this post was submitted on 30 Dec 2023
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Speaking about Russia’s large-scale attack on Ukraine on 29 December, US President Joe Biden has emphasised that Congress must act quickly to approve more aid for Kyiv.

Source: European Pravda with reference to the White House

Details: The American president stressed that the most recent Russian attack is "a stark reminder to the world that, after nearly two years of this devastating war, Putin’s objective remains unchanged. He seeks to obliterate Ukraine and subjugate its people."

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[–] FuglyDuck@lemmy.world 85 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (2 children)

Meanwhile, Israel: "Hey, we need some more shit. Get on that will you?!"
Biden: "Yes yes! I'll just... go around congress, do some other fancy talking and you can keep doing your genocide; but more efficiently now."

[–] mkwt@lemmy.world 42 points 10 months ago (1 children)

I think part of the difference is that Israel is a paying customer on that last deal.

[–] 5in1k@lemm.ee 1 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Probably paying us money we sent them in the first place.

[–] mkwt@lemmy.world 1 points 10 months ago

I don't think that's the case for this specific package of 155 mm shell accessories.

I could be wrong.

[–] avater@lemmy.world 61 points 10 months ago (7 children)

the fuck is the west doing?

I mean it should be obvious that it will get a lot worse and a lot more expensive if we allow the Russians to win, not to mention that we then share a border with a country lead by a complete degenerate dictator who wants to eradicate our way of life.

And all I see is the US and my own country Germany fucking around and providing only the bare minimum...

[–] Boiglenoight@lemmy.world 31 points 10 months ago (1 children)

In 2016 the US Republican Party radically changed to support Trump. Moderates became radicals overnight. There was always a specter of Russia compromising a lot of them.

https://abcnews.go.com/amp/Politics/feds-found-rnc-related-cyberattack-months-ago-raise/story?id=44130951

Yup, there's a reason only the DNC's emails were released.

[–] xePBMg9@lemmynsfw.com 29 points 10 months ago

The republicans represent Putin.

[–] anlumo@lemmy.world 16 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

Putin is playing the long game by buying up political parties all over Europe and the US for the last decade, and now it’s starting to pay off.

[–] Hyperreality@kbin.social 16 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

Already share a border - Finland/Baltics/Poland. But you are of course right. We're too decadent and complacent. Our politicians refuse to tell us the truth of how dire the situation is, even if top generals do.

Their losses have been heavy, but the Russian economy is now on a war setting, they're ramping up production of everything. If Ukraine falls, it's not impossible Putin'll try something stupid in the Baltics, especially if Trump wins the election or if there's chaos due to the election.

I mean, will NATO start a nuclear war over Russia invading a very small bit of the baltics? I have my doubts. Especially if there are plenty of populists in power, who refuse to join. Hungary, Turkey, the Netherlands, Slovakia, Italy... Not impossible that they say they'll put 'their people first' and refuse to join in defending the Baltics. Possible that Putin decides to make a gamble on this.Our militaries here in Europe are too weak to respond conventionally which makes him more likely to take that risk.

The man's always been a fan of the salami slicing tactic.

[–] AA5B@lemmy.world 1 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

The US as well. If we can’t even follow through with keeping Ukraine supplied, at no danger to ourselves, are we really ready to escalate to WWIII over some small European country most Americans can’t find in a map? I like to think I have a good understanding of the situation but I’d have a hard time supporting that. Arming Ukraine is a good investment, strong support for the fundamental idea of NATO even if they are not a member, and it’s finally a conflict with a clear right and wrong where we can be the good guys. Direct military involvement can easily become the end of civilization.

Let me even put it to anyone here from the Balkans. Of course you don’t want an aggressive tyrant to invade. Of course you don’t want the death and destruction, loss of freedom and human rights, from being invaded. But are you really demanding potentially the end of all civilization in your defense?

[–] Ooops@kbin.social 16 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

Oh, are you telling one of your favorite propaganda lies again?

In reality Germany -a small country with just ~16% of the US' GDP- is providing 40% of the US' support just in military aid (also more than the next 5 countries combined), and about three times as much measured by share of GDP in total.

Yet still after nearly two years the lie that Ukraine's by far biggest supporters are actually NoT DoInG aNyThInG bUt ThE bArE mInImUm is still Russia's top export.

[–] ShroOmeric@lemmy.world 5 points 10 months ago

They're busy financing the genocide in Gaza. Ukrainians can go fuck themselves apparently.

[–] kameecoding@lemmy.world 49 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (2 children)

I am from slovakia and the support for the Ukraine war is dwindling among the boomers, listening to my family regurgitate russian fake news about how Zelinsky bought a five million dollar villa in Egypt and then had the journalist killed is just fucked.

I guess it shows the strength of Orbans propaganda machine since we are hungarian and they watch those channels

[–] CephalonFaye@lemmy.blahaj.zone 16 points 10 months ago (2 children)

I'm in the exact same situation. It's crazy how easy it is to manipulate people, if you know what they're afraid of.

