The House on Thursday passed a bill designed to force President Biden to lift a pause on a shipment of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel.
The legislation is considered symbolic since President Biden has threatened a veto, and it’s not expected to be brought up for a vote in the Senate. It’s seen as an effort by Republicans to show that the GOP is the staunchly pro-Israel party.
The bill passed in a vote of 224-187, with 16 Democrats and nearly every Republican in the House voting yes. Only three Republicans were opposed: Reps. Thomas Massie (R-KY), Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), and Warren Davidson (R-OH).
The bill would prohibit any arms shipments to Israel from being paused, limited, or canceled and require the “prompt” delivery of weapons to Israel. The legislation is also designed to withhold funding to the Pentagon, the State Department, and the National Security Council, so salaries won’t be paid to any US official involved in limiting military aid to Israel until obligations under the bill are fulfilled.
Republicans are fuming over the pause on the 2,000-pound bomb shipment despite the fact that President Biden has also pledged he will maintain long-term military support for Israel and moved forward with a new $1 billion arms package this week. His administration has also promised that Israel will get every penny of the $17 billion in new military aid that was recently authorized by Congress.
“This is a moment of moral clarity. You either stand with Israel and their right to self-defense against terrorists who wish our ally and America harm — or accept sending a dangerous message of weakness to our enemies,” Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK) said after the vote. “We can’t equivocate in our support or waver in our promise of ‘Never Again.'”
The House Democrats who joined the Republicans in supporting the bill, which condemned President Biden, are Reps. Ritchie Torres (D-NY), Angie Craig (D-MN), Matt Cartwright (D-PA), Henry Cuellar (D-TX), Don Davis (D-NC), Lois Frankel (D-FL), Jared Golden (D-ME), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Greg Landsman (D-OH), Jared Moskowitz (D-FL), Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Mary Peltola (D-AK), Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA) David Scott (D-SC), Rep. Darren Soto (D-FL), and Tom Suozzi (D-NY).
I would hazard a guess that the districts of the Democrats who voted for the bill have large pro-Zionist majorities. When in doubt, a congressperson votes to save his/her seat. Which is the polite term for “cover your ass”.
Winning is paramount over principle.
lol, Ilhan Omar wadn’t wrong 😉
correct. she routinely puts zionists in their place
“The legislation is also designed to withhold funding to the Pentagon, the State Department, and the National Security Council,”.if a foreign country does not get their weapons first. So how is this not treason?
The pentagon is bloated. They could use a trim. Although the priorities are skewed. Unless you consider Israel as empire; whether the US directs it, or it directs the US. The oligarchs of one are oligarchs of the other.
“What, sir, is the use of a militia? It is to prevent the establishment of a standing army, the bane of liberty. …Whenever Governments mean to invade the rights and liberties of the people, they always attempt to destroy the militia, in order to raise an army upon their ruins.”
–Elbridge Gerry, Fifth Vice President of the United States
There is some conflict among leaders. We just don’t get to see it. People are looking into it more now, which is good.
If you mean the security state, I think there is some of that.
Is this the same house that was voting against funding it?
Worth noting is that Biden didn’t “pause” the shipment of bombs until the IDF had made clear that they had enough to turn Rafah into a parking lot. What did he just approve? A shipment of tank shells, just as tanks are moving into Rafah.
Plus, Biden didn’t cut them off. He was only withholding the 2000 lb. bombs. Those were never “needed” to destroy Gaza, they just made it easier. So, they were never in danger of running out of weapons that could turn Rafah, or any other city in Gaza, into a parking lot. With or without those 2000 lb. bombs
Snake oil barkers, ain’t nothin’ they say worth a hill of beans 😉
An online people’s justice campaign should investigate and put on trial the house of representatives for enabling genocide. This forum would do as a start.
People can at least move to the few polities that oppose it, to support those leaders.
So where are all the nations that said they would make going into Rafah “red line”? And assuming Israel “rids” of Hamas, who is going to play the “terrorist” part to “justify” Israel’s crimes?
Did Egypt actually use the term red line 🙂 Didn’t they caveat it in some way? You know the “yada yada yada has the potential yada yada sovereignty and yada yada yada yada!” dance.
So recently, in the last day or two, Egypt informed Israel since it, Israel, had captured the Rafah crossing it Egypt would be opening another crossing between it Egypt and Gaza. Very strongmanly don’t ya think 🙂
Well for example the Netherlands, Mark Rutte, hopeful successor of Stoltenberg, proving himself to be exactly the languid impressionable spineless nothingburger that the function requires, solved the red line problem by moving the red line to a new and deliberately left unknown goalpost. I doubt there is a language rich enough to express the cynicism of this absolute lowlife. But then these are exactly the vapid sort of turds that float on top of the pungent cesspool that is Western politics.
The US is fast approaching the point of truly learning how to balance some of its existential excesses because if it does not, the path forward, when out of balance, could be the end of our true democratic prowess.
!!!
We are past that point. No national interests are being discussed. No domestic concerns exist. Only demonstation of power. Swearing allegiance. Oligarchy on oligarchy.
