Litir ó Mheiriceá – ‘Operation Absolute Resolve’

Letter from America - 'Operation Absolute Resolve'

by | 2026/01/07 | Current Affairs, International News, Politics, Opinion

Litir ó Mheiriceá – ‘Operation Absolute Resolve’

At daybreak on January 3, 2026, in Caracas, Venezuela, the operation came to a rapid end. The helicopters lifted off. Nicolás Maduro was taken into custody in the United States (USA).

Various explanations emerged over the weekend.

First, on television, Marco Rubio argued that the morning raid was not a war, but an operation specifically aimed at executing an arrest warrant. In this version of the story, the US army merely provided protection to Department of Justice officials as they went about their work.

A few hours later, aboard Air Force One, President Donald Trump gave another explanation. He said that the United States would be "running" Venezuela for a while. American oil companies would move in. The infrastructure would be repaired. Elections would come later.

Rubio’s story and Trump’s story were contradicting each other.

In Caracas, Maduro’s inner circle remained in place. The acting President of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, asked the US to collaborate together.

In 2024, it was widely believed that opposition candidate Edmundo González won a contentious election against the incumbent, Maduro. An exit poll published by the American firm Edison Research showed González leading Maduro 65% to 31%. However, Maduro claimed victory, and González was forced to seek exile in Spain.

González stood in the 2024 election because the opposition leader, María Corina Machado, had been banned from being a candidate. Machado earned international acclaim last year when she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

Shortly after the US operation on Saturday, Machado called on González to "immediately assume his constitutional mandate and be recognized as commander-in-chief." In a statement, Machado said her movement would "restore order, free political prisoners, build an exceptional country and bring our children back home."

Ina phreasagallamh féin, áfach, chaith Trump drochmheas ar mhaíomh fhreasúra Veiniséala chun na cumhachta. Nuair a ceistíodh é go díreach faoi Machado, dúirt Trump le tuairisceoirí: “Ceapaim go mbeadh sé an-deacair di a bheith ina ceannaire. Níl an tacaíocht aici, níl meas uirthi laistigh den tír.”

Police operation or armed robbery?

That raises a question: What plan did the Trump administration have in the first place? The same rotten regime is still in place, and Trump is against putting the winners of the 2024 presidential election in charge of the country, as he ought to do. Therefore, it is hard to see a coordinated US government strategy, which is a cause for concern for us all.

Rubio’s "police operation" tried to keep the raid within known legal boundaries. If it was law enforcement, there is no need to consult the US Congress. International law could be bypassed. The action would be unusual but constrained.

Trump’s explanation blew that approach apart. Running another country to reopen its oil wells is not law enforcement; it is occupation by another name, even if troops do not remain on the ground. In the US government, silence reigned, with Democrats who demanded Congressional oversight overruled by Republicans kowtowing to the Trump regime.

For many years, the post-war system relied on the US as an exemplar regarding compliance with international rules. When the United States used force before, it was in cooperation with its allies and yielding to international agreements.

Operation Absolute Resolve went against those long-established norms. In Venezuela, paralysis is the immediate result. A leader removed from office. A regime left behind. An opposition in exile. An occupying power that insists it is not occupying anything.

Cause for concern in other countries

In other countries, analysis followed quickly after the American operations. An attempt was made to explain this sudden change, not only in terms of the impact on themselves, but on the international order that is now clearly being violated by the US.

In Havana, Cuban state media reported that numerous Cuban security personnel were killed during the raid, confirming what Washington had long claimed: that Cuba was supporting the protection of the Maduro regime.

In Bogotá, Colombia, officials watched the increase in US warships and aircraft with worry. Trump has openly threatened Colombian President Gustavo Petro, accusing him of exporting cocaine to the United States.

In Copenhagen, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen issued a statement urging the United States to "stop the threats" as Trump reiterated that he needs to acquire Greenland, for security reasons. Greenland, she said, was not for sale.

