Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Monday, warning of the nation’s $10 billion defense stockpile deficit thanks to President Joe Biden’s seemingly never-ending proxy war against Russia. rang.
“We are concerned about recent reports that the Biden administration has sent $10 billion worth of weapons to Ukraine, but still has no funds to replace them,” and continues to send even more weapons to Ukraine. I am writing this letter to express my concern that the United States government is sending a message to the United States,” said Senator Vance. Rep. Roger Marshall (R-KS) and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) wrote in a letter to Austin obtained by Breitbart News.
politiko report The Pentagon sent $10 billion worth of weapons to Ukraine, but it doesn’t have the money for it. Department of Defense (DOD) officials are hoping for funding to replenish the equipment in a controversial supplemental package that includes aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.
Lawmakers wrote that even some military commanders are concerned about the Biden administration’s deep cuts in defense stocks to Ukraine.
According to Politico, “There are also concerns that the United States will run out of weapons if officials are unable to replenish the Pentagon’s inventory.”13 This echoes similar concerns previously expressed by other officials. ing. For example, the commander of the US Air Forces in Europe warned, “We are giving the Ukrainians a lot of ammunition, which I think is exactly what we should do, but now we…” It has fallen dangerously, and in some cases, has fallen too much and not enough.” [Emphasis added]
NBC News too I got it. Some officials are also “wary of this idea.” [of drawing down U.S. stockpiles without replenishment funds] This is because U.S. military stockpiles may fall below the level considered necessary for adequate preparedness. ”
Conservative MPs continued:
One must question whether this risk is acceptable, especially if it is actually done “without any guarantee of when”. [weapons will] But it also comes in light of reports that the administration is considering tapping into the “Department of Defense stockpile” of “approximately $200 million in U.S. military funds to provide immediate assistance to Ukraine.” Comments from Secretary of Defense McCord, September 2023: “Failure to replenish services in a timely manner could compromise military readiness.” […] Suggested that the Ministry could still carry out its mission and support Ukraine’s needs if given permission to transfer funds from within the short-term CR from our own needs to fund more security assistance. Some people do. I want to be clear: the Department does not support that approach and it would create an unacceptable risk for us. ” [Emphasis added]
This is not the first time Vance has argued that sending more aid to Ukraine would undermine U.S. defense capabilities.
vance Said At the Munich Security Conference in February, “Western countries are not producing enough munitions to support an indefinite war. Ukraine does not have enough human resources to support an indefinite war.” .”
Like the conflict between Ukraine and Russia, dragged Roughly 70% of Americans want the Biden administration to move Ukraine towards peace talks with Russia as soon as possible, according to the Harris Poll/Quincy Institute survey, now in its third year. 46% of Republicans support an immediate halt to aid to Ukraine, including military equipment.
“We are confident that the White House’s ferocious efforts to seek all forms of assistance to Ukraine will reportedly push the administration to further deplete U.S. weapons inventories and divert funding from important priorities.” , we are concerned that this could jeopardize military readiness and impose additional financial burdens on U.S. taxpayers,” the lawmakers added in their letter to Austin.
Lawmakers ask:
- Why has the Biden administration reversed its position by using presidential funding authority to send more US weapons to Ukraine without replenishing funding?
- Why is the Biden administration using “new-found savings” to send even more aid to Ukraine instead of making up for shortfalls in replenishment?
- “At what point, if not now, does the administration believe that further reductions in the U.S. weapons stockpile for Ukraine will compromise military readiness?”
- “Under the President’s withdrawal authority, what percentage of critical U.S. munitions are being sent to Ukraine, including, among others: (a) 155mm artillery shells; (b) Patriot interceptors; (c) ) GMLRS; (d) ATACMS; (e) Javelin missile?”
- “How long will it take to fully replenish the U.S. weapons stockpile withdrawn in support of Ukraine with the following sums and quantities: (a) 155mm artillery shells. (b) Patriot interceptors. ( c) GMLRS; (d) ATACMS; (e) Javelin missile?”
Vance’s letter to Austin by Breitbart News On Scribd
Sean Moran is a policy reporter at Breitbart News. Follow him on Twitter @SeanMoran3.
