Russia attacks Ukraine - Open thread | 209 comments (209 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

HUAC Chairman Schiff announces (none / 0)

Congress wants to go further for Ukraine. It may be too late.

Lawmakers have plenty they could add to a bill helping counter a Russian invasion. What that vehicle is, and when it can pass, remains unclear.
[...]
Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.), who chairs the Appropriations subcommittee on the State Department and foreign operations, told reporters Friday morning that any supplemental funding bill would likely exceed $10 billion, the majority of which would go toward humanitarian aid to address the impending refugee crisis in Europe.

SIDEBAR: received 20 Feb a free fed 4 pc. "rapid-flow" COVID-19 test kit, ordered 17 Jan, manufactured in S Korea, distributed by Roche, N.A.

"If we are not doing everything possible, we are not doing enough," said Sen. Lindsey Graham Cracker (R-S.C.). "Time is not on our side."
[...]
Some EXTRA military AID already has been sent; the Biden administration last month shipped $200 million worth of anti-armor missiles, ammunition and other military equipment to Ukraine. The Pentagon has moved several thousand U.S. troops into eastern NATO countries on Russia's periphery. The State Department also last week approved a long-awaited $6 billion sale of tanks to Poland.
[...]
Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), a senior House Appropriations Committee member, said this week that the administration communicated to lawmakers that, in the event of a Russian incursion "there is a need over the next twelve months of at least $1 billion for humanitarian needs."

DOD remote learning special operation

by Cat on Fri Feb 25th, 2022 at 08:00:42 PM EST

Re: HUAC Chairman Schiff announces (none / 0)

ROLL CALL | The consensus against using force holds, despite Russia's invasion, yesterday

~~Lawmakers~~ Appropriators back new sanctions and military aid, but Ukraine will have to fight alone
[DeFazio... Davidson... "Congress must approve any military action against Russia"]
"If there's any authority [Biden] doesn't have that he does need to increase sanctions on Russia, he'll get it from Congress. And I think Congress, on a very bipartisan basis, will also be willing to provide whatever resources are necessary to help Ukrainian defense," Schiff said.
Schiff also suggested cutting Russia off from SWIFT, a financial messaging system that links the world's economies and facilitates international transactions. The suggestion has gained steam among European leaders but would be an unprecedented move.
[Graham... McCarthy... Tester...Collins ...]
In the end, Senate Democrats and Republicans introduced two differing pieces of legislation -- and passed neither. Instead, the Senate last week approved a six-page nonbinding resolution (S Res 519-A resolution supporting an independent and democratic Ukraine against any further Russian military invasion, and for other purposes), a symbolic motion that carries no legislative weight, that scolded Putin for building up over 150,000 troops on the Ukrainian border.

Tehran Times | Russia declares breakaway Ukraine regions "independent" republics, 22 Feb 2022
"It`s not clear the size of the force that Moscow will dispatch and when they would travel to the breakaway regions."

by Cat on Fri Feb 25th, 2022 at 08:24:38 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: HUAC Chairman Schiff announces (none / 0)

OOPS

Large Amount of Weapons Supplied by West to Ukraine Has Been Seized, 25 Feb BENGHAZI!

The Russian military said on Friday it had seized a large cache of Western-supplied weapons inside of Ukraine.
The cache included American-made FGM-148 Javelin and British-made MBT NLAW anti-tank missiles, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense.
The two fire-and-forget missile systems have been a key part of Western aid supplied to Ukraine in recent years, intended to be a soft defense against Russia's considerable armored forces. Biden said in January that he had already sent $600 million in aid to Ukraine, which was just a drop in the bucket of shipments sent since 2014. However, the NLAWs only arrived last month as part of a rushed shipment amid tense negotiations between Russia and NATO.

uh oh. Zelensk(iy)(yy)(y) must go.

On Friday, Putin called on the Ukrainian military to overthrow the government of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, saying they might be more reasonable to negotiate with.

by Cat on Fri Feb 25th, 2022 at 10:07:45 PM EST
[ Parent ]

SIDEBAR rentier math (none / 0)

Nearly half of Biden's free COVID-19 tests remain unclaimed
46% of 500M kits equals 68M kits?
If 500M kits divided by 4 tests per kit each equals 125M households; 68M divided by 125M equals 54% of 500M kits?
Perhaps 68M kits of 230M equals 46% kits delivered?

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Tue Mar 1st, 2022 at 03:34:18 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Russia attacks Ukraine - Open thread | 209 comments (209 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)