The Pentagon announced on Friday that it was sending Ukraine a new weapons package worth $425 million, which includes HIMARS ammunition, air defenses, artillery rounds, and other equipment.
The weapons are being provided under the Presidential Drawdown Authority, which allows the Biden administration to ship them straight from US military stockpiles. The package was announced around the same time Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin spoke with his Ukrainian counterpart, Rustem Umerov.
The new military aid comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is urging his Western backers to adopt his so-called “Victory Plan,” which calls for major escalations, including the provision of Tomahawk missiles. But there’s no sign the US and NATO are willing to take those steps. Despite the lack of a path toward a Ukrainian victory, the US continues to pour weapons into the conflict.
According to the Pentagon, the new weapons package includes:
- Munitions for National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS)
- Stinger missiles
- Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems (c-UAS) equipment and munitions
- Air-to-ground munitions
- Ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS)
- 155mm and 105mm artillery ammunition
- Tube-launched, Optically tracked, Wire-guided (TOW) missiles
- Javelin and AT-4 anti-armor systems
- Stryker Armored Personnel Carriers
- Small arms and ammunition
- Medical equipment
- Demolitions equipment and munitions
- Spare parts, ancillary equipment, services, training, and transportation
The Pentagon also released a fact sheet that said the Biden administration has committed $60.4 billion in weapons for Ukraine since Russia invaded on February 24, 2022. Factoring in other types of assistance and all the Ukraine spending in the $95 billion foreign military aid bill President Biden signed into law back in April, the proxy war has cost US taxpayers at least $186 billion so far.
There's a hole in Ukraine where all the money goes!
And Jesus Christ died for nothin', I suppose…
Cynicism can indeed be healthy and I say this with candor, as I am. Christian
I remember that song…. John Prine?..
Yes, it's from a John Prine song, "Sam Stone". And the song is not cynical but sorrowful. It's about a Vietnam Vet who came home and turned to heroin to ease his emotional pain, at the expense of those around him, until he OD'd and died. It's about the lives of grunts wasted for the egos of the 'Best and Brightest' in the Cabinet.
I'm not cynical and while I'm not Christian I respect those who are. And I feel sad for all those who have lost their lives fighting in the Ukraine war, regardless of which side they were on. And I'm sad for their wives and kids and friends. I just want it to be over.
… and Israel and the Empire are crucifying Jesus again.
The "hole" is Zelensky's pocket.
The goal here is not to achieve victory. There are two goals: drain Russia every way possible, and drain the wealth of the US tax payers(thus enriching the Merchants of Death). If the Yankee Empire actually achieved victory, that would impair the pursuit of the real goals.
That may be their goals, but Russia seems to get stronger as this war proceeds.
They may be slow to get rolling, but once on a war footing, Russia is a dangerous creature indeed.
I think there's an old saying about that. Something along the lines that, "We Russians are slow to get into the saddle, but once we do we ride fast."
Who could've thought Biden was telling the truth when he said there was "NO INFLATION!?" Look at all these weapons Ukraine can buy for almost no money at all!? THEY'RE ALMOST FREE! You could argue IT"S A DEFLATION–NOT AN INFLATION!
"Despite the lack of a path toward a Ukrainian victory…" says renowned military expert Dave DeCamp. Meanwhile:
What is the Path to a Ukrainian Victory? With Lieut Gen (Ret) Ben Hodges, Former Commanding General of US Army Europe, Senior Advisor to Human Rights
Ukraine’s Victory Plan & Peace Formula: The only path to a just peace, Presented by Andriy Yermak, Head of Cabinet of the President of Ukraine
The month of October was the deadliest month of the war so far for Russian forces
Ukraine Has Found a Path to Victory
(Drawing upon decades of experience, RAND provides research services, systematic analysis, and innovative thinking to a global clientele that includes government agencies, foundations, and private-sector firms)
https://www.rand.org/pubs/commentary/2024/08/ukraine-has-found-a-path-to-victory.html
Everything RAND said then proved wrong. Kursk didn't give Russia difficult choices, they are pushing Ukraine's forces out of Kursk WHILE advancing steadily and pretty quickly in the donbass. The west clearly does not have the willingness to risk or resources it would take to keep Ukraine from losing, much less enable Ukraine to actually win.
Even the AYN version of RAND was a hotbed of libertarian fantasy and long, LONG speeches.
Our hard earned tax dollars being flushed down the toilet bowl of life…
The headline should have read:
“The Biden-Harris administration is printing $425 million to send to Ukraine a new weapons package“.
Why should it read that? It's equipment that's already built and warehoused, not money being sent.
And what will that already built equipment cost to replace?
Don’t know. Don’t really care. A lot of it had already been replaced as a lot of what has been sent was sitting in storage because it was obsolete.
You tell me what you think it’ll cost to replace stockpiles that were already replaced. Make ot a big number so it’s believable.
A tad more than $425 million.
Give me a number to replace what’s already been replaced. If you’re that concerned about it you must have a number in mind.
Does it matter? Are you saying taxpayers don't get fleeced? The MIC has to be fed.
I’m saying if you are concerned about the high cost, it might be useful if you had any clue what the cost was. Otherwise you are complaining just yo complain and cannot be taken seriously.
As for does it matter? You seem to think it does or you wouldn’t have brought it up, yes?
Follow up on why it matters to you.
And you're an idiot. What the fuck difference what the cost is? Whatever it is, it's money that could be spent on things that improve human life and not on things that destroy human life. Go look elsewhere for someone to pick an argument with.
You brought up the cost to replace what’s already been replaced, not me. If it makes no difference why bring it up? You’re the one looking to argue.
Go ahead and get the last word so you can win internet points and declare a win.
Yes, I know I did. I was making a point. I wasn't looking for an argument. The overpriced shit that leaves the shelves gets replaced by even more overpriced shit and the taxpayers eventually foot the bill. Thats why I brought it up. I didn't take Carol Jean's original comment literally and thought it was more of a metaphor about pissing money away and passing the cost onto the taxpayer.
Does it always have to be replaced?
Well, if it were up to me, hell no. But my comment was about reality.
Pepe Escobar
@RealPepeEscobar
·
4h
LAVROV CUTS TO THE CHASE
"As a fallback option in case the regime of Zelensky fails, they [the US] are preparing continental Europe to embark on a suicidal adventure and enter into a direct armed conflict with Russia."
Translation: already on. NATO dates: 2027, 2029, or 2030.
Lavrov needs to get his story straight. The claim he's been making is the US already forced NATO and the EU to fight Russia.
Now he's saying they aren't fighting Russia, but they might.
it can't be both.
Pepe typically hits the nail on the head!
Strykers. Geez Louise. The Pentagon has no shame. Putting any part of a $400M price tag on those rolling kevlar coffins, that couldn't stand up to barefoot insurgents in Afghanistan without all sorts of applique and add-on slat armor is a disgrace. I don't support any more aid going to Kiev, but if the Pentagon is going to send it, send stuff that's USEFUL, like late model, fully operational Bradleys. Stop cleaning out your attic and sending the trash to Ukraine.
Strykers were NEVER intended to fight in high-intensity peer/near peer warfare; and certainly not in the kind of environment they will face in Ukraine.
Ukraine is done stick a fork in it.