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All aboard the gravy train: an independent audit of US funding for Ukraine - The Grayzone (thegrayzone.com)

submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

It's a series of figures given without context along with various unfounded opinions mixed in. I can't take any article seriously when it endorses the stance that Russia is being backed into a corner and faces an existential threat to its survival due to its invasion of Ukraine. It also repeatedly calls this a proxy war, which is simply not true based on, ya know, definitions of words. I also find it disingenuous to say Washington drew Moscow into this "proxy war" when Moscow voluntarily started this invasion against the backdrop of expected world condemnation. If Putin himself didn't bankroll this piece then he should be retroactively paying the editor and author for the blatant misinformation.

Edit: Nice edit. You think a militarily equipped 38' full or center console boat costs less than 100k??? You're off by a factor of 5-10x.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

It also repeatedly calls this is a proxy war, which is simply not true based on, ya know, definitions of words.

Here's a guy who disagrees. But what does he know, he's just a former CIA Director and Secretary of Defense: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2022-03-17/u-s-is-in-a-proxy-war-with-russia-panetta-video

[–] [email protected] -1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Obviously doesn't know definitions but I'm done engaging with such an obvious propagandist, or maybe you are just a fool.

Proxy war: a war instigated by a major power which does not itself become involved.

Instigate: bring about or initiate (an action or event).

Edit:typo

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

It's interesting that you just defined both a proxy war and described what's going on in Ukraine by using the same words.

I wonder if that means the fighting in Ukraine is a... proxy war?

Unless you mean to say that because the US and NATO are providing so much support to. Ukraine in terms of weapons, training, propaganda, strategic assistance, and even combatants, that they are indeed involved, thus making this not a proxy war but a war between NATO and Russia?

[–] s38b35M5 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Edit: Nice edit. You think a militarily equipped 38' full or center console boat costs less than 100k??? You're off by a factor of 5-10x.

Where does it say the boats are militarily-equipped? ~~The boat manufacturer sells "normal" aluminum boats~~. ++

I'm glad I read the piece. Will I read more of the article from this source? Probably not, but as "aid" money going anywhere these days seems to include a huge overspend and some questionable use of funds, I'd rather know about it than dismiss it because of some opinions I can easily ignore.

Edit: ++ doing some digging on "GRAVOIS ALUMINUM BOATS" (who seems to be dba for Metal Shark boats) and they do sell boats with various levels of fitment beyond civilian use. Will update if I find pricing...

Edit2: it looks like a "military" spec 38' boat can be in the $400k-$600k range. So it would follow that that could easily expand on a government contract. Still am glad to see this reporting, despite some shared misgivings. Thank you for encouraging me to do my own research and not be a lazy consumer of news.