I can hardly wait to see this come up for some kind of debate.

Joe Biden to Ask Congress for Another $10 Billion for Ukraine

Joe Biden is poised to ask Congress for another eye-watering $10 billion Ukraine aid package, according to reports.

The Ukraine aid battle will continue when Congress returns from recess.

Now, Biden’s looming request, which could exceed “north of $10 billion,” comes as Ukraine continues its slow-moving counteroffensive against Russia as NATO countries and the US pledged even more support.

The Army’s acquisition chief said on Monday that the Department of Defense was in the process of creating a Ukraine funding package for lawmakers to consider

The new package will replenish American weapon stockpiles, which have since been completed after providing munitions to Ukraine’s conflict with Russia.

So far, the US has provided more than $110 billion in aid to Ukraine, despite voters saying they are no longer comfortable with more taxpayer dollars being sent to the country.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said future Ukraine funding should go through the appropriations process, not a supplemental package.

In July, 70 House Republicans voted to cut off funding for Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell slammed the current defense cap and pushed for more aid to be sent to Ukraine.

Last month, Republican Senator Rand Paul warned that the US has run out of “ammo” and “money” in the Ukraine war with Russia.

As The Daily Fetched reported, Paul responded that the Biden administration is sending Ukraine another billion dollars in aid.

“From a fiscal conservative perspective, it makes no sense to borrow money from China to send it to Ukraine,” Paul said.

“It’s not like we’re sending them surplus funds. It’s like, ‘Oh, we have surplus ammo around.'”

“We’re actually out of ammo now; we’re out of money. And so, there’s no real sense in continuing to do this,” Rand Paul also warned of the Ukraine war.

China approves

quote:

Originally posted by Bytes:
Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell slammed the current defense cap and pushed for more aid to be sent to Ukraine.

It seems Kentuckians have had about enough of the senior Senator.

First Batch of US Abrams Tanks Belatedly Shipped To Ukraine As Offensive Hits Low Point

https://www.zerohedge.com/mili...nsive-hits-low-point

The first batch of Abrams tanks that the US is providing Ukraine was authorized for shipment over the weekend and is expected to arrive in the country in early fall, the US Army’s top acquisition official said Monday.

"The last of the set was officially accepted by the US government or the production facility over the weekend. So they are done," said Army Acquisition Chief Doug Bush, according to the War Zone.

The US will be providing Ukraine with 31 refurbished M1A1 Abrams, an older variant of the tank. The US initially said it would send the newer M1A2 Abrams, but the Pentagon decided to speed up the plan by sending older tanks.

The M1A2s needed to be manufactured and would have taken years to deliver. Bush said that while the tanks are ready, it will still take time to deliver them and send necessary related equipment, which includes "ammunition, spare parts, fuel equipment, repair facilities."

The Wall Street Journal reported in July that the US is expected to arm the Abrams it sends to Ukraine with depleted uranium rounds, a toxic ammunition that’s linked to cancer, birth defects, and environmental damage, especially in Iraq, where US forces used an enormous number of the controversial munitions.

When asked about the possibility of sending depleted uranium to Ukraine, Pentagon spokesman Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said Monday that he had nothing to announce.

"I don’t have anything to provide, no announcements to make regarding any type of tank ammunition at this point," he said.

All of this comes as mainstream media begins expressing severe doubts over Ukraine's counteroffensive...

Meanwhile here in Alaska...

https://www.alaskasnewssource....sels-spotted-nearby/

U.S. Navy destroyers dispatched to Aleutians after Chinese, Russian vessels spotted nearby


Four U.S. Navy warships were recently dispatched to the Aleutian Islands following an incursion of 11 foreign military vessels in American waters
By Shannon Cole
Published: Aug. 5, 2023 at 8:22 PM AKDT|Updated: Aug. 5, 2023 at 8:24 PM AKDT
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - Four U.S. Navy warships were recently dispatched to the Aleutian Islands following an incursion of 11 foreign military vessels in American waters.

The exact time and location of the incursion was not made public, and information about the event is still being declassified.

Speaking by phone on Saturday, Senator Dan Sullivan confirmed the event happened “within the last few days,” and that while the military response was robust — four naval destroyers were dispatched to the ships’ location — it was also uncommon.

