Key Panel Calls on House to Quickly Pass Ukraine Aid Package

Epoch Times ^ | 4/18/2024 | John Haughey

[Chad C. Mulligan]

House conservatives have stymied proposed supplemental funding packages for Ukraine since the fall. But their justifications for further delays in delivering military aid to Kyiv got little oxygen during an April 17 defense budget hearing before a key appropriations panel. “With Mr. Putin saying very openly and repeatedly that he wants to restore the old Soviet Union, all of the nation states, in Eastern Europe especially, are looking to us,” House Armed Services Committee Chair Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) said, referring to the Russian leader’s demands seeking no further NATO expansion, no missiles on Russia’s borders, and a return of NATO operations back to its 1997 borders. “If we fail them, I think it fuels further the belief that Putin will try to succeed in restoring the old Soviet Union.”

And if and when Russia attempts to “pull back” former Soviet republics into its fold, such as NATO members in the Baltic and Poland, Mr. Rogers warned, such aggression would automatically trigger the treaty’s Article 5 and embroil the United States directly into a military conflict with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s forces.

[Golden Eagle]

Excellent points. The military remains an all volunteer force as well.

[Golden Eagle]

The EU and their individual countries have been contributing more than the US to Ukraine all along. I believe we should secure our own border first, even if it means shutting down our entire Congress to make it happen, but the new Speaker and his supporters to include Trump now apparently don’t feel that way.

https://www.statista.com/chart/28489/ukrainian-military-humanitarian-and-financial-aid-donors/

[zeugma]

We have no ‘geopolitical obligations AT ALL to unkraine.

Zelenski doesn’t need us to buy him any more houses or yachts.

Screw ukraine.

Our southern border is all that matters

[ansel12]

Houses and yachts?

[Openurmind]

Source aside. I chased the claims and it is absolutely accurate.

https://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-shifrinson-russia-us-nato-deal—20160530-snap-story.html

[ansel12]

I want to see the signed agreement that you claimed exists, not another claim that someone made a verbal statement in a conversation that made official treaty policy for all of the NATO nations.

[Openurmind]

Since you are accusing me of lying, the burden of proof is on you to prove I am.

Do your homework with that article, it is fact. And something very important to note. That article was published May 30, 2016 5 AM PT.

BEFORE Trump. BEFORE the conflict.

[ansel12]

Don’t be silly, show me the treaty you say exists.

There is no such treaty and the nations of NATO never agreed to such a silly treaty with the evil empire.

[Openurmind]

Do the research yourself. It was part of the German reunification treaty of 1990.

But you won’t...

[ansel12]

No it isn’t, you are confusing an agreement about East Germany with the nations of NATO signing a treaty with the USSR to let the USSR dictate NATO’s membership and European country’s freedom to join the European alliance.

Just pull up that treaty you claim exists.

[Openurmind]

Exactly right. You found it, good for you.

https://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-shifrinson-russia-us-nato-deal—20160530-snap-story.html

[ansel12]

You really don’t know what you are talking about, there is no such treaty, it doesn’t exist and never did, which is why you can’t find that signed document you claimed.

Myth:
NATO promised Russia it would not expand after the Cold War
FACT
Such an agreement was never made. NATO’s door has been open to new members since it was founded in 1949. This has never changed. No treaty signed by NATO Allies and Russia included provisions on NATO membership. Decisions on NATO membership are taken by consensus among all Allies. Russia does not have a veto.

The idea of NATO enlargement beyond a united Germany was not on the agenda in 1989, particularly as the Warsaw Pact still existed until 1991. Mikhail Gorbachev said in an interview in 2014: “The topic of ‘NATO expansion’ was not discussed at all, and it wasn’t brought up in those years. I say this with full responsibility. Not a single Eastern European country raised the issue, not even after the Warsaw Pact ceased to exist in 1991. Western leaders didn’t bring it up either.”

