Sen. King: Republicans need chaos on the border so they’ll blast the president

We turn now to the war in Europe which is nearing two full years of active combat Ukrainian president vamir zinsky is working to Rally his troops thanking them for destroying enemy targets and for defending their home country however Ukraine's fight against Russia's invasion is now grinding through its third winter and supplies are running.

Low The Institute for the study of War says delays in Western security assistant are com compounding Ukraine's shell St shortage joining us now independent Senator Angus King of Maine he's a member of the Senate armed services and intelligence committee um Senator first of all uh if we could get support for Ukraine in our Congress how.

Quickly could could we get supplies to them well it could be in a a matter of weeks if we can ever get the bill through this bill uh to support Ukraine you know has been pending since about October and the longer we fool around and and don't get it done it's a victory for Vladimir Putin and and it also is not only uh we're not only emboldening.

Putin here we're emboldening ji Jinping with regard to Taiwan Kim Jong-un undermining the confidence of our allies uh not getting this done would be a huge mistake for this country so um what do you make of the Republicans who are now uh turning turning changing their minds on this border bill um that would you know uh.

Shore up the Border but also provide aid for Ukraine and Israel there's so many investigations going on in House Republicans impeachments going on and yet every move they're making here if you look at the logic of it seems to it seems to help Vladimir Putin and I'm just wondering does it raise any questions in your minds what their.

Intentions are right now well let's talk about the Border bill in a minute but I sat on the floor the other night of vote against aid for Ukraine is a vote for Vladimir Putin flat out history is going to record that vote that when the chips were down you voted for Putin and because without this support uh I don't think zalinsky and.

And the ukrainians who have been incredibly Brave they're the ones doing the dying here they're asking us to send them arms and ammunition and they're they're on the front lines uh and it it just it's it's unconscionable that the United States of America would walk away in this kind of situation Senator good morning uh you make the case uh in your.

Peace and time titled America must choose honor in Ukraine for our continued support of Ukraine in its war against Russia I'm just wondering for our audience if you could elaborate a little bit because I feel like it's been muddled over the last year or so there was so much kind of across the board support for Ukraine in those earliest.

Weeks and months of its fight against Russia and people get distracted and it wains a bit Republicans now have come out and said well we've spent enough money enough American treasure there it's time to focus at home what is the case for America's continued support for Ukraine the case starts with Sudan land 1938 when Hitler could have been stopped.

Relatively easily the French and the British fooled around they didn't uh support the people and Hitler moved and then they thought in Munich they could well we'll appease him he'll stop the result was 55 million people dead the history of dictators is if you give them uh uh some land and they're say that that's all they want they're going to.

Keep going here's the best argument is the fins and the swedes wanting to join NATO they never were interested in NATO for 70 years in the last year they applied for membership why because they know Russia and they know that this war would not stop with Ukraine the baltics Finland has a long border with Russia they know what's in store for them and.

That's why this is so important on the European set now the other piece is and I've examined generals and Admirals and intelligence people on this if we walk out of Ukraine what kind of signal does that send to ji jingping in his calculus about Taiwan he's going to say well the Americans aren't going to stick so I don't even have to worry too much about.

That and it basically opens the door to an invasion of Taiwan the other piece that I think is so dangerous here is allies America has allies China has customers Russia has North Korea and Iran not much in the way of allies we've got allies all over the world this would destroy our credibility with our allies Japan South Korea would say can we.

Really count on America Australia European allies and to to do this to embolden dictators undermine the confidence of our allies would just be a disaster it would haunt this country for generations and Senator President Biden has certainly said that it would mean America's word wasn't any good anymore if we didn't follow through with our.

Commitment to Ukraine so but let's turn you now to matters here at home and what we've seen this week in the Senate the remarkable about face yesterday among top Republicans including minority leader McConnell now coming out against this bill suggesting that the politics of the moment have changed which means they've got their cues from Donald Trump.

Who wants to keep the voter alive for an election year issue so tell us about what you're seeing there on the border and just frankly what sort of faith can you have right now in the Republicans keeping their word and getting anything done well you got to remember how we got here the Republicans insisted last fall we're not going to talk about Aid to.

Ukraine without border security that was the argument we're going to secure our own borders and then we'll talk about Ukraine so they appointed a negotiating committee led by James Langford who's one of the most capable intelligent and conservative members of the Republican caucus who knows more about the Border than anybody else uh certainly on the.

Republican side I would argue probably in the whole whole Senate they negotiated the toughest border bill in 40 years that's been endorsed by the border uh Patrol Union which endorsed Donald Trump in 2020 The Wall Street Journal editorial board they've had this this amazing strong very conservative border of security bill which is what.

They asked for and in the last two or three days they've said well never mind and I I woke up this morning sort of batting between disappointment and disbelief that they would require this and then say Oh but it's not that important and the people that are criticizing the bill I'd venture to say very few of them have read it and people.

Talk about 370 Pages listen there's a 19 page summary section by section you can read in about 15 minutes so the people that are criticizing it who haven't read it I they probably haven't even read the summary uh and it's it's the question is do do they want to solve the Border crisis or not if they do this is the best opportunity in years and it may not.

Come around again and it looks like what's happening is and this certainly is coming from Mr Trump is they want the issue not the solution so you want they want the chaos at the Border in order to hammer Joe Biden Hammer the Democrats in the fall but right now I think the ball's in their Court they've got a great Bill listen the border patrol.

Union isn't going to uh support something that is is weak or ineffective uh it was amazing when they came out for this bill yesterday and it was even more amazing when my Republican colleague started heading for the exits I I don't get it well I do get it I guess it I get the politics but boy the policy is terrible it is and uh they will own this.

Chaos I'm not sure they want to do that independent Senator Angus King of Maine thank you very much for coming on on the show this morning we appreciate it

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