Tag: USAID

It Was Never About The Win

We enter into a new (for lack of a better word) world Biden has left the building and Donald has arrived doing what he does best….make nothing into some sort of filet…..but that is for others who care to write about I want to write about Biden’s waste of taxpayers money (he will not be last)…..

The US pissed away billions on its support for Ukraine in its struggle with Russia….was Ukraine ever gonna win this conflict?

Nope!

It was never about a Ukraine win.

President Biden spent hundreds of billions of dollars supporting Ukraine in its war with Russia, but according to a report from Time Magazine, a Ukrainian victory was never his goal.

Throughout the nearly three-year proxy war, the Biden administration never set any clear goals and only repeated mantras, such as the promise to support Ukraine for “as long as it takes.”

Eric Green, who was on Biden’s National Security Council at the time of the invasion, told Time that the administration never gave any promises to help Ukraine take back the land Russian forces had captured.

“We were deliberately not talking about the territorial parameters,” Green said. “That was not going to be a success story ultimately. The more important objective was for Ukraine to survive as a sovereign, democratic country free to pursue integration with the West.”

The report said Biden set three objectives for the war: ensure Ukraine would survive as a sovereign state, keep the US and its allies united, and avoid a direct war with Russia.

However, there was another goal not mentioned in the report: weakening Russia, something then-Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin acknowledged back in April 2022 after his first trip to Ukraine during the war. Austin’s trip came after the US and its allies discouraged peace talks between Russia and Ukraine even though there was a deal on the table that could have led to a Russian withdrawal in exchange for Ukrainian neutrality.

On their way out, Biden administration officials claimed the proxy war was a success despite Ukraine’s lack of a path toward victory. “It’s unfortunately the kind of success where you don’t feel great about it,” Green told Time. “Because there is so much suffering for Ukraine and so much uncertainty about where it’s ultimately going to land.”

The Time report noted that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who defined victory as expelling Russian forces and taking Crimea, recently complained about Biden despite the massive amount of aid he provided.

“With all due respect to the United States and the administration,” Zelensky told podcast host Lex Fridman, “I don’t want the same situation like we had with Biden. I ask for sanctions now, please, and weapons now.”

(antiwar.com)

There you have it….it is what I have been saying for these many years….it is not about the win but rather keeping the CEOs in bonuses and stock prices high….

Let’s see how the kakistocracy handles this and other of our proxy wars….

I am not looking for much to be different.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Middle East: Here We Go again

Recently it was announced that the US will send more military aid to Israel to help feed their blood lust.

Israeli Defense Ministry announced that it secured $8.7 billion in military aid from the US to support its “ongoing military efforts,” meaning the genocidal slaughter in Gaza and Israel’s dramatic escalation in Lebanon.

The ministry said in a statement that its director-general, Maj. Gen. Eyal Zamir, concluded negotiations in Washington to secure the military aid. It said the package includes $3.5 billion for “essential wartime procurement” that has already been sent to Israel and a $5.2 billion grant for air defenses.

The ministry said the $5.2 billion for air defenses “will significantly strengthen critical systems such as Iron Dome and David’s Sling while supporting the continued development of an advanced high-powered laser defense system currently in its later stages of development.”

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin vowed Thursday that the US would continue arming Israel and brushed off the idea of the US setting red lines. “We’ve been committed from the very beginning to help Israel, provide the things that are necessary for them to be able to protect their sovereign territory and that hasn’t changed and won’t change in the future,” he said.

(antiwar.com)

The day after the amazing aid package Israel invades Lebanon….

The Israeli military announced early Tuesday morning that its ground invasion of Lebanon has started, confirming earlier reports that Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers were operating on the ground inside Lebanon.

The IDF said its troops are conducting “limited, localized, and targeted ground raids” against Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon as Israeli airstrikes continue across the country. The ground raid comes after a week of heavy Israeli airstrikes that have killed over 1,000 people, including many civilians.

