Posted on 03/26/2014 7:33:35 PM PDT by Whenifhow
Behind closed doors the U.S. government is giving Russia free military equipment—also used to train American troops—even after President Obama announced punitive sanctions against Moscow and, more importantly, a suspension in military engagement over the invasion and occupation of Ukraine.
The secret operation was exposed this week by members of Congress that discovered it in the process of reviewing the Fiscal Year 2014 budget and the proposed Fiscal Year 2015 budget request. It turns out that the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) has been providing the Russian Federation with the Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System (MILES), the federal legislators say. The U.S. military uses MILES for tactical force-on-force training because it has a system of lasers and dummy ammunition to simulate ground combat.
It’s a crucial, military-grade technology that’s similar to a “laser tag” available in some commercial markets, according to one of the outraged lawmakers (Oklahoma Republican Jim Bridenstine) that helped uncover the scandal. Bridenstine, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, has joined forces with Ohio Republican Mike Turner, Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces, to demand an end to the program. Along with about a dozen other House colleagues they penned a letter to Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz, who oversees the agency carrying out the “irresponsible military equipment transfers” to Russia.
The Obama administration’s planned supply to the Russian Federation is a grave mistake given the recent invasion of Ukraine launched by Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin, the legislators point out. “It is difficult to imagine a worse time to provide military-grade technology employed by the U.S. Marine Corps, Army, and Special Operations Forces to Russia than when it has illegally invaded Ukraine and is violating the intermediate-range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty,” the letter to Moniz says. “To make matters worse, it is our understanding from the budget documents that the Department has been, and continues to propose, providing this technology to Russia free-of-charge.”
This is preposterous and borders on criminal if you really think about it. As if we need reminding, Congressman Turner recants Putin’s “brazen disregard for the sovereignty and stability of Eastern Europe” as well as his disregard for international law. “Despite this overwhelming evidence that Putin is not our ally, it is astonishing that the Obama Administration would still provide superior, U.S. military technology to an aggressive and advancing Russia,” Turner said. “The United States must seriously redirect its approach and immediately terminate all military aid to Russia.”
President Obama has already proven to be an international joke for his response to the worsening crisis in Ukraine. Even the mainstream media in this country has blasted the commander-in-chief’s foreign policy as based on fantasy. One famously liberal magazine published a satirical article saying that the Obama administration froze Putin’s Netflix account as a “major ramping up of sanctions.” In a piece published a few days ago, a former veteran congressman wrote this: “The embarrassment of U.S. impotence in dealing with Russian aggression in the Ukraine is only the beginning of what will likely be a series of foreign policy disasters.”
FYI
More and more insanity by the day
this is called “flexibility”
Bridenstine, Turner: United States is giving high level military technology to Russia
.....it has come to our attention that the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) has been, and is planning to continue providing the Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System (MILES) to the Russian Federation free of charge.”
Well, this should clarify exactly on which side in the Russia-Ukraine affair the President’s attachments truly lie.
No weapons for Ukraine, but (free) military aid to aggressor Putin (who has plenty of oil/gas money on hand with which to pay for this kind of aid.
Of course, I have little doubt that my fearless senior Senator from Texas, John Cornyyyyn, will be pounding the podium on the Senate floor over this issue tomorrow or next week, joined by McConnell, Alexander, and Corker. You know, the “conservative” Republican senators, who care nothing about their own careers, so completely dedicated to the national good are they day in and day out. /sarc
Seriously?? We had this stuff in the late 70’s. It was a POS then ind is a POS now. Sell it and good riddance.
No kidding. It never worked right when we used it in the field. Hardly high tech.
kingattax:" this is called “flexibility”
This is called insanity , .. even by a flexibile contortionist !!
Maybe he should also provide the Russians with the 4 1/2 million 'hollow-points' while he is at it !
for Croatia 'crowd control' ..since they are in violation of the Geneva Convention .
Anywhere else, no matter what the circumstance , this would be called INSANITY !!
Or maybe he is still in 'Community Organizer' mode while Mooche is away ??
Thanks Whenifhow. This reminds me of the way Carter sold the USSR truck engines which were used by their military during the invasion of Afghanistan, as well as to update their occupation forces in Warsaw Pact countries.
Setting aside the issue of being overly cooperative with Russia right now...
The MILES gear that they are referring to is a laser tag system of adapters - such as a barrel plug to make blanks work better; and a clip-on tube with a diaphragm on one end to detect noise, and a simple IR LED on the other - which allows you to use your regular weapons to play laser tag. It is not deep dark über-tech.
Am I understanding this correctly? I hope I’m not.
We are giving Russia free (paid by US tax payers)military equipment so they can invade a defenseless Ukraine. Then russia is punished for playing with their free toys. OK.
Yet there’s no freakin help for Ukraine even though USA did promise to protect Ukraine in 1991.
Meanwhile our military is being reduced to pre WWII levels.OK.
Who’s going to protect us? russia?
America is just too stupid, twisted and untrustful.
When is American Idol on?
Summary was spot on. In the article it said lawmakers were surprised to find this secret in the budget. Lawmakers are the ones who need to take action on the administration.
Active Duty ping again.
I blame Congress, specifically the House. Had they even been cognizant of, no less responsible in the discharge of their duties we wouldn’t be facing such dire straits now.
And those who ran on, “We’ll defund obamacare”. Cowards all.
I’m somehow confused here, Treason over Benghazi and shutting down Tomahawk and Hellfire missiles, and supplying rifles to Mexican drug Cartels doesn’t seem to bother them, but giving MILES equipment to Russia does?
How ironic!
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