Last week the Biden administration announced what would be included in the 18th package of security aid from the U.S. to Ukraine. Worth $1 billion, it represents "the largest single drawdown of the U.S. arms and equipment to date," according to Colin Kahl, the undersecretary of Defense for policy. That brings the total to $8.5 billion since Russia invaded in February, which means even as inflation in the U.S. was hitting a 40-year high, there was enough money for war.
That's not a specific criticism of any administration as much as it has been an American truism since the middle of the last century.
It wasn't always like that. In 1916, President Wilson won reelection with the slogan "He kept us out of war." But by April, Wilson felt he had no choice but to declare war on Germany. Congress approved a record $3 billion to build up the military for our role in World War I.