Trump had spoken about Greenland before. But after what he did in Venezuela, Denmark and Greenland realized that a serious threat was now involved. In Nuuk, the Prime Minister of Greenland wrote online that the rhetoric was "completely unacceptable." It was wrong, he wrote, to link Greenland with Venezuela.

In Brussels, European officials emphasized a distinction. Denmark was one of the founding members of NATO in 1949, along with 11 other countries, including the US. Venezuela is not part of that organization. Different rules apply to NATO, as it is an alliance. There would be major problems if the US took possession of a NATO member state, and there is a high chance NATO would not survive such a serious violation.

Canada was also keeping an eye on matters. Trump has already spoken carelessly about Canada as "the 51st state," a statement once accepted as an inconsequential dispute. After Caracas, however, the Canadian government must pay more serious attention to that threat.

Serious implications

This does not mean American troops will be on the ground in Greenland, Colombia, or Canada tomorrow. That is not how these changes work. But this saber-rattling is just the first step down that road. Therefore, weak countries under threat try to protect themselves by establishing new alliances with parties stronger than themselves. Allies re-examine their relationship with any country that violates international rules.

Competitors notice that they have a stronger argument for violating international rules too. With that new outlook, the invasion of Ukraine looks more acceptable. An invasion of Taiwan would be the same as an invasion of Venezuela. When international agreements regarding state sovereignty break down, everything is at risk. World affairs become much more uncertain and dangerous. The risks of war are raised in general, and that is not a good thing.

Big questions to answer

In Washington, there are big questions to answer. What is Operation Absolute Resolve? What are the milestones of the operation? Are other operations coming?

This confusion is part of the international environment. From Caracas to Havana, from Bogotá to Copenhagen, governments are getting used to not just American policy, but the inconsistency associated with multiple policies that are at odds with each other. That can only end badly. Sooner or later, the co-equal branch of the US government known as Congress must exercise its constitutional powers instead of sitting back and yielding all its power to the president and his friends.

The sooner the better.

 

An Ghaeilge – 2025

An Ghaeilge – 2025

by | 2025/12/31 | Current Affairs, Language Affairs, Opinion

An Ghaeilge - 2025

On a cold November morning at Dublin Castle, a line was quietly crossed. As Catherine Connolly delivered her inauguration speech, Irish carried the day.

For many years, Connolly has been a model in her consistent use of Irish in public life. As President, she made it clear that Irish will also be a central theme of her new role. From the first day onward, Irish will be the working language of the Office of the President. Her staff will operate through Irish.

That is an important decision. As head of state, she will have significant influence over the Official Languages (Amendment) Act 2021, particularly the provision that requires 20 per cent of new public service recruits to have Irish by 2030. With leadership from the top, pressure will be placed on the public service to follow her example.

But the ground had already been shifting.

Tob-Ghaeltachtaí

For at least the past decade, Irish has been gradually returning to everyday life. By 2025, that movement had reached a turning point.

An early signal came from the Pop-Up Gaeltachtaí. The first was founded in Dublin in 2017 and they spread quickly thereafter. By 2025, they had become a normal part of social life rather than a language experiment. They were simple and essential: places to speak Irish without classes or correction. Today, they are found across Ireland and overseas, including in the United States. Pop-Up Gaeltachtaí bridge the gap between having Irish and being able to use it.

Then came a sharper cultural turn.

Kneecap

Kneecap is a politically charged hip-hop/rap trio from Belfast that blends hardcore hip-hop with punk energy. They rap in both English and Irish, addressing working-class life, Irish identity, and political protest. Their sound includes elements of drill, house, and even folk, and their satirical lyrics are often controversial, paired with a raw attitude that attracts fans from the rock and punk worlds.

Their biographical film drew large audiences earlier this year. At concerts, teenagers in football jerseys and retro sportswear shout Irish-language lyrics with the same ease once reserved for English-language music.

This is no longer a marginal phenomenon. It is a movement that reached the mainstream in 2025, with support from the music industry and international media. For the first time, Irish is being seen as a central part of contemporary culture and a source of pride, especially among young people. There is no embarrassment in using the language, even if you only have a few words.