“First, this is unprecedented, not just for Alaska, but for America to have 11 warships jointly being operated by the Chinese and Russians — who are increasingly working together — essentially doing freedom of navigation and navigation operations incursions into Alaska’s area,” Sullivan said.


Ships from other nations are permitted to complete voyages through waters identified as territories of another country in a practice known as innocent passage. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas defines innocent passage as travel “not prejudicial to the peace, good order or security of the coastal State” whose waters are transited — but the 11 transiting vessels discovered recently were identified as military ships.

“It certainly reminds us of how important Alaska is, from both a strategic standpoint, but also a force projection standpoint,” Sullivan said.

Sullivan has repeatedly pressed military leaders for an increase not only in assets available to defend the nation, but in the infrastructure necessary to defend Alaska.

“After last year’s incursion, I mentioned to several leaders in the military, hey, we need to prepare for this happening again. And when it does, we need to have a much more robust response,” Sullivan said.


In September of 2021, Coast Guard vessels located Chinese ships near the Aleutian Island chain. Later in August of 2022, United States military officials said they had “detected, tracked and identified Russian surveillance aircraft” entering and operating within the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone.

“Last year when this happened, the response by the U.S. military, in my view, was very tepid and sent the wrong signal,” Sullivan said.

The four naval destroyers dispatched this month had far more air and water resources at their disposal than what the Coast Guard is capable of providing, and could highlight a need to establish a U.S. Navy base in the far north.

“We’re continuing to have a significant Coast Guard build up in Alaska — and that’s important, and that’s continuing. That includes the building and hopefully soon homeporting of at least one icebreaker in our state, which we, as a country, need desperately,” Sullivan said.


Geopolitical dominance in the Arctic could come down to who has more assets to defend their territory, and as it stands, Alaska is outmatched by the Russian fleet.

“We have two icebreakers, one is broken. The Russians have 54, many of which are nuclear powered, all of which are weaponized. And so that is an area where we are way behind but we’re finally starting to make some progress there,” Sullivan said.

Although Alaskans are not in danger, the presence of foreign military vessels nearby may be unsettling to residents. For Sullivan, it’s a reminder that there is still work to do for Alaska.

“I think it just underscores the need for the continued build up of not only forces in Alaska, but the infrastructure that can handle them, particularly infrastructure like the deepwater port of Nome, and a greater naval, Coast Guard and Marine Corps presence in Alaska,” he said.


As a state with more coastline than the rest of the country combined — and half a dozen Coast Guard, Space Force, Army, and Air Force bases — it could seem disadvantageous that Alaska lacks a Navy base. Development of a naval base, shipyard or other facility is difficult due to a lack of existing maritime infrastructure, but that could change in the near future.

“The important news — and it’s taken too long, but it’s an issue I’ve been working on since I got to the Senate — is we are making finally some very significant progress on the design and building of a deepwater port in Nome,” Sullivan said. “The way in which that is going to be built, the way in which that is going to be designed — and I’ve been, like I said, involved in this for a number of years with a great community of Nome, and the Navy and the Coast Guard — is it the design of that port will be able to handle every type of Navy and Coast Guard vessel in the inventory, with the exception of a U.S. aircraft carrier, so all the destroyers, all the icebreakers. all the national security cutters.”

For the senator, it all comes down to one thing.

“We need more of a presence up here.”

quote:

Meanwhile here in Alaska...

U.S. Navy destroyers dispatched to Aleutians after Chinese, Russian vessels spotted nearby

Four U.S. Navy warships were recently dispatched to the Aleutian Islands following an incursion of 11 foreign military vessels in American waters

What is the purpose of the Department of Defense?
In my mind, it ought to be to Defend the United States of America. We are failing to do so as we are invaded on our southern border.
Now, apparently, we are being probed and disrespected in our Northern most State as well.

Let's not forget the Chinese spies caught on Ft. Wainwright.

Inflation
President Joe Biden will ask for $25 billion in aid for Ukraine, according to multiple reports.

Multiple reports found Biden is expected to unveil a Ukraine aid package request north of $25 billion, which would include $13 billion in military assistance and $12 billion for disaster relief.

