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Ten Myths about US Aid to Ukraine
Hudson Institute ^ | Octrober 20, 2022 | Luke Coffey

Posted on 12/11/2022 7:27:44 AM PST by Widget Jr

Ukraine is in a national struggle that will determine its geopolitical future: the country will either be a firm member of the Euro-Atlantic community or become a Russian colony. The outcome of this struggle will have long-term implications for America’s global interests, the future of the transatlantic community, and the notion of national sovereignty in the twenty-first century.

Russia is a top geopolitical adversary for the United States. For Americans who believe in strong and secure national borders, the primacy of national sovereignty, and the right to self-defense, support for Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression is natural. Considering America’s other geopolitical concerns, such as a rising China and a healthy economic relationship with Europe that benefits the American worker, US support for Ukraine is an imperative.

Ukrainians are not asking for, nor do they want, US troops to help them fight Russia. All they ask for is the equipment, weapons, munitions, and financial resources required to give them a fighting chance. Providing Ukraine what it needs to fight Russia effectively will not be cheap.

So far this year, the US Congress has voted on three different supplementals for Ukraine: $13.6 billion in March, $40.1 billion in May, and $12.4 billion in September. The cost that American taxpayers incur to help Ukraine is money well spent and will pale in comparison to the cost of deterring a victorious Russia or an emboldened China on the global stage.

As the war continues, Congress will likely pass additional spending. It is in America’s interest that Ukraine wins the war, and that Russia is decisively defeated. Even though polling overwhelmingly shows broad and bipartisan support for Ukraine, some in Congress are against further US aid for Ukraine.

Here are the top ten myths and misconceptions about US aid for Ukraine and why they are wrong:

Myth 1: There is not enough oversight of US aid to Ukraine.

Reality: There has likely never been more accountability or transparency measures in place for US foreign assistance than what is available for Ukraine aid. Take the biggest (and most controversial) supplemental from last May, which allocated $40.1 billion. This bill was 699 lines long. Of these, 110 lines dealt with accountability, transparency, and reporting requirements. Therefore, 16 percent of the bill’s text was dedicated to oversight. May’s bill also included 16 separate reporting requirements to the US Congress for the Department of Defense, Department of State, US Agency for International Development (USAID), and the Department of the Treasury. To date, the three Ukraine supplementals have allocated an additional $14 million for the Inspectors General of the Department of Defense, Department of State, and USAID to increase oversight. There is plenty of accountability and oversight. Those who argue that there is not enough have failed to outline in detail what additional oversight is needed.

Myth 2: We have written more than $66 billion worth of “blank checks” for Ukraine.

Reality: This claim is misleading. The sum of the three Ukraine supplementals totals $66.1 billion, but not all this money goes to Ukraine. Billions of dollars have gone toward other items like replenishing US military stocks, deterrence measures in Eastern Europe outside Ukraine, and energy-related issues. For example, so far $14 billion has gone to replenish US stocks of equipment, $9.7 billion to US European Command to increase the military presence in Eastern Europe, and $2 billion to address the increase of energy costs related to the war in Ukraine. The billions of dollars allocated for military assistance to Ukraine never leave the United States. Despite the perception that opponents of American aid to Ukraine create, funds for military support are not wired to Ukrainian government bank accounts. Instead, the US president uses the appropriated funds for a drawdown of military equipment to be sent to Ukraine. For the US to give funds to the Ukrainian government, like the $13.2 billion for the Economic Support Fund, the secretary of state and administrator of USAID have to jointly submit a report to the relevant congressional committees on the proposed uses of these funds. There are no “blank checks.”

Myth 3: Congress hasn’t had “enough time to debate” US aid to Ukraine or “read the bill.”

Reality: In 2022, Ukraine has been the single most discussed, reported, and debated foreign policy issue in the United States. Lawmakers, policymakers, and commentators routinely discuss the war in Ukraine and the US role in supporting Kyiv. Far from there not being enough time to debate Ukraine, the war is continuously debated throughout the public square and the halls of Congress. Also, lawmakers have had plenty of time to read the supplementals—which have been relatively short in length—before each vote. The Ukraine supplemental from May has been the longest one in length to date, and it received the most criticism on the grounds that there was not enough time to consider it. The text of this bill was 29 pages long and approximately 4,900 words in length. The average adult can reportedly read around 250 words per minute, meaning someone would need approximately 20 minutes to read the text of May’s bill.

Myth 4: This money to Ukraine would be better spent on “the wall” or “baby formula.”

