The only silver lining in the U.S. Congress’ orgiastic display last week of sending $40 billion of weapons, unaccounted for, into the historically vibrant Ukrainian black market of weapons, was the surfacing of a tenuous “realist” faction in Congress. Almost two dozen Republican legislators, led by Rep. Yvette Herrell (R-NM), sent a letter to the White House on May 23, questioning the insistence of a “lack of oversight and accountability.” (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hxrNhY8ITLi-wfTX2oWf1UbGxi5UWmgw/view)
Just to keep score, the U.S. has pushed $14 billion out to its proxy, Ukraine, in a 10-week period. Then the administration slapped a call for $33 billion as the appropriate next step. Congress refused the insult and added another $7 billion on top of that, totalling $40 billion as the next move. The Arms Export Control Act of 1976 is the controlling legislation, providing some basic regulations on weapons being exported by the U.S.; in particular, regarding arms transfers which might escalate a conflict. When Sen. Rand Paul—not usually one to stand in defense of government regulations—had the effrontery to point out the stunning lack of the most minimal accountability, he was met with scorn. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s response was to label Paul an “isolationist.” As Glenn Greenwald explained, the $40 billion was voted up with glaringly little discussion, with not a peep from such professional anti-war poseurs as Sen. Bernie Sanders and the House’s “Squad.”