Starting to fight the Ruskies in Niger

25 billion more US taxpayer dollars and still not even a framework to talk about peace...no inkling of a ceasefire. Yep, we're certainly doing the lords work in Ukraine. This is nauseating shit.

quote:

Originally posted by bdylan:
25 billion more US taxpayer dollars and still not even a framework to talk about peace...no inkling of a ceasefire. Yep, we're certainly doing the lords work in Ukraine. This is nauseating shit.

^^^ THIS ^^^

Arghhhhhh

Perhaps mentioned already, but wasn’t the consensus that spending during the Cold War broke the USSR leading to its breakup. Now the Russians and Chinese are employing similar tactics over t the Ukraine and other areas to weaken the US monetarily and deplete outr military munitions.
Obviously Biden did not do well in history except for socialist theory!

Well, Russian forces are now fighting one another. First you have Dagestani and Chechens fighting it out with the Chechen "TikTok" soliders getting their asses kicked.

https://www.newsweek.com/russi...kraine-group-1819686

quote:

Russian Troops Shoot, Stab Each Other After Fight Breaks Out: Ukraine Group
By Jon Jackson On 8/14/23 at 5:32 PM EDT

A skirmish broke out on Saturday between two military units fighting for Russia, which resulted in shots fired and the deaths of 20 soldiers, according to a Monday report from the National Resistance Center of Ukraine.

The center, created by the Armed Forces of Ukraine soon after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his invasion in February 2022, reported the fight occurred in the Russian-occupied village of Mykhailivka in the Zaporizhzhia Oblast. The two sides involved in the confrontation were a formation of Chechen forces fighting for Putin and a unit from Russia's Dagestan republic, the center said. Newsweek could not independently verify the report.

Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov has long been a close ally to Putin, and he's had men deployed in Ukraine throughout the war. Chechen forces reportedly became more involved in the conflict in recent months following Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin's disputes with Russian military officials, which eventually led to his failed mutiny against Moscow.

According to the National Resistance Center, Russian media had come to Mykhailivka on Saturday to film a story on a high-ranking official in Kadyrov's forces. That night, a verbal altercation between Kadyrov's troops and the unit from Dagestan progressed to violence, and one of the men reportedly opened fire in the air with a small automatic gun.

Another soldier was said to soon be "inflicted with numerous stab wounds." The fighting only intensified from there, and an "open confrontation" broke out between the two sides involving grenade launchers and more automatic weapons.

According to the National Resistance Center of Ukraine, the unit from Dagestan came out on top in the fight. However, 20 soldiers were killed from both sides and more than 40 men were wounded.

"The commander of the Kadyrov unit (probably with the rank of colonel) was sent to the front lines as punishment," the National Resistance Center wrote.

Newsweek reached out to the Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) via email on Monday for comment.

While Chechen's forces in Ukraine haven't received as much media attention as Putin's formal Russian military, the death last month of the commander of a Chechen armed formation known as Akhmat garnered international headlines.

The commander, Yevgeny Pisarenko, was pronounced dead on July 3 by Chechen military leader Apta Alaudinov. According to Alaudinov, Pisarenko died while fighting on the front lines in Donbas.

Akhmat fighters were believed to be the first outside group to officially sign contracts on video following an order issued by the Russian MoD in June, saying that all "volunteer formations" had to sign a contract by July 1 "to increase the effectiveness of their deployment," according to news outlet Ukrainska Pravda.

And now a gas station in Dagestan blows up.

https://apnews.com/article/rus...42ad1481eb5ade1aa53c

quote:

Massive explosion at a gas station in Russia’s Dagestan kills 35 and injures scores more

MOSCOW (AP) — A massive explosion at a gas station in Russia’s southern republic of Dagestan killed 35 people and injured scores more, Russian officials said Tuesday.

Russia’s Health Ministry said 115 people were injured in the blast and subsequent fire, and 35 of them died, including three children.

A total of 65 of those injured, including 16 children, remained hospitalized as of midday Tuesday, the ministry said. Eleven people, including two children, were in grave condition.

The explosion occurred Monday night on the outskirts of Makhachkala, the region’s capital. A fire started at a car repair shop and spread to a nearby gas station, triggering the blast.

