The Pentagon is feeling confident that the Americas Counter-Cartel Conference on March 5 set the stage for a safer and more prosperous Western Hemisphere.
Just before Donald Trump is set to host the Shield of the Americas Summit this weekend, the conference convened as part of the same larger gathering to address the threat of narcoterrorism and criminal cartels in the Americas. Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell explained the purpose of the conference and what it accomplished in an official statement from the Department of War (DOW).
On Thursday, Parnell issued a statement explaining, “Today, the Secretary of War Pete Hegseth hosted defense and security leaders from 17 countries across the Western Hemisphere in Doral, Florida, for the Americas Counter-Cartel Conference.”
Parnell continued, “By bringing together defense ministers, senior officials, and security leaders from across the region, this conference advances President Trump’s commitment to peace through strength and to working with partners to confront cartel networks and malign actors that threaten the safety and security of our nations.”
Related: Trump Advisor Compares Narcoterrorists to ISIS, Vows Similar Countermeasures
This week, the United States began striking cartels in Ecuador, taking decisive action in the illegal drug war that has cost hundreds of thousands of American lives and fueled human trafficking. The Ecuador initiative follows months of Trump administration/DOW strikes on narcoterrorist drug boats — necessary measures to protect American sovereignty and save American lives, no matter what the Democrats claim to the contrary.
That is the context of the summit and its ancillary conference this week in Florida, as U.S. leaders look for support in their new Monroe Doctrine from other Western hemisphere leaders. Parnell said of the conference, “Participating countries reaffirmed their shared commitment to peace, sovereignty, and stability in our shared neighborhood.”
He said the conference attendees were also “[r]ecognizing the growing threat posed by transnational criminal organizations, partner nations committed to expanding bilateral and multilateral cooperation and deepening collaboration on key security priorities, including border security, countering narco-terrorism and trafficking, and protecting critical infrastructure.”
The DOW is focused on protecting America First, but by waging war on the drug cartels, our military is benefiting other nations, too. That’s why every leader in the Americas ought to be on the side of the Trump administration in this case, and why the Trump administration is meeting with other leaders to show them this campaign is in their interests.
Parnell concluded, “The Department of War values the strong partnerships that make collective action possible to prevent external powers from interfering in our neighborhood and confronting shared threats. We look forward to working with these committed nations to support efforts that strengthen regional cooperation and advance a safe, secure, and prosperous Western Hemisphere.” And here’s hoping that many leaders side with justice and lawful order instead of with the criminal narcoterrorist cartels.
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