{"id":1477566,"date":"2022-05-17T08:14:59","date_gmt":"2022-05-17T12:14:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1477566"},"modified":"2022-05-17T08:15:02","modified_gmt":"2022-05-17T12:15:02","slug":"kathleen-j-anderson-surprise-experts-worried-weapons-sent-to-ukraine-might-end-up-in-enemy-hands","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/kathleen-j-anderson-surprise-experts-worried-weapons-sent-to-ukraine-might-end-up-in-enemy-hands\/","title":{"rendered":"Kathleen J. Anderson: Surprise! Experts Worried Weapons Sent to Ukraine Might End up in Enemy Hands"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">32<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fkathleen-j-anderson-surprise-experts-worried-weapons-sent-to-ukraine-might-end-up-in-enemy-hands%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1477566&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div><\/div>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Last Tuesday, a $40 billion security-assistance package for Ukraine was approved with a 368 to 57 vote in the House. It\u2019s likely to pass through the Senate this week and be signed by the President.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">In a political climate with both parties on extreme sides of the spectrum stagnating progress, the desire to arm Ukraine seems the only thing that brings the parties together. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">But should we be more cautious about how much and what we are providing? Unfortunately, the answer is an overwhelming yes.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">I defy anyone to read this <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RandPaul?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@RandPaul<\/a> thread \u2013 a summary of the Senate speech he gave \u2013 and argue he&#8217;s wrong.<\/p>\n<p>Even if you support flooding Ukraine with endless US money and weapons, the amounts are staggering, the risks of escalation severe. Shouldn&#8217;t there at least be oversight? <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/eFQQGAnNVy\">https:\/\/t.co\/eFQQGAnNVy<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ggreenwald\/status\/1525462379076763648?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 14, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h3><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">What\u2019s In The Package<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">When comparing what we have sent to Ukraine versus what we sent to Afghanistan, Iraq, or Israel, the numbers are staggering. This one emergency bill will make them the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/national-security\/2022\/05\/14\/ukraine-weapons-trafficking\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">recipient of more security assistance in 2022<\/a> than we ever sent the countries above.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Included in the funding package are:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">$8.7 billion to replenish U.S. weapons<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">$6 billion to train and equip Ukrainian forces<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">$3.9 billion for U.S. forces deployed in Europe<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The replenishment is undoubtedly urgent because we have given <a href=\"https:\/\/www.csis.org\/analysis\/will-united-states-run-out-javelins-russia-runs-out-tanks\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">close to a third of our supply of Javelin missiles.<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"subscribe\" class=\"email-signup inarticle\">\n<h4>Support Conservative Voices!<\/h4>\n<h5><strong>Sign up to receive the latest<\/strong> political news, insight, and commentary delivered directly to your inbox.<\/h5>\n<\/div>\n<p>Undoubtedly thankful for the infusion of taxpayer cash is weapons manufacturer Lockheed Martin, which <a href=\"https:\/\/finance.yahoo.com\/news\/lockheed-martin-wins-309-million-145656077.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">coincidentally just won<\/a> a huge contract for Javelin missiles.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Leftists were outraged about Elon Musk spending $44 billion to buy Twitter and not using that money for their socialist demands.<\/p>\n<p>But they have no problem spending $40 billion of your tax dollars on more aid for Ukraine with little direction on where that money will actually go.<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Lauren Boebert (@laurenboebert) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/laurenboebert\/status\/1524883505041268750?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 12, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">This puts war planners in an uncomfortable position when it comes to reporting weapons readiness if a war breaks out in another theater\u2026 say like <a href=\"https:\/\/thepoliticalinsider.com\/trump-withdrew-american-soldiers-from-somalia-biden-is-sending-them-back\/?utm_source=home-headline-stories\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Somalia<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/meetthepress\/status\/1525917607236345856?s=21&#038;t=zhFct3wEenJhMsUI67aFPg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">China<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>RELATED: <a href=\"https:\/\/thepoliticalinsider.com\/trump-withdrew-american-soldiers-from-somalia-biden-is-sending-them-back\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Trump Withdrew American Soldiers From Somalia \u2013 Biden Is Sending Them Back<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">A Veritable Shopping Mall for Merchants of Death<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Ukraine has long been known for being a hub for arm-traffickers since the fall of the Soviet Union. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/national-security\/2022\/05\/14\/ukraine-weapons-trafficking\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">According to the Small Arms Survey<\/a>, Ukrainian\u2019s 7.1 million small arms stock in 1992 \u201cwere diverted to conflict areas.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">&#8220;It&#8217;s a slap in the face to struggling Americans.&#8221;<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/z4jaEu4q6E\">https:\/\/t.co\/z4jaEu4q6E<\/a> via <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/TPInsidr?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@TPInsidr<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Rusty \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 (@rustyweiss74) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/rustyweiss74\/status\/1525600070250508288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 14, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">While that might seem far into the distant past, Ukraine has steadily been a sweet spot for these arm-traffickers, also known as Merchants of Death.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Due to its location on the water and port accessibility, ships trafficking weapons to war-torn areas under arms embargoes have been traced back to Ukraine <a href=\"https:\/\/bylinetimes.com\/2022\/03\/14\/sending-weapons-to-ukraine-we-must-not-forget-the-lessons-of-history\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">since the early 2000s<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">In February 2001, Spain intercepted the Anastasia in Las Palmas in the Canary Islands. The ship was carrying 636 tons of assault rifles en route to Angola, which was in the midst of a civil war.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">In December 2007, the Beluga Endurance was captured carrying 10,000 assault rifles, allegedly heading for South Sudan.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Finally, in March 2010, the Romania was stopped heading to the Democratic Republic of the Congo with 10,000 Kalashnikov rifles.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">All three ships were eventually traced back to Ukraine.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"><a href=\"https:\/\/aoav.org.uk\/2022\/33339\/#:~:text=Between%202006%20and%202011%2C%20there,small%20arms%20around%20the%20world.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Between 2006 and 2011<\/a>, it is estimated that $117 million worth of registered firearms were exported from Ukraine. However, the number is likely underestimated given the extreme difficulty tracing and investigating illicit arms trafficking.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>RELATED: <a href=\"https:\/\/thepoliticalinsider.com\/florida-rep-gaetz-raises-dire-warning-on-house-floor-america-is-sleepwalking-into-a-war\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Florida Rep. Gaetz Raises Dire Warning On House Floor: \u2018America Is Sleepwalking Into A War\u2019<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">History Repeating Itself<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The Pentagon is not known for having the best procedures to track weapons sent to other countries. <a href=\"https:\/\/bylinetimes.com\/2022\/03\/14\/sending-weapons-to-ukraine-we-must-not-forget-the-lessons-of-history\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Between 2001 and 2015<\/a>, the Pentagon sent more than 1.45 million firearms to various forces in Afghanistan and Iraq.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">If Ukraine needs weapons, armored vehicles, black hawk helicopters, etc. can\u2019t they just swing by Afghanistan and pick up the stuff Joe left there?<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Live\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 (@22liv22) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/22liv22\/status\/1525326745720631298?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 14, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">These shipments included over 978,000 assault rifles, 266,000 pistols, and 112,000 machine guns.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">It\u2019s been estimated that the Pentagon lost track of 52% of those weapons.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Not to mention the literal tons of advanced weapons and vehicles that were unceremoniously left in Afghanistan for the Taliban to parade around.<\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">There is little reason to believe that we will be able to control, let alone even know, what happens to the weapons provided to Ukraine when this conflict eventually ends.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>For that matter, we might not even know what weapons go in <a href=\"https:\/\/thepoliticalinsider.com\/rand-paul-temporarily-blocks-40-billion-aid-package-to-ukraine-slap-in-the-face-to-struggling-americans\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">in the first place<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">While getting verifiable information out of the region is complex, it is reported that mercenaries aren\u2019t just joining the Ukrainian side, but the Russian side as well.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/national-security\/2022\/05\/14\/ukraine-weapons-trafficking\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The alleged mercenaries are from<\/a> places like Libya, Syria, and Chechnya, including some hired guns from the Wagner Group, a Russian contractor. To say that our weapons getting into the hands of anyone from these groups poses a national security risk is an understatement.