Mike Franken. (IPBS)
Republican Senator Chuck Grassley and Democratic challenger Mike Franken agree U.S. military support of Ukraine is critical.
Some of Grassley’s GOP peers have said U.S. assistance should be cut off. “I hope that the American people will be patient to understand that helping Ukraine now will save us a lot of money later on if Putin is stopped right now,” Grassley said.
Franken suggests that if Ukraine falls, Russian president Vladimir Putin will order more invasions. “Yet another chapter of extending the great white Russia into neighboring countries,” Franken said.
The candidates made their comments last night during a debate on Iowa PBS. At nearly the same time, President Biden told a crowd in New York that Putin is not joking about using tactical nuclear weapons. Franken, a retired Navy admiral, said if that happens, U.S. aide workers should be sent to assist burn victims — and some will be unarmed but specially trained American soldiers. Grassley said that’s unwise.
Chuck Grassley. (IPBS)
“I think it’d be very dangerous to send people, soldiers in without weapons so they could defend themselves,” Grassley said.
Franken replied: “If you’re going to be a broad shouldered nation in the world…then you’ve got to take those risks. That’s why we join the military…We swear the oath: ‘I will support and defend the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.'”
Last night’s hour-long forum was the only debate between the two candidates before the November 8th election.