(TheConservativeNews.org) – The Pentagon “discovered” a $3 billion accounting “error” that will conveniently allow President Biden to send more weapons to Ukraine without, the need to ask Congress. It is a particularly opportune “mistake” considering the ongoing debt ceiling battle.
Reuters reported on the alleged blunder late last week citing two sources – a Senate aide and a defense official – and confirmed by two other senior defense officials.
“We’ve discovered inconsistencies in how we value the equipment that we’ve given” to Ukraine one of the sources told the outlet.
“Changing the valuation of the equipment could delay the Biden administration’s need to ask Congress to authorize more funds for Ukraine as the debt ceiling fight intensifies,” Reuters writes.
The New York Times notes the convenience of such an error, revealing that the White House has been “resisting making an appeal for more funds” for Ukraine, stating it would be “awkward” to approach Congress while negotiating a deal on the debt ceiling.
The Associated Press describes it as “a boon for the war effort.”
There were some raised eyebrows over just how beautifully beneficial the Pentagon’s $3 billion error is for the Ukraine war effort, even among the America Last crowd that supports endless money to Ukraine.
Senator Roger Wicker, the top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, described it as an “attempt at deception” and said such mistakes undermine the effort to provide aid as that nation continues to try and hold off Russia.
“The Department of Defense’s change in evaluating the costs of arms sent to Ukraine is a major mistake,” Wicker (R-MS) said.
“Its effect would be to underestimate future needs for our European allies. Our priority should be a Ukrainian victory over Putin. Unilaterally altering military aid calculations is an attempt at deception and undermines this goal.”
CNN host Jake Tapper said, “There was this very bizarre admission from the Pentagon this week of an accounting error that suggested that the U.S. has at least $3 billion that it didn’t know it had that it can use for Ukraine aid.” T
“That’s a hell of an accounting error! And it provides a lot of fodder to critics of U.S. aid to Ukraine, and critics who say there’s not enough oversight going on.”
Sullivan dismissed concerns and pivoted to celebrating the fact that the accounting error would benefit Ukraine.
“In the end, though, the Pentagon discovered the error. The Pentagon corrected the error. And Ukraine will get what it needs,” he boasted. “And the American taxpayer will be able to be confident that this money is being spent effectively and appropriately.”
Sen. Josh Hawley would like an explanation of how the funds are being spent in Ukraine.