TikTok

Online, the shift is even clearer. On TikTok, Irish is spoken quickly and imperfectly, half-translated, mixed with dialects, nonsense, and memes. You don’t need perfect grammar. Taking part matters more.

“It’s no longer about being precise,” says Ciara, a nineteen-year-old student at UCD who runs a popular Irish-language account. “If you waited until you were happy with the standard of your Irish, you’d never speak. Now, you just start.”

Belfast

If there is one place that shows the scale of the change, it is Belfast. In October, Belfast City Council adopted a full Irish-language policy, backed by £1.9 million in funding. Bilingual signage. Services. Visibility. Ten years ago, such a move would have been unthinkable.

In 2025, however, the political and cultural context had shifted dramatically, with Irish now viewed as a public asset rather than a political flashpoint. The difference now is the presence of clear targets, resources, and public visibility. Irish has moved from promise to practice. This is a practical example of what can be achieved when policy and community align.

In the Gaeltacht Quarter, the impact was immediate. Irish on vehicles. On signs. On walls. A clear message being sent: the language belongs to us.

The change is also reaching higher education. From the 2026–27 academic year onwards, Queen's University Belfast will offer new degree programmes in Law and Broadcast Production through Irish. It is a clear statement of intent. Irish is a living language, not only in the South but in the North as well.

Looking ahead: 2026

The Action Plan for Irish in English-medium schools aims to tackle a familiar outcome: years of study with little confidence. Less emphasis on rote learning. More conversation. More use.

Abroad, demand continues to grow. Irish classes are filling quickly. In San Francisco, waiting lists already exist for courses beginning in early 2026.

There is still work to be done. Policy, funding, and infrastructure will determine how lasting this moment will be. But 2025 was a decisive year — not because of a new vision, but because of new usage. Irish has left the margins and returned to everyday life. That is what will drive the language forward in 2026.

 

Athbhliain faoi mhaise dhaoibh

Happy New Year to you all

by | 2025/12/23 | Personal, Opinion

Happy New Year to you all

Every year without fail, on New Year's Eve, my father used to go out the front door for a short while and then come back in again. I didn’t know why, and I never asked him about it either. But after reading one of his columns recently, I finally think I know now what it was all about. It relates to his own family history, and the best thing for me to do now is to step aside and let you read that column for yourself. Here it is.

At this time of year, old people go down memory lane, because they realize that the years are slipping away from them like the wind, and that another bead on their rosary has passed through their fingers, a bead that will not return, and I suppose that reminds them of their own mortality, if nothing else succeeds in doing so. For my part, I realize that it does a person no good at all to be worried or sad about such matters, for all he can do is apply a poultice of forgetfulness to it, and prepare himself for the new year that is stretching out before him, just as a challenging journey stretches before a pilgrim, enticing and encouraging him forward again.

When I think of this time of year myself, my memory goes back immediately to the place where I was born, in Erris, County Mayo—yes, back to that land that stretches from "Cnocán a’ Líne until you go to Fál Mór." I think, first of all, of that beautiful countryside, with its bare, bleak fields; stubble here, and cut ridges in another place; pools of water over there, and grassy swathes over here; but through it all, everything looked as though the land spread out before you wasn't too fertile, although there was every appearance that any arable land available in the area was being intensely cultivated. Out on the horizon, the islands were anchored firmly in a heaving, rough, volatile sea.

New Year Memories

But, above all else, I think of New Year's Eve, and of the customs and practices associated with that interesting festival.

What are the customs I am talking about?

In the first place, there were the native customs, customs like the New Year's resolutions that were made widely at that time. It was a common topic of conversation among the ordinary people back then. 

"What New Year's resolution have you made for yourself for the coming year?" 

"Well, I have decided to give up this devil of a pipe, that is if God leaves me my health."

