South Carolina 1st Congressional District candidate Mac Deford, an attorney and former U.S. Coast Guard law enforcement officer, issued a statement Monday condemning recent strikes in the Caribbean, including one in which a disabled vessel and its incapacitated survivors were subjected to additional lethal force.
“This was a disabled vessel,” Deford said. “The people on board had already abandoned ship. Some were injured in the water and no longer posed any threat. Ordering a second strike under those circumstances raises profound moral, legal and practical concerns. And the fact that I am the only candidate in this race speaking about it shows how much accountability and honest leadership are missing in this moment.”
Deford said the conduct is not only inconsistent with American values but also undermines U.S. security.
“As someone who has actually worked with teams to stop drug traffickers, I can tell you this with certainty: destroying survivors does not make America safer,” he said. “It eliminates individuals who could provide critical intelligence. It wipes out evidence. And it blinds our ability to anticipate future threats.”
He also underscored the importance of the issue to the Lowcountry’s military community.
“The Lowcountry is home to thousands of Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Coast Guard personnel,” he said. “Many have served or will serve in the Caribbean. Their missions rely on the United States upholding the rule of law and maintaining credibility abroad. When we normalize conduct like this, which appears to be illegal, we put their safety, their missions and our nation’s standing at risk.”
Deford urged leaders and candidates to take the issue seriously rather than remain silent.
“Incidents like this should never be brushed aside,” he said. “They go to the heart of who we are as a country, how we conduct ourselves in the world and how we protect the men and women we send into harm’s way.”