Yesterday, in response to my latest story about the Russo-Ukraine War, one of my more ignorant readers stated it was his "feeling" that other countries are doing nothing to help. That, of course, is nonsense.
In absolute terms, the US has provided the most help, with over $54 billion in military, humanitarian and financial aid. But in terms of pulling their own weight, the US ranks only 8th. Latvia, Estonia, Poland, Lithuania, Norway, Slovakia and the Czech Republic have all contributed higher percentages of their GDP than the US.
Germany has provided $1.16 billion in aid. This is a remarkable turnaround in a country that has understandably been a post WWII pacifist. Let's not forget that Germany and other European countries are going to feel an energy crunch from General Winter unlike anything we experience in the US.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has initiated a zeitenwende (change of direction) in defense policy. While this nation has yet to assert itself as the primus inter pares of European security, Putin has united NATO and the EU in ways no one thought possible before his attempted regime change and genocide in Ukraine.
31 comments:
with the Lord's help we will defeat Russia and the Republicans who want to stop financial aid to the Ukranian people. This is a test for world democracy. Let's hope we pass it by staying united.
Good job in finding the facts, Bernie. Trouble is, idiots don't believe facts. To them, it's just more science in the form of math. I doubt they know what "GDP" means.
Bernie,
Great work and I’m glad to be an American.
Out of all those countries, I’ll bet our corporations and rich Americans pay the least amount in taxes.
We need to get them to pay their fair share of taxes, at least 40%.
It is now reported that congress is now considering another 50 billion for Ukraine. Maybe there are plans to make it the 51st. state. Then it could take the place of D.C. as the most corrupt place in the nation.
Republicans are reviled for suggesting that all this aid should be subject to controls and accounting, That would just be one part of good government.
We will be over $100 billion, yet no money to address the border crisis, no money to stop the drugs crossing the border, no money to counter the human trafficking.
Lots of money being thrown around in Ukraine, lots of money being made by the cartel, one must wonder if it is more lucrative for politicians to be on the money side of these issues?
In the end, Russia is not leaving Ukraine. The question is, who is going to suffer more? Ukrainians, western Europe, U.S. taxpayers,possibly civilization as we know it, certainly not the architects of this whole fiasco.
Those Europeans, are by far, going to get the biggest bill, it will be in the form of lost economies, social unrest, chaotic changes to governments. Yes, you are correct, they are going to pay dearly for their cooperation in this crisis.
The Taxpayers of America will fund every issue in our country and around the globe--that is the democrats spend spend and then tax.
Yet McCarthy and other Republicans are already signaling that they'll be cutting back on funding Ukraine if/when they take control of congress.
Putin controls the GOP.
Join Wagner fight Nazism, see the world, make bank
Uncle Uhuru
A billion here, a billion there, etc. That’s so old school. The word today is trillion! My greatest concern in this effort is for how the money is actually spent, where does it really end up? Corruption is very real, both here and over there.
Imagine what the world would be like today if the present GOP had existed in early 1941, when the U.S. approved supporting Great Britain and other countries (including Russia) with weapons, for use against Hitler.
6:25 AM...you are a real f...n asshole.
12:06 AM.........let's hope the world see's your wisdom. God Bless America and God Bless the unfortunate victims in the Ukraine.
Facts are facts. We're funding a $50 billion war. The previous president was one of just two in many decades who didn't start a war. Jimmy Carter was the other. We threw them out after one term. Peace is bad for business.
My expectation is the majority of American money sent over there does NOT go to the Ukraine families. But, we should do as much as we can in that regard. This is a political war between politicians rather than just citizen initiative. From what I’ve read, Russian is the dominant language in some of those regions and some of the people living in those places actually have no problem being governed by Russia.
Huge contracts are awarded to our American military and industrial complex with this kind of operation. In my opinion, the favor is returned in a roundabout way back to some of our politicians. Does anyone not believe this occurs?
I still don't see the threat to America's national interest here. Ukraine is not a part of NATO. The Ukrainian people certainly aren't benefitting from an extended war with Russia. I hope we can all agree that nobody wins if the US pushes Russia into using nuclear weapons.
So why aren't we working for a peace agreement with Russia and the Ukraine?
So far, our actions to hurt Putin seem to be inflicting more harm on us and the European countries on your graph than they are hurting Putin. We've now deployed the 101st Airborne to the Ukraine border.
I don't like Putin, but this is not a battle that's worth a single American life and certainly not the money that's been sent over there with no accountability or control. Other posts have already identified other areas much more vital to OUR national security where the money could be better spent.
I suspect that the democrat fervor to confront Putin has more to do with their continued belief in the debunked Trump-Russia collusion narrative than an actual concern for what's going on in the Ukraine. The tough talk by our senile leader has now brought us to the brink of war with a major nuclear power, something I never thought I'd see.
We should all be questioning what we're doing there and to what lengths this administration is willing to involve our country in Europe's affairs. To do otherwise is to risk waking up to a reality that we don't want.
People want better oversight. They want better accountability. We are giving 110 million a day in aid. It can’t go on forever.
