Republicans Lose the Plot on the Ukraine-Russia War - WSJ Editorial

[question everything]

American support for Ukraine is “not charity,” Volodymyr Zelensky told Congress Wednesday night, and to put the return-on-investment plainly: U.S. aid is helping to degrade an enemy military without the death of a single American in uniform. The question is what some Republicans are thinking as they spent Thursday portraying Ukraine’s President as a grifter.

GOP leader Kevin McCarthy has said he doesn’t support “a blank check” for Ukraine, as if anyone does, and concerns over how the money is spent are now a central GOP objection. Sen. Josh Hawley skipped Mr. Zelensky’s speech and told reporters he didn’t go “because I didn’t want to be part of the photo-op asking for more money from the United States government when they haven’t given us a single piece of accounting on anything they spent.”

(snip)

It’s important to be “good stewards of taxpayer money,” as Ohio Sen. Rob Portman put it this week, noting the World Bank provides reports and audits. The Pentagon inspector general told Congress in June the office is “fully engaged in ensuring comprehensive oversight of funds appropriated for assistance to the government of Ukraine.” The State Department IG in September announced an audit of humanitarian assistance. The spending bill requires “end-use” reporting on U.S. military equipment. Congress can add to the list. But war is destructive and some waste is inevitable, as the Pentagon regularly proves. One concern has been keeping the best U.S. weapons out of Russian hands, and the Ukrainians have so far been judicious users of the equipment. The humanitarian and economic assistance will certainly feature some lost or misused money, as all U.S. aid programs do.

Yet these costs are dwarfed by the benefits. Economist Timothy Ash wrote in November that Ukraine aid is “an incredibly cost-effective investment,” burning up Russia’s military power for a single-digit share of the Pentagon’s annual budget, though Moscow is one of America’s most formidable adversaries. Wars are also, in Mr. Ash’s words, “shop windows for defense manufacturers.” Any country browsing a Russian tank or air-defense catalogue is having second thoughts and will want to buy American.

https://archive.ph/HyvQp#selection-352.0-352.1

[Skittles]

1. I hate giving the WSJ points

but here they get it right

there may be hope if even the WSJ Editorial board is alarmed by the growing outright fascism of republicans

[question everything]

7. Oh, they do want the Rs to take control but have referred to the current

crop as the gang that cannot shoot straight. And certainly have no use to them with their daily pilgrimage to Margaret Lago.

They do wish for whiny Donny to just go away.

[Irish_Dem]

2. The GOP does not care about what is good for the US.

Doesn't care about defeating enemies or protecting the country.

[paleotn]

3. The glossy Russian arms brochures fall apart when the real shooting starts.

But much of that is on the Russians and not necessarily their equipage. Russian armor took a hit (pardon the pun) from Desert Storm and never fully recovered. Newer models have struggled, but much of that is laughably poor tactics. Armor can't live on the modern battlefield without strong infantry support. They have to train and fight as a team. The same can be said about their air defense systems, aircraft and on and on. Russians don't seem to know how to effectively use what they've got, while the Ukrainians squeeze every ounce of effectiveness out of their kit and what we give them.

[orthoclad]

4. NOW they're worried about taxpayer money

After sinking us into trillions of debt from endless wars and tax cuts for the rich.

Not hypocrisy: strategy.

[Skittles]

8. THANK YOU

WHO GIVES A FUCK WHAT THEY THINK

[Cha]

5. Good.. I'm glad the WSJ is

Putting this out.. it wouldn't mean as much coming from a Left wing news outlet.

Thank you so much for this, q e!

[usonian]

6. Didn't they brag that Reagan's Star Wars program spending race caused the USSR to go bankrupt?

And speaking of misuse ... grand theft billions of covid relief ... Ask Brett.

'Biggest fraud in a generation': The looting of the Covid relief plan known as PPP
The official in charge of Covid relief tells NBC News' Lester Holt that programs like PPP were structured in ways that were "an invitation" to fraudsters.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/biggest-fraud-generation-looting-covid-relief-program-known-ppp-n1279664


https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/opinion/2022/10/05/brett-favre-scandal-greed-corruption-expense-of-poor-people/69540158007/

Brett Favre scandal amounts to greed and corruption at the expense of poor people | Norment

What has become known as the Brett Favre scandal is making headlines across the country, and it appears the facts go far beyond the former football star cajoling state officials to provide $5 million to build a volleyball stadium at his alma mater where his daughter was a student.

The Favre-Mississippi case has escalated as massive fraud in the government’s COVID-19 Paycheck Protection Program and unemployment insurance scams continue to evolve. The ease with which scammers and fraudsters of all types could access government funds intended for legitimate businesspeople and indigent individuals is eye-opening.

Favre’s connection to the scandal emerged when investigators in 2020 found that more than $77 million in federal funds intended for Mississippi’s poorest residents had been misspent or pocketed by state government officials, former professional athletes and nonprofit organization heads. Favre is accused of misappropriating about $8 million in Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) funding.

[ouija]

9. I agree with Republicans

Now, which part of that $850 billion of annual Pentagon budget does the House GOP want to cut first?

[Martin68]

10. Being "good stewards of taxpayer money" means spending taxes on subsidies of Big Energy, Big Pharma,

and Big Weapons Manufacturers.

[dalton99a]

12. Add health insurance industry and hospital executives

There should be an easy to remember name for these leeches

[ThoughtCriminal]

11. I bet 100,000 dead Russian soldiers

Know how the aid is being spent.