conflict
Once Again, Biden Doesn’t Have A Strategy For Ukraine. Where’s The Money Going?
From the Daily Caller News Foundation
The administration that claims to be “saving the soul of Democracy” has once again blown off the legislative branch of government.
When the law to give Ukraine another $61 billion made its way through Congress back in April, lawmakers appropriated the money with strings attached. One big string was section 504 of the bill, which stipulated that within 45 days, the administration had to present a strategy for the war. That strategy was due on June 4 — the Biden administration’s homework is now two months late.
You would be forgiven for thinking we formed a strategy before sending $175+ billion in American tax dollars to the plains of Eastern Europe. Two years into a war that has claimed a million lives, Congress asked for a plan that lays out “specific and achievable objectives” and prioritizes “United States national security interests.” Congress also reasonably requested a best guess on how our actions in Ukraine will be met by Russia, China, North Korea and Iran.
When the plan finally does arrive on lawmakers’ desks, expect a thousand pages of government pablum. Gone are the days when U.S. leaders clearly and concisely articulated reasons to go to war and our representatives voted on whether or not to commit the nation to conflict.
The United States hasn’t declared war since 1942. Every American knew the Roosevelt administration’s plans for the war on its first day — the president told Congress on December 8, 1941, that the U.S. would “win through to absolute victory” and make sure “this form of treachery shall never again endanger us.” Hard to believe now, but Roosevelt’s demanding “absolute victory” was controversial in that it meant the United States would need to conquer, not just defeat, the Empire of Japan and Third Reich.
Today, our leaders have stopped asking for the approval of the American people when it comes to conflict — ever since we rebranded the War Department, the Department of Defense has been much more war-like.
The war in Ukraine is the latest example. The American people have not been fully briefed on the risks of that far-away battle or the point of U.S. involvement. Our lame-duck president, when he addresses Ukraine at all, calls Russian President Vladimir Putin a “war criminal” and claims “we know Putin won’t stop at Ukraine.” That is the total depth of his argument, which he expects the American people to swallow without debate.
But the president’s invective does not make for sound strategy.
First, the risks. America is engaged in a proxy war with Russia, as evidenced by the Russian peoples’ belief that they are at war with the United States and the west. NATO’s expansion towards Moscow is a major red line for Russia. It is also a broken promise, as the United States pledged not to move NATO’s borders “one inch eastward” towards Moscow. After it moved 1,000 miles eastward, Vladimir Putin drew the line in 2007, saying NATO expansion “represents a serious provocation that reduces the level of mutual trust. And we have the right to ask: against whom is this expansion intended?”
The concern is one that has haunted Russian leaders for centuries. The Poles invaded Russia in 1605, the Swedes in 1707, the French in 1812, and the Germans in 1914 and 1941. In World War II alone, the Soviets lost 24 million people — an incomprehensible figure, dwarfing the 418,000 American casualties.
Regardless of what one thinks of Russia’s system of government or Vladimir Putin, it is a fact that in the past 500 years, Russia has often found itself the target of Western aggression. Perhaps when Putin threatens nuclear war over Ukraine, it is worth taking seriously.
Another risk is to our own vital stocks of armaments. Ukraine is blowing through American missiles and projectiles as an unsustainable rate. Consider that, according to the Congressional Research Service, we’ve given the Ukrainians “10,000+” Javelins and “2,000+” Stingers. That “+” is the classified fig leaf over the exact number, but it is safe to assume we are running low on these arms for our own defense. Until 2022, the United States had not purchased a Stinger since 2003 and the missile line was closed entirely in 2020. Even under the rosiest of scenarios, it is unlikely we will be able to replenish the Stingers we have given to Ukraine until 2028.
Lastly, the huge expenditure of taxpayer dollars going to Ukraine has totaled enough to double the U.S. Navy’s fleet. Worse, it is borrowed. The $175 billion is money we do not have, and that sum does not include interest on the debt.
Given the risks and money on the line, Congress should demand the Biden administration comply with the law. The American people deserve a full accounting.
Morgan Murphy is a former DoD press secretary, national security adviser in the U.S. Senate, a veteran of Afghanistan.
The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not reflect the official position of the Daily Caller News Foundation.
