What Happened
Operation Southern Spear Falls Short of Goals
The US military’s Operation Southern Spear, aimed at defeating narco-terrorists in the Western Hemisphere, has failed to achieve its core goals. Despite conducting 66 strikes and killing an estimated 221 people, the mission has not reduced drug trafficking. The Trump administration’s claims of success are unfounded, and the operation’s costs, estimated at $527 million, may be better spent on alternative approaches. According to Breaking Defense, the operation’s failure highlights the need for a re-evaluation of US counternarcotics strategy.