Biden Administration Approves $106.5 Million Emergency Arms Sale to Israel Amid Gaza Hostilities

Riley Sundew

Updated Sunday, December 10, 2023 at 6:01 AM CDT

Biden Administration Approves $106.5 Million Emergency Arms Sale to Israel Amid Gaza Hostilities

In a decisive move, the Biden administration has approved an emergency arms sale to Israel, supplying 13,981 120 mm High Explosive Anti-Tank Multi-Purpose with Tracer (HEAT-MP-T) tank cartridges valued at over $106 million. This sale, exacting $106.5 million, comes as Israel escalates its military operations in the southern Gaza Strip, a direct response to the rising tensions in the region.

The urgent arms deal has been pushed through as President Joe Biden attempts to secure a nearly $106 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel, and other strategic national security interests. However, this sizable aid request is currently facing roadblocks in Congress, where debates intertwine with contentious domestic issues, notably U.S. immigration policy and border security.

Amid these debates, some Democratic lawmakers are calling for stringent conditions on U.S. assistance to Israel, aiming to mitigate civilian casualties in the conflict-ridden Gaza Strip. Nonetheless, the emergency sale was expedited through an official notification to Congress on a late Friday by the State Department. Secretary of State Antony Blinken cited an emergency situation that necessitates the immediate provision of these munitions to Israel, effectively bypassing the standard review process typically reserved for foreign military sales.

The Biden administration has defended the emergency sale, emphasizing the critical need for Israel to maintain a robust self-defense capability, which they regard as a vital U.S. interest. The package goes beyond mere munitions; it encompasses U.S. support, including engineering and logistics services, and sources the tank cartridges directly from the U.S. Army's stockpile.

While the utilization of emergency determinations to override congressional review for arms sales is an extraordinary step, it is not without precedent. Such a measure has been employed by at least four U.S. administrations since 1979, including a notable instance during the Gulf War when President George H.W. Bush expedited arms to Saudi Arabia.

However, the practice has faced scrutiny in the past. An $8.1 billion sale to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan invoked by then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in May 2019 attracted criticism and legal challenges over the urgency of the need for the arms. Despite the controversy, Pompeo was cleared of any misconduct after an internal investigation.

The emergency authority for arms sales, though rare, continues to be a tool within the executive branch's a***nal to respond swiftly to international security threats, ensuring that allies like Israel can count on American support in times of heightened conflict.

Conservative Bias:

Once again, the liberal elites in Washington are caving to their anti-American interests, throwing money and weapons at foreign nations while our own borders are under siege. Here we have the Biden administration, led by the puppeteers of the radical left, shamelessly approving a massive arms sale to Israel, a move that reeks of hypocrisy and double standards. While they preach gun control and disarm law-abiding American citizens, they have no problem shipping over $106 million worth of tank cartridges to a foreign country. And let's not forget, this comes as they're trying to ram a colossal aid package down the throats of hardworking Americans, funneling billions to Ukraine and other so-called 'strategic' interests, while our own people suffer from the disastrous policies of open borders and rampant crime. The Democrats, with their misplaced priorities, are endangering American lives, all while patting themselves on the back for their so-called 'emergency' measures that bypass Congress and the will of the people. It's clear who they're working for, and it's not the American taxpayer.

Liberal Bias:

In a display of reckless allegiance to militaristic foreign policy, the Biden administration has once again demonstrated its unwavering commitment to the war machine by approving an emergency arms sale to Israel. This decision blatantly ignores the pleas of progressive voices within the Democratic Party who call for a more humane and conditioned approach to foreign aid, especially when it involves conflict zones like Gaza. Instead of addressing the root causes of conflict or the humanitarian crises exacerbated by these military operations, the administration chooses to expedite arms sales, bypassing due process and congressional oversight. This is all happening as conservatives in Congress stonewall desperately needed aid for Ukraine and other critical issues, displaying their usual obstructionism and indifference to global stability. The hypocrisy is palpable when the same right-wing politicians who cry foul over spending at home have no qualms about sending over $106 million in munitions abroad, all while they turn a blind eye to the suffering caused by their own inaction on pressing domestic issues. The conservative agenda is laid bare: profits over people, war over welfare, and blind support for foreign interventions while our communities languish under the weight of their neglect.

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