Ukraine Military Aid Finally Moves - Horowitz

Ukraine Military Aid Finally Moves - Horowitz

“Americans will always do the right thing, only after they have tried everything else,” Winston Churchill reportedly said. This apt description sure fits Speaker of the House Mike Johnson’s actions in finally successfully moving a foreign aid package that includes $61 billion dollars for Ukraine out of the House this past weekend. 

The speaker’s months of dithering was costly to the courageous Ukrainians in lives and territory, causing them to have to severely ration their use of ammunition due to the fact they were close to running out.  His decisive move over the past few days, however, in the face of strong opposition from Donald Trump and the House MAGA wing, including threats to bring a motion to depose him, as well demonstrated political courage and will provide the arms and ammunition needed for Ukraine to hold its own once again on the battlefield. According to current US intelligence assessments, any further delay may have resulted in far greater Russian territorial gains and even an eventual Russian take-over of this sovereign nation, rewarding naked aggression and creating a path for Putin to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

The dire national security implications of our abandonment of Ukraine persuaded Speaker Johnson to move at last. “To put it bluntly, I would rather send bullets to Ukraine, than American boys,” said Mike Johnson, whose son is about to enter the Naval Academy. “This is a live-fire exercise for me and for so many American families.”   Leaving Ukraine to fend for itself against the far larger Russian military would not only have emboldened Putin to further pursue his undisguised imperial ambitions by invading other European nations; it would have sent a message of weakness to our foes around the world, and of unreliability to our allies. 

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In the important battle of democracy against a rising authoritarianism, it is essential for the United States to stand up for its values. In Ukraine, we are doing so without American boots on the ground.  The brave Ukrainians have retained control of most of their territory and substantially degraded Russian conventional military strength and materials, forcing them to buy arms from Iran and North Korea.  An important principle is being reinforced; that a nation cannot be allowed to invade another sovereign nation just because it wants to and believes it has the military power to succeed.

On Saturday, military aid to Ukraine passed the House of Representatives easily, 311-112. Despite the opposition of Donald Trump, nearly half of the Republicans, including the chairs of the key national security committees, joined just about all the Democrats in support.  Procedural votes on the legislation are beginning as early as today in the US Senate. Since aid for Ukraine in a slightly different form passed overwhelmingly in February, it is just about certain to pass the upper chamber again. President Biden has indicated he will sign the House version.

Speaker Johnson put the national interest ahead of his own political survival. In doing so he gives fresh meaning to the old adage “better late than never.”