THE UNITED STATES IS COMMITTED TO HELPING BOTH ISRAEL AND UKRAINE IN THEIR RESPECTIVE WARS. IF THAT SUPPORT IS GOING TO BE LONG-TERM THOUGH, THE U.S DEFENSIVE INDUSTRIAL BASE NEEDS TO INCREASE PRODUCTION ACROSS THE BOARD, AND CONGRESS NEEDS TO FIND SOME COMMON GROUND.
SINCE THE START OF RUSSIA’S INVASION OF UKRAINE, PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN SAID THE US WAS COMMITTED TO HELPING UKRAINE FOR AS LONG AS IT TAKES. MORE THAN $40 BILLION IN WEAPONS AND AID IS ALREADY COMMITTED.
AFTER HAMAS TERRORISTS INVADED ISRAEL, KILLING MORE THAN 1200 PEOPLE–MEN, WOMEN, AND CHILDREN-THE UNITED STATES SAID IT STANDS FIRMLY WITH THE JEWISH STATE AND FULLY SUPPORTED ITS RIGHT TO DEFEND ITSELF.
SO FAR, THAT SUPPORT INCLUDES MOVING A CARRIER STRIKE GROUP INTO THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN, AUGMENTING THE AIR FORCE’S JET FIGHTER SQUADRONS IN THE REGION, MOVING A MARINE CORPS ARG/MEU TO THE REGION, AND TRANSFERRING WEAPONRY TO ISRAEL. SOME OF THE WEAPONRY INCLUDED AMMUNITION FOR THE IRON DOME SYSTEM WHICH THE US WAS ALREADY STORING IN THE MIDDLE EAST.
HAMAS TERRORISTS ALREADY FIRED THOUSANDS OF ROCKETS INTO ISRAEL AT THE START OF ITS ATTACK. THE BARRAGE OF ROCKETS CONTINUES. HAMAS RELEASED VIDEO SHOWING HOW THEY’VE MANAGED TO MAKE SO MANY PROJECTILES. IT’S BY DIGGING UP GAZA’S IRRIGATION INFRASTRUCTURE. THIS VIDEO BEGS THE QUESTION: EVEN IF ISRAEL RESTORED WATER TO THE PALESTINIAN TERRITORY, HOW WOULD IT BE DISTRIBUTED WITH NO INFRASTRUCTURE?
TO ROOT OUT HAMAS TERRORISTS ONCE AND FOR ALL, ISRAEL WILL LAUNCH A GROUND INVASION INTO GAZA. ISRAEL’S DEFENSIVE INDUSTRIAL BASE IS CERTAINLY CAPABLE; HOWEVER, A PROLONGED GROUND WAR WILL DRAIN ANY NATION’S RESOURCES. IF THE GROUND WAR IN GAZA IS A MONTHS-LONG CONFLICT, ISRAEL WILL NEED US SUPPORT TO SUSTAIN OPERATIONS.
UKRAINE CURRENTLY NEEDS ARTILLERY AMMUNITION MORE THAN ISRAEL, BUT THAT COULD CHANGE. ISRAEL NEEDS MORE PRECISION GUIDED MUNITIONS. BOTH COUNTRIES NEED MORE AIR DEFENSE SYSTEMS AND SMALL ARMS ROUNDS.
THE PENTAGON IS LOBBYING PRIVATE CONTRACTORS TO RAMP UP PRODUCTION AND SPEED UP DELIVERIES, BUT AID TO ISRAEL AND UKRAINE DEPENDS ON MORE THAN JUST PRIVATE INDUSTRY. DYSFUNCTION IN CONGRESS, AND SPECIFICALLY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, COULD DELAY THE DELIVERY OF FUTURE AID TO BOTH ISRAEL AND UKRAINE.
John Kirby: “I think in the immediate term, right now, we can continue to support with the authorities and the appropriations we have, Israel and Ukraine. But, you know, we’re certainly running out of runway.”
THE PENTAGON HAS A LITTLE OVER $5 BILLION LEFT IN AN ACCOUNT FOR UKRAINE AID. THE MOST RECENT AID PACKAGE ANNOUNCED FOR UKRAINE TOTALS ABOUT $200 MILLION AND INCLUDES ARTILLERY ROUND, MISSILES, AND SMALL ARMS MUNITIONS. BASED ON CURRENT SPENDING, THE $5 BILLION SHOULD BE ENOUGH TO LAST FOR ABOUT SIX MONTHS. THE WHITE HOUSE SAYS IT’S ONLY ENOUGH FOR TWO MONTHS.
A BIPARTISAN EFFORT IN THE SENATE SEEKS TO ROLL AID FOR ISRAEL, UKRAINE AND TAIWAN INTO ONE LARGE BILL. BUT AGAIN, THE HOUSE WRITES THE CHECKS FOR THE US GOVERNMENT, AND WOULD NEED TO SIGN OFF ON THE PLAN.