Reality: This is like saying that a man must choose between being a committed husband, a loving dad, or a hard worker. Sometimes in life, one must do more than one important task at a time. The same applies to when governing a superpower. Furthermore, the issues of US support to Ukraine, the horrific and chaotic situation at the southern border, and the shortage of baby formula are not connected issues. When lawmakers voted on the supplemental in May, they did not have to choose between either alleviating the baby formula shortage or supporting Ukraine.

Myth 5: Europe needs to “spend more” before America does.

Reality: Yes, Europe needs to spend more, but it is misleading to suggest that it is not doing much. The US leads in total financial commitments to Ukraine. However, according to the respected Kiel Institute for the World Economy’s Ukraine aid tracker, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, Lithuania, Norway, Slovakia, and Czechia have given more to Ukraine than the US as a percentage of GDP. (The United States and United Kingdom are tied for eighth place.) Also, because a lot of aid is unannounced, it is impossible to know how much European countries have given to Ukraine. Of course, Europe can do more, but complaining that it is not spending enough is no excuse for the US to stop supporting Ukraine.

Myth 6: The US should only give “military aid.”

Reality: Some propose this argument to find a middle ground or compromise with those who do not want to provide any aid to Ukraine. However, this proposal is a half-measure that would only get partial results. The Ukrainian military is not the only actor at war with Russia. As shown by Russia’s indiscriminate use of Iranian drones to target civilians, the whole of Ukrainian society is at war. The war has eliminated an estimated 45 percent of Ukraine’s GDP. Even so, the Ukrainian government and essential public services need to function properly for the nation to remain on a total war footing. For years, critics of America’s approach to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan complained that Washington focused too much on the warfighting and not enough on nonmilitary aspects of the conflicts. Now that the US is doing the opposite in Ukraine, many of the same people now criticize this comprehensive approach to US aid. This support needs to be broad in scope. Those who call for the US to give only military support fail to see the bigger picture in Ukraine.

Myth 7: US weapons are ending up on the black market or are not getting to the front lines.

Reality: There is no evidence that weapons are going missing. A CBS report from August (which opponents to US aid for Ukraine often use to make their case) suggesting that a significant percentage of weapons never make it to the front lines was immediately debunked and then retracted. On the contrary, the recent progress Ukraine has made in its counterattacks near Kharkiv and Kherson proves that US weapons are reaching their intended destination—and proves that US aid is effective. There is no evidence that weapons recently supplied to Ukraine have ended up on the black market. For that matter, there is no evidence that weapons provided to Ukraine since 2014 have appeared on the black market in any meaningful sense.

Myth 8: Ukraine is too corrupt to receive aid responsibly.

Reality: To date there have been “no high-profile cases of corruption involving donated military equipment, budget funding, or humanitarian aid.” It is no secret that corruption is a problem in Ukraine. This is the case with most of the states that gained independence after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. Since 2014, Ukraine has taken positive steps at fighting corruption. However, US policymakers and commentators need to be realistic about how much and how quickly Ukraine can reform during a war of national survival. In the meantime, the US should continue with the comprehensive and strict oversight measures in place for US aid, and when possible continue helping Ukraine with its anti-corruption reforms.

Myth 9: Russia is a distraction. US focus must be on China.

Reality: Russia is China’s junior partner. A weakened or defeated Russia means a weaker China. Beijing is also watching how Western powers support Ukraine, so a strong and victorious Ukraine makes Taiwan stronger too. Some have suggested that the US should sacrifice its security interest in Ukraine to focus on the threat from China. Many of Russia’s and China’s strategic goals in Europe overlap. Both want a weakened and divided Europe that both can exploit. Both want to eclipse the US partnership with Europe so that the free world is divided and more vulnerable. Russia shifted many of its forces involved with the invasion of Ukraine from its Eastern Military District, so the number of troops near Russia’s border with China is at a historically unprecedented low level. This point demonstrates how much Russia trusts China. The choice between security in Europe or security in the Indo-Pacific is a false dichotomy. In terms of US national interests, these two regions are intimately linked.

Myth 10: Aid to Ukraine puts “America last.”

Realty: America’s foreign policy challenges are too complex to be boiled down to bumper sticker slogans like “America first” or “America last.” Anyone who uses these terms to describe the US role in the world knows little about foreign affairs and is best ignored.