Other news

Families of the dead will receive 1 million rubles (about $10,000) each and the injured between 200,000 and 400,000 rubles (about $2,000-$4,000), Dagestan’s authorities said. Russian state media said some of those injured would be airlifted to Moscow for treatment. Makhachkala is about 1,600 kilometers (990 miles) south of Moscow.

The authorities have begun a criminal investigation. Tuesday has been declared a day of mourning in Dagestan.

Also on Monday night, a blast in western Siberia killed two people and wounded five others. The explosion occurred at an oil mine in the Khanty-Mansiysk region late in the evening, authorities said.

The explosion in Dagestan was the deadliest in Russia since April 2022, when a fire at a defense research facility in Tver, a city 160 kilometers (100 miles) north of Moscow, killed 22 people and injured a dozen more.

A blast at a factory north of Moscow that makes optical equipment for Russia’s security forces killed one person and injured 84 more earlier this month.

It could be coincidence, but the timing of events make things more interesting than it probably should.

Ukraine May Have to Give Up Territory, Says Senior NATO Official.

https://thenationalpulse.com/2...enior-nato-official/

Stian Jenssen – chief of staff to NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg – has suggested Ukraine may have to give up territory to the Russians in order to obtain NATO membership and an end to the war.

The comments have sparked outrage from the Ukrainian government, though it is an increasingly popular view in the West.

Jenssen stated on Tuesday that discussions concerning the post-war status of the region are already underway, and that a number of people in diplomatic circles have raised the idea of sacrificing territory in exchange for NATO membership. “I’m not saying it has to be like this. But that could be a possible solution,” Jenssen explained before adding, “it must be up to Ukraine to decide when and on what terms they want to negotiate.”

Mykhailo Podolyak, a senior advisor to President Zelensky, was quick to respond to the remarks, calling the proposal “ridiculous,” with the result representing a defeat for democracy and the destruction of international law.

“If Putin does not suffer a crushing defeat, the political regime in Russia does not change and war criminals are not punished, the war will definitely return with Russia’s appetite for more,” Podolyak added.

Jenssen’s remarks reflect a growing despondency among NATO members about the current state of the war and Ukrainian leadership.

Germany has already admitted to becoming “frustrated” with the lack of progress of the summer counteroffensive and has started to blame Ukrainian officers.

Well you know that was only a matter of time. If you go after the King, you better not miss or back down like this guy did.

I'm kinda surprised it took so long:

Wagner's Prigozhin Dead After His Business Jet With 10 People On Board 'Crashes'

Looks like it.

https://news.sky.com/story/ten...senger-list-12946006

quote:

Ten killed in private jet crash north of Moscow - Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin 'on passenger list'

Ten people have been killed in a private jet crash north of Moscow - with the Russian Civil Aviation Authority saying Yevgeny Prigozhin was on the passenger list.

Seven passengers and three crew were on board the Embraer aircraft, which was en route from Moscow to St Petersburg, TASS news agency reported.

The jet is said to have crashed in the Tver region, north of Moscow.

Multiple videos posted on social appear to show the jet crashing.

Prigozhin, who is believed to have been on board the flight, shared his first video address since his aborted June mutiny just two days ago.

The Wagner Group boss - who was sent to Belarus in the aftermath of his march on Moscow - released footage of himself speaking while wearing camouflage and holding a rifle.

Prigozhin appeared to be in Africa in the video, and he also spoke about Russia making the continent "free".

He called off the mutiny and his mercenaries pulled back after Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko helped broker a "deal", which would supposedly see the businessman move to the Russian-allied country and his forces absorbed into the military.

Once a close confidant of Vladimir Putin, Prigozhin had often lambasted the likes of defence minister Sergei Shoigu and top general Valery Gerasimov in public addresses over their handling of the Ukraine invasion.

This also has repercussions with the Niger coup as Wagner has a significant presence in Africa.

You'd have to be nuts or have a death wish to get on that plane with Prigozhin.

quote:

"The commander of the Kadyrov unit (probably with the rank of colonel) was sent to the front lines as punishment," the National Resistance Center wrote.

Some are questioning if he was on the plane.

If he wasn’t, he’s still on the planes list of casualties.

Reminds me of this from Casino.
https://youtu.be/Ka7hSZhgplk