What do you think Gaza is all about? Demonstration of raw power. Brutal squashing of student protests? Demonstration of raw power. What do you think the “negotiations” with Saudi Arabia are all about? Demonstration of power. Saudi Arabia geography snd infrastructure cannot handle any war. The threat of anihilation is what passes for Saudi negotiations.
Assasination attempt at Slovakia’s Fico — demonstration of power. Just step out of line, and learn hard way.
What is with the accussations against India? Hmm. Not complicated. Do not step out of permissible range.
Europe and Middle East have to be brought in line — end story. Then deal with Russia and China.
So if need be, more brutality is in store until the deminstrations work.
Domestically, there is nothing that can be done. Theoretically states can start defining some boundaries of authority, both in the sphere of military, and imposing financial or economic constraints on Federal unconstrained use of all current and future resources.
We can see that the decision was made. No compromise or peaceful cohabitation with those that are not under control. We are just seeing the opening salvos.
So good to have Bianca back & firey as ever… This place was just not the same without Bianca to unravel the the knots!
More like auctions than elections too often. LET THE HIGHEST BIDDER TAKE THE PRIZE… Two or four more years of policy devoid of value for AMERICAN PEOPLE that line the pockets of most of the SLEEZE on this PLANET LIKE NETANYAHU, the GENOCIDE GUY Our Allly in killing kids..
Mearheimer’s back down under with the Aussies and my goodness he was on quite the roll. I’ve never seen him so animated – he was prancing back and forth across that stage like a champion dressage horse taking another gold.
Guess that’s what happens to a 76yo Realist when, after a 40+ year absence, Realism finally comes back in vogue, lol
Why Israel is in deep trouble: John Mearsheimer with Tom Switzer
Urgent need to get those 2,000 pounders to idf aircraft; after all, the us needs to capitalize on its “credits” which the us is so famous for in destroying refugee centers.
I’ve wondered what goes thru an IDF pilots mind as he or she flips the switch over a refugee center and drops a 2,000 pounder squarely in the center of that center.
They’re told they’re destroying people who hate/threaten them, and they’re told that Arabs are stupid/lazy/inbred. And they’re told the Arabs were nomads. Probably other things. I guess “chosen” is up there too.
The nomad argument is similar to the South African apartheid argument against black migrants.
US politicians jumping over each other to show to whom their loyalty belongs.
The whole US administration will fall over this. Everybody will see who they are. Actually I think the whole system will fall with it.
It could end soon. They just need (a) location(s) to send the Gazans to.
There’s no freaking pause…! Is it wonderful to see the House of Israel cares more about Israel than the US citizens…?!
Washington Post shows that … umm … “Zionist-minded” billionaire donors were in a private WhatsApp chat with the Israeli government, where they conspired to push New York City Mayor Eric Adams to crack down on pro-Palestine protesters at Columbia University.
The GOP wants that donor money. Or at least want to make sure the Dems get less of it.
https://archive.is/9No5v
Pay for private investigators to assist the NYPD in handling the protests.
On the other hand, are they playing cover for Biden? Like he’s soooo against shipping more arms. /s
So full of zhit, certainly not goodness. HOW MANY KIDS HAS HIS BOMBS KILLED TODAY, YESTERDAY & IN APRIL, MARCH, FEBRUARY & BEFORE?
10,000 15,000 20,000. ????!???????????He told us he was a Zionist waaay back & he is proving it 500 or 1000 dead kids every week or two!!!!!! Are you going to vote for this childkiller???? I HOPE NOT.
Tom Cole, another Boy George Bush wannabe, “You are either with us(the U.S War Offense Industry) or against us” so get onboard so we can kill more people and make billions for the Offense Contractors and bought and sold U.S. politicians.
Political theatre. Show the allegiance. Swear the loyalty. Heads are being counted. Oh yes, this means business. Bimbs are irrelevant here. It is the oligarchy gone mad, demonstrating their awsome power to control.
Empire strikes back.
…. a symbolic effort by Republicans to show they’re the staunchly pro-Israel party
uncle sam is like that old flipping a coin trick to fool your little brother.
“heads I win, tails you lose!”
except that trick only worked once.
US government pulls that BS time and time again.
“fool me once, shame on you! fool me twice, um, won’t get fooled again…”
…. G W Bush
Opposed to NEVER AGAIN…. This is ONCE AGAIN. ONLY THE VICTIMS ARE 70% WOMEN & KIDS!!! And so BIDEN SENDS 2 & 5 THOUSAND POUND BOMBS TO KILL TENS OF THOUSANDS MORE INNOCENT WOMEN & CHILDREN MAKING US AMERICANS COMPLICIT IN THIS GENOCIDE OF THE INNOCENT & HELPLESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A HIDEOUS CRIME WHICH WILL ONLY FOSTER MORE VIRULENT ANTISEMITISM & OUTRAGE WORLDWIDE!!
CONSTANTLY POSTING IN ALL CAPS AND WITH LOTS OF EXCLAMATION MARKS DOESN’T CAUSE MORE PEOPLE TO READ YOUR POSTS MORE AND AGREE WIT THEM!!!!! IT JUST MAKES EVERYONE THINK MAYBE YOU’RE CRAZY!!!!!!
actually Biden has threatened to put a stop to sending any more weapons to Israel, but even if he actually did it is already far too late.
because americans have been complicit for many decades already.