Ukraine, Israel aid in limbo as US Congress beats shutdown deadline

Reuters via Yahoo ^ | November 16th, 2023 | Patricia Zengerle

[Mariner]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Congress closed its doors for nearly two weeks on Thursday without passing emergency aid for Israel and Ukraine, as lawmakers argued over unrelated immigration policy and faced pockets of resistance from Republicans on continued aide for Kyiv's war against Russia.

The Senate adjourned well after midnight after passing a stopgap spending bill to avert a government shutdown. Supporters of the foreign military aid had hoped it would be included in the spending bill, known as a continuing resolution.

President Joe Biden asked Congress to approve the money last month. Its omission from the spending bill raised concerns that funding for Kyiv might never be appropriated especially after the Republican-led House passed a bill this month including assistance for Israel, but not Ukraine.

[Mariner]

I don't think the Israel aid is necessarily urgent as they have stocks and skills.

Ukraine is screwed. They need to cut whatever deal they can.

It highly likely they'll never see another penny.

[SharpRightTurn]

Zelensky will have a conniption fit to end all conniption fits.

[Liz]

Biden and the Democrats are OK with arming foreign countries but grabbing guns from Americans is an obsession w/ them. The same “US Congress” that gleefully tramples 2A rights, is hell-bent on supplying weapons to foreign countries.

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Not content w/ the mega billions already in his pocket, Zelensky now says
he wants US tax dollars to Ukraine “according to the Israeli model.”

Here’s what he means:

Congressional Research Service
US Foreign aid to Israel
60 page detailed report

https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/RL/RL33222/44

The concerned Israeli lobby made sure Congress is required by law to ensure that U.S. military aid in the Middle East region doesn’t damage Israel’s military superiority over its neighbors. That requirement enjoys broad bipartisan support and has served as a benchmark for ensuring Israel receives robust U.S. support.

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Biden keeps gaslighting Americans about the “need” for
American foreign aid tax dollars to Ukraine and Israel.

Since 1973, Israel has received more than $120 billion US tax dollars in MILITARY assistance alone, including “three special US aid” packages.
<>US billions for signing the Israel-Egypt peace treaty
<>US billions for Israel’s withdrawal from the Sinai.
<>US billions for redeployment of Israeli forces
<>rebuilding Israeli air bases in the Negev cost $5 US billions.

Besides weaponry, Israel also receives”
<><> US economic and US humanitarian foreign aid,
<><>tax dollars to support Israel’s broad economic development,
<><>US tax dollars to support sociopolitical stability,
<><> and non-military support related to Israel’s pressing security needs.

Military aid and armaments from US taxpayers have blanketed Israel over the years. They have more than enough resources, now, to nail Hamas and Hezbollah. Wealthy Israel has very low debt, and actually had a budget surplus this year, while the US is $33 trillion in debt, a debt which future generations are saddled with.

An integral part of US tax dollars flowing to Israel is that aid is conditioned on their sharing w/ the US, the crucial intel it gathers in the volatile Mideast. 9/11 was plotted in the Mideast. It tragically demonstrated, that the safety and security of US citizens, their very lives are imperiled.........when we dont get Mideast intel.

[Right_Wing_Madman]

Ukraine is screwed. They need to cut whatever deal they can.

Brave New Europe, a German magazine, published on 10 November a reconstruction of the Ukraine-Russia peace talks in March and April of last year.

https://braveneweurope.com/michael-von-der-schulenburg-hajo-funke-harald-kujat-peace-for-ukraine

Ukraine and Russia had a framework for a peace agreement, but Boris Johnson visited Kiev on 9 April and killed it. The US State Department, the EU, and NATO wanted regime change in Russia instead of a deal. It was a catastrophic decision.

[Mariner]

“It was a catastrophic decision.”

Ultimately, it was Ukraine that opted for suicide.

Which is unsurprising.

[Right_Wing_Madman]

Ultimately, it was Ukraine that opted for suicide.

Yes. Zelensky could have said "no" to Boris Johnson.

[Nateman]

The interest on the National Debt is now over a Trillion dollars. Milton Friedman predicted the only way the National Debt was going to be fixed was with a Balanced Budget Amendment (BBA).

41 states at one time or another have called for a Convention of States for a BBA. 29 States currently are still in line for a BBA. Exactly what states are currently signed up I have not been able to find.

It would make more sense to call for a Convention with this one issue because it is closer to completion and because it is a single issue easily defined it would be much harder to justify any deviation from that single goal.

If this call were to happen it would settle a whole lot of fears about it getting out of control and make future Conventions easier to obtain.

[Right_Wing_Madman]

Milton Friedman predicted the only way the National Debt was going to be fixed was with a Balanced Budget Amendment (BBA).

BBA won't happen until a US default, or more likely, a hyper-inflationary crisis, like in Weimar Germany.

[BobL]

“I don’t think the Israel aid is necessarily urgent as they have stocks and skills.”

Agree - and that’s something that the Neocons don’t understand. They still think that Israel is a Banana Republic, like Ukraine. Israel will be fine without our aid, they’re PERFECTLY CAPABLE of taking care of themselves...although if we do help them, things will certainly wind down more quickly there.

[dforest]

I like the limbo.

[Harpotoo]

I like what they did, shut down the MSM until after the holidays.

[SpokeshaveReturns]

Never mind Zelinskey and colleagues can partake winter in Monte Carlo on the Ukraine navy fleet...brought..paid for..and operated by the US taxpayers.