If the Ukraine's did not listen to Clinton, they would have their nuclear weapons and Russia would not have invaded.
We couldn't invest $5B to finish a wall from the invaders to our South, but we can dump untold Billions into a toxic, corrupt nation, half a globe away, just because its the "right thing to do". Meanwhile, human trafficking, fentanyl smuggling and drug cartels run rampant at our border.
Great plan, if you are blind man.
Bernie: It seems to me that Ukraine is a bigger mess than your underpants.
"I still don't see the threat to America's national interest here." Yeah, a thug who wields oil and gas as a weapon, who assassinates opponents, who is trying to eliminate a democracy, who has no regard for innocent civilians and who has already threatened to go nuclear, is no threat to our national interest. And when you allow him to takeover Ukraine, China will see it has a green light in Taiwan. You're nuts.
7:45AM
"Yet McCarthy and other Republicans are already signaling that they'll be cutting back on funding Ukraine if/when they take control of congress.
Putin controls the GOP."
Apparently, it's not just the GOP.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/oct/25/democrats-joe-biden-ukraine-war-russia-letter
Yeah, sure, they put a bunch of wiggle words in there pretending they're not like the Republicans, but the term "distinction without a difference" comes to mind.
European countries SHOULD spend a higher percentage of their GNP to help stop an aggressor on their doorstep. We have done our fair share. We have been propping up NATO for years with our defence spending and military deployment in the region. Bernie has become a hawk when he probably bashed Bush for the Iraq war. Dems never found a war they liked until this one. We are ignoring the invasion of illegals on our southern border while spending billions to protect the border of a country half way around the world who we have NO defence agreement with! Insanity.
Ironic how the madman Trump was going to get us into WWIII. All he did was bring world peace and economic prosperity. And a few mean tweets.
What I wouldn't do to be offended by a few mean tweets right now.
American taxpayer is the sugar daddy of the world especially with the Democrats in charge.
With respect to some of the comments here asserting that Ukraine is corrupt, I am well aware of the history of corruption in that country. So is Zelenskyy, who fired his prosecutor general and the director of his intelligence agency. The country has developed an online procurement system called Prozorro, which makes it hard to cheat. It has created two anti-corruption agencies. According to Transparency International, it has become less corrupt qas it has developed as a country. It needs to if it wants to get into EU. Also, Russia is by far more corrupt.
The lion's share of the aid being provided is not monetary but is coming in the form of military supplies. We've seen that has been put to good use.
I have no problem with accountability for the aid provided. My understanding is that already exists.
To those who boast of Trump not getting us into a war during his term, the blame for Putin invading Ukraine can rest at his feet. Putin took advantage of the political chasm Trump created in the U.S., believing Republicans who still back Trump, would prevent any aid. Putin wrongly assessed NATO members would be at odds and not put in place unified sanctions. Putin assumed (correctly at first) his puppet Trump would be his ally and turn public opinion against Ukraine.
Putin saw an opportunity created by Trump and acted on it. I don't doubt Putin got the serious idea of invading Ukraine when Trump tried his quid pro quo by withholding aid to Ukraine if they didn't produce the fabricated dirt he sought, and was never prosecuted for it.
Putin's war chest is expended. Sanctions are having an affect. Most importantly, public opinion in Russia of his failed invasion is creating cracks in Putin's armor. It will only get worse for him as casualties mount, and those who are conscripted continue to flee.
12.55
"they're not like the Republicans, but the term "distinction without a difference" comes to mind."
The difference is that the repub leader will hold Ukrainian funding hostage to what the repubs want.
Tax cuts for billionaires, prayer in school, trump's face gets added to Mt. Rushmore etc.
12.26
" just because its the "right thing to do". Meanwhile, human trafficking, fentanyl smuggling and drug cartels run rampant at our border.
Well let us see if the right wing supports cracking done on gun dealers--see
https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/border-issues/2022/10/12/arizona-gun-dealers-accused-of-trafficking-weapons-sued-by-mexican-government/10477794002/
Will the right consider more bank regulation?
see--https://www.sec.gov/news/press-release/2022-85 and
https://www.businessinsider.com/wells-fargo-banker-money-laundering-drug-cartel-sinaloa-mexico-2019-5
Lastly if you want to deter illegals?
Go after employers who hire illegals and fine them say 1000 a day for every day an illegal worked for that employer.
So these could be done and not affect helping out Ukraine
1.27
"Dems never found a war they liked until this one."
yep--never knew FDR was republican as he crushed Nazis and Japan.
The problem is that Putin will not leave unless he can save face.
If he can exit without admitting defeat he would.
Otherwise he will stay until someone ousts him.
What party is questioning support for Ukraine again? The chair of the progressive caucus just pulled a letter she sent that went over like a lead balloon. last time I checked progressive are democrats...........
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/progressives-go-on-damage-control-after-ukraine-diplomacy-letter/ar-AA13n7Gb
7.03
"What party is questioning support for Ukraine again?"
When did repub McCarthy retract his statement?
If he did not then the repub House leader wants to undermine Ukraine.
He still is the repub leader in the House right?
Therefore you have an answer as to what party is questioning support for Ukraine
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