Posted on 02/19/2022 9:01:17 AM PST by RandFan
“We believe that it should say, ‘Nothing in this resolution is to be construed as an authorization for war,’ and ‘Nothing in this resolution is to be construed as authorizing [the] introduction of troops into Ukraine,’” Sen. Rand Paul, a Republican from Kentucky, said.
Facing the reality that sanctions require 60 votes to clear the Senate and both sides are divided over whether to impose sanctions now or to hold some back to make an invasion a more painful choice, the leadership in both parties came to agreement: they’d prepare and fast-track a bipartisan—and non-binding—resolution expressing the Senate’s condemnation of a Russian expansion over its borders with Ukraine. It would be symbolic but still better than nothing.
Except that their plan required a unified Senate to fast-track the effort; a single objection could trigger hours of debate.
Late Thursday, Paul got his way. He won concessions—however immaterial—that allowed him to claim that he averted the current threat of war with Ukraine. And caving to Paul and passing the measure with his tweaks also allowed the entire Senate exit Washington having funded the government for a few more days and sent an opaque signal to Moscow that the D.C. power structure isn’t happy with the posturing it’s seeing from Russian President Vladimir Putin’s 1950s-era understanding of geopolitics.
Senators, already weary from funding the government and gearing up for another fight in two weeks over a massive spending plan to keep the lights on through October, quickly left the Capitol. Once again, colleagues had humored Paul’s eccentricities. But for the slice of the far-right ecosystem he represents, Paul and his stunt proved valuable. For Paul’s fans, it not only was a way to symbolically check any Joe Biden-led military intervention abroad, but also a nod to Donald Trump’s non-interventionist stance.
(Excerpt) Read more at time.com ...
Shall we get Philip Elliott his fainting couch?
Why can’t we just gift That infested corrupt shighthole blackhole moneypit to Russia? Then we can be friends again and pull them away from the dark side. Oh wait, that’s currently North America now.
His father was one of the few lonely figures who predicted the deep state disasters in Iraq and Afghanistan 20 years ago all around - the economic and debt cost, the social cost, the ultimate strategic failure, and the building of the politically-weaponized security state here in the USA.
And many so-called conservatives still hate on him.
Stupid people will get what they deserve.
Just a show for the locals. Putin has already decided what he’s doing, whether he does it now or later. He wants control of Ukraine’s lithium, cobalt and other massive natural resources and a buffer between Russia and NATO.
Meanwhile Biden looks whiny and weak, which is accurate.
The late P.J. O’Rourke once said the Democrats want to tax us to death, the Republicans prefer we die in a foreign war. The Pauls are about the only exceptions to that.
Harumph! Bluster, bluster, bluster, harumph!
Paul is somewhat wasting his time with these clowns.
Our FedGov is in bed with Putin, already. This is BS.
Vlad is deeply disturbed by the Senate Rebuke....
Yet, both wars were popular here in FR. However, good to see FReepers learn fast and now resist foreign wars.
Angela Merkel's father was a Stasi. I think it was Mark Steyn who coined the phrase, "You can take the girl out of East Germany; but, you cannot take East Germany out of the girl."
If Russia wants to take Ukraine, they can have it. Ukraine is not a NATO member so we have no obligations to defend them. Sucks for Ukraine but they had 30 years to establish their sovereignty from Russia (former Soviet Union).
Damn, I wanted a nuclear war with Russia (that way I can’t be called a Putin puppet anymore).
What’s wrong with Rand? He’s ruining my rehabilitation here.
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