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According to US media, President Donald Trump has informed Congress that his administration has determined that members of drug cartels are “unlawful combatants” with which the United States is engaged in “non-international armed conflict.”

The US military struck three alleged drug smuggling boats in the Caribbean last month, killing 17 people, according to the memo, which was released on Thursday by The Associated Press and The New York Times. According to rights experts and scholars from other world powers, the attacks appear to be unlawful under US and international law, and they are comparable to extrajudicial killings.

The administration’s strategy for justifying such attacks and what its strategy might entail are presented in the memo, which is the administration’s most explicit picture yet.

The memo stated that “despite friendly foreign countries making significant efforts to combat these organizations and suffering significant losses of life,” that these organizations are now transnational and carry out attacks throughout the Western Hemisphere as organized cartels.

The President, therefore, determined that these cartels are not state-armed organizations, designated them as terrorist organizations, and declared that their conduct amounts to an armed assault on the US, according to the statement.

The argument expands on the Trump administration’s portrayal of cartels as “narco-terrorists” who aim to destabilize the US by promoting illegal drugs across its borders rather than profit-driven criminal organizations.

Although the Trump administration has labeled a number of Latin American cartels “foreign terrorist organizations,” and has specifically focused on Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua, the memo did not specify the organizations in question.

Only Congress has the authority to declare war or use of force under the US Constitution; however, presidents may unilaterally act in some circumstances, particularly in matters involving the nation’s immediate self-defense.

There is currently no congressional authorization to use military force that would even apply to the Caribbean strikes.

Due to this, Congress members have been under more pressure to assert Trump’s legislative branch’s war powers. The attacks have been welcomed by a number of Republicans in Trump’s party, which controls both the Senate and House of Representatives.

Other lawmakers have warned against allowing Trump’s actions to go unchecked.

Senator Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, wrote in a post on X following Thursday’s reports on Trump’s memo, “Every American should be alarmed that Pres Trump has decided to wage secret wars against anyone he labels an enemy.”

“Drug cartels must be stopped, but it is unacceptable to declare war and amp; to impose lethal military force without the consent of Congress or the general public,” he wrote.

There is “so much wrong” with the Trump administration’s legal justification for the Caribbean strikes, according to Brian Finucane, a senior adviser at the International Crisis Group and former US Department of State attorney.

He cited the claim that Trump “determined” that the US was an “armed attack” on drug smugglers, which supports the administration’s claim that the strikes did not lead to an unlawful conflict.

A man attacked others with a knife about 9.30am (08:30 GMT) on Thursday in Crumpsall, north of Manchester, after driving his car into people near the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue.

Prior to police’s arrival, the synagogue’s security staff and members of the public prevented him from entering the building, killing the assailant, who appeared to be wearing an “explosive device,” according to police. Four seriously ill people were taken to a hospital by four injured people.

Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor, the Metropolitan Police’s head of counterterrorism policing, said that two people have been detained since the attack. The attacker’s identity and potential motives have not been revealed.

A police helicopter hovering overhead, Zaki said, “I still can’t believe what happened,” while he and some of his family were standing at the corner of a nearby road.

He told Al Jazeera, “I heard the shots this morning.” It didn’t seem plausible, the author claimed. I believed there were fireworks.

Zaki’s comments were shared by many people who gathered nearby the synagogue. Onlookers claimed that these things don’t occur here. Crumpsall has a rich history of diversity. According to Zaki, “Everyone in our community gets along well.” Our Jewish neighbors are close by.

Sam Martin, a 41-year-old resident, also described being unable to comprehend the attack.

He continued, “Muslims, Jews, everyone here,” adding, “There is everyone here.” Our Jewish community has taught me nothing but love and kindness. This could happen, I’m just shocked.

Even Israel’s occupation of Gaza hasn’t caused a lot of community division, according to many residents in the neighborhood. Many people expressed concern that far-right organizations would use the attack to spread unrest because of their confidence, which was fueled by an August campaign to hang English flags across the nation and a large rally in London a month later.

Despite the identity and possible motives of the attacker remaining uncertain, far-right activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, who uses the pseudonym Tommy Robinson, quickly took issue with the attack and blamed organizations affiliated with the UK’s ruling Labour Party.

Gideon Saar, the foreign minister of Israel, blasted the British government and claimed they failed to stop anti-Semitism.

He wrote on X: “Blatant and rampant antisemitic and anti-Israeli incitement, as well as calls for support for terror, have recently become a common phenomenon in the streets of London, in cities across Britain, and on its campuses.”

The attacker, according to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, was a “vile” person who was “motivated to attack Jews because they are Jews.”

On Yom Kippur, the most holy day for Jews, is the murderous attack that occurred close to the Heaton Park Synagogue in Manchester on that morning.
I extend my sincere condolences to the victims of their loss, and I wish the injured a quick and painless recovery. …

In order to honor the holiday, one of the young men gathered near the police cordon, 23-year-old Akiva, requested that no notes be taken during his interview. He was certain that the English far right would react to the attack. He claimed that the attack, which has affected Jewish residents, will likely cause divisions in the otherwise quiet and well-integrated community.

Akiva’s brother typically travels past the synagogue on his way to worship, but Akiva had arrived at the synagogue to check on him. He claimed that his mother fell to her in Manchester when she first learned of the attack.

Following a rash of attacks by both sides in September, European leaders met to discuss Russia and the Ukraine war.

New defenses against Russian drones are being considered, as are additional sanctions.

What will the peace efforts accomplish next? Or are the armed conflicts between Russia and Europe looming more likely?

Presenter:

Dareen Abughaida

Guests:

The German-Ukrainian Bureau, a think tank that promotes stronger support for Ukraine, is led by Mattia Nelles, CEO and cofounder.

Eldar Mamedov, a former diplomat from Latvia and former European Parliament foreign policy adviser, is a nonresident fellow at the Quincy Institute.