Another man or woman would say that they were determined to go to Scotland, to earn a few pennies in the new year, to do this or that. There was another custom among people at that time: getting rid of the dirt of the year that was on its last breath. Yes, they would clean and scrub themselves, so that they would be clean and neat crossing the threshold into the new year. People used not to be willing to spend any money on New Year’s Day, for they believed if they did, they would continue that same habit throughout the year ahead. Oh, I forgot! They had another strange custom back in our midst at that time too, and that was the parade through the town, starting at the stroke of midnight. The young people of the village would gather together first, and anyone who had any musical ability would be there with some musical instrument, and then the music would start and the parade would go from one end of the village to the other, making music and a racket as they welcomed the new year. On their way back, they would go into a house here and there and would be welcomed, and their thirst would be quenched after the fatigue of the marching! 

Foreign Customs

As well as those customs, we also had in our midst some customs that were brought in from abroad.

How did such a thing happen?

Well! At that time, a good number of the local people used to go to Scotland to pick potatoes for the big farmers of that country. They were migratory laborers (spailpíní), and it goes without saying that they didn't live the life of luxury over there. One only needs to mention the "Kirkintulloch Disaster" to drive that home to anyone who spent time as a "Tatie Hoker" over there. But that is not my point, but rather this. Often the potato pickers would stay over for a period after they had finished picking the potatoes. They would go navvying, usually, and so they would be in Scotland for the biggest festival the Scots have, that is, "Hogmanay," or New Year's Eve, and in that way, they picked up the New Year customs of that country. My father spent a good number of years over there during his youth, and so, it was no surprise that special emphasis was placed on "Hogmanay" in our house. The custom of the "First Footer" was the first of those customs that made an impression on me while I was growing up in the west. That was the custom they had of giving a special welcome to the first man who crossed the threshold to them on New Year's Day (Lá Coille). Now, don't think I am saying that a woman would bring misfortune, or bad luck, on a household if she happened to be the first visitor to cross the threshold on New Year's Day, but doesn’t everyone know that this is how things were in the West of Ireland at that time. I saw it myself, with my own two eyes, two fishermen turning on their heels back home because a woman was the first person they met on their way to the sea. That was how the world was at that time. Young men used to take advantage of that custom, and they would go around the village, so that they would be doing quite well [with food/drink] by the time they had completed the circuit of the village. I had a cousin myself, and he had his own custom to welcome the new year. He had an old bottle with no bottom, and around midnight, he would come out to the gable of his house and blow three ear-splitting blasts out of it—blasts that would remind a person of the Barr Bua (Horn of Victory) that the Fianna used to blow long ago—bidding farewell to the old year, and welcoming the new year; a custom, he used to say, that he learned during his youth, and he didn't have the heart to break that same custom for his whole life. We understood that this was a Scottish custom as well.

New Customs

All those customs belonged to a life that is past, mourned, and buried now, but that is not to say that people don't have their own customs in this day and age, for they do, even if they are completely different from the customs they had long ago; but at the same time, you will see that there are similarities between them too. Take for example people blowing their car horns at midnight on New Year's Eve, isn't it like my cousin's custom? And what about the custom of fireworks that are shot up into the sky, and the bells that are rung, to make noise and a racket, to welcome the new year? Are there not similarities between that and the music and racket the youth of our village used to make, long ago, welcoming the new year in their own day? I don't know if anyone makes a New Year's resolution in this day and age, but I'd say there are people who follow that same custom too. But who cares about that, for every one of us has a kind of fear as we hit the road into the fresh territories of the new year. Therefore, at this time of year, I pray for success and happiness for every one of my readers. 

A Happy New Year to you all, and may we all be seven times better a year from tonight. 

Gluais: Bóithrín na smaointe, memory lane;  so-mharfacht, mortality;  talamh cuir, arable land;  ar an gcéad ásc, in the first place;  gleáradh, racket;  Lá Coille, New Year’s Day;  san athbhliain, in the new year;  “Tatie Hokers”, potato pickers.

Nollaig Shona Dhaoibh Uilig

Merry Christmas to You All

by | 2025/12/17 | Personal, Opinion

Nollaig Shona Dhaoibh Uilig

Introduction

My father was under the spell of Christmas every year of his life. It is a significant coincidence that he himself passed away at Christmastime, six years ago, at the age of ninety-four. Therefore, I remember him in a special way at this time of year. I think it is a fitting tribute to that wonderful writer, Peadar Bairéad, to celebrate the Christmas season with him as best we can—that is to say, in his own words. Here is a column he wrote some years ago, which is as fresh today as it was when he wrote it.

