Chance (23 July 2023)
"Does NATO's Article 5 Supersede Congress?"


 
Hello John and Doves,
 
In recent letters to Doves I've commented on Senate rulings in 2023 concerning NATO and the Ukraine War. The Senate is definitely pushing for war with Russia.  And it looks like the Senate just 'defaulted' to NATO for declaration of war.  A U.S. general is the Supreme Allied Commander in Europe and NATO just voted to increase his powers - where he does not need to consult other nations concerning emergency matters.  And the U.S. has the most nukes in Europe and has total control over them.  The counteroffensive in Ukraine is going poorly.  U.S. intelligence advisors have been wrong from the get go.  And cluster munitions were sent by Biden in an act of desperation because we have no more ammunition to send Ukraine.  The warmongers probably have plans of using tactical nukes anyway.  There will be no winners.  
 
There was a vote in Congress on S. Amdt.222.  The Purpose of this was:  To express the sense of Congress that Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty does not supersede the constitutional requirement that Congress declares war before the United States engages in war." The sponsor of this bill is Senator Ran Paul (R-KY)
 
There was a vote to approve or reject this amendment.  16 Republicans voted YES.  No Democrats or Independents voted for this amendment.  83 voted NO.  32 Republicans and 48 Democrats and 3 Independents.  So Article 5 can be enacted and the U.S. will go to war without congressional approval.
 
This amendment was rejected per 3/5 required.
 
"The US and Europe are struggling to provide Ukraine with the large amount of ammunition it will need for a prolonged counteroffensive against Russia."  NATO had not planned on a very long war with Russia.  NATO was prepared for a 'day one, night one' war with Russia - not a war that's been dragging on for a year and a half!   (Who didn't see that possibility??)
 
So what did the US due to offset their ammunition deficit for Ukraine?  They sent cluster munitions.  The US had already supplied Ukraine with over 2 million 155mm artillery rounds.  John Sullivan, White House National Security advisor told CCN that sending the cluster munitions "was necessary, though, because of how low US stockpiles are."  This is an act of desperation.  The counteroffensive is having dismal results.  Russia is dug in for the long haul.  
 
So what will the US do when they've used up all the cluster munitions?  Are nuclear weapons next on the list?
 
And the new Ukrainian counteroffensive is "happening more slowly than people predicted".  US production of war equipment just isn't keeping up.  Ex  Lockheed Martin production line for Javelin anti-armor missiles is 2,100 a year.  Ukraine is using 500 a day!  The mass production of ammunition, the US discovered, will take years to "get to the level that we needed".
 
Seems the U.S. military intelligence/advisers have been way off in their 'predictions' for this war even before it started. How is that even possible??  Blinded by their hate for Putin/Russia?  I remember when HIllary Clinton ran for president - all the news talked about was her going to war with Russia.  Well now they have their war...and it isn't going well for them at all.  Our military was ill prepared for war with Russia. 
 
This war with Russia is not winnable for the West.  Anyone watching this knows it but the US/UK/NATO/the US Congress keep pushing this.  This is their long wanted war.  The want regime change in Russia - they want Russia divided up.
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And the warmongers know - It's the nuclear weapons of the U.S. that are "the supreme guarantee of the security of the Alliance.  The independent strategic nuclear forces of the United Kingdom and France have a deterrent role of their own and contribute significantly to the overall security of the Alliance...NATO's nuclear deterrence posture also relies on the United States' nuclear weapons forward-deployed in Europe...A number of NATO member countries contribute a dual-capable aircraft capability to the Alliance.  These aircraft are central to NATO's nuclear deterrence mission and are available for nuclear roles at various levels of readiness.  In their nuclear role, the aircraft are equipped to carry nuclear bombs in a conflict and personnel are trained accordingly."
 
"The United States maintains absolute control and custody of their nuclear weapons forward-deployed in Europe."
NATO - Topic: NATO’s nuclear deterrence policy and forces
 
Recently NATO had a meeting in Vilnius, Lithiuania; here is the summit communique:
 
Here is a good analysis of this war:
 
  "The supply of cluster munitions is a symbolic act on the part of the United States and Ukraine because they will not have any real effect on the current stalemate that exists in eastern and southern Ukraine.  The much-vaunted Ukrainian counteroffensive has been unsuccessful, and no amount of cluster munitions will have an impact.  Having failed to seize the initiative in their offensive operations, the Russians have dug in for the long run in the Donbas.  Cluster munitions would have some utility against an advancing army, but little against an entrenched one...Ukraine has serious logistical issues in supplying its front lines and lacks the reserves needed to deal with a superior defensive force.  Ukraine also lacks the mobility needed to take advantage of Russia's armored and artillery presence.  Old-fashioned artillery is still the central feature of the war and Russia has a huge advantage here.  Finally, Ukraine yielded the essential important of surprise by signaling its plans for a counteroffensive months before taking action."
 
"Meanwhile, the Biden administration continues to signal to an uninformed American public that its deployment decisions will make a difference in Ukraine's battle against the Russian....the United States should have banned cluster munitions three decades ago with President Bill Clinton had an opportunity to reverse the militarization of US foreign policy in the wake of the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War."  One problem of the cluster bombs is the failure to explode on impact - they can remain unexploded for years until disturbed - killing civilians long after the conflict is over."

"It is time to acknowledge that the war between Russia and Ukraine is unwinnable, and the heavy losses to the civilian community and its infrastructure will only worsen.  Print media and cable news are giving optimistic accounts that create the misleading impression that the war must continue until Ukraine is successful."
U.S. Cluster Bombs to Ukraine: An Act of Desperation - CounterPunch.org
 
Maybe Congress is getting the same news the American people are getting - that Ukraine is winning. HA!  But that isn't very likely.  Or, and I believe this is the case -  Congress wants a win no matter the cost.  Congress will back NATO no matter how long it takes to destroy Russia.  The West is already low on ammo - they've resorted to cluster munitions out of desperation - looks like their plan is tactical nuclear weapons - and that's why Biden ordered all F-16s shipped to Ukraine must be able to carry tactical nuclear weapons.  
 
Peace and peace treaty are not in their vocabulary.
 
WW3 is dead ahead.   IF this is in God's plan.
 
 
 
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!!
 
Maranatha!
 
Chance