War in Ukraine Stagnating? Don’t Kid Yourselves

A group of congressmen sent a letter to President Biden urging him to downgrade support for Ukraine in favor of Israel because russia’s war in Ukraine has been stagnant for several months.

Those lawmakers must be influenced by russian propaganda, or they haven’t registered themselves as operatives of a foreign state – russia. Nothing could be farther from the truth about their conviction. The russian war is still raging in Ukraine but the lion’s share of coverage today is about Hamas’ brutality against Israel and its efforts to defend itself. Proponents of support or no support should take note that russia and iran figure predominantly in both wars.

Rep. Mike Garcia (R-CA) led seven of his colleagues in sending a letter to President Biden urging him to decouple supplemental funding for Israel from a larger package that includes additional funds for Ukraine. They argued, among other points, that Israel is more deserving because it has a 75-year track record of being America’s greatest ally. And apparently, as they say in ethnic communities, Ukraine is chopped liver.

“[T]he unique conditions present in Ukraine and in Israel are such that support for each should be considered separately and on their own merits. Israel and the United States have been allies for nearly 75 years…Furthermore, the situation in Israel is dynamic and threatens to pull the entire region into disarray whereas the fronts in Ukraine have remained largely stagnant for some months,” wrote Garcia and his colleagues in his letter of October 31.

They contend that in today’s political environment on The Hill, the President’s policy is “risking the possibility that important funding for Israel’s defense will be delayed or defeated because of opposition in the House and Senate to your ‘blank check’ strategy in Ukraine.”

While pointing out that “Israel and Ukraine must both be victorious, that much is clear,” the lawmakers, themselves, are endangering such an outcome while virtually ensuring a russian victory in both theaters of war.

The legislators also insisted that President Biden and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin explain what would happen if American investments into Ukraine cease. This question has been answered numerous times by both Presidents, US military commanders, the former captive nations on Ukraine’s border, and civic groups such as the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America and the Ukrainian National Information Service. If you don’t know the answer by now, then you don’t care to know. Without so-called US humanitarian and military aid into Ukraine, Ukraine will cease to exist, russia’s power and prestige will encircle the world, and America’s future will be perennially threatened by countries large and small.

The naysaying congressmen naively maintain that Biden and Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy must provide Congress with a win strategy and its price tag. Russia’s war against Ukraine is still ongoing and perhaps less fluid than in the past. The Armed Forces of Ukraine are scoring major victories against russian cutthroats in uniform on land, air and sea even though the invaders continue to slaughter innocent Ukrainian civilians. Furthermore, how can lawmakers demand a price tag for victory without considering the price tag of defeat?

The letter was also signed by Republican congressmen Tom McClintock (CA), Doug LaMalfa (CA), Ralph Norman (SC), Brad R. Wenstrup (OH), Adrian Smith (NE), C. Scott Franklin (FL), and Dan Meuser (PA).

The prevarications by opponents can only prolong the agony of russia’s war, kill more innocent civilians and children, raise global tensions, and contribute to Ukraine’s defeat and moscow’s victory.

As for the so-called stagnation, Moscow fired millions of shells on cities, towns and villages yesterday – more than on any single day so far this year – reducing some to rubble across the eastern and southern parts of the country. This probably means that russia received a new delivery of iranian drones and missiles. In the past 24 hours, russians shelled 118 settlements in 10 regions. This latest barrage came as President Zelenskyy criticized the world’s expectations of a speedy victory on the battlefield.

In response to growing criticism of Kyiv’s counteroffensive, Zelenskyy said: “The modern world is set up in such a way that it becomes accustomed to success quickly. When the full-scale aggression began, many in the world did not think Ukraine would endure.”

If you dig into your favorite news outlet, you’ll spot stories about greater or lesser russian missile attacks against Ukrainian non-military targets. But fresh stories about the war in Israel appear ahead of the 21-month long russian war against Ukraine.

Nonetheless russian killers in Ukraine don’t only conduct widescale attacks. The other day the media reported that the invaders killed a Ukrainian family of nine while sleeping, including two young children, because they refused to turn over their home to russian soldiers. Photos of blood-splattered rooms appeared with the stories.

The United Nations also underscored the lack of stagnation or a lull in the war. The UN pointed out earlier this week that Russian strikes are inflicting unimaginable suffering on Ukrainians and more than 40% of them need humanitarian assistance, a senior UN official told the Security Council on Tuesday.

Ramesh Rajasingham, director of coordination in the UN humanitarian office, said thousands of civilians have been killed in strikes on homes, schools, fields and markets since russia’s invasion in February 2022. The UN human rights office has formally verified 9,900 civilians killed, but he said, “the actual number is certainly higher.”

Ukrainian civilians are suffering “horrendous humanitarian consequences” and “unimaginable levels of suffering” from the russian strikes, Rajasingham said. About 18 million Ukrainians — more than 40% of the population — need some form of humanitarian assistance, and as winter approaches “needs will be magnified,” he said.

Rajasingham said considerable damage and destruction of critical infrastructure continues to severely impact civilian access to electricity, heating, water, and telecommunications, “a particular concern as winter fast approaches,” which will put the elderly, disabled and displaced most at risk.

Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. (D-NJ), a staunch supporter of the Ukrainian nation since the days of subjugation, lambasted Republicans on Capitol Hill for their manipulation of the issues. “There is no issue, not even an international catastrophe, that House Republicans will not manipulate,” said Pascrell. “Advancing a partisan bill now is a disgrace and will not help Israelis. The bill will also not help Palestinians, it will not help Ukrainians and it will harm regular Americans. This proposal is a toxic political document designed to use the situation in the Middle East to cut taxes for the rich. And by the way: Republicans would add to the deficit by helping destroy IRS tax enforcement. I cannot say I am surprised, but I am still almost speechless by the audacity. There is no bottom for House Republicans.”

In reality, the only end game in this bloody catastrophe is the total and unconditional surrender or defeat of russia. It’s belligerent behavior toward Ukraine has been going on too long for a ceasefire, truce or armistice to save Ukrainian lives, safeguard the infrastructure and ensure the longevity of Ukrainian independent statehood.

American support and firepower while the Ukrainian nation – officials, armed forces and civilians – vanquishes the russian invaders will ensure that conclusion.

Call your congressman/woman about importance of supporting Ukraine or else russians will spread confusion on Capitol Hill.

US must Keep Its Eye on the Ball – Ukraine

With the legislative calamity in Congress still not fully resolved, it is highly likely that Ukraine may not merely be put on the backburner but will rather unfortunately for all fall through the cracks.

This would not only endanger Ukraine’s ability to defeat #russia and save its sovereign independence but its consequences would also reverberate around the world. Washington’s ability to conduct even diplomatic relations with russia, a country and regime that is awash in blood, war crimes and repression, would be harmed. Its reputation for safeguarding downtrodden countries and nations would be called into question. Washington would be behind the eight ball on the world stage.

The dozen former captive nations that today are fiercely in Ukraine’s corner would lose their current ability to serve as a military and political bulwark against moscow’s further encroachments against the free world. Their implied military and political dome against russian aggression would quickly turn into a sieve.

Red China, North Korea, Syria, and other countries are chomping at the bit as they await America’s historic debacles. Hamas, Hezbollah, and other Johnny-come-lately terrorist gangs would be emboldened to launch greater missile strikes against neighbors they dislike. Iran would be earning more money manufacturing drones and missiles rather than pumping oil.

And russia would bask in the sunshine of its re-congealing diabolical holy mother empire. Russia’s target isn’t merely Ukraine;but rather it’s the West and Western unity. Supporting Ukraine means opposing global terrorism and aggression. All of America’s existing adversaries would become powerful enemies.

Two weeks ago, President Biden convincingly assured supporters, naysayers, enemies, and others that he and his Administration are solidly on the side of Ukraine as the Ukrainian nation is engaged in its ultimate, unavoidable existential war against its age-old nemesis – russia. He reminded the world that “Hamas and putin represent different threats, but they share this in common: They both want to completely annihilate a neighboring democracy — completely annihilate it.”

America’s commander in chief emphasized that it is in America’s national security interest to defend Ukraine. He also assured allies near and far that the United States will stand with Ukraine, so russia won’t embark on a course of invading and conquering the neighboring former captive nations.

Biden also announced that he would ask Congress for an historical amount of money to help Ukraine and Israel, which turned out to be $105 billion.

That humanitarian, political and military support would be for naught if the US Congress balks at supporting Ukraine in its existential war with russia.

This battle that is being waged in Ukraine – and in Israel – is the direct consequence of russia’s ceaseless megalomaniac desire to rule the world, not be an equal partner of other countries in all fields of endeavor. The kremlin’s leaders from the tyrant putin to the far-flung villages support the policy of invading, battling, and subjugating all nations in their path. This certainly is not in America’s national interest. An equally powerful adversary is tolerable in the grand scheme of things but not one that is hell-bent on world domination and not afraid to use any weapon in its arsenal to attain that.

The division among lawmakers regarding supporting Ukraine or not is confusing. It leads many to wonder what happened to the conservative congressmen and women like Goldwater, Nixon, Reagan, and McCain who valued the need to support the captive nations later free nations as they sought to rid themselves of russia’s yolk? They understood that by protecting those nations and by standing up to russia’s designs would keep American soldiers from fighting again in Europe.

This war against russia will be won by Ukrainians’ blood and guts. All Ukraine needs is America’s back. As President Biden confirmed, “Ukraine is asking for is help — for the weapons, munitions, the capacity, the capability to push invading russian forces off their land, and the air defense systems to shoot down russian missiles before they destroy Ukrainian cities.”

Furthermore, this isn’t taking a toll on the American budget at a time when there are other legitimate considerations. Biden said America is sending to Ukraine equipment sitting in our stockpiles. “And when we use the money allocated by Congress, we use it to replenish our own stores — our own stockpiles with new equipment — equipment that defends America and is made in America.”

In other words, it helps American labor.

We’re heading toward elections later this month and then the big one, the Presidential Elections in 2024. The question of Ukraine is not a partisan issue even tough President Biden set the bar high. Ukrainian Americans and kindred souls like Polish, Lithuanian, Latvia, Estonian and others will certainly remember their representatives when it comes time to pull the lever. And if you’re on Ukraine’s side, the lever will be pulled in your favor.