Biden administration is sending $1 billion more in weapons, ammo to Israel, congressional aides say

distantsounds@lemmy.world to News@lemmy.world – 126 points – Biden administration is sending $1 billion more in weapons, ammo to Israel, congressional aides say
apnews.com

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/15415020

Biden administration is sending $1 billion more in weapons, ammo to Israel, congressional aides say

The Biden administration has told key lawmakers it is sending a new package of more than $1 billion in arms and ammunition to Israel, three congressional aides said Tuesday.

It’s the first arms shipment to Israel to be announced by the administration since it put another arms transfer — consisting of 3,500 bombs — on hold this month. The administration has said it paused that earlier transfer to keep Israel from using the bombs in its growing offensive in the crowded southern Gaza city of Rafah.

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No, really, REALLY, don't go into Rafah. btw, here's $1b in arms, but seriously don't do that.

I had a sickening feeling Trump would win the next election. It seems more likely with news stories like this.

Trump would be 1 million times worse for Palestine. As well as withdrawing support for Ukraine and allowing a full scale land war to spread across Europe.

IF YOU DON’T LIKE WHAT BIDEN IS DOING, IT DOESN’T MEAN VOTE FOR TRUMP

It can get much much worse, let’s not find out

I'm pretty sure everyone agrees that Trump is worse. But with headlines such as these a lot of people will unfortunately vote for Trump over Biden.

People say that Trump would be worse: he'd probably send American troops to aid Israel.

To which I ask: what difference does it make if it's American weapons killing Palestinians vs American soldiers killing them?

Troops on the ground also means troop deaths on the ground. That’s one big difference.

I mean the rest of the world doesnt really care if its american or israeli soldiers dying but the political impact would be different for sure.

Dragging American troops into another war in the middle east is probably one of the few things Trump's base wouldn't accept from him

Serious question, is the president allowed to do this kind of thing unilaterally? I feel like this is an "act of Congress" kind of thing that the president likely has little control over aside from causing delays - like he's already done. Is it really fair to lay this shit as Biden's feet?

Congress has to approve any spending, but they very often give the executive branch some level of discretion to deal with issues that come up in real time. Almost the entire reason for the executive to exist is that some things can't wait for a committee.

He's already went around congress to give out tax dollars to Israel...

Everyone kept telling me it wasn't a big deal because Congress would have approved it anyways.

To me tho, that always made it worse.

Not exactly. In the cases you're referring to Biden wasn't bypassing congress to give tax dollars to Israel (presidents can't just allocate money willy nilly, congress does that). He bypassed them to approve a sale of weapons to Isreal (Israel spending their money to buy American arms). Usually arms sales also get submitted to congress so they can review them beforehand but currently the president can bypass that. And yeah it's doubtful congress would have stopped it, they would have needed to pass a law restricting the sale to do so.

What the current article is describing is US tax dollars going to Israel, since congress has now allocated funding to buy Israel weapons. It also mentions some republican lawmakers are still so enraged the large bombs are being held back, that they're attempting to create laws to prevent him from withholding any further weapons in the future. Unlikely to pass with democratic control of the senate though, and Biden has said he would veto it if it did.

I hate this fucker so much.

Is it really this, or fucking trump in November? These are our options? The universe is fucking cruel.

Why can't both biden and trump just die of old age already.

The new package disclosed Tuesday includes about $700 million for tank ammunition, $500 million in tactical vehicles and $60 million in mortar rounds, the congressional aides said. They spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an arms transfer that has not yet been made public.

I was hoping it would be interceptor missiles but it is all offensive weapons. This is extremely disappointing.

Don't go getting into the cookie jar now... here's an unrelated stepstool. Have fun while I look away for a while.