Posted on 03/01/2024 4:09:47 AM PST by hardspunned
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin warned on Thursday that NATO will be drawn into war if Ukraine is defeated by invading Russian forces.
Speaking at a Republican-led House Armed Services Committee hearing to discuss his recent absence while hospitalized for complications from prostate cancer surgery, Austin predicted that Russian President Vladimir Putin would not "stop" if Moscow wins the war in Ukraine. Austin made the remarks after being asked about Congress failing to approve a $60 billion military aid package for Ukraine, as requested by President Joe Biden. Despite significant bipartisan support for Ukraine aid, the measure has stalled amid a series of partisan disputes over border security and other issues.
"We know that if Putin is successful here, he will not stop," Austin said. "He will continue to take more aggressive action in the region. And other leaders around the world, other autocrats, will look at this and they'll be encouraged by the fact that this happened and we failed to support a democracy."
(Excerpt) Read more at newsweek.com ...
Why did Zelensky “fail to defend democracy” given the
generous military and financial support from the US?
About $113.1 billion US tax dollars were authorized in 2022 for Ukraine, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. Most of it–about $67.1 billion–was defense-related. The other $46 billion included:
<><>$26.9 billion for economic support;
<><>$7.9 billion for international disaster assistance;
<><>$6.6 billion in assistance for refugees;
<><>$1.5 billion for assistance for Europe, Eurasia and Central Asia;
<><>plus $3.1 billion for other non-defense spending.
US tax dollars helped Ukraine
<><>pay the salaries of 618,000 educators, 517,000 health workers, and 56,500 first responders
<><>helped sustain critical healthcare services,
<><>helped meet pension responsibilities for 9.8 million people,
<><>assisted 1.3 million internally displaced persons,
<><>provided housing assistance to 4.1 million people,
<><>provided social assistance to 240,000 low-income families
<><>helped subsidize 480,000 persons with disabilities,
<><>bought supplies for farmers,
<><>financed finding markets for small business.
Here’s the problem: aggressors are NOT appeased. They see appeasement as a sign of weakness.
Putin has already made it clear that he wants to restore the borders of what God, through Catherine the Great, bestowed on Imperial Russia, and which the Communists, under Lenin and Stalin, sought to restore following Russia’s defeat in WWI. These borders include the Baltic states, Poland (at least the eastern portion) and Finland.
Lenin and Stalin waged continuous war to conquer the breakaway regions of Ukraine, the Caucuses, Poland and Finland immediately following the Russian resolution and civil war; and, Stalin joined with Hitler to continue these wars after he faltered in Poland. The goal of restoring the borders of imperial Russia were only achieved after WWII (when Russia also gained further influence in Europe).
This all fell apart with the collapse of the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact in 1991, which Putin calls the greatest tragedy of the 20th Century.
Putin is now reorganizing society in Russia to support continuous war, making Russia into Big North Korea or old Stalin Russia or old Hitler Germany. He thinks he can win one after another “border war,” like Stalin and Hitler thought. But, at some point, this will result in war with the west. This point was reached when Hitler and Stalin invaded Poland. We do not yet know where this point will be this time.
The alternative to eventual war with Russia is peace through strength. Peace through strength has always been the Republican position. We are not naive about war. The way to avoid war is to be ready to win. That’s what aggressors understand.
Aggressors look at the partition of Czechoslovakia at Munich in 1938 as a victory, while appeasers look at that as “peace in our time.” Aggressors follow-up that victory with another aggression. They succumb to the “endless madness of victory.”
You’re full of crap. It’s lying nonsense like that that has gotten us into this CF. You, Macron, Austin, Biden and Nuland, all from the same bird brained flock.
Once again, they’re just trying to fear monger to keep their money laundering scheme going.
I have a 18 year old grandson who has a severe gluten allergy. When the draft comes he will be spared being marched off as Globohomo cannon fodder.
Newsweek just reported Ukraine is getting a “Defense Boost” from Israel.
Israel is doubling down its military support for Ukraine.
Israel will provide Ukraine with an early warning system against missiles as part of Israel’s aid package for Kyiv, to assist in defending democracy from Russian aggression.
Any aid package from Israel to Ukraine is to be considered US aid since US financial and military aid to Israel gets broad support in the US Congress.
Obviously Israel doesn’t need any aid from us because they can afford to send weaponry to Ukraine.
This all stinks.
One thing that is consistent w DIE appointments….
They are all dumber than a box of rocks.
not if Biden isn’t president anymore
I see you got no response to your truthful accusation.
What conclusion do you think Russian Commanders would draw from this idiot’s political comments? Put a dress on him and let him sasche out the door.
Your fear mongering and predictions are ineffective.
We can wait until Russia ACTUALLY attacks a NATO member and do not have to be pre-emptive.
We lived for 70+ years with the Soviet Union. Putin will die one day and we can wait to see who replaces him without the bloodshed.
Ukraine is not worth our blood.
Rep Jim Clyburn (Democrat - SC), is co-chair of Biden’s 2024 reelection campaign.
Clyburn, a confidant of President Joe Biden, argued Netanyahu’s leadership had been “bad for Israel.”
However, he would not go as far as to say Biden agreed with him about Netanyahu.
“When it comes to Israel, should Biden stick with his position on Prime Minister Netanyahu or perhaps rethink that relationship?” Face the Nation host Robert Costa asked.
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
You know the story about the little boy who cried wolf?
If Russia is having auch a difficult time with a country right on their border (with a section of the country in east populated with many Russians), why in the heck would they feel they could defeat an alliance of 32 countries with 10 times the population of Ukraine, 20 times GDP and the most modern weapons available?
Even Putin isn’t that crazy.
I guess he did not get the word that Germany, Poland, Spain, Czech Republic and Turkey all said they would not send troops to Ukraine.
“Obviously Israel doesn’t need any aid from us because they can afford to send weaponry to Ukraine.”
The U S government took those weapons, as allowed per contract, and sent them to Ukraine, not the Israelis.
“What a stupid comment by Austin.”
Those are the only kind he makes. He got his position entirely through quotas and affirmative action, not merit.
Transcript released of purported German discussion on attacking Crimean Bridge
The text in Russian has been published by RT editor-in-chief Margarita Simonyan, hours after she reported receiving the recording
The full text of what is claimed to be a discussion by senior German military officers on how to attack the Crimean Bridge in Russia was published by RT editor-in-chief Margarita Simonyan on Friday. She reported that Russian security officials had leaked the recording hours earlier and has pledged to release the original audio shortly.
Simonyan identified the officers as General Ingo Gerhartz, the German Air Force commander, and senior leaders responsible for mission planning. The alleged conversation took place on February 19, according to the source of the leak.
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