Ukraine will be outgunned by Russia 10 to 1 in weeks without US help, top Europe general says
By: TARA COPP (AP News)
The eight-star military brasswipes have confirmed that NATO cannot defend Europe. These brasswipes are telling us that the largest, most powerful military organization on the planet cannot even deploy troops without a $60 billion supplemental spending authorization. What has Biden gotten us into?
These brasswipes are telling us that only the American taxpayer can defend Europe and the free world. The Ooorah knuckle-draggers will tell us we're all pussies who wouldn't last long in a firefight. Only trained killers count as patriots. But these big, bad mud slugs can't do anything without stealing money out of the pussies' wallets. Taxpayers even have to pay for the freakin' parade to thank these brasswipe veterans for wasting our money defending Europe. Can you believe this shit?
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
WASHINGTON (AP) — The top general for U.S. forces in Europe told Congress Wednesday that Ukraine will be outgunned 10 to one by Russia within a matter of weeks if Congress does not find a way to approve sending more ammunition and weapons to Kyiv soon.
The testimony from Army Gen. Christopher Cavoli, head of U.S. European Command, and Celeste Wallander, assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs, comes as Congress enters pivotal weeks for voting for aid for Ukraine, but there's no guarantee funding will be improved in time.
Ukraine has been rationing its munitions as Congress has delayed passing its $60 billion supplemental bill.
"They are now being outshot by the Russian side five to one. So the Russians fire five times as many artillery shells at the Ukrainians than the Ukrainians are able to fire back. That will immediately go to 10 to one in a matter of weeks," Cavoli said. "We're not talking about months. We're not talking hypothetically."
Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson has been trying to find a way forward for the bill that would fund new rounds of munitions production at U.S. firms to enable the Pentagon to then rush more munitions to Ukraine. Johnson is trying to bring it to the floor for a House vote, but he is facing concerns from members who cite domestic needs, including border security.
The speaker is also facing a threat to his leadership role from his far-right flank by Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene who has called for his ouster over the issue.
While the political battles on Capitol Hill continue, the dire battlefield situation in Ukraine worsens.
Cavoli told the lawmakers that in this conflict, the U.S. flow of 155mm artillery shells has been a lifeline. "The biggest killer on the battlefield is artillery. In most conflicts, but in this one definitely. And should Ukraine run out, they would run out because we stopped supplying — because we supply the lion's share of that," Cavoli said.
Russia's own production of missiles has ramped up and can launch large-scale attacks every few days. If Ukraine's air defense stocks run out, "those attacks would absolutely cripple the economy, and the civil society as well as the military of Ukraine if they were not defended against without a U.S. provision of interceptors," Cavoli said.
"Their ability to defend their terrain that they currently hold and their airspace would fade rapidly, will fade rapidly without the supplemental," Cavoli said.
U.S. Army leaders offered similar dire warnings to the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee later in the day, saying that the lack of the supplemental is a critical problem for both Ukraine and the U.S. Army.
"The side that can't shoot back, loses, and at this point Ukraine is really starting to be pressed to be able to shoot back. So I am very concerned," said Army Secretary Christine Wormuth. "We saw Ukraine lose some territory a couple of months ago. And I think there is a real danger ...that the Russians could have a breakthrough somewhere in the line."
Gen. Randy George, chief of staff of the Army added that the funding is needed to help send Ukraine long-range weapons and air defense systems so they can defend their critical infrastructure and their troops on the front lines.
At the same time, Wormuth and Gen. Randy George, chief of staff of the Army, said that unless Congress approves the supplemental soon, the Army won't have enough money to bring home the troops currently serving in Europe, or funding to train units in the U.S.
"We don't have the transportation money to have them redeploy," said Wormuth, referring to Army units that are deployed across Europe. "We don't have the transportation money to send units to backfill them."
She and George said they also need the money to continue sending units to the national training centers. to avoid outright cancellation of the training rotations, Wormuth said they can try to reduce participation or shrink their size.
"But those are the kinds of hard choices we're looking at. If we don't see the supplementals come across," she said.
If Kyiv falls, it could imperil Ukraine's Baltic NATO member neighbors and potentially drag U.S. troops into a prolonged European war.
