Politics

[Nature Boy]

Actually no. That is not how the authorization and appropriation process works - particularly for DOD. Something I did for the Army in a previous life.

UN graft and corruption - sure. We write them checks. The vast amount of aid to Ukraine is “in kind” - not checks.

They don’t even get what they want - only what we decide to provide.

By the way, you do know we don’t give money to NATO either? It is a % of GDP Contribution to defense by each member state. Yes, Europe has failed to meet those commitments consistently since the demise of the Soviet Union, though that has changed rather dramatically. We did indeed pick up some of that capability slack, but it was done in our national interests not theirs.

Case closed. They have cash to buy weapons. They will grift it and guess who will see it as well?

pathetic

"On the 31st anniversary of Ukraine's independence, the United States is reinforcing its long-term commitment to the nation with $2.98 billion to train and equip the Ukrainian armed forces for their struggle against the Russian invasion.



President Joe Biden announced the aid at the White House. He said the people of the world have been awed and inspired by Ukrainian resistance and pledged the United States will stand with the people of Ukraine as they fight to defend their sovereignty.

The aid "will allow Ukraine to acquire air defense systems, artillery systems and munitions, counter-unmanned aerial systems, and radars to ensure it can continue to defend itself over the long term," the president said. "

 

[John Wasmuth]

Virtually none. Tucker Carlson won’t tell you that. Weapons, ammunition, logistics support, even training are provided against the budget appropriation through the President’s draw down authority. That means stuff excess to our current requirements. No money changes hands to line anyone’s pockets.

The president, congress and senate do not have a penny that didn’t come from the tax payers. So it does in fact cost the tax payers money. Nothing is free.

 

[Nature Boy]

The president, congress and senate do not have a penny that didn’t come from the tax payers. So it does in fact cost the tax payers money. Nothing is free.

Correct, and to act like we have all this "extra" stuff lying around (why was it built?) is a joke. MI complex and pols grifting. We sent in 2007 alone $12,000,000,000 in CASH to iraq and it disappeared. All of this makes me sick. No recourse, simply steal from the coffers like biden, his brother and his crack head so have been doing for decades. But yeah, Trump is the bad guy. Populace is insanely stupid

 

[VertigoBE]

They have probably done that already. The point is that others have taken the weight when Germany rather looked after themselves. That is not in the spirit of an association like NATO.

Actually Germany’s industry is just the most exposed, with their lack of nuclear, no LNG terminals and reliance on Russian coal, gas and oil. But the same risk of destruction of the industrial base is also there for other EU countries.

I know of multiple large EU industrials in metals, petro chemicals, glass, paper, cement, plastics that are either drastically reducing their consumption or are already outright putting their plants in idle mode, because they are no longer economically viable. If this runs for a long time, this will mean plant closures, tens of thousands of people on unemployment, a brain drain etc etc in the long term. The EU will effectively become like Greece, good for a tourist destination.

Right now, there are meetings taking place on the boards and c-level of any large industrials that have plants elsewhere in the world to discuss stopping investments in Europe and favorise other regions. The energy cost burden will be too high in the long term.

So yes, I’m quite sure had the US not provided that much military aid to Ukraine to complement the trickle coming from the EU member states, the EU would not have had the stomach to continue to be tough with Russia. We are all too dependent on their cheap energy.

 

[Red Leg]

Case closed. They have cash to buy weapons. They will grift it and guess who will see it as well?

pathetic

"On the 31st anniversary of Ukraine's independence, the United States is reinforcing its long-term commitment to the nation with $2.98 billion to train and equip the Ukrainian armed forces for their struggle against the Russian invasion.



President Joe Biden announced the aid at the White House. He said the people of the world have been awed and inspired by Ukrainian resistance and pledged the United States will stand with the people of Ukraine as they fight to defend their sovereignty.

The aid "will allow Ukraine to acquire air defense systems, artillery systems and munitions, counter-unmanned aerial systems, and radars to ensure it can continue to defend itself over the long term," the president said. "

Exactly. But it isn’t money given to them. It is the value of the materiel. You can disagree with providing that weaponry to fight Russia - a different subject. But the appropriation isn’t going into any politician’s pocket - either country.

 

[Nature Boy]

Exactly. But it isn’t money given to them. It is the value of the materiel. You can disagree with providing that weaponry to fight Russia - a different subject. But the appropriation isn’t going into any politician’s pocket - either country.

Read it again. They get money (cash) to buy wepaons. Easy as hell to steal it and I guarantee they do and I guarantee who gets the sale. Not really saying there is anything I can do about it, but it will happen. sad that the US taxpayer has to get screwed constantly but the stupid get what they deserve.

