House Republicans Question Pentagon On Ukraine Funding

Obviously, they didn’t get particularly satisfying or open answers, and, interestingly, some Democrats were also interested in protecting The People’s money and wondering just what’s going on

Lawmakers Question Pentagon on Ukraine Funds, Signaling Fresh Doubts

Republicans in Congress sharply questioned senior Pentagon officials on Tuesday about the tens of billions of dollars in military and other aid the United States has sent to Ukraine, casting doubt on whether they would embrace future spending as Democrats pleaded for a cleareyed assessment of how much more money would be needed.

The exchanges at committee hearings, coming just days after the anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, highlighted how concerns about the high cost of sending weapons to Kyiv have intensified on Capitol Hill. The growing doubts have threatened what was once a strong bipartisan consensus in favor of the aid and could make it more difficult for the Biden administration to win congressional approval of funds to replenish its military assistance accounts. The funding inflection point could come as soon as this summer, months earlier than previously expected.

The hearings also illustrated how members of both parties, despite expressing confidence that a majority in Congress remains committed to supporting Ukraine, are concerned that a determined minority — including right-wing Republicans who eschew U.S. involvement in foreign conflicts and liberal antiwar Democrats — may weaken that resolve if the war continues to drag on.

Yes, God forbid that Congress and We The People are provided with a clear and detailed explanation of where are money has gone, and, really, Americans are losing faith in continuing to prop up a corrupt and authoritarian regime in a war that could lead to something affecting the entire world.

“How many more times do you think Congress needs to provide aid?” Representative Ro Khanna, Democrat of California, asked Colin H. Kahl, the under secretary of defense for policy, during his appearance before the Armed Services panel. “What do you think, at the end, is the end game?”

Good question. It didn’t solicit much of an answer

Pentagon leaders were reluctant to commit to either a figure or a timeline upon which they would be seeking additional funds, saying that the vagaries of the war made it impossible to commit to a schedule.

Where’s the money going? Especially since

Russia will emerge from the Ukraine war a ‘shattered military power,’ top Pentagon official says

Russia will emerge from its war in Ukraine a “shattered military power,” a senior Pentagon official said on Tuesday, stressing that the country has yet to achieve any of its goals and is expected to continue to struggle on the battlefield.

Colin Kahl, the under secretary of defense for policy, told US lawmakers that the situation looked “dire and pessimistic” for Ukraine when Russian forces first invaded in late February 2022, but after a year of fighting, it has become clear that Russian President Vladimir Putin has “lost” the war.

They like to make lots of pronouncements, but, not a lot of real answers. Or accountability.

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