At a Capitol Hill press conference on Wednesday, Johnson said: "House members are continuing to actively discuss our options on a path forward."
"It's a very complicated matter at a very complicated time. The clock is ticking on it, and everyone here feels the urgency of that, but what's required is that you reach consensus on it, and that's what we're working on," Johnson said.
Michigan Democrat Rep. Elissa Slotkin urged a vote.
"Speaker Johnson has a choice to make. I accept that it's a complicated choice. I accept that he's at risk of losing his job over that choice," Slotkin said.
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AP broadcast writer Sagar Meghani contributed from Washington, D.C.
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No one has thanked me for my taxes. Ever. There's never been any parades for American taxpayers. And these taxpayers are told they don't amount to a pile of shit because they don't carry a BIG gun.
Well, General Brasswipe, you can't do one damned thing without my dollar. You've whined about it yourself. When's the last time the US military used my dollar to win a war? And you expect me to kiss your backside? Biden has blown an entire lifetime of paying taxes. We're right back where we were when I was born. Can you believe this shit?
Oh-- the horror!
That's really hard to believe-- but I, for one, do not question your integrity!
In fact, I hereby would like to go on record as thanking you for your tax payment-- in fact I would like to state that that makes you a truly exceptional human being!
Well, if you don't like it, you can eat this press.
I am certainly not as exceptional as the sarcastic brasswipes that spend boatloads of public money losing wars. But, hey, they do carry the ball across the goal line. Ain't we all better for it?
NATO is the USA.
Without the USA, NATO is weak.
Otherwise this Ukraine problem would not be an issue.
Had the rest of NATO been carrying their agreed upon water for the previous decades, they could better help defend their right flank.
We are headed for another world war to save Europe. All world wars are ….. Europe.
Well, you know the olde saying:
If we don't stop them there-- we'll have to stop them when they attack here!
I'm assuming you're old enough-- as well as smart enough-- to remember what got us into WWII . . . (?)
Man, I think I’ve heard that before …… Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq and a partridge in a pear tree …….
I remember Clinton saying the same damn thing about Serbia. They turned very quickly turned into a paper lion; just like Russia has. Only difference is Russia has nuclear weapons.
Europe promised the world to Ukraine (far more collectively than the US) but has been unwilling and unable to fulfill those promises. So according to Democrats and our military we are supposed to bend over and take it again so Russia doesn't over run all of Europe.
Never mind that Russia can't even defeat Ukraine; and even if they could they would never be able to hold it.
If it weren't for their nuclear arsenal NATO would have rolled over Russia long ago.
Please elaborate.
Google is your friend.
Europe fully expects the US to fund Ukraine militarily and financially. Yes, the EU has promised more aid to Ukraine in total- but they sure as hell aren't delivering it. Democrats want the US taxpayer to pay for EU's lack of caring and preparedness. Just like it has in every other NATO conflict.
Thanks for the tip. When I make a claim I'll use to back up my points. I was hoping you had something I hadn't read yet on the specific issue of what Europe made specific "promises" and you don't seem to, so I'll not waste your time. Your quoted links are outdated and most don't even bear on the question. For the record the Germans have sent tanks to Ukraine.
Maybe if Biden didn’t handcuff Ukraine in the name of his re-election and allowed it to defend itself by attacking Russian oil infrastructure. Ukraine would be in better shape.
Also, Whatever happened to Biden’s Sanctions that were supposed to destroy the Russian economy?
Russia went right around them and signed a huge deal becoming a defacto surrogate of China.
.
Sorry, but I have to disagree with giving Ukraine any weapons capable of attacking Russian oil infrastructure or Russia itself. Ukraine is already doing missile and drone strikes into Russia- including their refineries. Once Russians are threatened directly they will behave as they always have (ask Napoleon and Hitler); the kid gloves will come off and they will dig in and fight to last person.
If Ukraine expands the war further into Russia Putin will respond with tactical nukes and possibly chemical weapons. How will the US/NATO respond to that.
For all of Zelenskyy's "Ukraine doesn't want US/NATO direct involvement" he is doing everything in his power to poke the Russian bear into a response that will bring in the US/NATO to the conflict.
The only thing worse than being a Ukrainian now, is to be a congressional staffer in the House.
This is a Ukraine problem.