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TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 0nationalinterest; asuckereveryminute; bagpipesbarr; bagpipesbill; billbarr; borrowedmoney; hrmcmaster; hudsoninstitute; invasion; itsoppositesday; lukecoffey; neoconnedhorseplop; nonationalinterest; notourwar; officialfednarrative; russia; thesearealltrue; theusualcuckspects; theusualsuspects; ukraine; zeronationalinterest
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To: Widget Jr

41 posted on 12/11/2022 8:57:21 AM PST by cranked
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To: Bruce Campbells Chin

Money goes to Ukraine, then a portion comes back to the Dimrat party. Our southern border is left wide open for money from the cartels that go to the dimrats. Hell of a fund raising plan. And the dims get millions or new voters insuring that they don’t have to bother with that pesky campaigning. They can just announce, run from their basements and win every time.


42 posted on 12/11/2022 8:58:14 AM PST by Texas resident (Who is running our country?)
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To: Ultra Sonic 007
The claim about Vadym Melnyk is falsified. Disclosure German edition spreads Russian propaganda about “speculation with the help of the West” in Ukraine
"Neither the Correctiv publication nor the editors of the Media Detector could find Melnyk's interview with the Ukraine-24 channel of July 5, where he stated this. Also, no other sources contain such a statement by Melnyk. The article in the German edition is, in fact, a literal translation of the news of the Russian media that was massively distributed on July 6. It was in them that Melnyk's statement was quoted and noted that he told the Ukraine-24 channel about this, and there is no link to the interview in both Russian and German media."
You will not find Melnyk'x interview on Ukraine 24 where he said this because it is made up. It never happened. Russia state news and propaganda outlets are really good at creating confirmation biases certain audiences want to hear, then disseminating and repeating it across multiple channels.

The major US news outlets serve the status quo above informing the public. That does not mean any alternative or foreign press is automatically telling the truth. Russian state news exists to promote what the Kremlin wants people to hear. As bad as Western news is, Russian state media and propganda is always worse.

43 posted on 12/11/2022 8:58:41 AM PST by Widget Jr (🇺🇦 Sláva Ukrayíni 🇺🇦 - Just say no to CCCP 2.0)
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To: Bruce Campbells Chin
"I believe in securing the U.S. border as well. But that has absolutely nothing to do with Ukraine because it is a deliberate policy choice by the Biden Administration to not secure the border. So they weren't securing the border before the Russian invasion, and they wouldn't secure it if it ended tomorrow. And that has nothing to do with money.
Unrelated issues."

Chin, just because you say that they are unrelated issues doesn't make it so. The Biden administration is all about destabilization and making money off the disaster. It is what he's doing both here in abroad for his ChiCom masters.

When the Russians roll after the ground freezes your I will see the east of the Ukraine annexed to Russia and the middle of the Ukraine turned into a no man's land buffer zone and your idiot leader Biden will not have a clue. Tick tock.

44 posted on 12/11/2022 9:04:04 AM PST by WMarshal (Neocons and leftards are the same species of vicious rat)
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To: Widget Jr

A little reality about US aid to Ukraine, amid the hyperbolic hysteria. Written by who, a building full of liberal, globalists.

Have you seen who works for the Hudson Institute? Who the experts are? https://www.hudson.org/experts

Any organization that employs HR McMaster and Bill Barr, immediately renders itself as propagandist TRASH.

If you posted this because you think there’s some merit to it and believe it, I hate to be indelicate, but you need to sit down with somebody.

Myth 1: There is not enough oversight of US aid to Ukraine.....There has likely never been more accountability or transparency measures in place for US foreign assistance than what is available for Ukraine aid ..... why do we have US troops on the ground trying to get accountability?

Myth 2: We have written more than $66 billion worth of “blank checks” for Ukraine. U.S. Will Have Spent $100 Billion on Ukraine this Year
https://www.globalresearch.ca/us-will-have-spent-100b-ukraine-this-year/5799213


45 posted on 12/11/2022 9:19:22 AM PST by qaz123
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To: Chunga85
Russia’s stocks of operational weapons reserves were vastly overrated” Just because you believe everything you are told by “Fox and Friends” doesn’t make it true.

My source is not Fox and Friends. My source is my own years of military experience and knowing what it takes to properly maintain equipment, coupled with the Russians own statements about the size and organization of their military. The numbers simply don't add up to anyone who knows anything about supply, logistics, and maintenance.

I have no idea if Fox and Friends, or anyone on FoxNew period, has ever made that point because I don't have cable and don't watch FoxNews. But I do have a fairly extensive network of friends with military and intelligence experience who look at the numbers and reach the same conclusions.

