President Joe Biden has promised to support Ukraine “as long as it takes” to defeat Russian President Vladimir Putin. What that exactly looks like is a sight to behold.
So far, Biden has delivered billions of dollars in military supplies ranging from weapons and vehicles to financial support. There is, of course, little to no oversight on how that American taxpayer-funded is actually being used, but we do have some numbers and foreign reports to glean information from.
“In total, the United States has committed more than $17.5 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since January 2021,” the Pentagon said in a recent press release. “Since 2014, the United States has committed more than $19.6 billion in security assistance to Ukraine and more than $16.8 billion since the beginning of Russia’s unprovoked and brutal invasion on February 24.”
A detailed list of those billions can be found at the bottom of this column. These figures do not even include billions of dollars sent from USAID either.
How has the fighting impacted Europe? Millions have been displaced due to the conflict, thousands have died, and both Ukraine and Russia seem intent on fighting in perpetuity.
Anybody who dares broach the idea of beginning peace talks is accused of being a Russian stooge. It seems clear that the “uni-party” in D.C. — that is the establishment of both parties — fully supports Biden’s plan to provide military aid for however long it takes.
In the spring, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) claimed, “We all agree the most important thing going on in the world right now is the war in Ukraine.” This week, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) rebuked tech billionaire Elon Musk and threatened to pull electric vehicle tax credits after he suggested a different path forward to end the war. Former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley shot down Musk’s remarks as well. In early September, Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK) even claimed that Biden’s billions haven’t been enough.
The message from The Swamp appears obvious: You’re either with us, or you’re with Putin.
Actually, we know that is their belief because last week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree banning any diplomacy with Russia unless Putin is out of power. The Swamp is steadfast with Zelensky, ergo Congress and Biden have ruled out discussions with Putin.
Now, according to The Daily Mail, the Ukrainian government is intent on killing Ukrainians suspected of helping Russia.
“A hunt has been declared on collaborators and their life is not protected by law,” Anton Gerashchenko, advisor to the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, said in a statement. “Our intelligence services are eliminating them, shooting them like pigs.”
Based on The Daily Mail’s reporting, resistance fighters have been let loose on “collaborators.” It is unknown if American weapons are being directly used to carry out that mission directly, but it is not a bad bet to say that the sheer number of firearms, ammunition, and more at least freed up resources for Ukraine to take out their countrymen without trial.
War is hell, reports about Zelensky cast doubt on his character and commitment to democracy, and Putin is a dictator. It’s all a mess.
But you are not Putin’s ally to wonder aloud whether or not a no-questions-asked, endless stream of “security assistance” for Ukraine is the best use of taxpayer’s money.
Here’s a rundown of what the U.S. has given Ukraine so far according to a Pentagon October 4, fact sheet:
Over 1,400 Stinger anti-aircraft systems;
Over 8,500 Javelin anti-armor systems;
Over 32,000 other anti-armor systems;
Over 700 Switchblade Tactical Unmanned Aerial Systems;
142 155mm Howitzers and up to 880,000 155mm artillery rounds;
2,500 precision-guided 155mm artillery rounds;
2,000 155mm rounds of Remote Anti-Armor Mine (RAAM) Systems;
36 105mm Howitzers and 180,000 105mm artillery rounds;
276 Tactical Vehicles to tow weapons;
22 Tactical Vehicles to recover equipment;
38 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems and ammunition;
20 120mm mortar systems and 115,000 120mm mortar rounds;
1,500 Tube-Launched, Optically-Tracked, Wire-Guided (TOW) missiles;
Four Command Post vehicles;
Eight National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS) and munitions;
High-speed Anti-radiation missiles (HARMs);
20 Mi-17 helicopters;
Hundreds of Armored High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWVs);
44 trucks and 88 trailers to transport heavy equipment;
200 M113 Armored Personnel Carriers;
440 MaxxPro Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles;
Mine clearing equipment and systems;
Over 10,000 grenade launchers and small arms;
Over 60,000,000 rounds of small arms ammunition;
Over 75,000 sets of body armor and helmets;
Approximately 700 Phoenix Ghost Tactical Unmanned Aerial Systems;
Laser-guided rocket systems;
Puma Unmanned Aerial Systems;
15 Scan Eagle Unmanned Aerial Systems;
Two radars for Unmanned Aerial Systems;
Unmanned Coastal Defense Vessels;
Over 50 counter-artillery radars;
Four counter-mortar radars;
20 multi-mission radars;
Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems;
Ten air surveillance radars;
Two harpoon coastal defense systems;
18 coastal and riverine patrol boats;
M18A1 Claymore anti-personnel munitions;
C-4 explosives, demolition munitions, and demolition equipment for obstacle clearing;
Obstacle emplacement equipment;
Tactical secure communications systems;
Thousands of night vision devices, surveillance systems, thermal imagery systems,
optics, and laser rangefinders;
Commercial satellite imagery services;
Explosive ordnance disposal equipment and protective gear;
Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear protective equipment;
100 armored medical treatment vehicles;
Medical supplies to include first aid kits, bandages, monitors, and other equipment;
Electronic jamming equipment;
Field equipment, cold weather gear, and spare parts;
Funding for training, maintenance, and sustainment
The views expressed in this piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.