Biden offers fresh assurances he would shut down border ‘right now’ if Congress sends him a deal

Look, you're ignoring my arguments and you don't seem to care whatever I put forward. Or care about Ukraine. (But at least there's some hope of compromise on the $$$$ amount).

 

The PENTAGON has no control over the BILLIONS being sent to Ukraine. That's all foreign aid... the purview of Congress and the President.

 

It is laughable to think that the Pentagon does not inform these decisions. Most of the foreign aid is military.

 

You're right. I couldn't care less about Ukraine. Protecting Ukraine's borders while leaving our own wide open is... crazy.

 

On this we agree.

 

Yes... it is military aid. But the Pentagon does not make these decisions. The military does what the civilian government tells it to do. The military does not declare war. Congress does. The military does not fund anything... Congress does. The military obeys orders of the civilian administration... notyhing more. You really don't understand this?

And the military doesn't empty out the tanks at Ft hood to send tanks to Ukraine. The Congress buys them from Detroit and sends them. Gees.... I find this this level of not understanding how the system works quite amazing.

 

Of course I'm gravitated to that story. Wanna know what I'm not gravitated by? I can recall in my childhood(early-mid 2000's) every damn commercial about donate this, donate that. Our exceptionalism meant by design, we had to do things for other nations. Guess what else I was seeing? Back then, our economy was relatively healthy, but as you well know it went into the ******* afterward.

All of this, during my formative years both non-politically and politically, shaped me up to be who I am today. I preach America First, because someone has to and it sure as hell isn't going to be Washington as politically aligned as it is currently.

And you know what? I'll wear the so-called 'nativist' label pin with pride. "Yes, I was born and raised here and yes, I want the best for my fellow countrymen. The REAL question is, mr./miss politicians, why don't you? "

 

I'm sure you understand many things about military details better than I do. But the strategic interest of US being involved in Ukraine as well as what you send and what it is going to achieve in the war would be informed by The Pentagon.

Also, aren't you sending slightly older stuff while you're replacing it with new/cutting edge? I wonder if these costings are entirely accurate. Would $0 of that 100 billion have not been spent if you were not involved in Ukraine? What is the real additional cost for the war in Ukraine, above and beyond what you would have spent anyhow?

 

I’ll take the word of the author of the constitution


"If Congress can employ money indefinitely to the general welfare, and are the sole and supreme judges of the general welfare, they may take the care of religion into their own hands; they may appoint teachers in every State, county and parish and pay them out of their public treasury; they may take into their own hands the education of children, establishing in like manner schools throughout the Union; they may assume the provision of the poor; they may undertake the regulation of all roads other than post-roads; in short, every thing, from the highest object of state legislation down to the most minute object of police, would be thrown under the power of Congress. ... Were the power of Congress to be established in the latitude contended for, it would subvert the very foundations, and transmute the very nature of the limited Government established by the people of America." — James Madison

 

It's looking like Republicans may actually bring Biden to his knees over this issue. Good job Republicans.

 

I so agree. I was born in the 1950's. At that time, post-WWII, the United States was the only industrialized nation that was still... industrialized. Japan, France, Germany, Russia, Italy, and so many more... lay in ruins. Want a train? You had to buy American. A car? You had to buy American. Electronics? Yup... American again. As a result, we were rich. We had money to burn... and to go to the moon and so much more. We got used to it. We gave money away on welfare, housing... and so much more. Whole generations grew up with the mindset that the government could pay for anything.

I remember when "Made in Japan" meant it was trash. Europeans bought American refrigerators and radios and cars. Now that's all changed. We have homeless we can't afford to help (unless they are illegal aliens). We have debt up the wazzoo. We can't afford things as we used to.

My parents were forged in the poverty of the Great Depression. My grandkids are being forged in the culture of "everything's free".

 

The people who allegedly improve our economy are turning out to be draining it. In case you're keeping track, at night the temps are below freezing in Denver.

These illegals came here unable to support themselves which means they can only survive on freebies and crime and the freebies seem to be running out. The next freebie they should get is a plane ticket back to their home country.

A city of 710,000 struggles to cope with 40,000 migrant arrivals

Nearly 40,000 migrants have arrived in Denver over the past year, making a city with a population of just over 710,000 the top destination per capita for newly arrived migrants crossing the U.S. southern border and traveling north in buses from Texas.

The influx is taking a toll on the city’s public safety net. Starting Feb. 5, Denver will limit the number of days migrants can stay in shelters and send those who exceed their stay out onto the streets.

One Venezuelan family, a mother, father and their three daughters, told NBC News they’ve been staying at a hotel paid for by the city, but they’ve just received notice that they’ll be evicted.
.........................
Denver Health, the city’s “safety net” hospital, is asking for more money from both the state and federal government to help cover $10 million in unpaid medical bills from migrants.

Denver Mayor Mike Johnston estimates the city will need $100 million over 2024 to pay for housing, schooling, health care and other services as a result of the unexpected influx of migrants.

https://news.yahoo.com/city-710-000-struggles-cope-140000835.html

 

Again, the Pentagon has no power to fund anything... Congress controls the purse strings. Equipment sent to Ukraine comes from new acquisitions or stored supplies... at the order of civilian authority.