There our actual photos, posted by the Russians themselves, of tanks and APC's that were supposed supposedly in reserve. They were being stored outside for years on end. I know from personal experience what happens to that kind of equipment when treated in that manner.

In contrast, I was once detailed to an inspection team to look at storage of the tanks, artillery, and other equipment we keep prepositioned in Europe. That equipment was kept in climate controlled buildings - we even looked at the temperature logs - and routinely maintained both by staff and by visiting units. Because if you don't do that, the shit goes bad fast. Batteries leak, tires dry rot, rust pops up everywhere....

The Russians don't do any of that, and that's not even mentioning the massive theft and crappy spare parts pipeline.

So believe whatever you want in whatever pro-Russian journals you read. I know that the reality of how much of that old Soviet-era equipment still actually works is very, very different.

46 posted on 12/11/2022 9:20:13 AM PST by Bruce Campbells Chin
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To: Alter Kaker

Chunga85 is also probably every ‘ist’ or ‘ism’ that you can think of just because. You know? Because he doesn’t want anymore money or gear going to a corrupt government for something that has nothing to do with the US.

So yeah....Chunga85....Bad Man....just like Orange Man Bad....Chunga85 Bad.


47 posted on 12/11/2022 9:22:18 AM PST by qaz123
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To: Alter Kaker

“I’m not anti-American, I just hate America and the people who live in it!”

Who said that?


48 posted on 12/11/2022 9:23:28 AM PST by qaz123
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To: Bruce Campbells Chin

The only reason Ukraine is still in this, is the same reason Afghanistan didn’t become part of the Soviet Union.

The United States of America.

As for Russia’s cost in relation to ours.....WHO THE F**K CARES?

The US has its own problems. Based on numbers I saw on CNN, sadly, over 4,000,000 people have come across the border...that we know about. Probably the same that we don’t. And these are bad people.

Have you given any thought to what happens at the end of the month when Title 42 is over? What happens then? What happens when US hospitals are overrun with the 3rd world that is sick and dying?

But...Russia Bad...Ukraine Good. Ukraine need help

You do know that Ukraine has a battalion of foreign fighters. You can enlist and really help the fight it you want.


49 posted on 12/11/2022 9:28:08 AM PST by qaz123
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To: joe fonebone

joefonebone wrote: Oh, and for the record, Florida has gotten 1.5 billion. Estimated damage is between 35 to 50 billion... but that’s ok

How many times should the Federal govt bail out Florida? After every hurricane the US gov’t spends billions. I think the people in Florida should pay for their own expenses. If you want to live in these nature prone disaster areas you take the financial risk. Why should the US govt pay for rebuilding a millionaires house on stilts on some beach front property?
This also goes for the fire prone areas in CA and such.
I grew up living next to a creek that flooded and covered the first floor of our house every 7 years or so. My dad finally got smart and moved to higher ground.


50 posted on 12/11/2022 9:28:45 AM PST by natalie227
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To: Widget Jr; SteelPSUGOP; Timber Rattler; Bruce Campbells Chin
For the excessive number of personal attacks on this thread,
I am awarding SteelPSUGOP, Bruce Campbell's Chin and myself the

Flak Means You Are Over The Target Award.

Timber Rattler, I"m sorry the Putin Fan Club was not abusive enough toward you on this thread for me to fairly assign you the award. 😔

Better luck on next time, or in a hour when I check back. 👍

51 posted on 12/11/2022 9:34:38 AM PST by Widget Jr (🇺🇦 Sláva Ukrayíni 🇺🇦 - Just say no to CCCP 2.0)
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To: Widget Jr

I stopped reading at “The cost that American taxpayers incur to help Ukraine is money well spent”.

Ukraine is not a national interest of the USA. The money is being sent to them because biden has something going with Ukraine that leads him to commit billions of American dollars to a corrupt regime.


52 posted on 12/11/2022 9:38:25 AM PST by I want the USA back (Our news media isn't worth camel spit. Neither is the democrat party. )
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To: Amendment10
I am not a Constitutional scholar, so I can not respond on that basis.

Since WW-II, the US Navy has protected everyone else's trade, and US military presence abroad does serves as a deterrent. In spite of all the post WW-II conflics, the number of people killed per year in war has declined since roughly 1946. The US global presence is a large part of the reason for this.

