> You're doing the "But what about Obama?!"
I’m not. My point is that the ordinary rule accepted by most people, especially the mass media, is that the government doesn’t provide public evidence for military actions. So when the New York Times complains that “there is no evidence” here it seems like special pleading.
Given that it was used as justification for regime change ("Venezuela is sending fentanyl and killing Americans!!") then I'd say the pleading should be special.