New Delhi, Nov. 16 -- The United States' most advanced aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, arrived in the Caribbean Sea on Sunday, marking a conspicuous display of Washington's military power. The deployment immediately raises questions about the full implications of this major influx of troops and weaponry for the Trump administration's anti-drugs campaign in South America.

Announced by the US military in a statement, the Ford's arrival is the culmination of the largest build-up of US firepower in the region for a generation. The operation, dubbed "Operation Southern Spear" by War Secretary Pete Hegseth, now involves approximately 12,000 troops across nearly a dozen Navy ships.

The Ford's carrier strike group, which includes squa...