US Military support for Ukraine fanning flames of conflict

The Russia Ukraine war is approaching its first anniversary, a war in which thousands of people have been killed and many more displaced. Now after nearly one year the war has turned into a bigger conflict, an encounter between the West and Russia.

Many countries, including the US, Germany, France, and the UK, have been fanning the flames of the conflict by sending military aid worth billions of dollars to Ukraine.

In the US there has been much debate among politicians on whether to support Kyiv in the war with Russia. Most American politicians and lawmakers are in favour of US support for Ukraine while others, such as Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz, have taken a different stance.

• Contentious US military support for Ukraine
  

  Russia-Ukraine War

  Washington’s military support for Ukraine has always been a heated debate in the US Congress ever since the war broke out between Moscow and Kiev.

Congressman Gaetz has introduced a bill which calls for an immediate end to US military and financial support for Ukraine. The resolution also urges the warring sides to negotiate a ceasefire.

How much more for Ukraine? Is there any limit? Which billionth dollar really kicks in the door? Which red line we set will we not later cross?

Matt Gaetz, US Republican Member of Congress

Throughout the war Gaetz has been critical of US support for Ukraine and has previously called for an end to the policy.

I will not vote for one more dollar to Ukraine. I will not vote for one more piece of materiel to Ukraine. We are far too entangled in this conflict.

I believe we have extended this conflict and I call on the Secretary of Defense to declassify the inspector general report on the compliance with our existing regulations regarding chain of custody with materiel going to another country.

Matt Gaetz, US Republican Member of Congress

• Washington has called on US citizens in Ukraine to leave the country immediately due to the war in Ukraine and the risk of arbitrary arrest.
  

  US warns citizens to leave Russia immediately

  The US has told its citizens to leave Russia immediately due to "the risk of arbitrary arrest or harassment."

Gaetz has also taken a jab at President Joe Biden. In a statement on his resolution Gaetz said President Joe Biden must have forgotten his prediction for March 2022, suggesting that arming Ukraine with military equipment would escalate the conflict to world war three.

He added: "America is in a state of managed decline, and it will exacerbate if we continue to hemorrhage, taxpayer dollars toward a foreign war. We must suspend all foreign aid for the war in Ukraine and demand that all combatants in this conflict reach a peace agreement immediately”.

This resolution has so far received ten co sponsors including representatives from Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky and Illinois.

The bill introduced by Gaetz shows that the US has already authorized over $110 billion to spend on the war in less than a year.

The resolution comes after a series of escalations of US military aid, including M1 Abrams tanks, at a time when Ukraine is seeking fighter jets from the US and its allies.

• US to send M1 Abrams tanks despite being too complicated for Ukraine
  

  US to send M1 Abrams tanks despite being too complicated for Ukraine

  The M1 Abrams is the main battle tank of the US military and is one the most powerful and sophisticated tanks in the world, however, for Ukraine that is both an advantage and a problem.

Each escalation risks a direct clash between Russia and NATO, which could quickly spiral into a nuclear war.

The rising US opposition to the continuation of aid to Ukraine

If American taxpayers knew that half the income-tax dollars that they sent to the Internal Revenue Service every year was being spent on weapons, war, and, war preparation, political support for such programs might significantly decline.

As a matter of fact, no agency of the federal government communicates to taxpayers exactly how Congress spends their money.

Purchasing weapons and military services with taxpayer dollars has always been, and continues to be, a highly profitable endeavor for defense contractors. But it is in a real war, such as the war in Ukraine, that such profiteering truly thrives.

• US President Joe Biden formally asked Congress for a whopping $33 billion aid package for Ukraine
  

  Biden asks Congress for a whopping $33 billion in aid package for Ukraine

  US President Joe Biden formally asked Congress for a whopping $33 billion aid package for Ukraine, including more than $20 billion in new military aid and other security assistance.

President Joe Biden's budget proposal to Congress for 2023 included $813 billion for the Pentagon and military expenditures. This is more than half the income tax citizens send to the federal government each year and a more than $31 billion increase of the already bloated 2022 fiscal year Pentagon budget.

This is more than the defense budgets of the eight next biggest military spenders put together, including Russia, China and India.

One of the most controversial components of the multibillion dollar Pentagon budget is the purchase of new nuclear armed submarines, even though the US already has 14 lethal Ohio class submarines, each capable of launching 192 nuclear warheads simultaneously.

• ·Ukraine sets sights on fighter jets after Biden promises tanks
  

  Ukraine sets sights on fighter jets after Biden says US will send 31 Abrams tanks

  US President Joe Biden says the United States will send 31 M1 Abrams battle tanks to Ukraine, granting a key request from Kiev that is expected to enhance the military capabilities of the Ukrainian army over the coming months.

Cancelling these unnecessary and needlessly provocative new weapons systems would save more than $10 billion. All in all, what seems to be non negotiable is the US taxpayers money which could, and can, will be allocated to other needs.

It seems to be clear, not only to American taxpayers, but to the whole world, that the US military industrial complex is the main beneficiary of such "foreign" aid.

• The US role in Ukraine has slowly escalated since the beginning of the war almost a year ago, raising the question of how far Washington is willing to go.
  

  NATO and US, catastrophic scenario in Ukraine

  The US role in Ukraine has slowly escalated since the beginning of the war almost a year ago, raising the question of how far Washington is willing to go.

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