Happy Christmas All

Yes, that time of year has come around to us again, that time that gives us all a chance to show peace and goodwill to the whole wide world outside of ourselves. Yes, and that time also gives us a chance to walk back down memory lane, to those days long ago when we stood looking in wonder at the beautiful Crib, arranged nicely and peacefully in the Church. And further back still, to the first Manger in Royal Bethlehem, in the Holy Land itself, at the beginning of the era of Christianity, when Jesus was born in the Stable because there was no place to be found for his mother, Mary, or for Joseph in the town’s Inn that holy night.

Christmas Night

Look at how the poet, Máire Mhac an tSaoi, put it in her poem "Oíche Nollag" (Christmas Eve), saying that the wealthy had shelter in that same Inn that night, but the Virgin and her spouse were left with no room to be found, except in the old stable of the animals...

The lights were all lighting in that little hostel,

There were generous servings of victuals and wine,

For merchants of silk, for merchants of woollens,

But Jesus will lie in this household tonight.

Tá an file ag tagairt don nós a bhí beo, i measc Gael, an tráth úd, go mbíodh an Teaghlach Naofa ag fánaíocht timpeall an oíche sin, agus iad ag iarraidh bheith istigh a fháil i dteach eicínt, agus b’in an fáth a d’fhágtaí an doras ar leathadh, coinneall na Nollag ar lasadh, agus áit socraithe réidh dóibh ag an mbord, ag súil go dtiocfaidís ar chuairt chucu, an oíche bheannaithe sin. Féach arís mar a chuireann Máire Mhac an tSaoi é, i véarsa eile, sa dán céanna sin…..

 

Leave all the doors wide open before her,

The Virgin who’ll come with the child on her breast,

Grant that you’ll stop here tonight, Holy Mary,

That Jesus a while in this household may rest.

Níl dabht ar domhan, ach gur éirigh leis an bhfile, dearcadh agus creideamh na cosmhuintire a thuiscint, agus a léiriú, i véarsaí an dáin álainn sin,  “Oíche Nollag”.

A Vigil kept

It was not the custom of the people in the west to go overboard that night with food or drink, for they were waiting for the arrival of the Holy Family to visit them. They would have an ordinary supper—potatoes and fish, perhaps, or something of that sort—because they wouldn't have the big Christmas dinner to prepare until the following morning, that is, after Mass. That morning, every priest had the custom of saying three Masses, and because of that, they would start quite early in the morning, at half-past eight perhaps. Those people would be home again around ten o'clock, and then they would start preparing the dinner. Yes, upon my soul, and consider that they didn't have modern cooking appliances at that time—indeed they did not! They had nothing but the three-legged pot-oven and a pot, and they had to work those implements on the open fire. A big difference between yesterday and today! 

How about toys then?

What about the boy and girls then?

I’ll bet it wouldn't take them long to open their Christmas gifts, for it wouldn't take two people to load them onto a cart! I am talking about my own native place, back in Erris in County Mayo, of course. The boys would get nothing but a little "guinnín" (pop-gun), perhaps, and a little car or the like, yes, and a lock of sweets and fruit to fill the stocking. And what about the girls? Well, usually they would get dolls, and sweets and fruit too, perhaps. We would spend a while playing with those Christmas gifts, and then some of us would go out hunting the wren, or we would be getting ready for Wren Day (St. Stephen's Day), which was the day after Christmas Day. If we didn't succeed in finding a wren that day—and I promise you that those same wrens knew we were hunting them that particular day, for they would clear off out of our way quite early that morning! Well, if we didn't succeed in finding one, what we would do then was wait until nightfall, and then it wouldn't be too hard to find a sleepy sparrow in the eaves of the thatch. He would do the job for us the following day, provided we didn't let anyone get too close to the little bird we had covered well in a cage!

