Trump's Cartel Offensive Campaign

Pentagon moves 600 troops to Latin America in Trump cartel offensive

A 600-soldier battalion from Fort Drum has begun deploying to Latin America as the Pentagon expands Trump’s campaign against drug cartels across the hemisphere.

The unit, drawn from the Army’s 10th Mountain Division in New York, is heading south as part of a broader push to disrupt trafficking networks that move poison toward the United States. Training starts at a new jungle warfare facility in Panama. From there the soldiers are expected to work with partner forces in Colombia and Honduras.

Daily Caller reporting, drawing on New York Times details published Wednesday, lays out the movement and the mission. The battalion may also support special operations forces that advise local militaries during raids on suspected traffickers.

Several hundred additional soldiers from the same division are set to help staff a new Western Hemisphere command based in Miami. An anonymous military official described that staffing role as the force posture takes shape.

Read more...