It's a stark change after the U.S. joined Israeli strikes on Iran in June and engaged in some of the most intense operations since WWII in the Red Sea.
The author of this op-ed argues the recent strikes on alleged drug boats create a precedent that gives an advantage to America's near-peer adversaries.
The U.S. military carried out three strikes Monday in the Eastern Pacific against boats suspected of carrying drugs, killing 14 and leaving one survivor.
The U.S. military is sending an aircraft carrier to the waters off South America, in the latest escalation and buildup of military forces in the region.