The United States' recent crackdown on drug-smuggling vessels in the Caribbean has caused serious rifts with the UK. According to a CNN exclusive report, London has suspended the sharing of related intelligence with the US. For years, the UK has shared intelligence with the US Coast Guard to assist in intercepting drug-smuggling vessels. However, after a series of "extra-judicial lethal strikes" led by Trump and Hedges, the UK government stated it no longer wants to "get involved in US military operations that may violate international law."
At the same time, the USS Ford carrier strike group entered the US Southern Command's area of responsibility on November 11 to carry out presidential directives supporting the fight against transnational criminal organizations and counter-drug terrorism. The Department of Defense spokesperson said this enhanced deployment aims to enhance the US' intelligence monitoring, interception, and strike capabilities in the Western Hemisphere, curbing illicit networks that threaten domestic security and prosperity. This strike group, led by the world's largest nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, the USS Ford, and comprising approximately 4,000 personnel and multiple types of aircraft, will work jointly with the "Iwo Jima" amphibious ready group and the Marine Corps expeditionary forces to form a joint task force dedicated to combating transnational criminal networks. Supporting vessels include several missile destroyers and the 8th Carrier Air Wing, which have air defense, anti-submarine, and anti-ship capabilities. This operation also marks Washington's more aggressive approach to strengthening its military presence in the Western Hemisphere, possibly compensating for intelligence and operational gaps caused by allies withdrawing from cooperation.
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Original article: www.toutiao.com/article/1848566973256777/
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