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submitted 9 months ago by MicroWave@lemmy.world to c/news@lemmy.world

As the Republican Party’s blockade of aid to Ukraine drags into its fourth month, the U.S. government under Pres. Joe Biden has found a clever new way to give Ukraine’s forces the weapons and ammunition they need to defend their country.

It is, in essence, an American version of Germany’s circular weapons trade—the so-called Ringtausch. The United States is gifting older surplus weapons to Greece with the understanding that Greece donates to Ukraine some of its own surplus weapons.

Greek media broke the news last week. According to the newspaper Kathimerini and other media, the Biden administration offered the Greek government three 87-foot Protector-class patrol boats, two Lockheed Martin C-130H airlifters, 10 Allison T56 turboprop engines for Lockheed P-3 patrol planes plus 60 M-2 Bradley fighting vehicles and a consignment of transport trucks.

All this hardware is U.S. military surplus—and is available to Greece, free of charge, under a U.S. legal authority called “excess defense articles.” Federal law allows an American president to declare military systems surplus to need, assign them a value—potentially zero dollars—and give them away on the condition that the recipient transport them.

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[-] eran_morad@lemmy.world 274 points 9 months ago

Fuck the republican traitor filth.

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[-] Ekybio@lemmy.world 185 points 9 months ago

Biden: Does something good again

Repblicans, unable to stop him: "Sorry Putin, we failed you. This time."

[-] agent_flounder@lemmy.world 30 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

I hope Putin does the, "don't fail me again... Republicans (mechanical breathing noises)" thing, and then they fail him again.

[-] b3an@lemmy.world 21 points 9 months ago

Putin: Also, you are to wear these clown shoes and refer to yourself as "Mary".

Putin: I have altered the deal. Pray I don't alter it any further.

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[-] TigrisMorte@kbin.social 121 points 9 months ago

At least he used an ally instead of an enemy as Reagan did.

[-] SeaJ@lemm.ee 42 points 9 months ago

Technically Reagan did use an ally first: Israel. The Iranians were a little pissed when they saw the Israeli customs stamps on their weapons.

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[-] FlowVoid@lemmy.world 113 points 9 months ago

Great news!

Apropos nothing:

The Republicans are falling in line with disgraced ex-president Donald Trump’s personal hatred of Ukraine—and equally personal fondness for authoritarian Russia. The Republicans’ allegiance to Trump—and therefore to dictators and military aggressors—wasn’t an issue for Ukraine until they narrowly gained control of the U.S. House of Representatives in the November 2022 elections. When earlier funding for Ukraine ran out in late December, Rep. Mike Johnson—the extremist House speaker—refused to put additional aid to a vote.

The direct language is a pleasant surprise, and honestly more than I expected from FORBES. Have they always been this willing to call out Trump and his enablers?

[-] GhostMatter@lemmy.ca 30 points 9 months ago

I'm surprised too. This is Forbes staff too, not a random contributor.

[-] ThePowerOfGeek@lemmy.world 96 points 9 months ago

Remember when Republicans used to yell "better dead than red!" to show their hostility to the USSR and communism?

Now too many of them are preoccupied with twerking for the authoritarian roach that emerged from the USSR's corpse (and which still has a lot in common with it).

Also, the Republican party is now the red party, which is pretty funny.

[-] SuddenDownpour@sh.itjust.works 31 points 9 months ago

Nothing surprising for everyone who already knew that what they disliked about the USSR wasn't really the totalitarianism, just the lower wealth unequality.

[-] oatscoop@midwest.social 15 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

More so that sort loved the USSR: it provided the ultimate boogyman they could use to justify just about anything.

Accuse your political foes of being commies, and "investigate" them. Advance Christian nationalism by pointing at the "godless Soviets". Need to get your political donors want some sweet defense contracts? -- well we need weapons to fight the reds.

The USSR did the same thing with the "decadent west".

[-] mochisuki@lemmy.world 30 points 9 months ago

And just as it was back then, the red menace was ALWAYS about distracting the masses away from voting against corporate interests

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[-] rusticus@lemm.ee 92 points 9 months ago

Umberto Ecco's rule #8 of fascism: "The enemy is both strong and weak."

Hey Republicans, which is it this time? Is Biden a demented old fool or a dictator? lol.

Dark Brandon strikes again.

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[-] tired_n_bored@lemmy.world 73 points 9 months ago

Good news. Fuck Republicans. Slava Ukraini.

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[-] Spitzspot@lemmings.world 54 points 9 months ago

Slava Ukraini!

[-] alvvayson@lemmy.world 40 points 9 months ago

The Democrats outsmart Republicans yet again.

Next up: border secured just in time to win the November elections.

[-] TheJims@lemmy.world 37 points 9 months ago

Define securing the border, because that goal post is mounted to a bullet train by republicans as long as trump isn’t president.

[-] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 21 points 9 months ago

You think Biden closing the border as soon as he's able is a good thing?

Like, you understand that wouldn't just be a one time thing right? Future presidents could do it to, and Republicans actually do out things in motion in their first days.

I mean, Biden went from saying the border wasn't an issue to saying we need that literally over night.

That doesn't concern you?

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[-] Fades@lemmy.world 33 points 9 months ago

Hell fucking yeah!

[-] ILikeBoobies@lemmy.ca 23 points 9 months ago
[-] doctorcrimson@lemmy.world 27 points 9 months ago

Turkey's been on our Shit List ever since they started flying Russian Jets, fuck em.

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this post was submitted on 31 Jan 2024
948 points (96.8% liked)

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