US Launches Operation Southern Spear Against 'Narco-Terrorists'

Published 2 days ago

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Above: Pete Hegseth before the 57th Security Consultative Meeting in Seoul, South Korea, on Nov. 4, 2025. Image copyright: Jeon Heon-Kyun/Pool/Getty Images

The Spin

Republican narrative

Operation Southern Spear protects America's homeland by eliminating narco-terrorists who flood the country with deadly drugs. The Western Hemisphere is America's neighborhood, and decisive military action against criminal organizations reflects proper defense of national security under legitimate war powers.

Eric Daugherty on X Daily Mail

Democratic narrative

Trump reels from the Epstein files and, within a day, Pete Hegseth unveils "Operation Southern Spear," complete with carriers, Marines and macho rhetoric. It feels less like military strategy and more like a convenient diversion — an attention-grabbing show wrapped in a Pentagon-branded package.

Carolyn Barber on X

S.L. Kanthan on X

Establishment-critical narrative

Operation Southern Spear's true aim isn't security but quiet preparation for another foreign-backed upheaval — an intervention that could open the door to stripping the country of its resources. This military operation signifies dangerous military overreach that escalates tensions across Latin America under the guise of fighting drugs.

Newsweek

Truth_teller on X