[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 135 (Friday, August 12, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E844]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    PEACE BETWEEN RUSSIA AND UKRAINE

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                           HON. PAUL A. GOSAR

                               of arizona

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, August 12, 2022

  Mr. GOSAR. Madam Speaker, it is an obvious fact that the conflict in 
Ukraine has led to an inordinate amount of human suffering. As much as 
global elites insincerely bemoan the death and devastation, their 
tinkering and meddling in Eastern Europe--treating countries with long, 
complicated histories almost as pieces on a chess board--has done 
nothing to bring about peace.
  With the American working class suffering from crippling inflation 
and still reeling from unconstitutional and abusive lockdowns, sending 
billions of dollars to a country 6,000 miles away takes ``out-of-
touch'' to a new level. Could what happened in Afghanistan--billions of 
dollars-worth of defense equipment squandered and left in the hands of 
our enemies--occur again in Ukraine? Two large French artillery units 
have already been captured by the Russians. Is that a foretaste of 
another Afghanistan-like debacle?
  Politically correct politicians on both sides of the aisle are 
constantly preaching about the need to send more arms, more aid, more 
support to Ukraine. One word that is noticeably absent is the word 
``peace.'' Instead of constant finger pointing, world leaders should be 
doing all in their power to facilitate negotiations and make reasoned 
arguments for why peace benefits both countries.
  The problem with peace is that the Biden administration would no 
longer have a distraction to their horrific domestic crises--ridiculous 
inflation, a tepid housing market, a weak supply chain, an invasion of 
criminal illegal aliens, failing public schools, and a deadly drug 
epidemic, to name a few.
  The obstinacy implicit in this conflict--Putin's insistence on Donbas 
and Zelensky's determination to oppose him--highlights the error of 
attempting to intrude in foreign affairs not connected to American 
security. An amendment I offered to the National Defense Authorization 
Act requires the Biden administration to explain their objectives that 
would justify involvement in a country thousands of miles away. It was 
ignored.
  America's military strength has served as a deterrent to hostile 
foreign powers over its history. However, aid to Ukraine has depleted 
military stockpiles. A quarter of Stinger missiles and a third of 
Javelins have been sent to Ukraine. An expert from the Center for 
Strategic and International Studies estimates that it could take 32 
months to restock the Javelins. And that was when the U.S. had only 
spent $2.6 billion total. Now, the tally isup to $63 billion. Imagine 
how strong our military would be if that money was invested here at 
home.
  The United States is weaker as a result of interference in Eastern 
Europe. Russia is depleted. Ukraine is devastated. Sending money to 
Ukraine extends and fuels war. Can peace be obtained through diplomatic 
means? Maybe. But U.S. military involvement has only worsened the 
conflict.

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