Memories

There is no doubt but that a swarm of memories returns to me at this time of year, as I go back down that distressed, twisting, interesting road of thoughts. Here is how I spoke about some of those thoughts in a little poem I composed myself last year...

 

A treasure of accumulated memories

In the cupboard of bundled memories,

Going out with a Wren, early Mass,

Angels and Shepherds visiting

 

Sharing nice things generously,

Roasting delicious foods,

Christmas treats given with heart,

And Jesus’ birthday being celebrated.

 

They Chose a Goose.

They Chose a Goose It wasn't a turkey they used to roast for the occasion at that time, indeed not, but a goose. Yes, a fine, plucky, Irish Goose for Christmas. And didn't we get plenty of juice and smoke out of that same poor goose! And in the end, when its bones were picked cleverly and carefully by us, we wouldn't throw those bones away idly either—indeed we wouldn't! For we had the greatest desire in the world for the big bones of the wings. By cutting them carefully, we could make "goose guns" (pop-guns) out of them. Then we wanted nothing but a little wooden plunger that would go through the heart of that bone, and a potato, to start firing shots at everyone all over the house. Didn't we have the sport! I’ll bet we got as much fun out of those same goose guns as the children of today get out of their PlayStations and the like! Yes, a big difference between yesterday and today. 

But to put a fitting end to this week's piece, perhaps it wouldn't be a bad idea to wish a happy and prosperous Christmas to every one of my readers, and may every one of you be seven times better a year from tonight. And yes, may we be alive at this time again.

 

Birth in the Stable

The Christmas season is upon us,

And white snowflakes coming down

Like a bright, holy, shining cloak,

Hiding grime and dirt for us.

 

But inside my heart, with enthusiasm,

I will prepare a manger, with effort,

and I will clear away the grime of the years

From the old stable of my hard soul

 

The Christmas season is upon us,

And the holy, Heavenly Infant, coming down

Is washing, and saving the Clan of Eve,

And hiding sin and trouble for us.

 

Beithilín, a Crib;  máinséar, manger;  teach aíochta, an Inn;  Teaghlach Naofa, the Holy Family;  girseacha, young girls;  guinnín, a little gun;  sa bhundlaoi, in the eave of the house; creimthe, picked;  cálóga bána, white flakes (of snow)

 

Litir ó Mheiriceá – Ag Lúbadh na Rialacha ar Muir

Letter from America – Bending the Rules at Sea

by | 2025/12/08 | Current Affairs, International News, Politics, Opinion

Letter from America – Bending the Rules at Sea

Podcast - Bending the Rules at Sea

Podchraoladh - ag lúbadh na Rialacha ar Muir

In the azure depths of the southern Caribbean, far from the prying eyes of the public, a fundamental change occurred in the United States’ approach regarding drug smugglers at sea.

On September 2nd, the US military struck its first lethal air strike against a boat suspected of smuggling drugs. A significant new directive was involved: Kill smugglers at sea instead of arresting them. This is not how the rules worked in the past, and a storm of controversy has been whipped up about this in Washington D.C. currently.

The Target

Intelligence reports linked the boat to the Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan gang recently designated by the US government as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. According to every previous government, it was the US Coast Guard that would deal with a boat like this. They would fire a warning shot across the bow before boarding. They would arrest the smugglers, seize the evidence, and the accused would face trial in a court of law.

But with "Operation Southern Spear," the rules were rewritten. According to the government, led by President Donald Trump and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, drug smuggling is equivalent to an armed invasion, which justifies a military response rather than a law enforcement one.

The First Strike

The operation began with a precision attack. A guided missile struck the vessel in its center to break the hull and detonate the boat's fuel stores. That explosion smashed the fiberglass structure to smithereens, and nine of the eleven men on board were killed instantly.

The destroyed boat capsized. Debris and bales of cocaine were scattered on the water. Immediately after that, surveillance drones flew over the scene transmitting live video back to command centers in Florida and the Pentagon. The footage revealed an unexpected problem: two survivors.