While the Biden administration has claimed it wants a ceasefire in Lebanon, it is supportive of the Israeli invasion and said it was informed of the plan. A US official told The Times of Israel that the administration has accepted Israel’s goal of removing Hezbollah positions from near its northern border but is concerned Israeli forces could get bogged down in Lebanon.

Some US officials are unhappy with President Biden’s backing for Israel’s escalations, with one telling HuffPostthat the US was permitting “a nihilistic regional murder spree.”

(antiwar.com)

The US and Biden has done its part to make sure that the war keeps the pocket of the War Department contractors filled.

Just in case all the aid package is not enough Biden will send troops to defend Israel….

The Pentagon said Monday that the US is sending a “few thousand” additional troops to the Middle East to bolster security and prepare to defend Israel if needed, The Associated Press has reported.

The deployment will include squadrons of F-15, F-16, F-22, and A-10 fighter jets and the personnel needed to support them. The squadrons were initially set to deploy to the Middle East so that other fighter jets could rotate out, but now they will all stay to increase US air power.

The day before the announcement, President Biden was asked if he would be sending more troops to the Middle East and replied, “No.”

(antiwar.com)

I am tired of this stupid sh*t!

Let Israel fend for itself….it has treated Palestinians like sh*t to decades…. time for them to act like a f*cking civilized nation.

Then came this word…..The Israeli military said Tuesday that missiles were fired at Israel from Iran, and air raid sirens are sounding across Israel. 

All the US is doing in the Middle East is fueling and funding this obscene war….and sadly it will continue no matter who wins the damn election.

I Read, I Write, you Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Will Demands Be Met?

****Please be advised that there will be harsh language used in this post and if they offend your sensibilities then please move on.****

I read a headline today that makes me see red (no pun intended)….

For the last year or so Zelensky of the Ukraine has been basically demanding that the US and the West send him more cash and weapons so ‘he can finish the job’…..a fucking job he cannot finish.

To this I say to Zelensky ‘piss off’.

And then I read about another ‘demand’ this time from BiBi of Israel….

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu published a scathing video blasting the White House for holding back weapons shipments to Israel. Washington has blocked one transfer of 2,000-pound bombs but has overwhelmingly provided all the arms requested by Tel Aviv. The PM demanded the US supply the tools Israel needs to “finish the job a lot faster” in the Gaza Strip.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu published a scathing video blasting the White House for holding back weapons shipments to Israel. Washington has blocked one transfer of 2,000-pound bombs but has overwhelmingly provided all the arms requested by Tel Aviv. The PM demanded the US supply the tools Israel needs to “finish the job a lot faster” in the Gaza Strip.

On Tuesday, Netanyahu posted the video to his X account. Speaking in English, the PM said “When Secretary Blinken was recently here in Israel, we had a candid conversation. I said I deeply appreciate the support the US has given Israel from the beginning of the war. But I also said something else. I said it is inconceivable that in the past few months, the administration has been withholding weapons and ammunition to Israel.”

In late April, the White House decided it would suspend the shipment of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel over concerns about civilian deaths in Gaza. However, President Joe Biden suggested that he would cut off additional arms transfers if Israeli forces proceeded with a full-scale invasion of Rafah. Over a month after that assault began, Biden has failed to follow through on his supposed red line.

According to Netanyahu, the White House will likely reverse course on its vow to scale back this military aid. “Secretary Blinken assured me that the administration is working day and night to remove these blocks. I certainly hope that is the case. It should be the case,” he explained in the video.

The Israeli leader concluded his message by demanding Biden remove all restrictions on weapons so he could quickly wrap up operations in Gaza. “In WWII Churchill told the US, ‘Give us the tools we’ll do the job.’” He added, “And I say, ‘give us the tools and we will finish the job a lot faster.’”

(antiwar.com)

Demanding?

Fuck this asshole!

Just one I would like to see these douche bags thanking the US instead if demand that we supply their wars.