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>RELATED: <a href=\"https:\/\/thepoliticalinsider.com\/jesse-watters-squeezes-lindsey-graham-on-fast-moving-ukraine-aid-while-americans-are-left-hanging\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Jesse Watters Squeezes Lindsey Graham On Fast Moving Ukraine Aid While Americans Are Left Hanging<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Uncle Sam Says Don\u2019t Worry<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The State Department claims that they\u2019ve conducted thorough vetting of the forces they are sending weapons to in Ukraine. However, it is hard to find that comforting, given their poor performance with vetting during the Afghanistan withdrawal.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">But wait, there\u2019s more. They also have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.state.gov\/third-party-transfer-process-and-documentation\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">mandated that Ukraine sign agreements<\/a> that they will <\/span>\u201c\u2026not allow the retransfer of equipment to third parties without prior United States government authorization.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">I know I feel better about this already, don\u2019t you? Besides the fact that there are no teeth behind this loose contract, we aren\u2019t even known for following these same agreements.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">We have agreed to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/national-security\/2022\/04\/20\/us-arms-ukraine-mi-17-helicopters\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">transfer a fleet of Mi-17 helicopters to Ukraine<\/a> that we received from\u2026 none other than Russia. We had agreed to a similar arrangement that we are posing in Ukraine.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The vagueness and ambiguity with which the State Department and Department of Defense choose to articulate their efforts should honestly irritate Congress and the American people the most.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/national-security\/2022\/05\/14\/ukraine-weapons-trafficking\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Annie Shiel<\/a>, a senior advisor at the Center for Civilians in Conflict who has been in conversations with both Departments over these shipments, stated:<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u201cIt is unclear what risk mitigation or monitoring steps the U.S., and other countries have taken, or what guarantees they have obtained to ensure the protection of civilians through these very large transfers.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>RELATED: <a href=\"https:\/\/thepoliticalinsider.com\/maga-marjorie-taylor-greene-slams-dan-crenshaw-for-funding-ukraine-while-americans-struggle\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u2018MAGA Marjorie\u2019 Taylor Greene Slams Dan Crenshaw For Funding Ukraine While Americans Struggle<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">A Glimpse Into A Possible Future<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Rachel Stohl, an arms-control expert and Vice President of the Stimson Center, echoed what <a href=\"https:\/\/thepoliticalinsider.com\/has-our-government-learned-its-lesson-from-the-afghan-withdrawal\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">other senior defense officials have been stating<\/a> regarding the weapons assistance since the beginning of the conflict:<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u201cIt\u2019s just impossible to keep track of not only where they\u2019re going and who is using them, but how they are being used.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Those who have served in the last 20 years know how weapons provided to forces can later be used against them. For example, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2022\/04\/19\/politics\/us-weapons-ukraine-intelligence\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Stingers given by the CIA to the Mujahideen<\/a> to beat the Russians later posed a threat to us when we were sent to fight the forever war in Afghanistan.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">It is a certainty that the next generation of Americans will fight a war somewhere with our weapons posing a threat to them that we undoubtedly provided in good faith and out of a sense of goodwill to Ukraine.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">OPINION: Bloated House $40 billion Ukraine aid package puts Americans last <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/ID1hdt7Bm1\">https:\/\/t.co\/ID1hdt7Bm1<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Fox News (@FoxNews) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/FoxNews\/status\/1526194522799087618?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 16, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">We must break the cycle of bad habits and blind trust in our institutions and start asking serious questions. Or our sons and daughters will fight a war somewhere dodging our own artillery.<\/span><\/p>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Now is the time to support and share the sources you trust.<\/strong><br \/>The Political Insider ranks #3 on <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.feedspot.com\/political_blogs\/\">Feedspot\u2019s<\/a> \u201c100 Best Political Blogs and Websites.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Last Tuesday, a $40 billion security-assistance package for Ukraine was approved with a 368 to 57 vote in the House. It\u2019s likely to pass through the Senate this week<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":505,"featured_media":2315279,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1477566","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1477566","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/505"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1477566"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1477566\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2315279"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1477566"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1477566"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1477566"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}