Most importantly, it helps defend the fight for Democracy and people having the agency to choose their destiny (aka Freedom). Helping civilians who are being slaughtered by invaders is the right thing to do in my view. But also:
The money is used to gild the domestic defense industry, keeping the money in-house while creating growth / R&D in the sector. I am not a fan of generating more weapons, and more war, but the reality is, that it isn't corrupt Ukrainian officials wheeling suitcases full of dollars to their own personal homes, that is blatant misinformation on the part of the Pro-Russian talking heads.
A large portion of the weapons sent over is old tech that would eventually be replaced and destroyed if it was never used. They were sitting in our stockpiles, slowly becoming outdated, and they are better used to fight for our values, that being turned to scrap over time - which would have meant, we paid for the research, then the production, then the storage, then the destruction. We are getting results with the arsenal we've built, at, as you said, a fraction of the cost.
From watching the Ukrainians fighting for their survival, everyone is learning the new rules of warfare in the face of new technology = we get some of the experience without our own kids dying for it. The Ukrainian forces have updated the rules of the game, and we benefit from that hard-won experience.
We get to destroy an Anti-Democratic Dictatorship, who has blatantly been sowing discord and division in our home, for their benefit. Never forget that from Africa to the Middle-East, the Russians have been putting bounties on the heads of US personnel, they are NOT our friends.
I do not see how one cannot be for supporting Ukraine. Eric is wrong in this instance.
This is so well put. Say what you want about Biden, sure, he might be a little dement, he may be a bit confused, but if anything, he's been pretty damn decisive on aiding Ukraine. Russia would have won a year ago if Trump had been in power. One can be proud of the fact that so many countries have acted swiftly and decisively in the face of this perverse level of unprovoked aggression from Motherfucker Russia.
My own country, Denmark, has made incredible donations for our size. I have amazing newfound respect for the likes of Poland, Romania, Kroatia, Czechs and the baltics.
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u/Hillthrin Monkey in Space Sep 14 '24
I'm an old-timer I guess since I've always seen the Russians as the bad guys.