by Mish Shedlock, Mish Talk:
Senator Graham visited Ukraine and made an ass of himself, proving he do so on multiple continents. I have a suggestion that would fix the problem.
Lindsey Graham, Visiting Kyiv, Urges Ukraine to Pass Mobilization Law
The Washington Post reports Lindsey Graham, Visiting Kyiv, Urges Ukraine to Pass Mobilization Law.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) called on Ukrainian lawmakers Monday to quickly pass a mobilization bill that would make more citizens eligible to be drafted into the military, and he sharply questioned exempting men under 27 from the fight.
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Graham called for the swift legislative action — even as U.S. lawmakers remain unable to reach their own consensus on aid for Ukraine — while visiting Kyiv, his first trip to the Ukrainian capital since he abruptly turned against a $60 billion aid package for the country last month.
As he issued his advice on the draft, Graham, who met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday, could offer no true assurances about the pending aid package, instead telling reporters that he is “more optimistic than I’ve ever been that something will get out of the House pretty soon.”
Although citizens can voluntarily join the military starting at age 18, and men between 18 and 60 are banned from leaving the country under martial law, the draft has until now protected younger men — many of whom are students — from being forcibly mobilized.
“I would hope that those eligible to serve in the Ukrainian military would join. I can’t believe it’s at 27,” he told reporters Monday. “You’re in a fight for your life, so you should be serving — not at 25 or 27.”
Backlash Underway
Ukraine should throw people under 25 to the front line and pass a new mobilization law as soon as possible – US Senator Lindsey Graham
He urged Ukrainians not to argue about whether the US will support them when deciding on mobilization: “You are fighting for your life, so… pic.twitter.com/BecSgGV92u
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) March 19, 2024
Newsweek reports Lindsey Graham Faces Backlash Over Ukraine Mobilization Call
Graham, who has voted against the deal over concerns about the crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border, said on Monday, “If you want aid to Ukraine, you’d better start talking to American taxpayers.”
In response, Eric Chenoweth, director at the Institute for Democracy in Eastern Europe, posted on X: “Graham interferes with the carrying out of US foreign policy by negotiating directly with Zelensky.
“He undermines a sitting president on behalf of a former president promising to abandon Ukraine if re-elected. Again: we haven’t grappled w/ the success of Russian active measures.”
Graham criticized slow deliveries of U.S.-provided long-range ATACMS (Army Tactical Missile Systems) saying they “should have been here yesterday,” so that Ukrainian force could “knock the damn bridge down linking Crimea to Russia.”
Graham voted against aid to Ukraine but criticized slow deliveries of weapons.
That makes sense in some alternate universe somewhere.
Can you imagine if some foreign politician came to South Carolina and lectured the US or Senator Graham on policy?
