Some senior U.S. Republicans criticized the presidential administration’s decision to direct military aid to Haiti from Pentagon stocks, claiming it could have otherwise been sent to Ukraine. U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration approved in April a $60 million military aid package for the Haitian National Police and international security missions from countries like Kenya in order to help quell gang violence on the Caribbean island.
High-ranking Republican lawmakers, Michael McCaul and Jim Risch, in a pointed letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, have expressed their apprehension regarding the expeditious use of presidential drawdown authority (PDA) to facilitate this assistance. According to the letter obtained by Politico, they assert that the administration is “rushing to fund an undefined and indefinite engagement in Haiti without Congressional approval.”
A Republican Party aide, speaking on the condition of anonymity, disclosing to Politico that “armed services are conducting internal inventory audits to see what they can spare for Haiti — which puts it in direct competition with Ukraine for materials.”
The U.S. State Department, however, rebuffs these criticisms. An unnamed official from the department defended the decision, insisting that the situations in Ukraine and Haiti are distinct and the United States is capable of responding to “multiple critical needs around the world.” The source said that “supporting the people of Haiti does not limit or take away from our ability to support the people of Ukraine.” Furthermore, they emphasized that “both are important priorities, and in each case, we identify support tailored to the needs of our partners.”
The issue of U.S. aid to Ukraine has been fraught with complications and delays. It was effectively stalled until April, when Congress finally greenlit a substantial $61 billion aid package. Prior to this, the assistance impasse, largely attributed to a hard-line faction within the Republican Party and House Speaker Mike Johnson’s hesitance to present the bill for a vote, had significantly exacerbated the situation on the Ukrainian battlefield.
Relevant articles:
– Politico: US Republicans slam Biden’s military assistance to Haiti, claim it threatens Ukraine aid , Kyiv Independent, 05/22/2024
– Republicans criticize White House for sending weapons to Haiti instead of Ukraine – Politico, ЛИГАБизнесИнформ, 05/22/2024
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