It is time for the US to do the right thing and kicking these assholes to the fucking curb…..maybe it you cannot afford to fight your lame ass wares then look for another fucking way to solve the goddamn conflict.

Then our dynamite useless dick-less assholes running this thing Biden and that fucking moron Blinken bow down and blow these ungrateful assholes.

Someone grow a set of balls and stand up to these pushy motherfuckers.

Like I said I am tired of their shit.

Sorry about the language but you were warned.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Deadline Ukraine

But first…Happy Flag Day!

The Ukraine conflict has giving us some food for thought….it has been shoved to the back burner with the Gaza thing and thanx to the Normandy celebration Ukraine is back in the news.

Since Ukraine is always in need of cash the G& nations have come up with a plan…..

G7 and EU nations have also frozen about $325bn (£254bn) of Russian financial assets which were held in their territories, such as the foreign currency reserves of Russia’s central bank.

The G7 nations are now working on a scheme to take the interest those assets have earned and pass it to Ukraine in the form of a loan. This could amount to $50bn.

Group of Seven leaders agreed at a summit in Italy on Thursday to give Ukraine $50 billion using frozen Russian Central Bank assets, a step that marks a significant escalation in the economic war against Russia.

The plan is to provide the $50 billion to Ukraine by the end of the year in the form of a loan, which will be paid back using profits from the approximately $280 billion in frozen Russian assets held by the US and its allies.

The idea is seen as a compromise between the US and Europe, as President Biden wanted to steal all of the frozen Russian funds to give to Ukraine. But the vast majority of the money is held in Europe, and EU leaders were hesitant to do that.

(antiwar.com)

The US has decided to arm and train the Ukrainian neo-Nazis…..

The State Department announced Monday that it has formally lifted a ban on arming and training the Azov Brigade, an infamous Ukrainian neo-Nazi military unit.

The Azov Brigade celebrated the news, saying the “eligibility for US assistance will not only increase Azov’s combat effectiveness.”

“This is a new page in the history of our unit. Azov is becoming more professional and more effective in defending Ukraine against the invaders,” Azov wrote on X.

The Azov Brigade was founded as a militia in 2014, known as the Azov Battalion, to fight Ukrainian separatists in the Donbas and was later absorbed by Ukraine’s National Guard.

The military unit’s founder, Andriy Biletsky, is known for his neo-Nazi and white supremacist rhetoric. In 2014, Biletsky was also the leader of an ultra-nationalist organization known as the Social National Assembly (SNA), which dissolved in 2015.

(antiwar.com)

A US backed Ukrainian web site has published a list of American ‘enemies’….

The US government-affiliated Ukrainian web publication “Data Journalism Agency” (TEXTY) has just released a report attacking hundreds of prominent American individuals and organizations as enemies for not supporting sending more US money and weapons to Ukraine.

The report, titled “Roller Coaster: From Trumpists to Communists. The forces in the U.S. impeding aid to Ukraine and how they do it,” intends to smear American politicians, journalists, and social media influencers as tools of Russia, writing:

Most of the people in our study do not have direct, proven ties to the Russian government or propagandists. However, the arguments they use to urge authorities to distance themselves from Ukraine echo key messages of Russian propaganda aimed at depriving Ukrainians of the ability to defend themselves with Western weapons and funds. (emphasis added)

Although the “enemies list” purports to correct disinformation about Ukraine spread by those on its list, the report itself is full of crude disinformation. For example this bit:

Even long-debunked myths continue to surface, such as claims of Nazi dominance and American Biolabs in Ukraine and the portrayal of the 2014 Revolution of Dignity as a coup.