Featured Image Credit: Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz
MxM News
Quick Hit:
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has initiated an investigation into the Biden administration’s botched Afghanistan withdrawal. Hegseth confirmed that investigators have already been selected to examine the disastrous exit, which left 13 U.S. service members dead and stranded Americans behind. He emphasized that accountability is forthcoming and vowed a thorough review to uncover the decision-making failures behind the debacle.
Key Details:
- Hegseth told Breitbart News that he has already chosen investigators for a full Pentagon-led review of the withdrawal.
- The Biden administration’s 2021 exit resulted in the deaths of 13 U.S. service members, abandoned American citizens, and a botched drone strike that killed an Afghan aid worker and his family.
- No officials were held accountable, while Marine Col. Stuart Scheller, who publicly called for accountability, was the only one punished—he now serves in the Trump administration.
Diving Deeper:
Hegseth, in an exclusive interview, stated that the investigation would be comprehensive, focusing on key decision-making failures that led to one of the most disastrous military withdrawals in U.S. history. While no specific timeline was provided, he stressed the importance of getting the facts right.
The 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal, executed under then-President Joe Biden, resulted in a chaotic evacuation at Kabul International Airport. The suicide bombing at Abbey Gate claimed the lives of 13 American troops, while the administration abandoned hundreds of U.S. citizens despite claiming success. Additionally, the U.S. military, in a hasty attempt to prevent another attack, launched a drone strike that mistakenly killed an innocent Afghan aid worker and his family. At the time, then-Joint Chiefs Chairman Mark Milley defended the strike as “righteous.”
Despite these failures, no senior officials were removed from their posts. The only individual who faced consequences was Marine Col. Stuart Scheller, who was discharged after demanding accountability in a viral video. Now, he serves as a senior adviser to the Defense Under Secretary for Personnel and Readiness under the 47th President, Donald Trump.
Hegseth reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring accountability, emphasizing the need to establish a factual timeline of events, decisions, and their consequences. “I don’t think there’s anybody that feels like there’s been an honest accounting of what happened in Afghanistan. That’s our job,” he said.
The investigation, he added, will be critical to rebuilding trust within the Defense Department. “We’re going to drive that full investigation and get a sense of what happened. Accountability will be coming,” Hegseth concluded.
conflict
Senior U.S. officials meet with Russians in Saudi Arabia to normalize relations, end Ukraine war
MxM News
Quick Hit:
Senior U.S. officials met with Russian counterparts in Saudi Arabia for the most extensive discussions between the two nations in years. The Trump administration is pushing for an end to the Ukraine war and the normalization of relations, with economic and energy cooperation also on the agenda.
Key Details:
- U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Adviser Michael Waltz, met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Riyadh.
- Russian officials are seeking to restore economic ties, including potential returns of American oil companies to Russia.
- Ukraine and European allies are concerned that President Trump could broker a peace deal favoring Russia without consulting Kyiv.
Diving Deeper:
Senior U.S. and Russian officials gathered in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for high-level discussions aimed at ending the war in Ukraine and exploring ways to rebuild diplomatic and economic ties. The meeting marks the most significant engagement between the two nations in at least three years and follows a recent phone call between President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, during which both leaders emphasized the benefits of renewed cooperation.
Leading the U.S. delegation were Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Adviser Michael Waltz, and Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff. Their Russian counterparts included Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov, and Kirill Dmitriev, head of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund. Discussions centered on peace negotiations in Ukraine and the possibility of American oil companies re-entering the Russian market.
Dmitriev emphasized the economic advantages of resuming business relations with the U.S., noting that American companies had lost an estimated $300 billion due to sanctions and business withdrawals following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. He argued that restoring these ties could be mutually beneficial, citing President Trump’s focus on economic success and pragmatic deal-making.
The meeting has sparked concern among European allies and Ukraine, who worry that Trump may push for a settlement favoring Moscow. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, also in the Gulf region for diplomatic efforts, reaffirmed that Ukraine would reject any peace deal negotiated without its direct involvement.
Despite skepticism from the West, the Trump administration maintains that engagement with Russia is necessary to end the conflict and normalize relations. “If there is going to be the possibility of progress here towards peace, we are going to need to talk to the Russians,” Rubio stated on CBS’s Face the Nation prior to the talks.
Saudi Arabia, which has maintained a neutral stance in the Ukraine conflict, played host to the discussions as part of its broader ambition to position itself as a global diplomatic leader. The Kingdom’s Foreign Ministry emphasized its commitment to fostering peace and security through international dialogue.
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