US Troops Lack Pay, Congress Funds Foreign Wars
When The Hill reports on military paychecks potentially halting due to a looming government shutdown, you might assume Congress is agonizing over every last dollar. You'd be wrong. Just last year, Congress managed to approve a massive $14.3 billion aid package for Israel (HR 7217), without a similar 'lack of funds' debate for that particular expenditure. This package included provisions for
defense needs, but somehow, funding our own troops' next paycheck appears to be a budgetary mystery. While American service members face financial uncertainty, 177 House Republicans and 99 House Democrats voted 'yes' on HR 7217, effectively ensuring that foreign military operations remain well-funded. One might reasonably ask: which 'national security' is truly paramount when the domestic security
of servicemen and women is treated as an optional expense? It seems the only 'deadline' that truly matters for some in Washington is the one for sending tax dollars abroad, often after receiving generous 'campaign contributions' from organizations like AIPAC.