The organization’s assertion that these claims are “long-debunked” may be wishful thinking, but back on planet reality even mainstream, pro-Ukraine media sites in the US wring their hands over the disturbing, extremist images coming out of the country. For example, NBC News wrote that, “Ukraine’s Nazi problem is real, even if Putin’s ‘denazification’ claim isn’t.” Newsweek wondered, “Why Have So Many Neo-Nazis Rallied to Ukraine’s Cause?” Even before the current conflict, mainstream pro-Ukraine publications such as Reuters worried in 2918 about “Ukraine’s neo-Nazi problem.”

https://original.antiwar.com/daniel-mcadams/2024/06/09/us-backed-ukrainian-publication-releases-new-enemies-list/

There you have news from the front in Ukraine.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

WTF?

My regular readers know that I have been a staunch critic of using US taxpayer dollars to fund Ukraine’s war with Russia.

I think those billions of dollars could be better spent on the problems this country is having than spending it on a cause that few think is necessary.

So when I read a story about the US spending a billion dollars to buy Ukraine made weapons to give to the Ukrainian army I went ballistic.

But let you see for yourselves….

The US will purchase $1.6 billion in Ukrainian-made weapons for Ukraine, The Defense Post reported on Monday.

The $1.6 billion is included in a $6 billion tranche of weapons the US announced on April 26. The arms will be provided through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI), which allows the US to purchase weapons for Ukraine.

The US and its NATO allies have made clear that part of their long-term plans for Ukraine is to help the country develop a military-industrial complex. Western arms makers are also looking to manufacture weapons in Ukraine.

Arseniy Pushkarenko, deputy chair of the Ukrainian Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Policy and Interparliamentary Cooperation, said Ukraine’s military-industrial complex should entice other countries since the weapons it produces are battle-tested.

“This is one of the factors in the development of the Ukrainian economy. Today, the military technologies that we have are tested in combat conditions, which makes our military-industrial complex attractive enough for many countries of the world,” he said.

It’s unclear what types of weapons will be purchased with the $1.6 billion. According to the Pentagon, the $6 billion USAI package includes “components to support Ukrainian production of [Unmanned Aerial Systems] and other capabilities.”

(antiwar.com)

SO the US will buy weapons from a Ukrainian weapons maker to be used by the Ukrainian military…..why cannot a Ukrainian company make weapons for the military.

This is getting ridiculous at this point……

We will pay their government officials salaries and now we will prop up a business in Ukraine….WTF?

To say I have a problem with this would be an understatement…..

Time for the US to stop worrying about Ukraine and start worrying about the people in this nation.

PERIOD!

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Ukraine Is Jealous!

The aid package for Ukraine in their struggle with the Russian invasion is stalled in Congress and yet any and all aid to Israel seems to get the fast track…..and Ukraine is fighting the green-eyed monster of jealousy on Israel’s success.

Ukrainian officials have expressed envy over the US’s response to an Iranian drone and missile attack on Israel that came in retaliation for the Israeli bombing of Iran’s consulate in Syria.

The US, the UK, France, and Jordan all intervened to help intercept Iranian drones and missiles. “The whole world saw that Israel was not alone in this defense — the threat in the sky was also being eliminated by its allies,” Zelensky said.

The attack on Israel came as Russia has stepped up its missile and drone attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, which Moscow said was a response to Ukrainian attacks on oil refineries inside Russian territory. Ukraine has suffered serious blows in the strikes as it’s running low on air defenses, and Russia’s intelligence continues to improve.

“When Ukraine says that its allies should not turn a blind eye to Russian missiles and drones, it means action is needed — a bold one,” Zelensky said. “It is not rhetoric that protects the sky, it is not opinions that curb the production of missiles and drones for terror.”

…

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba acknowledged that the US and NATO wouldn’t directly intervene but called for more military aid. “Even if you cannot act the way you act in Israel, give us what we need, and we will do the rest of the job,” he said.

The $60 billion President Biden is seeking to fuel the proxy war in Ukraine still hasn’t passed through Congress. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) said he would work on getting more military aid to Israel this week, and the White House has said that it would only support legislation that also included spending for Ukraine and Taiwan.

(antiwar.com)

The problem is simple….Ukraine does not have the agents with cash to bribe their way to success as Israel does.