[–] Jeredin@lemm.ee 1 points 10 months ago

For as long as I've been on social media, seems social manipulation through disinformation is simply, easy. Unless someone is willing to check multiple sources that aren't politically bias, they're practically political pawns. I'm getting up therein age and it's insane how different, how polarized people are from just 40 years ago - many people are just simply not living in the same reality....

[–] mea_rah@lemmy.world 10 points 10 months ago

I think the best way to look at it is to see their side. If your relatives are similar to mine, they don't really care about Ukraine or Zelensky. Not even in a negative way. They just want simple solutions to their problems that are actually very complex.

You understand that having a fleet of Migs that depend on russian technicians is not a reasonable thing if the biggest warmonger in the neighborhood is russia itself. You understand that Slovakia can't depend on russian gas or oil after russia proved many times, that they will not hesitate to use this dependency every opportunity they get. You understand that making concessions to russia for a promise of peace isn't going to stop them, because we tried that many times before. You understand that none of these problems have simple solutions.

But many people choose to be ignorant and believe politicians that promise simple solutions. "We will stop supporting war, negotiate peace in Ukraine and buy cheap reliable russian energy again" It sounds good, it sounds easy. So they will believe any lie that supports this "solution". Or pretend they believe it, because frankly in many cases I know they aren't really that stupid to believe some of the lies. They just choose to be ignorant and don't ask questions.

How can you depend on russian gas again if you saw them draining EU gas storage year before the invasion and after you saw them cheerfully proclaiming that your family will freeze to death? You can't. But people choose to ignore reality, because they don't like how it looks.

When you look at it this way, you understand that there's no reason to discuss Ukraine with your family. Because it's really not about Ukraine. It's about how much they pay for their groceries. And it's easier to believe that corrupt Zelensky is to be blamed for expensive bread rather than the fact that we trusted corrupt unstable country with our energy dependency and now have a lot of work, tears and blood ahead of us to dig ourselves from the hole we dug for decades.

[–] chitak166@lemmy.world 31 points 10 months ago (3 children)

Why doesn't Biden just bypass Congress for Ukraine like he does for Israel's genocide?

[–] Blue_Morpho@lemmy.world 27 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

Because Israel is buying weapons with cash. Ukraine needs aid. Congress controls the money.

If Ukraine showed up with cash to buy weapons, Biden could immediately approve it.

[–] zbyte64@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Well the tanks sold without congressional approval is legally questionable, but not like Congress is going to investigate him over it.

[–] Blue_Morpho@lemmy.world 9 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

"Under the Arms Export Control Act of 1976, Congress had the power to block an arms sale if both chambers passed resolutions of disapproval within 30 days. "

So Congress doesn't approve sales but they have the right to block them.

"A Supreme Court decision in 1983 had resulted in a change to the arms export law that required that both chambers pass a joint resolution and send it to the President for enactment. This change raised the bar for successful action by Congress significantly, as the President would likely veto any such resolution. Predictably, President Trump did so, and the Senate could not muster the two-thirds majority needed to override his veto."

https://democracyjournal.org/magazine/71/arms-sales-the-case-for-affirmative-congressional-approval/

[–] AA5B@lemmy.world 3 points 10 months ago

I believe he has. The President has some emergency spending authority, some amount of any type of aid he can give before congressional authorization but it’s limited in both amount and time. The goal is to allow faster response in emergencies but not usurp congress’ control over budgeting. Congress has approved several packages of aid and the President has executed them. It’s time for another

In particular, the temporary measure to prevent government shutdown specifically did not include more aid to Ukraine. Among the many reasons I hope that’s approved quickly is they do need to approve longer term budgets before the temporary measure runs out, and it would be unfortunate if it turns into another political stunt

[–] icepick3455o65@lemmy.world 2 points 10 months ago

No lobbyists

[–] Facebones@reddthat.com 8 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Also joe: LEVEL PALESTINE NO ARABS ONLY JEWS

[–] eran_morad@lemmy.world 8 points 10 months ago (1 children)

I get what you mean and everything, but be aware that there are Jewish Arabs.

[–] Daxtron2@startrek.website 7 points 10 months ago

There are also Muslims who are ethnically jewish

[–] Gradually_Adjusting@lemmy.world 6 points 10 months ago

Fucking do it

[–] PanArab@lemmy.world 5 points 10 months ago

I agree with him here, I just wish he was consistent.

[–] BobGnarley@lemm.ee 2 points 10 months ago

"I did an executive order twice to give Israel weapons and money but am going to pretend that I can not do the same thing for Ukraine (or legalization of Marijuana)"

[–] callouscomic@lemm.ee 1 points 10 months ago

The United States still does not have a federal budget.

[–] reksas@sopuli.xyz 0 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

rest of europe will follow eventually if russia is allowed to take ukraine. East side first and rest later after that is allowed to fall too, since why bother with those countries either if ukraine doesnt matter now. after the current war russia will likely spend most of their national capacity on building up the army and equipment. china and russia will likely co-operate enough that china will start the war for taiwan at the same time russia attempts something so that nato resources are needed at multiple places. Maybe north korea will try to attack south too.