Shirtless and unarmed, the two men managed to climb onto a floating section of the keel. They were adrift in remote international waters, their vessel destroyed and their comrades dead. They were defenseless and helpless.

The Second Strike

Soldiers who are hors de combat—those removed from the fight due to injury or shipwreck—have protection under the Geneva Conventions. Under the terms of the Conventions, there is a duty to rescue them if possible, and it is not permitted to kill them.

Despite this, the operation commander, Navy Admiral Frank "Mitch" Bradley, ordered a second strike to hit the debris where the two were sheltering.

It was reported that drone video showed the two survivors waving their hands beforehand. The interpretation of this signaling would be the basis for a heated political battle later. According to Democratic lawmakers and human rights observers who saw the video, it was clear the men were in distress, making signs of surrender or rescue. They had no radio, no weapons, and no means of movement.

For the government and its defenders, however, the hand waving was interpreted differently. Senator Tom Cotton and military officials claimed the men were signaling to cartel boats in the area, and therefore they were still fighting and trying to salvage the illicit cargo. It was reported that Admiral Bradley assessed that the debris, which possibly still contained cocaine, was a valid military target for destruction.

In any event, on the admiral's orders, a second series of munitions struck the debris. The two survivors were killed instantly.

Legal and Ethical Controversy

"The term we have for a premeditated act like that outside of armed conflict is murder," said Brian Finucane, a former State Department lawyer, in an interview after the incident. "It is patently illegal to kill a person who has suffered a shipwreck."

The government's defense relied on the targets. By designating the crew as "narco-terrorists," the Pentagon claimed that those smugglers were unlawful enemy combatants who posed a continuous threat to US national security. Secretary of Defense Hegseth defended the decision strongly, saying: "If you bring drugs to this country in a boat, we will find you and we will sink you."

But for over a hundred years, since the US made its first opium seizure at sea in 1886, dealing with drugs smuggled at sea was a policing act, not a military one. People were innocent until proven guilty; evidence was gathered; trials were held. But in this case, Hellfire missile attacks replaced due process of law.

The Consequences

In the months that followed this incident, US forces carried out over 20 other attacks like this, killing more than 80 people. Among them were Colombians, Venezuelans, and citizens of Trinidad and Tobago. Although the US claimed they were all terrorists, families of the dead said they were poor fishermen forced to engage in smuggling—temporary workers who had no knowledge of the wider geopolitical war.

A major problem was also the lack of transparency. The names of the dead were not released initially. No bodies were recovered for post-mortem examination. The "evidence" went to the bottom of the Caribbean Sea.

In Washington, investigations began, demanding to find out if an illegal order like "kill them all" had been issued. Although Admiral Bradley testified that he received no such explicit order from Pete Hegseth, at the same time, he himself ordered the second strike. That indicates the kind of culture involved in Operation Southern Spear.

A New Era of Warfare?

What happened on September 2, 2025, serves as a grim milestone in American foreign policy. That is the day the US ignored the Geneva Conventions by killing defenseless survivors.

That horrific behavior also raises uncomfortable questions: Can a government unilaterally declare that criminals are soldiers? And if so, do they then have the right to kill them without due process, especially those who are hors de combat? What is the Geneva Convention worth if it is ignored?

Congressional hearings and lawsuits will take place to deal with this horrific incident and to answer those questions. Although it is presumably clear to us all what the right answers are, will the US government share that view—a government under the control of President Trump, who has absolutely no respect for national or international rules?

 

Ar Sciatháin Túis Nua

The Wings of a New Beginning

by | 2025/12/03 | Personal, Politics, History, Opinion

The Wings of a New Beginning

“Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

  • Inscription on the Statue of Liberty, New York.

We should all, especially the President and government of the United States of America (USA), always keep those important words in mind. Currently, however, the government is ignoring them. For example, ICE (immigration law enforcement agency) and the National Guard (military force) are mistreating many people in the country, including citizens. We all saw the recordings: masked men jump out of a van and grab people from the street, and some of them are never seen again because they are placed in a detention centre somewhere. We must tackle such behaviour and restore our core principles.

