"Using military might to take out small trafficking boats is like using a blowtorch to cook an egg," said a former U.S. ambassador to Venezuela, suggesting ulterior motives for the deployment

The U.S. military has killed at least 21 people in recent strikes on small boats off the coast of Venezuela — attacks President Donald Trump says are part of an “armed conflict” with drug cartels. But according to data and experts cited by The New York Times, the operation is unlikely to significantly disrupt the flow of cocaine or fentanyl into the United States, since Venezuela plays only a marginal role in the global drug trade.