Obama Overrides Congress to Buy $690 Million Worth of Russian Choppers for Afghan Air Force

http://frontpagemag.com/2013/dgreenfield/obama-overrides-congress-to-buy-690-mil-worth-of-russian-choppers-for-afghan-air-force/

Apparently America has too many jobs so Obama will be spending taxpayer money to support Russia’s defense industry on behalf of Afghanistan. And he’s doing so over the bipartisan objections of Congress from both the right and left and a ban on buying them written into the NDAA.

The US Department of Defense said Thursday it plans to sidestep a Congressional ban to purchase 30 helicopters from Russian state-owned defense firm Rosoboronexport, despite objections from US lawmakers who allege that the firm has equipped the Syrian government to commit brutal crimes against civilians.

The 2013 National Defense Authorization Act, approved by Congress last year, includes an amendment that prohibits financial contracts between the United States and Rosoboronexport, except when the Secretary of Defense determines that such arrangements are in the interest of national security.

The contract totals $690 million, most of which would go to the Russian arms maker, he added.

Aside from throwing almost $700 million to a company owned by the Russian government at a time when Obama has taken a chainsaw to the United States military, subsidizing the Russian defense industry helps it develop more weapons that will be sold to America’s enemies.

That money will help fund R&D for the next generation of weapons that an American military dismantled by Obama will be facing on the battlefield.

Rosoboronexport was originally under US sanctions for doing business with Iran until the ban was lifted. Rosoboronexport is still selling advanced weapons to Iran.

And oh yeah, this was a no bid contract.

The Pentagon didn’t solicit bids from any other company for the helicopters. That “seems just plain stupid,” says Texas Senator John Cornyn, one of nine Republican and eight Democratic senators pressing the U.S. Department of Defense to cancel the deal.

John Pike, director of national security think tank GlobalSecurity.org, says Russia sold Mi-17s to other countries during the Cold War, and that companies other than Rosoboronexport should have secondhand models that could be refurbished: “The notion that you can’t come up with a couple dozen of these puppies in the used helicopter market is hard to believe.”

Well why bother when Barack is willing to be so flexible for Vladimir.

A bipartisan Congressional group wrote a letter to Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel last week in which they objected to the ongoing business relationship between the Russian arms company and the Pentagon. “What is the national security justification of continuing business with Rosoboronexport?” they asked in the letter. “Russia continues to transfer weapons through Rosoboronexport to the regime of Bashar al-Assad in Syria,” they continued. “Since the Syrian uprising began, Russia has continued to serve as the Assad regime’s chief supplier of weapons, enabling the mass murder of Syrian citizens at the hands of their own government.”

When you’ve got John Cormyn and Rosa DeLauro on the same side, that’s as close to a consensus that you can imagine.

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Replies

  • When is congress going to do their job and stop this communist pres.
  • WHAT THE HELL IS HE DOING, i live in Texas, we have ilegals coming over all the time, the borders are not gaurded as they should be and now HE IS DOING WHAT.......D---B A-S OMG

  • Lord help us JESUS! Why doesn't the Congress override that thang in the WhiteHouse and stop his evil doings.

    He cuts our soldiers and sends money to the Russians! Did I move somewhere or am I still in America?

    that man or whatever he is in the WhiteHouse has got to be stopped.

    • All spending MUST originate in CONGRESS !!!!!!!!!!!  Otyrant is allowed to get away with weekly

      UNCONSTITUTIONAL outrages because gutless John Boehner is a no good RINO

                  TERM LIMITS are critically needed

       

                                   

  • If he wants to donate 690 Million of his own money, that okay. We the people do not have 690 Million dollars nor the inclination to send equipment to countries that would stab us in the back if they got the chance. This money would go a long way providing jobs for millions of OUR people who have been our of work far to long. The pipe line for instance. This would benefit everyone, but there in lies the problem, HE does not want our country to survive, and is doing an excellent job at destroying us. 

  • What is Congress doing besides collecting a salary with benefits?

    • nothing, setting on their butts letting him and his cronies stay in office

  • It is up to the House to withhold the money and send a direct letter to Putin and tell him we will no pay for Russian workers to supply our enemies with equipment. Time to tell obozo he does not have the power of the purse and tell Hagel there is no deal now way and he will be tried for impeachment along with obozo.

  • i don't disagree with anyone.....but in my opinon and it is like everyone elses, ALL the elected people should control goverment spending. not the house, not the congress and for darn sure not obamanism but ALL OFTHEM. these people were elected by "THE PEOPLE" and should serve "THE PEOPLE" . not the fact that hilary will need 1 hundred million to run next time. stop spunging off the American Public....go do your "REAL" jobs and stopletting the obamas go on all the vacations they want to

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