Until they, Ukraine, start greasing the right palms they will always be look for solutions.

Cash is what it is….the oil that keeps the gears of Congress working…..the more cash spread around the better the results….and that is at ALL levels from the chief to the little reps….money will help Ukraine prevail.

Just so you know the Congress instead of taking up cash for Ukraine spent their time working on laws that govern home appliances….time well spent.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

It Is ‘Unacceptable’

Before I get to the meat of this post I need some context.

Let me ask my reader this….if you had a friend that was in a dire situation and needed your and after you gave what you could they told you that your help was unacceptable….what would you do?

Yeah….me too!

Now for that meat I was referring to….

The statement was made by Ukraine’s Zelenskyy (why 2 ‘y’s?)….

The Ukrainian President criticized his nation’s Western supporters for not providing enough aid. The leader appeared to criticize Republicans in the US House for playing “political games.” He said the lack of aid for Ukraine was “unacceptable,” and it was needed because Russia only understands strength. 

Ukrainian President Zelensky attacked his backers during his Saturday night address. “When lives are lost, and partners are simply playing internal political games or disputes that limit our defense, it’s impossible to understand. It’s unacceptable,” he said. “And it will be impossible to forget — the world will remember this.”

The Ukrainian military is facing several crucial challenges. Kiev lacks the soldiers needed to fight Russian forces. Ukraine recently suffered key losses in the Donbas and risks losing more ground in the coming weeks. Additionally, Kiev’s forces are facing ammunition shortages, including artillery shells and air defense interceptors. 

Zelensky’s remarks came as the US Congress is debating a $95 billion foreign military funding bill, including $61 billion for Kiev. House Republicans are stonewalling the legislation primarily over concerns regarding immigration policy. The White House depleted its funds to arm Ukraine at the end of 2023. 

https://libertarianinstitute.org/news/zelensky-says-lack-of-western-military-aid-unacceptable/

Unacceptable?

I can understand his frustrations….but he needs to realize that it is not the job of the US to fund his war for eternity.

The Congress, like it or not does have other agendas that need attention….even if Zelenskyy does not like them.

This is an opinion from the Kyiv Post attacking Republicans, which some people agree with their assertions….

There’s little question that the Republican Party has become Vladimir Putin’s biggest political ally in his war against Ukraine. Some of them sabotage or oppose military aid simply to spite President Joe Biden. Some may possibly be on Putin’s payroll. Others are isolationist, fiscally conservative, or preoccupied with fighting China. But the lead saboteur is tainted — newly elected House Speaker Mike Johnson. He and his Republican caucus defeated the $95-billion foreign aid bill for Ukraine and Israel that had been passed by the Senate, then a 2018 news story re-emerged that Johnson had received campaign funds from Russians who funneled money to him and other Louisiana Republicans through a Texas-based petroleum company they controlled.

After this was discovered in 2018, Johnson’s campaign immediately returned the funds and the donors’ wrists were merely slapped by electoral officials despite the seriousness of the breach. This is pertinent, given Johnson’s role in blocking aid to Ukraine. It’s also noteworthy that one of his guilty foreign donors was Konstantin Nikolaev, a ranking member of Putin’s inner circle of oligarchs whose companies are the biggest supplier of arms and ammo to the Russian army. And while no direct links to Johnson have been proven, the odor exists. As former US Ambassador to Russia, Michael McFaul, observed recently that “blocking aid to Ukraine is giving aid to Putin”.

https://www.kyivpost.com/opinion/28861

Just a bit of news from a seemingly forgotten battlefield.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Another Deal Is Inked?

First some happy news….A very Happy Valentine’s Day to all.

Now….the rant goes on….

Well just in the Senate the House could stomp all over the newest bi-partisan attempt.

The other day I wrote a post which was shared by my friend over at …..

Absolutely On Target, In Saner Thought!

I thank him for his help.