The following true and historical story demonstrates the values of the USA as they were and as they should be again.

Thanks to Nancy Kramer (an American living in Julian, San Diego, in the United States) for sharing her own story with us. She is an inspiration and a role model for us, as we too can be true to our word. Here is the question for us who live in democratic countries: What can I do today to improve our country and ensure fair play for everyone currently here, regardless of the colour of their skin or their religion.

The Wings of a New Beginning by Nancy Kramer

As a Pan Am flight attendant, I've seen all kinds of passengers—many memorable Hollywood stars, popular bands, government officials—and I've even helped with onboard marriage proposals. However, my favorite flights were those on which we boarded groups of refugees in Manila and Bangkok.

In our crew briefing, we were informed that the back part of our airplane would be filled with refugees, organized by the U.S. government and resettlement agencies like the IRC. We were advised to expect passengers with limited English who might need help with basics like seat belts and lavatories.

As the bus doors opened at the foot of our 747, families stepped out, blinking into the sun, mothers gripping small hands. Most had never set foot on an airplane before. I watched a little girl frozen at the bottom of the blue Pan Am stairs, terrified by the sound from the engines, clinging to her father's pants.

They arrived in small, quiet groups—Southeast Asian refugees, some with babies strapped to their backs in cloth carriers, others with hollow eyes that spoke of horrors we couldn't imagine, shepherded by young volunteers wearing International Rescue Committee badges. Each family clutched identical canvas tote bags—stark white with bold blue letters: IRC. Those little bags held their only belongings.

Departing families were issued travel-appropriate Western attire to help them look "presentable" upon arrival in Western countries, as agencies knew first impressions could affect how refugees were treated in their new communities. They wore mostly outdated Western-style clothing donated by IRC and faith-based charities: button-up shirts and slacks for men, modest dresses or blouses and skirts for women, along with light jackets or sweaters for the cooler U.S. weather—and secondhand shoes or sandals with socks.

Once on board, we helped them settle into the back rows of seats. The cabin smelled faintly of unfamiliar spices and wood smoke, as if the journey from the camps in Thailand had come with them. I heard many utter a quiet "Cảm ơn" or "thank you" when I showed them how to fasten their seat belts.

During takeoff, many passengers gasped or cried softly as we left the ground. The children’s eyes were wide, torn between wonder and fear. For the adults, the roar of takeoff symbolized both hope and heartbreaking finality. Would they ever see their war-torn homeland again?

After leveling off, we prepared to serve them special rice dishes, which they were more familiar with than our Western foods. We poured them cups of tea, in which some put their wrapped pat of butter. I had read that the Nepalese drank yak butter tea, so I wasn’t sure if that was intentional or if they just didn’t know what butter was.

A young mother with an infant gestured for help in warming a bottle. I carried it to the galley, and when I returned, she bowed her head, tears streaming down her cheeks. They were all so shy, timid, extremely polite, and very grateful. I gave the children plastic Pan Am wing pins, providing a fleeting moment of joy on their frightening and emotional journey.

Some passengers dozed fitfully, jolting awake with every bump of turbulence, while others sat stiff and silent for hours, clutching the IRC bags in their laps like life preservers. These bags were distributed in the refugee camps as part of their travel preparation. The bags contained essential documents like I-94 forms, medical records, sponsorship papers, and a few personal items, such as photos, traditional clothing, or a family keepsake.

As we approached Los Angeles, the dawn light broke over the Pacific, flooding the cabin in gold. For the first time, I saw faint smiles and heard whispers of excitement. The volunteers moved through the aisles, explaining what would happen at the airport: there would be men and women waiting to welcome them, take them to homes, and help them start over.

When we landed at LAX, the plane erupted in applause—a soft, scattered clapping of relief and disbelief. As we taxied to the gate, I looked out at the tarmac, where a group of Americans waited with blankets, signs, and stuffed animals. I took a deep breath, trying to hold back my tears.

I had always loved flying because it connected people and places. But on those flights, I understood that an airplane could carry not just passengers but entire futures.

 

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