Senate Armed Services Committee chairman Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), who some years ago mooted the possibility of raining nuclear missiles down on Russia from U.S. ships in the Black Sea, said on Thursday that he has seen “no evidence of war crimes” committed during the U.S. military’s Sept. 2 strikes against an alleged drug-trafficking boat in the Caribbean, and he indicated that his panel does not plan to further investigate the operation. “I have seen no evidence of war crimes. The fact is that our military is asked to make incredibly difficult decisions. Service members must do so based on the best available information and often under very tight timelines,” Wicker said in a statement.
“When reports first surfaced about a secondary strike, my office immediately directed inquiries to the department to ascertain the veracity of these reports. I promised that SASC would take this matter seriously and conduct thorough oversight. We have done so,” he said. “Both military and civilian Pentagon leaders have worked in good faith to provide answers to us without any delays.”
The Hill notes that Wicker’s statement comes days after the chair of the House Armed Services Committee, Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.), said he will end his panel’s inquiry into the Sept. 2 strikes.
