Today, the real, lawfully elected President of the United States, pledged support for Ukraine – and fellow members of NATO – by promising 31 Abrams tanks are on their way to defeat Putin’s Terrorist Army.. It is THIS MILITARY UNITY that the Dictator-Terrorist hates. I was born in 1946, and was fourteen when President Kennedy sent our Navy to stop Russia from putting more nuclear missiles in Cuba. That Germany also pledged their Leopard tanks for use by the Ukrainians – freeing up more Leopards in other Nations – is a show of force by Unified Democracies – not seen since World War 2.!
Meanwhile, back in our Republicans controlled Congress, Red State Chief of Election Deniers, McCarthy, sent a message of Total Loyalty to the old team of Putin and Trump – by dismissing Representative Adam Schiff, Eric Swawel, from the Intelligence Committee. This caused Putin to stomp his feet – with joy! Hope springs eternal for Mad Men who work hard to eliminate Democracy at home – and in the world! As I type, Foreign Intelligence is going over the words of our President, and our Speaker of the House, to DETERMINE if they can count on us. Is THE END of Putin’s aggression – near? Or, has McCarthy prolonged this evil war on unarmed citizens?
I have been supportive of Adam Schiff who has let me post on his Facebook without censorship. I will be painting a portrait of Putin’s seething hatred of this Congressman from my home State of California. I have employed my book ‘The Royal Janitor’ as a legitimate Propaganda Tool. I will show how McCarthy, and other Election Deniers, are employing propaganda in order to do away with our Democracy. Congressman Victoria Spartz cited ‘Due Process’ .
https://news.yahoo.com/gop-rep-victoria-spartz-blasts-203318239.html
The Accused are being accused of being modern day Joseph McCarthy, who saw disloyal Communist lurking everywhere. This was proven not to be the case. NOT SO WITH TRUMP, who told his followers the Democrats’ are going to rig the coming elections. Imagine if Richard Nixon – and President Eisenhower – said this about the Democrats, who put John F. Kennedy in the White House/ Then there is Trump’s demand Georgia produce more votes. THEN – PUTIN INVADED UKRAINE! Do Republican election Deniers – care? What if Speaker of the House, Sam Rayburn, announced he believes Khrushchev is a nice guy – and ally?
We and the Free world imposed sanctions on Putin and Russia. Has the Election Denier Speaker of the Republican House – forgotten? When you take away the fluff, huff&puff of McCarthy you get a treasoness delcaration!
“I see no fault with the alliance between Putin and Trump – and never have!”
Never forget – Killer Putin WANTED IT TO BE TRUE – the Democrats stole the election! Russia’s Generals wanted Republican Election Deniers to prove Democrats are thieves and liars. How does the German Rose of California see it?
John Presco
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_Select_Committee_on_Intelligence
“In order to maintain a standard worthy of this committee’s responsibilities, I am hereby rejecting the appointments of Representative Adam Schiff and Representative Eric Swalwell to serve on the Intelligence Committee,” he wrote in a letter to Jeffries on Tuesday.
The move was no surprise.
Republicans have been up in arms over the issue since 2021, when Democrats staged votes to remove GOP Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.) and Paul Gosar (Ariz.) from their committees following revelations that they had promoted violence against some of their Democratic colleagues. The eviction votes came after McCarthy declined to punish either lawmaker internally within the GOP conference, which is typically where such disciplinary actions are meted out.
https://history.house.gov/Historical-Highlights/1851-1900/Speaker-of-the-House-Sam-Rayburn-of-Texas/
The trio of House Democrats — Reps. Adam Schiff, Eric Swalwell and Ilhan Omar — booted from a pair of high-profile committees by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy have decried the Republican leader’s actions as “political vengeance.”
“It’s disappointing but not surprising that Kevin McCarthy has capitulated to the right wing of his caucus, undermining the integrity of the Congress, and harming our national security in the process,” Schiff, Swalwell and Omar said in a joint statement.
“He struck a corrupt bargain in his desperate, and nearly failed, attempt to win the Speakership, a bargain that required political vengeance against the three of us,” the three said, referring to the tense negotiations that led to McCarthy being elected speaker on the 15th ballot earlier this month.
McCarthy (R-Calif.) formally announced late Tuesday that Schiff and Swalwell, both of California, would not be on the House Intelligence Committee, rejecting Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries’ plea over the weekend to reappoint them to the prominent panel.
STUART VARNEY: For years, Congressman Adam Schiff pushed the Russia hoax. He was everywhere on network television, promoting the infamous Steele dossier. Schiff knew it was a pack of lies, but still presented it as fact. And he was on the House Intelligence Committee!
For years Congressman Eric Swalwell hung out with Fang Fang, a Chinese spy. She helped him raise money for his election and placed an intern in his office. Even after this was all revealed, he was still placed on the House Intelligence Committee.
And then there is Rep. Ilhan Omar. She is vigorously anti-Israel. Her venom borders on anti-Semitism. She told CNN she had no regrets comparing America and Israel to terrorist groups like the Taliban! She was on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
“We remain united and determined as ever in our conviction and our cause. These tanks are further evidence of our enduring unflagging commitment to Ukraine and our confidence in the skill of the Ukrainian forces. As I told President Zelenskyy when he was here — today is his birthday, by the way, in December, we’re with you for as long as it takes, Mr. President.”
Biden approves sending 31 Abrams tanks to Ukraine
President Joe Biden approves sending 31 Abrams tanks to UkraineUnmute
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In a major increase of U.S. support to Ukraine, President Joe Biden has signed off on sending 31 M1 Abrams tanks to the war-torn country as concerns mount over a new Russian offensive this spring.
