Britain's Foreign Secretary, Yvette Cooper, has moved to quash reports of a significant intelligence breakdown with the United States concerning the campaign against alleged drug traffickers in the Caribbean. Speaking during an official visit to Naples, Cooper affirmed that the longstanding intelligence and law enforcement frameworks between the two allied nations remain fully operational.
Diplomatic Reassurances Amidst Controversial Reports
The controversy emerged from reports last week, initially published by CNN, suggesting the UK had suspended a specific stream of intelligence sharing. The alleged reason was a British concern that the US bombing campaign against suspected narco-traffickers might not be legal under international law. Cooper, making the first public comments by a British minister on the issue, refrained from delving into specifics but pointed to the US Secretary of State's own dismissal of the story.
As you know, we don't comment on the detail of intelligence matters, but I think you'll probably have seen the US secretary of state has dismissed some of the reports that have been made, Cooper stated. US Senator Marco Rubio went further, labelling the CNN report as a false story, it's a fake story.
US Military Campaign and UK's Cautious Stance
The diplomatic statements come as the US intensifies its military operations in the region, deploying the USS Gerald R Ford aircraft carrier strike group. The US administration has declared that its forces have killed 82 people in 21 attacks since September, targeting vessels accused of drug trafficking with alleged links to Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro regime.
Despite this collaboration, the UK has maintained a distinct position on the legality of the operations. Defence Secretary John Healey, who was accompanying Cooper, emphasised the UK's commitment to international law. Wherever our forces are deployed, whatever they are asked to do, we as a nation are consistent about our compliance with international humanitarian law, Healey said. UK defence sources have confirmed that a handful of British naval officers remain aboard the USS Gerald R Ford, performing their duties as the carrier has not been involved in direct attacks on traffickers or Venezuela.
NATO Milestone with HMS Prince of Wales
The ministers' comments were made during a visit to the UK's newest aircraft carrier, HMS Prince of Wales, which has been declared mission-ready for NATO. In a significant European first, the vessel has been placed under NATO command, signalling the UK's reinforced commitment to the alliance. Demonstrating its capabilities, the carrier's RAF F-35B aircraft recently flew a record 36 sorties in a single day, showcasing its operational readiness.
This development occurs against a backdrop of expert scrutiny of the US anti-narcotics campaign. Many legal and military analysts question its legitimacy, arguing that drug traffickers do not constitute a military threat warranting such attacks under international law, with limited public evidence provided to connect the bombed vessels directly to the drug trade.