 

[John Wasmuth]

And somewhere, some how there is a politician getting kick backs from munition sales some where. Nobody is naive enough to think some body’s not pocketing tax payer money from this…..

 

[Red Leg]

Read it again. They get money (cash) to buy wepaons. Easy as hell to steal it and I guarantee they do and I guarantee who gets the sale. Not really saying there is anything I can do about it, but it will happen. sad that the US taxpayer has to get screwed constantly but the stupid get what they deserve.

That is not what it says and no they don’t. They get the weapons, munitions, training etc that we allow them against the authorization and the appropriation. But that is indeed what the author wants you to believe.

 

[Red Leg]

False, over 30 Billion is traditional foreign aid. Thy will steal some cash, fact. Protecting NATO with our resources is GIVING them money, FYI. Nato is a joke and no it will not change.

Our National Interest is exactly what? What exactly do we get from Ukraine? Will we get to keep things after this free of charge? Why are the euros not worried about their National Interest.

We clearly have no common understanding of how the process works. Hence we have no common ground for a discussion. I wish you well.

 

[Nature Boy]

And somewhere, some how there is a politician getting kick backs from munition sales some where. Nobody is naive enough to think some body’s not pocketing tax payer money from this…..

Correct, it's barely veiled these days. Defense contractors will get new contracts by the 100's of billions so we can leave some more in Afghan or Ukraine or the Russians get it and use against us. It's money laundering and nobody yet has explained what we get from Ukraine?

 

[John Wasmuth]

We get “culture and grain”…… oh, and the Biden’s, we got the Biden’s………..

 

[Nature Boy]

That is not what it says and no they don’t. They get the weapons, munitions, training etc that we allow them against the authorization and the appropriation. But that is indeed what the author wants you to believe.

Ok, no actual money goes there. lol

 

[Nature Boy]

We clearly have no common understanding of how the process works. Hence we have no common ground for a discussion. I wish you well.

Answer my question as to what we gain? Just asking your opinion. You are right as I'll never agree they can't get actual money via this. (We should be able to agree they can sell it easily for cash).

 

[Nature Boy]

We get “culture and grain”…… oh, and the Biden’s, we got the Biden’s………..

nope. But we got 100,000 more biden voters, hmmm.....we have to pay for as we get fucked

How much wheat and corn does the US import? The answer is: none. “We produce more than we need domestically,” Welch said. “These are global markets.Mar 10, 2022

 

[John Wasmuth]

We actually do import some grains. And Ukraine did furnish voters so they kinda did give us the Biden’s…… and they are still lining Joes pockets. Along with a bunch of others that live in the swamp. It’s also a known fact that lots of old retired Generals and upper echelon retired military personnel are heavily invested in companies that build bombs and munitions and are making money off of a war no matter who is fighting it. Weapons originate in one of two places, U.S. or the old Warsaw Pact countries, either M-16’s or Ak’s and I’m not seeing a lot of M16’s being hauled around Ukraine….. if one didn’t know better you’d think the U.S. was giving Ukraine money to buy Russian weapons…… but of course, that wouldn’t happen would it…..

United States Imports of Feedstuff & Food Grains

Imports of Feedstuff & Food Grains in the United States decreased to 737.49 USD Million in February from 791.94 USD Million in January of 2024. This page includes a chart with historical data for the United States Imports of Feedstuff & Food Grains.

tradingeconomics.com

 

[Nature Boy]

We actually do import some grains. And Ukraine did furnish voters so they kinda did give us the Biden’s…… and they are still lining Joes pockets. Along with a bunch of others that live in the swamp. It’s also a known fact that lots of old retired Generals and upper echelon retired military personnel are heavily invested in companies that build bombs and munitions and are making money off of a war no matter who is fighting it. Weapons originate in one of two places, U.S. or the old Warsaw Pact countries, either M-16’s or Ak’s and I’m not seeing a lot of M16’s being hauled around Ukraine….. if one didn’t know better you’d think the U.S. was giving Ukraine money to buy Russian weapons…… but of course, that wouldn’t happen would it…..

United States Imports of Feedstuff & Food Grains

Imports of Feedstuff & Food Grains in the United States decreased to 737.49 USD Million in February from 791.94 USD Million in January of 2024. This page includes a chart with historical data for the United States Imports of Feedstuff & Food Grains.

tradingeconomics.com

Only thing I could find was we were buying some just recently to send to poor areas of the world. But it's still bad.

 

[marksman]

 

[marksman]

 

[marksman]

 

[John Wasmuth]

War is a racket, if given the chance one should read Smedly Butler’s book. Nothing has changed except the names of a few countries.