US Senate approves $95bn aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan : ukraine

[–] [email protected] 76 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (2 children)

“In the absence of having received any single border policy change from the Senate, the House will have to continue to work its own will on these important matters,” Johnson said in a statement late on Monday.

There was a bi-partisan bill, but Trump wanted it killed so he could campaign on it and you made it clear you were never going to pass it. I'm sick of these lying weasels. This isn't about the border anymore, this is a direct attack on foreign aid for Ukraine to advance Putin's interest, courtesy of his puppet Trump.

[–] [email protected] 55 points 7 months ago (1 children)

They rejected the strongest border security deal in decades. The GOP wants open borders. That's the headline. They want open borders, they want Chinese hegemony in the Eastern Hemisphere, they want Vladimir Putin to take over Europe and the Middle East, and they want the US to become a second rate fascist dictatorship. That's what the Republican party is for.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 7 months ago (3 children)

How did it get this way? Who is pulling the strings? Have the Republicans always been this suicidal a party or did they just use to be constitution abiding conservatives?

[–] [email protected] 16 points 7 months ago (1 children)

They've always been that way.

What do conservatives ACTUALLY conserve? It's not the environment. It's not law and order. It's social stratification. Conservatives WANT a powerful ruling class. That's what they want to conserve. They are, and have ALWAYS been, enemies of democracy. They believe "strong men" (read: assholes) are good, and want systems that can empower rulers, not representatives.

Conservatives have ALWAYS been enemies of equity.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 7 months ago

They seek to conserve the "Fuck you, hooray for me" aristocratic status quo, obvs.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 7 months ago

The short version is the Republican party is now ran by Trump who is, frankly, an idiot. Trump single-handedly killed the bipartisan Ukraine/Border deal because it would make Biden look good. Biden relented and gave Republicans a win-win deal, and Trump was too blinded by Biden getting positive press to allow the deal that would get Republicans good press and something they have been pushing for for decades.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 7 months ago

if you want to know read up on James W. Fifield Jr and National Association of Manufacturers that's where it started.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 7 months ago

Truly a testament to Biden's leadership if there are no other issues to campaign on to the point that Trump actively needs to prevent this issue being solved before the election.

[–] [email protected] 45 points 7 months ago (3 children)

Ukraine and Taiwan need the help. But does Israel?

[–] [email protected] 18 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (1 children)

No. Israel can take on Hamas without any problems. It might help a bit. If other countries became involved, then it could get dicey, but it doesn't look like that's going to happen, and they're okay as things stand.

However, supporting Israel is pretty popular with American voters, so I expect that some form of aid will happen.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 7 months ago

However, supporting Israel is pretty popular with American voters, so I expect that some form of aid will happen.

It's because most people view Israel as a bulwark against Middle Eastern nations full of 'evil terrorists and Muslims' (or so they're told). There's also the powerful Jewish lobby and rich donors who can make or break a politician.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 7 months ago

Exactly how I feel.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

If that’s the compromise it takes to get support where it is needed then so be it. The US has plenty to go around and Israel is going to do what they will do with or without our help.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Yay for Ukraine! But how much is this compared to previous packages? I don't remember how much we were sending before.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 7 months ago (1 children)

24 billion before

[+] [email protected] 0 points 7 months ago (2 children)

[deleted]

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 months ago (1 children)

It definitely isn't anything like $1T

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 months ago

@tal @jabathekek
I'm pretty much an optimist, but I'm not convinced that Ukrainewill get anything from the US. They've been saying "soon," "very close to," for a long time now. The US can't be relied upon for anything in my opinion.
I would love to be wrong.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

Last annual defense budget for the US was $886b. That doesn't go to Ukraine or our other allies. And the funds, like those in OP's bill, go mostly to two things: expanding domestic manufacturing of things like artillery shells and to replace aging US equipment, freeing up the old stuff to go to Ukraine.

These bills are actually quite smart as they keep the economic advantages local (defense jobs pay workers well!) and they modernize the US military, all while providing much needed lethal aid to our allies.

[–] [email protected] -4 points 7 months ago (3 children)

US Senate approves $95bn for US weapons manufacturers to make weapons for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan

[–] [email protected] 14 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (1 children)

Good, Ukraine and Taiwan need them.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 7 months ago

I agree. I'm just trying to address the commonly held misconception that piles of cash are being sent abroad. The bulk of the money is spent in America and the weapons are sent to the allies.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 7 months ago (1 children)

That's a gross oversimplification.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/feb/13/us-national-security-bill-ukraine-israel-explainer

About $30 billion for Ukraine military arms and military support.

About $20 billion to support Ukraine government basic function, the private sector, and Ukrainian refugees.

About $19 billion for Israeli arms, and $2.5 billion for related US military operations.

The following is huge: $9.2 billion for humanitarian aid to Gaza, the West Bank, Ukraine, and some other war zones.

About $8 billion for partners in the Indo Pacific to resist China encroachment

$1.9 billion to Taiwan for arms

$3.3 billion to build submarines in the US for Australia and the UK.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 7 months ago (1 children)

you might want to go back and actually find out where that 95bn is going instead of making things up

[–] [email protected] -3 points 7 months ago

Please enlighten me

[+] [email protected] -7 points 7 months ago (1 children)

That kind of funding could cover nearly two years of free college for the entire nation.

But hey, war fuel!

[–] [email protected] 6 points 7 months ago

Not allowing dictators to conquer everyone is quite important. Not so much college going on when your imperial neighbor decides your home is theirs.

[+] [email protected] -14 points 7 months ago (1 children)

[removed by mod]

[–] [email protected] 4 points 7 months ago

This won't be the first time you see things like this happen. Change the channel, The hurt continues.. Ugyurs are still being slaughtered in China. Iran is still stoning people. Aboriginal people in Australia still are not counted as people. Africa is still in turmoil. The RDF in Sudan. Russia is a theat to its neighbors. 60 elections globally this year. There is a whole globe to pay attention to. Religion and resources.