Again, I can find nothing about the Ukraine that has any vital "strategic interest" to the United States. It has no unique industry as Taiwan with its 50% production of the world's microchips. Ukraine has nothing like that. It has no economic power that could "make or break" the US economy. It has no military power without our help. It's not a member of NATO so we have no legal commitment to enforce.

We are sending the latest weaponry to Ukraine. Javelins are unmatched in the world of anti-tank weapons and are "cutting edge". So are Stinger RMP (Reprogrammable MicroProcessor), the latest and greatest generation of MANPADS (Man Portable Air Defense Systems). M1 tanks and Bradley Fighting Vehicles are also the latest and greatest. The HIMARS we send them are the same rounds we use ourselves, although they are slightly modified to be fired from trucks rather than the ATACMS vehicle/launchers we use. The Patriot PAC-3's we send Ukraine are the same weapons we use for strategic air defense of our own forces. We have stripped our POMCUS (Prepositioning of Materiel Configured in Unit Sets) to send equipment to Ukraine. (POMCUS is equipment stored in Europe so that in case of an attack, we can quickly send troops to link up with equipment already in Europe, without the delay of shipping massive amounts of equipment from the USA.) So, no, we are NOT giving Ukraine "older stuff". Not at all.

We're spending incredible amounts of money defending Ukraine's border while leaving our own wide open. I'm angry about that. And I'm not alone in that..

 

Last week I saw a video of a Bradley fighting vehicle disabling Russia's best tank and then a drone totally destroyed it. The article said Russia designed their latest tank to carry more ammo so it had to lighten up on the armor.

 

I saw that. More proof that the Russians are inept. A Bradley has TOW (Tube Launched, Optically Tracked, Wire Guided) Missiles to kill tanks. It's been around since the Viet Nam Era but it does its job well. That job is to kill tanks. Bradley's main gun is a 25mm Bushmaster which fires 200 rounds per minute and can fire various types of rounds including DU (Depleted Uranium) which is an anti-armor round. But it is designed for use on lighter armor than typically encountered on a tank.

The Bradley that disabled the Russian tank(s) used it Bushmaster Gun. Russians aren't real good at warfighting. Their tactics stink, their aircraft stink, their tanks stink and more.

 

It is fairly common knowledge that US is sending older, refurbished Abrahms, not the latest. Why did you omit that?

The rest seems ok. You're deliberately not acknowledging my point that the Pentagon informs what Congress does. I.e. I would hope that Ukraine is seen as having the possibility of not succumbing.

Having said that, if Ukraine is not supported and Russia takes Ukraine, would you support any of the neighbouring NATO countries if Russia decides to take the battle further?

 

It doesn't matter what the US sends, it all burns the same. Russia will take what it wants and thinks it needs to protect ethnic Russians and create some sort of stable remnant of "the ukraine".

The Pentagon has a history of losing trillions of dollars as multiple audits have shown. Even the dumbest Americans are waking up the fact that every overseas excursion since WW2 is nothing but a way for the MIC to get rich, and thus the politicians that vote for war to get kickbacks from the MIC. It's nothing but a grift.

 

I don't see any NATO nation getting aggressive, nor do I see any reason for it. What sort of scenario are you envisioning?

 

I hope I never get that jaded.

 

I'm going to ignore the fact that it's YOU that is posting this and say I'll probably agree with most of what you're saying, except the MIC part. I doubt whether the Ukraine will get occupied Donbass back from Russia unless Russia completely collapses.

So they might as well draw up a new border. Trouble is there will be constant skirmishes over that new border. If Ukraine can properly push Russia out I don't see Ukraine shelling into Russia proper.

So there's no win for anyone yet.

The issue all along was that Donbass is mostly ethic Russian. Ukrainians and Russians don't seem to get along as well as they could.

 

The scenario that Russia starts declaring that there are Nazis in more neighboring Baltic states. More false flags. Russia doesn't need for NATO to be aggressive to start incursions. If Russia sees weakness it will plow on into Europe.

Or, at the very least Russia's word cannot be trusted.

Regarding the Pentagon informing policy I mean scenarios such as these:

1. The Pentagon makes the strategic assessment of whether Ukraine can hold back Russia. They decide yes, and therefore Congress and the President decide that it is worthwhile to send military aid.

2. The Pentagon makes the strategic assessment that Ukraine has no chance of holding back Russia, no matter what assistance they are given. Therefore Congress and the President decide that it is not worthwhile to send military aid to Ukraine.

Have I made that clear enough?

 

The link says he would do it (act on the borders) when Congress sends him the Bill.

 

bovine excrement

whatever.....may I suggest learning the history of "the ukraine". if you learn anything, learn that 'ukrainians', the nazi *******s, are just descendants of the Poles incorporated into "the ukraine" by Stalin in WW2. Worst mistake Stalin ever made.

 

Have patience, give it time and you'll come around.

 

Just for the record, America hasn’t even sent 100 billion to Ukraine, let alone “hundreds of billions”.