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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsUkraine to Be Trained by U.S. in Spring
U.S. Army Europe Lt. Ben Hodges indicated on Wednesday that the United States would start training the National Guard of Ukraine this spring. The U.S. will also be providing support via military supplies like armored pickups, vans, and the new prototype of the Kozak that arrived in Kiev on Monday. This equipment will be vital in securing the lengthy border between Ukraine and Russia that currently remains in large part unpatrolled.
This sudden show of support from President Obama will be funded through the congressionally passed Global Security Contingency Fund (GSCF). This fund was proposed prior to the 2015 U.S. fiscal budge and will finance the training requested by the Ukrainian government in the spring. Former assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs, Derek Chollet, has made it clear that henceforth the U.S. is open to aiding Ukraine and the training of their National Guard is only the first step.
The city Lviv, about 40 miles from Poland border, is being considered for the location of the training. The U.S. has estimated the cost of the training at $19 million. The Kozak, like with the pick-ups and vans, is armored, however, the Kozak also has a chassis built by an Italian company named Iveco, which has the unique characteristic of a V-shaped armored hull that is highly resistant to roadside bombs and hidden mines. This vehicle rings in at the tune of $189,000.
According to the U.N Human Rights office 5,000 people have died in this conflict with 262 of those happening over the last nine days. In a somewhat conflicting statement Russian President Vladimir Putin has blamed the Ukraine nations criminal orders for the latest surge of violence. Putin seems to reflect the seemingly detached reality of his people. As revealed by opinion polls, the average Russian has a sense of triumph. They believe that Russia is a super power and that it is the west that is in a state of retreat.
If this mentality is further explored it is seen that Putin and the Krimlin might have felt betrayed by the U.S. and NATO. Apparently, following the Cold War the NATO alliance may have promised not to move east, a promise it did not keep according to Putin. In addition to not holding up to its end of the negotiations, Putin contends that the EU project failed as a whole revealing the European Union (EU) to be much less stable than it boasts.
Read more at http://guardianlv.com/2015/01/ukraine-to-be-trained-by-u-s-in-spring/#t9qlVJIvKFxt0idD.99
nationalize the fed
(2,169 posts)Another day, another war. And no doubt the next target has already been picked. (after billions more have been spent on Ukraine).
It's all the US can do anymore. Once the US went to the moon, now it's all about "regime change" here and there. It's beyond DISGUSTING. Can't wait to emigrate- these policies aren't going to change anytime soon.
US soldiers train with Ukrainian troops during Exercise Rapid
Trident in 2011. (Photo: Staff Sgt. Brendan Stephens/US Army)
Every HOUR US Taxpayers are paying $10.54 MILLION DOLLARS for the Total Cost of wars SO FAR since 2001
https://www.nationalpriorities.org/cost-of/
>$2000 PER SECOND is not enough.
"War in the East, War in the West. War up North and War down south. Everywhere is War and Rumours of War." -Bob Marley, the Prophet of modern times
amandabeech
(9,893 posts)The Russians and their friends from Donetsk are attacking Mariupol now on their way to the Crimean land bridge. If we wait until Spring to help them, the Ukrainians may have left about half what their country originally was.
I know a psychiatrist who is of Ukrainian descent. When I asked him about Putin, this normally calm individual when into a real tirade about how Putin is the worst narcissist that he had ever seen.