaming for permission to engage. But instead of using the best tool, our Generals worried more about Afghan casualties than American. So he gave up our trump cards, and insisted on Spec Ops, mano a mano.
Lunacy.
“ However, I would only consider using it if the drug cartels become a problem.”
What constitutes a problem in your mind?
Human trafficking?
Distributing poison that kills 100,000 or so people a year?
Firing on Border Patrol Agents?
Kidnapping?
Please give us your list.
Thanks.
L
“This is a job for conventional forces.”
Only idiots with a whole bunch of money to throw away fight “conventional wars”. Just think private contractor operatives who are like the SEALS on steroids. In and out, hit and run, target by target. Whether it be capture and extraction or elimination.
Hit head of the snake after head of the snake. And we as a nation have complete plausible deniability. “We” didn’t do it. Private freelance contractors did it and the risk is on their own heads and not our problem.
But here comes the problem... We would have to break the Declaration of Paris agreement. But we may have broken it at some point in the past already. Have to check...
P
They could be limited to the financial world.
Instead of guys with guns we would have nerds and computers.
Who says they wouldn’t have all the military support they ask for? Trump would grant it in a heartbeat I think.
Think Blackwater with full logistical support, their pick of hardware, and air support. Blackwater keeps half the cash recovered, destroys the drugs in place, and leaves dead gang members.
L
WIKI
The Paris Declaration respecting Maritime Law of 16 April 1856 was an international multilateral treaty agreed to by the warring parties in the Crimean War gathered at the Congress at Paris after the peace treaty of Paris had been signed in March 1856. As an important juridical novelty in international law the treaty for the first time created the possibility for nations that were not involved in the establishment of the agreement and did not sign, to become a party by acceding the declaration afterwards. So did altogether 55 nations, which otherwise would have been impossible in such a short period. This represented a large step in the globalisation of international law.
The primary goal of France and Great Britain was to abolish privateering, a part of naval warfare whereby a belligerent party gave formal permission to privately owned ships by letters of marque to seize enemy vessels.
In 1861, during the American Civil War, the United States declared that it would respect the principles of the declaration during hostilities. The Confederacy agreed to the provisions except for the right of privateering, and went on to extensively employ privateers as blockade runners. During the Spanish–American War of 1898, when the United States Government affirmed its policy of conducting hostilities in conformity with the dispositions of the declaration. Spain too, though not a party, declared its intention to abide by the declaration, but it expressly gave notice that it reserved its right to issue letters of marque. At the same time both belligerents organized services of auxiliary cruisers composed of merchant ships under the command of naval officers.
Some of the questions raised by this declaration were clarified by the 1907 Hague Convention.
The rules contained in this declaration later came to be considered as part of the general principles of international law and the United States too, though not formally a party, abides by provisions.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris_Declaration_Respecting_Maritime_Law
“Private contractors, yes indeed. Privateers, not so much.”
What do you think Privateers are? They are freelance with no contract and no restrictions that create SNAFU and get them killed for “political” reasons and restrictions.
“Private contractors are hired help, with set instructions and set pay. Sort of like police officers. Privateers are more like bounty hunters.”
Absolutely... No holds barred and this is extremely effective. Especially it is a competitive environment towards a certain target.
Patton (allegedly): “Fixed fortifications are monuments to the stupidity of man.”
Patton was wrong, as egotists often are. In 1940 the Germans had to go around the Maginot Line as the fortifications were too strong. And in 1944 the Allies couldn’t land at Pas de Calais because the fortifications were too strong.
Conventional forces would be our “fortification” along the border. They are most definitely needed. Take one step over the border…too bad for you.
Special Forces for the hit-and-run…only.
“Optics, my dear Watson, optics.’
Yes.. and that has given us the ridiculous ROE/ And “quit before we WIN” a WAR since 1945..
Patton was wrong, as egotists often are. In 1940 the Germans had to go around the Maginot Line as the fortifications were too strong. And in 1944 the Allies couldn’t land at Pas de Calais because the fortifications were too strong.
Complete preemptive pardons for all violations of the NFA and GCA.
L
The non-thug invaders should be financially squeezed by all means we can think of, hopefully right out of the USA:
....
10. a remittance tax of 10% on the first $2,000, 15% on the next $2,000, and then 20%,
levied by sender on a running 12-months basis,
11. foreign bound and alien transmissions of money to be held two days per $1,000 transmitted over a 12-month period by a sender,
federal law enforcement may add a delay of up to 30 days,
and judges may add delays of up to 30 days per order,
[to give law enforcement time to examine such transmissions and their intended recipients],
12. permit aliens to only send money to the US or to a country from which they have a valid passport
[to impede payment to Mexican cartels],
Thank you...
You are perhaps too kind towards Patton. Or perhaps I am too harsh.
Patton never had to face a heavily-defended fortification. (By 1944 the Siegfried Line had been stripped of much of its armament.)
Patton was an excellent commander. Get up and go, quite unlike the overly cautious Montgomery. But it’s easy to dismiss a threat you’ve never really had to deal with.
Disclaimer: The father of a childhood friend of mine was in Patton’s 3rd Army. The father hated Patton, and insulted him every chance he could. Could that be coloring my thinking?
🤔
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