US Circumvents Congressional Review to Greenlight $147.5 Million Sale of Artillery Projectiles to Israel
Jose Nino
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United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken recently approved the sale to the Israeli government of 155 mm artillery shells and similar equipment without congressional review, the Defense Department announced on December 29, 2023.
Blinken argued that an emergency exists that necessitates the immediate sale of weapons to Israel, thereby circumventing the congressional review requirements, per the Defense Department announcement.
This sale comes during a time when Israel ramps up its offensive in Gaza. American authorities have recently pressed Israel to minimize civilian casualties in Gaza and urged it to reduce the scale of the military campaign in the upcoming weeks.
The Defense Department revealed that Israel has requested that fuses, primers, and charges be included in a prior request for 155mm shells. The total value of the sale is roughly $147.5 million.
This is the second time in December that the Biden regime has skipped congressional review of armaments sales to Israel.
On December 9, the Biden regime invoked the emergency authority to facilitate the sale of roughly 14,000 tank shells to Israel.
At the end of the day, Israel gets what it wants from the US Congress given how it practically owns the political class in DC. While the events of October 7, 2023 were tragic, they don’t require the use of direct military intervention or measures to escalate tensions in Israel.
The current political class has no interest in foreign policy restraint so they will continue to facilitate the escalation of tensions in Israel.
It will take the election of a new political class that’s guided by the principles of realism and restraint to ensure that geopolitical stability becomes the norm in international affairs.
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