As Israel prepares to launch a likely ground invasion into Gaza, the Biden Administration and leading members of Congress are crafting an American aid package of roughly $2 billion in supplementary funding to support the nation’s war effort against Hamas, multiple sources familiar with the matter tell TIME.
Biden and Congress Craft $2 Billion Aid Package as Israel Vows to ‘Crush’ Gaza
Previously:
The US should be very careful about what it promises to do for Ukraine
- US shouldn’t support or extend a security guarantee — through NATO or bilaterally — to Ukraine.
- Doing so would endanger US national security and increase the odds of a direct clash with Russia.
- Daniel L. Davis is a senior fellow at Defense Priorities and a retired US Army lieutenant colonel.
Related:
Why NATO Won’t Back Automatic Membership For Ukraine
It is understandable that Zelensky passionately desires to join NATO. But the alliance is composed of 31 current members and their individual and collective needs must be considered in equal amounts to the desires of the Ukrainian president. The harsh truth is that there is no viable path to a military victory for Ukraine, now or in the foreseeable future, regardless of how many planes, tanks, and missiles the West may contribute.
Then-White House press secretary Jen Psaki called Russia’s alleged use of cluster munitions a potential “war crime” in the early days of the country’s invasion of Ukraine.
FLASHBACK: White House Press Secretary Said Using Cluster Munitions Would Be A Potential ‘War Crime’
Psychopathic hypocrites! 🤬
Related:
White House de facto admits to committing war crimes in Ukraine — Russian Embassy
Update: Russia‘s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman called the report “disinformation”
Report: Former Senior US Officials Held Secret Talks With Russians
Regarding OSCE, they’ve done that, before, and they don’t seem so neutral.
Related:
Former U.S. officials have held secret Ukraine talks with prominent Russians
“A neutral organization — either the UN or the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe — would send in observers to monitor and enforce the cease-fire and pullback,” the former U.S. officials wrote. “Assuming a cease-fire holds, peace talks should follow.”
The Biden administration is asking Congress to put aside concerns about the harm cluster munitions cause to civilians
Report: US Close to Providing Ukraine With Widely Banned Cluster Bombs
👇 The below video shows that they’re already using them! 😡
Related:
[11-2022] Why would Ukraine use cluster munitions to attack Russian positions?
American officials determined as early as January there was an internal power struggle underway between the private military group Wagner and the Russian government, and have been gathering and closely ‘monitoring’ intelligence on the volatile dynamic ever since, according to officials.
US has closely ‘monitored’ power struggle between Prigozhin and Russian government for months
Related:
US to delay Wagner sanctions for fear of siding with Putin: WSJ
Cameron Hudson, a former chief of staff to the US special envoy for Sudan, stated that Washington had a strategy to “target, isolate, and weaken Wagner’s growth in Africa,” adding that by maintaining that approach, Washington is now potentially assisting Putin.
Video via Emil Cosman
Related:
China and Cuba close to military base deal – WSJ
What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.
Pentagon Dismisses WSJ Report on China Spy Station in Cuba
“I can tell you based on the information that we have, that that is not accurate, that we are not aware of China and Cuba developing a new type of spy station,” said Pentagon spokesperson Brigadier General Patrick Ryder.
Related:
White House Denies Report That China Is Building a Spy Base on Cuba
“I’ve seen that press report. It’s not accurate,” White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said in an interview on MSNBC.
Cuba to Host Secret Chinese Spy Base Focusing on U.S. [according to no one]
The U.S. has intervened before to stop foreign powers from extending their influence in the Western Hemisphere, most notably during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. The U.S. and the Soviet Union came to the brink of nuclear war after the Soviets deployed nuclear-capable missiles to Cuba, prompting a U.S. Navy quarantine of the island.
The Soviets backed down and removed the missiles. A few months later, the U.S. quietly removed intermediate-range ballistic missiles from Turkey that the Soviets had complained about.
H/T: Emil Cosman
Ukraine expects to receive 24 modern fighter jets, says Air Force Command
But even once negotiations for the delivery of these jets will be completed, Ukraine will not be able to use them on the battlefield for months, as training of pilots and technicians will take at least half a year, Ihnat warned.
Related:
Ukraine Situation Report: Kyiv Improving Airfields Anticipating Western Fighters
There is currently one Ukrainian student in the U.S. Air Force Aviation Leadership Program, which provides pilot training in the T-6A, not geared ultimately for any one specific combat aircraft, Air Force Capt. Rachel Salpietra, an Air Force Secretary spokesperson told The War Zone Friday afternoon.
“Ukraine has been participating in the program with us for the last 12 years,” she added. “Ukrainian maintainers and engineers have not participated in any training with the U.S. Air Force for the past several years.”
UK might donate fighter jets to Ukraine for air policing – The Telegraph
Commenting on the matter, one of the newspaper’s sources said “never say never,” while another one stressed that “it’s not the priority now,” regarding fighter jet transfers.
Ms. Cat’s Chronicles 