This has allowed for the post WW-II global economic growth to happen. At the same time, a large part of the US does not want to get involved in world affairs. In my mind, having a dominating global presence and not wanting to get involved in foreign conflicts is a contradiction that has no simple resolution.

53 posted on 12/11/2022 9:40:34 AM PST by Widget Jr (🇺🇦 Sláva Ukrayíni 🇺🇦 - Just say no to CCCP 2.0)
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To: natalie227
How many times should the Federal govt bail out Florida?

As many times as it takes retread. Our fedgov should show loyalty to any of our several States and none to foreign affairs. You probably don't have clue one how much we waste yearly on foreign adventures that hold no benefit to the average American. America first dillweed!

54 posted on 12/11/2022 9:40:56 AM PST by BlackbirdSST (Trump WON!!! He will win 2024!)
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To: Widget Jr

Interesting read. Thanks.


55 posted on 12/11/2022 9:41:37 AM PST by rrrod (6)
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To: Bruce Campbells Chin

We’re all going to find out how all those words stack up in a few months.

Without doubt, we certainly can talk the talk, and spend money we don’t have on weapons and use them in malicious ways. It remains to be seen in we can walk the walk against an adversary that can fight back.

The US created a national security threat on Russia’s border and it is not going to go unchallenged.


56 posted on 12/11/2022 9:42:35 AM PST by Chunga85 (An arrogant govt combined with an ignorant population is a recipe for disaster.)
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To: Fairhairedboy

We all should be able to agree on two points:

1) Democrats’ hatred for Russia comes from hatred for Trump and hatred for the fact that Russia isn’t marching lock-step towards Queer Nation.

2) The fact that Russia has reverted to the Soviet Union and decided to obliterate a nation of 40 million people is bad news.

(1) helped (2) happen, and may also explain why the Democrats are actually opposed to the New Soviet Union when they loved the old. But (1) doesn’t negate the truthfulness of (2), it merely explains why the Democrats haven’t embraced the anti-American Evil Empire for once.


57 posted on 12/11/2022 9:48:44 AM PST by dangus
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To: Widget Jr

“...the country will either be a firm member of the Euro-Atlantic community or become a Russian colony...”

________________________________________________

It doesn’t take long for the article to state false alternatives. The vast majority of Ukraine will remain intact as a sovereign nation that will have moderate ties to the West. But it will not be allowed by Russia to go full bore NATO without some kind of fight...just like we’d never have let Mexico join the Warsaw Pact without serious repercussions.


58 posted on 12/11/2022 9:50:48 AM PST by Bishop_Malachi (Liberal Socialism - A philosophy which advocates spreading a low standard of living equally.)
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To: qaz123
Shooting messengers works both ways.

I just ran a test post to see if your article can be posted. This is what I got: "globalresearch.ca material not wanted on FR."

Freom Wikipedia: Michel Chossudovsky, the director of globalresearch.ca:

The Centre for Research on Globalization promotes conspiracy theories and falsehoods.[23] According to Peter Knight, it "published influential early articles alleging that the U.S. intelligence agencies had far more forewarning than they claimed" of the September 11 attacks.[24] that the United States and its allies fund al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, and that sarin gas was not used in the Khan Shaykhun chemical attack, which globalresearch.ca articles characterized as a false flag operation orchestrated by terrorists opposed to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.[12][17] Other articles published on the site have asserted that the 7 July 2005 London bombings were perpetrated by the United States, Israel, and United Kingdom.[10] Chossudovsky has himself posted articles on the site which suggested that Osama bin Laden was a CIA asset, and accusing the United States, Israel and Britain of plotting to conquer the world.[10] The Centre has also promoted the Irish slavery myth, prompting a letter by more than 80 scholars debunking the myth.[22]
I'll take the Hudson Institute, Hr McMaster over Globalresearch.ca or Douglas Macgregor any day.
59 posted on 12/11/2022 9:58:26 AM PST by Widget Jr (🇺🇦 Sláva Ukrayíni 🇺🇦 - Just say no to CCCP 2.0)
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To: Bruce Campbells Chin
Unrelated issues.

Boy, you really are an ignorant person.

Of course they are related issues. Joe Biden secures Ukraine's borders. Joe Biden doesn't secure America's borders.

If you are unable see the relationship, that is Joe Biden, then you're either blind as a bat, unconcerned about America's borders, or you are an idiot.

Furthermore, he has the responsibility to secure one if those borders, can you name which one?

60 posted on 12/11/2022 10:20:54 AM PST by Robert DeLong
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