Ukraine Freedom Support Act Deadline Ends, Military Aid Authority Given To John Kerry By Obama
After signing the Ukraine Freedom Support Act into law on December 18, 2014, President Obama was given two months to enact the actions required by the bill, which would give Ukraine military aid worth $350 million. Instead of announcing a decision, Obama has officially delegated responsibility to Secretary of State John Kerry and the U.S. State Department, which has yet to declare their intentions.
In a related report by the Inquisitr, experts are already predicting the recent battle in Debaltseve, Ukraine, may be the flashpoint for “total war,” a prospect that may drag the United States and Russia into a larger conflict. A Russian newspaper recently announced they have obtained a top secret Kremlin document, prepared sometime between February 4 and February 15 of last year, in which the Kremlin outlined its plans for the Ukraine invasion.
The Ukraine Freedom Support Act specifically outlined a list of military aid to be provided, including “anti-tank and anti-armor weapons, crew weapons and ammunition, counter-artillery radars to identify and target artillery batteries, fire control, range finder, and optical and guidance and control equipment, tactical troop-operated surveillance drones, and secure command and communications equipment.” President Obama was given 43 days to produce documents specifying plans to give Ukraine military aid, meaning that the Obama administration had until February 16, 2015, to comply with the law.
Instead of giving a final decision, the White House issued a press release which gave John Kerry the authority to produce the periodic reports required by the Ukraine Freedom Support Act.
“I hereby delegate to the Secretary of State the authority to prepare and submit to the Congress the reports and strategies required by the Ukraine Freedom Support Act.”
The prospect of giving Ukraine lethal aid has some politicians in Spain and Great Britain opposed to the idea, since they believe it could trigger a “proxy war” between the U.S. and Russia. But U.S. Senator John McCain says he is “ashamed” of America for not fully enacting the Ukraine Freedom Support Act.
“The Ukrainians aren’t asking for American boots on the ground. That’s not the question here. They are asking for weapons to defend themselves,” McCain said, according to the Washington Times. “They are being slaughtered and their military is being shattered. This is a shameful chapter. I’m ashamed of my country. I’m ashamed of my president. And I’m ashamed of myself that I haven’t done more to help these people. It is really, really heartbreaking.”
Vladimir Putin had promised retaliatory measures by Russia if the full prevision of the Ukraine Freedom Support Act were enacted as required by the U.S. Congress.