My rant was about the new deal in the Senate to provide money for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan….not a fan of pissing away money on these three.

Well the Senate had a late night so they could pass this deal that they are proud of…..

The Senate early Tuesday passed a $95.3 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, pushing ahead amid growing divisions in the Republican Party over the role of the United States abroad. The vote came after a small group of Republicans opposed to the $60 billion for Ukraine held the Senate floor through the night, using the final hours of debate to argue that the US should focus on its own problems before sending more money overseas. But more than a dozen Republicans voted with almost all Democrats to pass the package 70-29, reports the AP, with supporters arguing that abandoning Ukraine could embolden Russian President Vladimir Putin and threaten security across the globe.

The bill’s passage through the Senate was a welcome sign for Ukraine, but the package faces a deeply uncertain future in the House, where hardline Republicans aligned with former President Trump oppose the legislation. Speaker Mike Johnson cast new doubt on the package Monday evening, making clear that it could be weeks or months before Congress sends the legislation to President Biden’s desk—if at all. Still, the vote was a win for Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, who worked together on it. Sen. JD Vance, an Ohio Republican, along with Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul and other opponents, dug in their heels to delay a final vote, speaking on the floor until daybreak. A few of the particulars:

  • The legislation would purchase US-made defense equipment for Ukraine, including munitions and air defense systems that authorities say are desperately needed as Russia batters the country. It also includes $8 billion for the government in Kyiv and other assistance.
  • In addition, $14 billion goes to Israel’s war with Hamas, $8 billion for Taiwan and partners in the Indo-Pacific to counter China, and $9.2 billion in humanitarian assistance for Gaza.

I am against sending any more money to these shitholes….if you read this then tell me why we have to send money for the government in Kyiv?  If they cannot afford to fight this damn lame war then find away to end it.

Then there is Israel who has sucked on the American taxpayer teat since its inception….I say screw!  Either they stand for themselves or go the fuck away.

The only saving grace is the the House will not be so easy to push over….I haste that I am siding with those idiots in the Trump wing but if it stops the flow of cash to these crappy players then so be it.

One last word…..Israel is getting ready to kill a bunch more civilians in Rafah and they have proposed the US do something first….

Israel has proposed creating US-funded tent cities in Gaza as part of an evacuation plan for Rafah as Israeli forces are preparing to invade the city, Egyptian officials told The Wall Street Journal.

It’s estimated that 1.5 million Palestinians are packed into Rafah, which had a pre-war population of about 275,000. Under the Israeli proposal, 15 campsites of around 25,000 tents each would be created along Gaza’s coast to house the millions of Palestinian civilians sheltering in Rafah.

(antiwar.com)

The US needs to pay for their destruction…I say fuck the bastards!

I have gad enough of Israel and those defending their blood lust….and that is all it is now….blood lust…..something they should have memory of from their past.

My rant is over.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Is Guyana Next?

I recently read an article about the tension between two South American countries, Guyana and Venezuela, over some oil reserves around a common border.

At he end of last year tensions were elevated….

Tensions over the fate of Guyana’s Essequibo region continue to rise with reports Venezuela is deploying some 6,000 troops into the border region to conduct exercises over the disputed region. The deployment is in response to Britain’s deployment of the HMS Trent off the Guyana coast.

The Essequibo tensions were fueled largely by the early December referendum by Venezuela calling to annex the region after the discovery of oil reserves. The sparsely populated territory’s ownership is a long-standing dispute, and it amounts to most of Guyana’s overall land mass. The question of Essequibo’s legal fate was referred to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), though Venezuela has rejected their jurisdiction on the matter.

(antiwar.com)

Lots of lip service and then Brazil stepped in to conduct negotiations…..and it appears that calmer heads have prevailed….

Guyana and Venezuela signed an agreement that said they would “not threaten or use force against one another in any circumstances” to resolve their competing claims to the Essequibo region. The talks came after the Brazilian government pressured both nations.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and Guyanese President Irfaan Ali met in Kingstown, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, for talks negotiated by Brasília and the UN. The discussions centered on the region of Essequibo.

