Hegseth blasts 'narco-terrorists' targeted by Trump admin as 'the al Qaeda of the Western Hemisphere'

As the U.S. continues conducting deadly strikes against vessels it claims are involved in drug trafficking, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth again described the "narco-terrorists" the U.S. has been targeting as "the al Qaeda of the Western Hemisphere."Hegseth's comments, which he made in Malaysia, repeated the point he has previously made as the Trump administration stands staunchly behind its controversial policy.HEGSETH, IN TALKS WITH CHINESE COUNTERPART, SAYS US WILL ‘STOUTLY DEFEND’ INTERESTS IN INDO-PACIFIC"These cartels are the Al Qaeda of the Western Hemisphere, using violence, murder and