The Final Check Before the Aid Launches

It’s not a quick or casual thing to send a massive military aid package, $50 million or more. It was like the launch of a big ship. Harbor master is the U.S. government. The aid? That is the ship that is headed for Ukraine.

But it can’t just leave. The control tower—Congress—must be signaled by the harbor master (the State Department) first. That is an official signal: “We are about to send this.” Here’s what’s in it.”

It gets a short window for Congress to review it. They can ask questions, they can raise concerns, they might be able to try and stop it. In theory. But in reality? They almost never do. These shipments are planned, expected. The machine is already moving.

Without objection, the clock runs out. The green light is given. The clearing of the aid and its departure.

Therefore “Congress was notified” sounds so preposterous. That means the ship is effectively destroyed. This is the last hassle before things get very real, very quickly.