Posted on 02/09/2015 3:59:07 PM PST by Tailgunner Joe
(Washington) -- Iowa Senator Joni Ernst believes the United States should consider President Obama's option of selling "lethal destructive weapons" to the Ukraine in the country's continuing battle against pro-Russian rebels.
In a joint news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel Monday, the president stated the proposed arms sale is just one option under consideration if diplomacy with Russia fails to resolve the crisis. Germany and France are among the countries against any arms sale, favoring continuing talks with Russia, instead.
Ernst is among the members of the Senate Armed Services Committee attending the annual Munich Security Conference over the weekend. In a conference call with reporters Monday afternoon, the Red Oak Republican said the Ukrainian crisis was among the hot topics covered at the conference. Ernst spoke to Secretary of State John Kerry on why Germany is hesitant to providing Ukrainian soldiers weapons.
"He (Kerry) stated that the German people are very war weary," said Ernst. "They believe we need to continue with negotiations. The chancellor (Merkel) had stated that she didn't believe that arming the Ukrainians would do any good, that she didn't believe they could win."
Ernst called Merkel's comments "very disheartening." She says the Ukrainian people should have the right to defend themselves against the advancement of pro-Russian separatists.
"They're putting their own lives on the line," said Ernst. "We're not talking about sending German troops in. We're not talking about sending American troops. We're talking about providing the Ukrainians the opportunity to defend their own sovereign country, which Russian has invaded."
She also questioned the German parameters for involvement in the Ukrainian crisis.
"The Russians keep inching forward," she said. "They keep moving on to different towns and villages. They're not stopping. Why don't we give the Ukrainians a fighting chance? And what are their parameters, then, for getting involved? Is it 10,000 Ukrainian lives lost? Is it 15,000? Is it 20,000? When do they say, 'enough Russian brutality, enough Russian invasion of the Ukraine.'"
Ernst adds Russian President Vladimir Putin may target other former Soviet bloc countries should the Ukraine fall. More than 5,300 have been killed since the Ukrainian conflict began last April.
Ukraine is a sovereign friendly nation, why wouldn’t we sell them arms (with the money we give them)... we “sell” arms to Egypt and looked the other way when ISIS took off with stingers and M1A1’s from Iraq!
Joni Ernst, it sounds like good plan to protect our boarders from the invaders also!
Go Ernst.
It’s nice to hear a little Reagan in the GOP.
Glad I donated to her campaign (multiple times) and, more importantly, voted for her.
She replaced Tom Harkin. Unbelievable!
Yeah, we got all these money trees over here, we can afford it. We can just loan them some and then let them buy our weapons.
Sounds like a great idea.
Nahh, might work, El-Presidente would never allow weapons to go to the good guys....
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