“Secretary Austin has recommended this step because it will enhance the Ukraine’s capacity to defend its territory and achieve its strategic objectives,” Biden said during remarks in the White House’s Roosevelt Room flanked by the Defense Secretary and Sec. of State Antony Blinken, as Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has put out a direct appeal for more tanks with a harsh winter and the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion approaching.
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“We remain united and determined as ever in our conviction and our cause. These tanks are further evidence of our enduring unflagging commitment to Ukraine and our confidence in the skill of the Ukrainian forces. As I told President Zelenskyy when he was here — today is his birthday, by the way, in December, we’re with you for as long as it takes, Mr. President.”
Thirty-one tanks is a specific number, a U.S. official told reporters in a conference call earlier Wednesday, as it constitutes one Ukrainian tank battalion. “So we are specifically meeting that requirement.”
The U.S. announcement about its tank commitment comes the same day Germany has also pledged to send Ukraine 14 of its own Leopard 2 tanks.MORE: US considering sending dozens of Abrams tanks to Ukraine, officials say
Political gymnastics have muddled Ukraine’s plea for more tanks as Russia prepares for a spring offensive, with Germany reportedly hesitant to send Leopard 2s until the U.S. promised to send Abrams tanks — vehicles which Pentagon officials have publicly said weren’t suited for the fight.
On Wednesday, Biden said that the U.S. is also pledging to train Ukrainians so they are prepared to integrate the Abram tanks into their defenses.
“The Abrams tanks are the most capable tanks in the world. They’re also extremely complex to operate and maintain, so we’re also giving Ukraine the parts and equipment necessary to effectively sustain these tanks on the battlefield. And we’ll begin, we’ll begin to train the Ukrainian troops on these issues of sustainment, logistics and maintenance as soon as possible.”
Biden administration officials had confirmed to ABC News on Tuesday that they were considering sending the Abrams tanks to Ukraine under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative. That means the U.S. will arrange for the contracting of the tanks with their manufacturer, which could mean the vehicles will not be able to be fielded for quite some time — possibly more than a year. On Wednesday, Biden confirmed the extended timeline, which his officials said could take “months, as opposed to weeks.
“Delivering these tanks to the field is going to take time,” Biden said.
President Joe Biden and President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy speak in the Oval Office of the White House, Dec. 21, 2022.© Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post via Getty Images
Early Wednesday, Germany confirmed it will supply Ukraine with Leopard 2 tanks and approve requests by dozens of other countries to do the same. The U.K. has also committed 12 of its own Challenger 2 battle tanks, and Poland has asked Germany for permission to send the Leopards it has in stock. The president said he spoke this morning with President Macron of France, Chancellor Scholz of Germany, Prime Minister Meloni of Italy, and UK Prime Minister Sunak to discuss the war.
“I’m grateful to Chancellor Scholz for providing German Leopard 2 tanks and will lead an effort to organize the European contribution of two tank battalions for Ukraine,” Biden said on Wednesday. “Germany has really stepped up. The chancellor has been a strong, strong voice for unity, a close friend and for the level of effort we’re gonna continue.”
Asked about the timing of this decision and whether Germany “forced you to change your mind” about sending tanks, which the Pentagon was initially against, Biden defended the move as a coordinated decision.
“Germany didn’t force me to change your mind. We wanted to make sure we were all together. That’s what we were going to do all along and that’s what we’re doing right now.”
Still, this falls far short of the 300 battle tanks that Zelenskyy has said he needs for the war.
U.S. officials argued that this new shipment of tanks highlights the unity among all allies working to support Ukraine, minimizing the disagreement between the U.S. and Germany on the usefulness of the Abrams vehicles.MORE: $2.5 billion more U.S. military aid headed to Ukraine, but no tanks
Zelenskyy reacted to the tank commitments in a new SkyNews interview.
“I would like to say thank you to Germany, to Britain and to the United States that they made this decision,” he said.
Russia reacts: ‘Burn up … like any other’
The Kremlin has downplayed the new supply of tanks, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying in his daily briefing on Wednesday that “to supply U.S.-made Abrams tanks to Ukraine won’t work, as its initiators overestimate the potential of Ukrainian servicemen.”
“I am sure that many specialists overestimate the absurdity of this idea. Simply because it’s a rather bad plan in its technological aspects and, most importantly, there is an obvious overestimation of the potential it could add to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. This is yet another profound misconception,” he added.
“We have repeatedly said that these tanks will burn up just like any other,” Peskov said.
Biden reiterated on Wednesday the United States’ commitment to countering Russian aggression on Ukrainian land.
“Today’s announcement builds on the hard work and commitment from countries around the world led by the United States of America to help Ukraine defend its sovereignty and its territorial integrity. That’s what this is about. Helping Ukraine to defend and protect Ukrainian land. It is not an offensive threat to Russia,” Biden said.
More international commitments coming, official says
Biden planned to call German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron and U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak together later this morning, an official said on Wednesday.
“We do expect other nations to announce contributions of additional armored capability, including some that will be readily available for use on the battlefield in the coming weeks,” an official said.
Ukraine wants American and German advanced tanks quickly, as they’re more advanced than Russia’s own.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky addresses the US Congress at the US Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 21, 2022.© Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images, FILE
“Hundreds of thanks are not hundreds of tanks,” Zelenskyy said last week. “All of us can use thousands of words in discussions, but I cannot put words instead of the guns that are needed against Russian artillery or instead of the anti-aircraft missiles that are needed to protect people from Russian air strikes.”
The Biden administration last week had announced another huge military aid package for Ukraine — including close to 150 more armored vehicles — but not the Ukraine-requested tanks.
ABC News’ Libby Cathey, Shannon K. Crawford, Luis Martinez, Matt Seyler and Joseph Simonetti contributed to this report.
Rosamond Press 