Individual Allies cannot make agreements on NATO’s behalf. President Clinton consistently refused Boris Yeltsin’s offer to commit that no former Soviet Republics would join NATO: “I can’t make commitments on behalf of NATO, and I’m not going to be in the position myself of vetoing NATO expansion with respect to any country, much less letting you or anyone else do so… NATO operates by consensus,” he said.

The wording “NATO expansion” is already part of the myth. NATO did not hunt for new members or want to “expand eastward.” NATO respects every nation’s right to choose its own path. NATO membership is a decision for NATO Allies and those countries who wish to join alone.

[blitz128]

“ we will bury you”
Said by who?

[kabar]

There has been lots of confusion on how much the Ukraine war is costing the US. It is deliberate. You have the direct aid to Ukraine and then there are the other costs. In 2022 Congress Approved $113 Billion of Aid to Ukraine. The breakdown is as follows:

The proposed aid package for Ukraine in the new aid package of $95.34 billion is $48.34 billion for Ukraine broken down as follows:

Notice that $19.85 billion replenishment of stocks to DOD and $14.8 billion for DOD ops in EUCOME AOR or $34.6 billion are really for DOD of the total $48.43 billion. $13.8 billion in USAl for Ukraine to purchase US weapons and ($7.85 billion direct support to Ukraine government).

The Kiel Institute Ukraine Support tracker doesn't include much of these US costs. Moreover, as noted in Kiel's report, however, the gap between EU commitments and allocations remains very large (€144 billion committed vs. €77 billion allocated). To fully replace U.S. military assistance in 2024, Europe would have to double its current level and pace of arms assistance. These are results from the latest Ukraine Support Tracker update, which now covers aid through January 15, 2024.

Europe has made monetary pledges for over the next 5 years, but there are no guarantees that they will be met. When you look at the data on commitments versus disbursed, it is apparent that the US is doing more than its share. And Kiel's data don't show the other expenses the US incurs to support this proxy war. Kiel also likes to use per capita expenditures to portray the US as not doing as much as many other countries. Blinken said today at the G& that he has never seen such an equitable sharing of the burden for the Ukraine War. We are supposed to believe that the US is just paying its fair share. The reality is that without the US contributions, the war would be over. We are still paying the lion's share.

And DOD is using Ukraine as a cash cow to supplement its budget. It is a tactic that I have seen firsthand over 36 years in the federal government, which is not unique to DOD.

IMO I think we would be astounded to find out how much we really are spending on the war. The Interl Community, Staste Department, USAID, etc. are also incurring additional costs to support the war.

When you bundle the US, European, and other countries costs you are looking at hundreds of billions of dollars over a two year period being invested in Ukraine. There is no real accounting of how it is being spent. How can Ukraine absorb such huge sums and spend them wisely? We spent $4.8 trillion on Covid and GAO estimates conservatively that 10% or close to $500 billion was lost due to waste fraud, and abuse. Insane.

[1Old Pro]

7.85 billion for Ukraine Government.....salaries and benefits?

[kabar]

We are funding the Ukrainian Government including the salaries of the troops and pensioners. There is even some funding for small businesses.

It is going to be a huge struggle to get Ukraine off the US/EU teats. It is the reason that Johnson and the G7 are talking about seizing $300 billion in frozen Russian assets in the West and giving the money to Ukraine. We didn't even do that to Iran or Hitler for that matter.

And Zelensky estimates it will cost over $800 billion to rebuild Ukraine. Pass the tin cup.

[1Old Pro]

And Zelensky estimates it will cost over $800 billion to rebuild Ukraine. Pass the tin cup.

It won't be voluntary, we will be taxed and our government spends the money how they wish.

[kabar]

Our taxes are insufficient to pay for it. Instead the money will be printed (borrowed). Every 100 days we add a trillion dollars to the national debt. We are running annual budget deficits of close to $2 trillion. We are the world’s largest debtor nation.

[McGruff]

Send your sons and daughters to fight for Ukraine.

[Theodore R.]

Put the Speaker at the head of the troops.