I chose the title pic of an EMPTY Senate chamber for a reason. It was empty all day yesterday, and has remained so until today. Only tomorrow will the Senators reconvene and take up the aid package, three separate funding bills to provide assistance to Taiwan, Israel and Ukraine. As far as I’m concerned Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer needs to have his butt called out. He issued a statement that the Senate would pass the House legislation without changes meaning it could all go right to President Biden for his signature. So why the hell didn’t Schumer call the Senators back into session yesterday? Or this morning?
Because Trump is under Putin’s thumb, enough Republicans had enough pressure applied to block an aid package to Ukraine to enable it to fight against the Russian invasion. By last summer the Pentagon was reduced to accounting tricks to keep some level of military aid flowing but eventually there were no more rabbits to pull from the hat. Over time Ukraine has seen it’s stockpiles of artillery, drones, missiles (including anti-air) and even parts to maintain weapons systems depleted. Things reached the point where by the end of 2023 Russia started getting the upper hand. And still Congress dithered. Russia actually began advancing again, taking back a key position and getting close to taking another. And STILL Congress dithered.
Things have gotten so bad Ukraine doesn’t even have enough artillery to properly cover withdrawals! Europe has been stepping up to provide what it can but the U.S. has created a gaping hole in Ukraine’s supply/logistics system. It gets worse. Having lost the ability to apply pressure against Russia they’ve been able to do two huge things. Reconstitute their troop levels AND refit some of their military manufacturing capability. They are cranking out more artillery shells, drones and missiles.
All because Trump obeyed his master and put the screws to enough Republicans on Capitol Hill to block a $60 billion aid package. Not for nothing but most of that money would have actually been spent here in the U.S. making more ammo and weapons. More bluntly put a lot of Americans could have been making good money they could be spending in their communities and bolstering their local and state economies. But for all that let’s not lose sight of the destruction, the suffering and dying in Ukraine that’s far greater than it should have been.
Every single day Ukraine is so stringently rationing artillery they can only fire one shell to to Russia’s 10, that they don’t have adequate anti-air missiles to shoot down Russian missiles and drones (which I remind you are directed not at the front lines but civilian targets including schools and hospitals – war crimes!) is another day of suffering and dying that could have and SHOULD have been at least mitigated. Now, you might be saying what’s a few more days to pass the aid? It’s not like anything will make it to Ukraine right away anyhow. In response I’ll refer you to a simple explanation by the Associated Press. The linked article makes some good points even if it doesn’t quite paint the full picture but leads off with most of it:
The Pentagon could get weapons moving to Ukraine within days once Congress passes a long-delayed aid bill. That’s because it has a network of storage sites in the U.S. and Europe that already hold the ammunition and air defense components that Kyiv desperately needs.
Pre-positioned equipment and supplies is nothing new for NATO. It was already a thing back before I was born and long before the 1980s when I became a Marine (and would have within hours been on a Reforger flight to Europe to be mated up with Dragon or T.O.W. anti-tank missiles) that logistical system was both extensive and well rehearsed. It’s only improved since then. You’re probably heard the saying “Amateurs talk strategy, Professionals talk logistics” and it’s more true both in theory and practice than civilians realize. What gets produced with the money from this aid package will go to replenish stocks in those warehouses that will be sent to Ukraine as soon as Biden signs the bill.
I’ve been haunted most of the day by a comment from former NATO Commander Admiral Stavridus. During a discussion which centered around the premise in the blocked quote above (which was the general theme of the entire linked article) he made something clear. His successor has been hard at work to start moving assistance into Ukraine the minute he gets word the legislation has been signed. (I’m sure the orders have been “cut” and will also be there for the President’s signature, if not already done with a “pending the President signing the funding authorization from Congress)
The trucks are serviced, gassed up and loaded both at warehouses and I’m sure at points just over the border with Ukraine. Artillery shells and ammo could have showed up on the front lines in hours. Literally. And trains are ready to ship more to those warehouses, and trucks can continue shuttling them to the border and across. You see why I’m pissed? Quite literally as I write this Ukraine should be SHOOTING BACK. Hitting Russians the way they did before Trump got his pals in Congress to strangle them.
By the middle of last week it was almost certain that the aid package would come up for a vote. As far as I’m concerned right then and there Schumer should have put the Senate on notice – be prepared to come back early. Maybe even over the weekend. When the procedural crap was all said and done Friday and we knew both that the House would be voting on Sat. AND that the votes for passage were there Schumer SHOULD have sent out the word – the Senate will be in session Sunday afternoon. Be there or suffer the consequence! Yet the Senate Chamber was empty except I supposed for a Capitol Police Officer or two. Same today.
That’s not just inexcusable. It’s outrageous. It’s a dereliction of duty! The NOT “good Senators” are acting like asshole appellate judges and Justices. That high and mighty ivory tower “We are special and no mere mortal shall tell us to hurry up. WE must be shown the deference our lofty status deserves. Well get around to it when we are ready.” (and f**k all if people suffer and die in the meantime just so we can feel special)”
You’re goddamned right I’m pissed. And I’m pissed at every f**king Democrat (in particular) who hasn’t gone in front of the cameras to call out Schumer and fellow Senators for not getting their self-proclaimed oh-so-important asses back to town. Ukrainian troops should have the means to both fight on the front lines and defend their cities this very minute. They COULD be doing so the way they used to do so well right this minute.
And can’t because the United States Senate, currently controlled by DEMOCRATS couldn’t be bothered to cut their weekend short. Shame on them all. And WE should ring shame down on them.
As Gallagher used to say, “If CON is the opposite of PRO, then CONgress is the opposite of PROgress”.