The South American neighbors inked a three-page agreement that emphasized the dispute over the Essequibo will not be resolved by force. The deal says both nations agree to “not threaten or use force against one another in any circumstances” and “refrain, whether by words or deeds, from escalating any conflict.”

The agreement was the result of an “excellent day of dialogue,” Maduro touted. “I thank the President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, Irfaan Ali, for his candor and willingness to engage in broad dialogue on all the issues addressed, directly,” the Venezuelan Leader posted on X. “I am satisfied to have been face to face as I wanted it for a long time. It was worth it to raise the flag of truth, to raise our historical reasons and to seek, with Bolivarian Peace Diplomacy, the path of dialogue and understanding to channel this historical controversy.”

(antiwar.com)

The US has signaled support for Guyana by announcing joint military drills that Venezuela slammed as provocative. US Southern Command has conducted flight operations in Guyana.

Diplomacy prevailed…..and then the US could not have that….

And then the US has to poke its nose in where it does not belong…..(this news is very recent)

The US will increase military aid to Guyana amid tensions with neighboring Venezuela over the disputed Guayana Essequibo region, The Associated Press reported on Monday.

The AP report did not detail how much the US will provide but said the US will help Guyana acquire new helicopters, a fleet of military drones, and radar technology for the first time.

In 2023, the US provided Guyana with about $2.7 million in total aid, including over $400,000 from the Pentagon’s International Military Education & Training program, which trains foreign militaries. Guyana is a small country with a population of only around 800,000. According to AP, the Caribbean nation’s military numbers less than 5,000 troops.

News of the new military aid came after US Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer met with officials in Guyana. The US has been stepping up military cooperation with Guyana after Venezuelans voted in a referendum late last year to make the Essequibo region a Venezuelan state.

(antiwar.com)

Is this the next Ukraine?

Will this infusion of US military aid enrage Venezuela to the point of doing something stupid?

Is this destined to be yet another proxy war for the US?

Must we continually look for regions to f*ck up?

Just wondering.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

This Is What I Have been Talking About!

Since the US has taken it upon its checkbook to finance the war in Ukraine I have been bitching about the money that is being wasted with very little return.

I recently read a story about this conflict and the War Department’s lack of oversight.

More than $1 billion in weapons that were shipped to Ukraine have not been properly tracked by the Pentagon, a report from the Defense Department’s inspector general has found.

The report examined $1.699 billion in weapons sent to Ukraine that are subject to enhanced end-use monitoring (EEUM), which includes Javelin anti-tank missiles, Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, night vision goggles, AIM-9X air-to-air missiles, Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles, and other types of weaponry.

The IG report found that the majority of the EEUM arms, nearly 40,000 weapons in total worth approximately $1.005 billion, have not been accounted for after being sent into Ukraine. Smaller, more portable weapons are subject to EEUM since they’re more likely to be smuggled and sold on the black market.

Robert P. Storch, the Pentagon’s inspector general, said there’s “no record” of inventories being taken. “It doesn’t mean they’re not there, or they’re not being used,” he said, according to The New York Times. “[But] because of their sensitivity, their vulnerability to diversion, or misuse, or the consequences of that, it’s particularly important to have this additional tracking and accountability in place.”

The US policy of pouring weapons into Ukraine has been done with very little oversight, and the shipments examined in the IG report are just a fraction of the over $40 billion in military equipment the US has provided or committed to Ukraine since the Russian invasion last year.

(antiwar.com)

This is a continuing problem and no one seems to care that this situation continues war after war.

This is what we get when we allow lobbyists and special interests run our foreign policy.

But let’s not worry about this…..better yet lets pretend the border is more important or cutting Social Security or Food programs.

You should be shouting from the treetops that your money is being mishandled in such a way….but sadly you will not.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”