This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
Multiple voices have raised concerns in recent weeks and months about the sheer amount of weaponry that Joe Biden has taken from American stockpiles and sent off to Ukraine.
In fact, the Washington Times reported only days ago Biden had been boasting about American workers "building the arsenal of democracy," but noted there already were many questions about the nation's ability to supply all of Ukraine's wants and still maintain a deterrence factor against attacks.
In fact, that report cited the concern that the Pentagon had "dipped into a little-known stockpile earmarked for Israel" to send supplies to Ukraine.
"Then came Oct. 7, when Hamas militants from the Gaza Strip launched a devastating rampage across southern Israel, killing more than 1,400 people, mostly civilians while taking hundreds of others hostage," the report said. "Now, the Defense Department is scrambling to direct the artillery ammunition back to Israel to support an expected ground invasion of Gaza."
Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder, a Pentagon spokesman, assured that production of 155 mm artillery ammunition, key to many conflicts, was being ramped up.
"We are confident that we have what we need to be able to support [Israel and Ukraine] while at the same time ensuring that our military readiness stays at the threshold that it needs to," Ryder claimed. "We will not sacrifice our own military readiness when it comes to defending the nation."
But now member of Congress is asking Joe Biden exactly that, whether the transfer of munitions to Ukraine, from a cache in Israel, has "impacted Israeli defense, not to mention U.S. security," according to a report in The Washington Stand.
The report explained Biden, before the Hamas terror attack on Israel just weeks ago, "had weakened Israeli defenses by diverting hundreds of thousands of artillery shells out of Israel to support the war in Ukraine."
Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, suggests it's "unclear" if Biden was abiding by U.S. law with his decisions.
Previously, the New York Times revealed Biden had been transferring "hundreds of thousands" of 155-millimeter artillery shells from a program called the War Reserve Stocks for Allies-Israel, where they were stockpiled in Israel, to Ukraine.
They were being held in Israel "for rapid response in a global operation," and Israeli officials explained the Middle East democracy was unable to prevent Biden from taking the action "that put their security at risk."
Roy now has written to the Biden administration that an explanation of what has happened to Israeli – and U.S. – security would be appropriate.
"As Congress is slated to consider legislation in support of Israel’s defense, it is important for Congress to be fully informed as to what munitions are available in WRSA-I and the extent to which the Biden administration has depleted this stockpile to support Ukraine’s war effort," Roy wrote.
He asked for a briefing on U.S. assets.
And he was not the only one with questions.
The Stand report said, "Federal law (10 U.S. Code § 2229a) mandates that the Pentagon provides a 'list of major end items of equipment drawn from the prepositioned stocks during [each] fiscal year and a description of how that equipment was used and whether it was returned to the stocks after being used.'"
That report is supposed to include "strategic plans affected by changes to the levels" of stockpiles.
The problem, Roy found, is that that information has not been readily available.
"Numerous politicians in the Capitol have complained the Biden administration has refused to provide meaningful details about any aspect of its foreign policy. When Biden administration officials testify before Congress about Ukraine, 'They don’t give you any kind of substance' about 'the war’s prosecution or alleged progress,'" according to Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., the report said.
Biden recently asked for more than $100 billion for Ukraine, Israel, Gaza, and the Indo-Pacific region, but both House and Senate members have proposed providing an immediate $14 billion aid to Israel, and dealing with the other regions later.
And Senate Republicans have warned the terrorists of Hamas will steal any humanitarian aid intended for Palestinian civilians.
The report noted a Gallup poll released Thursday found the American people tiring of Biden’s priorities. "Forty-one percent of Americans believe the United States is doing 'too much to help Ukraine,' and 61% oppose an open-ended flow of U.S. money and materiel to the Zelensky government," the report said.
Analysts have said Ukraine is "burning through" up to 8,000 155-mm shells daily.
The Times reported, "The U.S. defense industry has raced to expand its capacity to manufacture artillery shells, doubling its monthly production over the past six months to about 28,000 rounds. It is on pace to reach 57,000 monthly by the spring and 100,000 per month by fiscal year 2025."
The level of munitions stockpiles has been lower than desired for some time, the report said.
Maiya Clark of The Heritage Foundation’s Center for National Defense said "That's a problem."