Mises Institute editor falsely claims “there’s no telling where” aid to Ukraine “ends up”
- Mises Institute editor falsely claims “there’s no telling where” aid to Ukraine “ends up”
- A list of resources related to “telling where that money ends up.”
- Despite the grave implications of a successful illegal conquest and the average American having nothing to gain from supporting the war, the Mises op-ed ascribed the support to corrupt selfishness.
- The Mises article omits relevant context when raising corruption, similar to Russia’s misleading claims to discourage aid to Ukraine.
- Declining corruption was threatening Russia’s ability to manipulate Ukraine. The 2014 invasion swiftly followed a revolution ousting the country’s pro-Kremlin leader.
- Citing a far-left website, the article makes the unsupported claim that “Russophobes” want to “dismantle” Russia.
- Appendix
- Auditing of aid to Ukraine
Mises Institute published a piece titled “It's Time to Abandon America's Fetish for ‘Unconditional Surrender’” by Mises's Senior Editor. The article contained demonstrably false and misleading claims and omitted details that disagreed with or disproved the author’s conclusions.
The author falsely claimed, “there’s no telling where that money ends up. The United States is heavily auditing aid to Ukraine with multiple specialized oversight responses across at least three agencies. A Google search reveals a wealth of information about auditing aid to Ukraine, suggesting a failure to check basic facts.
Ukraine’s history of corruption is presented without relevant contexts, such as Ukraine’s anti-corruption progress. Also absent is a discussion of Russia’s use of strategic corruption to prevent Ukraine and other ex-Soviet states from becoming successful democracies. The author reduces Ukraine to a corrupt society that is not “pragmatic” in its self-defense and overtly advocates exploiting Ukraine’s need to manipulate its choices.
Put another way, the article seems to imply the US should use strategic corruption to coerce Ukraine while also asserting Ukraine is corrupt. Overt claims about US support also come without evidence (sic):
“The foreign policy elites, however, only benefit politically and financially from more war, ongoing ad nauseum. There is as of yet no downside for these elites in more war.”
Who policy elites are and how the author knows they are corrupt persons willing to profit off mass deaths is unexplained.
Most glaringly, the piece ignores large-scale war crimes like rape, torture, and killing of children, mutilation, starvation, grotesque scenes like human heads on spikes, torture cellars, and potentially well over 500,000 stolen Ukrainian children who have disappeared into the Russian Federation.
More about Russia’s history of aggression can be found here:
A list of resources related to “telling where that money ends up.”
Claims implying the US isn’t auditing aid to Ukraine are pants-on-fire false.
- Defense, State, and USAID Inspectors General visit Brussels and The Hague
- Joint Statement on Commitment to Ukraine Response Oversight
- Project Announcement: Evaluation of the Secretary of State’s Certification and Report to Congress on Direct Financial Support for the Government of Ukraine
- Project Announcement: Audit of Humanitarian Assistance to Ukraine
- Office of Inspector General Delegation Conducts Joint Visit to Advance Ukraine Response Oversight
- Audit of Emergency Action Plan for Embassy Kyiv, Ukraine
- Inspection of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
- Inspection of Embassy Kyiv, Ukraine
- Review of Broadcasting Board of Governors' Operations in Kyiv, Ukraine
- Inspection of Embassy Kyiv, Ukraine March 07
Notice | Issued On November 2022
Notice | Issued On November 2022
Notice | Issued On October 2022
Notice | Issued On September 2022
Notice | Issued On August 2022
Report | Issued On January 2018
Report | Issued On May 2017
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Report | Issued On September 2013
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Oct. 5, 2022
We plan to begin the subject audit in October 2022. The objective of this audit is to determine the extent to which the DoD is training the Ukrainian Armed Forces to operate and maintain U.S.-provided defense articles. We may revise the objective as the audit proceeds, and we will also consider suggestions from management for additional or revised objectives.
Oct. 3, 2022
We plan to begin the subject evaluation in October 2022. The objective of this evaluation is to determine the extent to which the DoD implemented security controls for defense items transferred to the Government of Ukraine within the U.S. European Command area of responsibility, in accordance with the Defense Transportation Regulations and DoD instructions.
Aug. 1, 2022
We plan to begin the subject audit in August 2022. The objective ofthis audit is to determine whether the Army adequately maintained and accurately accounted for Anny Prepositioned Stock- 5 (APS-5) equipment in accordance with Federal and DoD regulations. We may revise the objective as the audit proceeds, and we will also consider suggestions from management for additional or revised objectives.
June 27, 2022
We plan to begin the subject evaluation in June 2022. The objective of this evaluation is to determine the extent to which the DoD developed, planned, and executed cross-domain intelligence sharing with European partners in support of Ukraine. We may revise the objective as the evaluation proceeds, and we will also consider suggestions from management for additional or revised objectives.
June 21, 2022
We plan to begin the subject evaluation in June 2022. The objective of this evaluation is to determine the extent to which the DoD has planned to restock its equipment and munitions provided to the Government of Ukraine. We may revise the objective as the evaluation proceeds, and we will also consider suggestions from management for additional or revised objectives.
June 6, 2022
We plan to begin the subject evaluation in June 2022. The objective of this evaluation is to determine the extent to which the 21st Theater Sustainment Command, U.S. Army Europe and Africa, is maintaining and accounting for Army Prepositioned Equipment (APS-2) in storage areas, and planning for the repair, replenishment, and replacement of issued APS-2 equipment in response to Ukraine and in support of NATO defense forces. We may revise the objective as the evaluation proceeds, and we will also consider suggestions from management for additional or revised objectives.
May 9, 2022
We plan to begin the subject evaluation in May 2022. The objective of this evaluation is to determine whether the U.S. Special Operations Command's Joint Military Information Support Operations Web Operations Center (JMWC) supports the combatant commander's requirements to conduct military information support operations (MISO).
April 4, 2022
We plan to begin the subject audit in April 2022. The objective of this audit is to determine whether the Army’s administration and oversight of the Logistics Civil Augmentation Program V contract in the U.S. European Command area of responsibility was performed in accordance with applicable requirements. We may revise the objective as the audit proceeds, and we will consider management suggestions for additional or revised objectives.
- Oct 2022 - Remarks on OIG’s ongoing efforts to provide comprehensive oversight over USAID’s funding to support Ukraine
- Oct 2022 - Fraud schemes alert - This document identifies red flags for potential fraud schemes that could compromise USAID's Ukraine response and identifies mitigation steps that help detect and prevent these schemes (also in Ukrainian).
- Oversight of USAID's Ukraine Response Newsletter
- Sept 2022 - Ukraine Investigation Dashboard
- October 2022 - Ukraine Investigation Dashboard
There are eight potential cases in Ukraine, including two where someone was bribed and reported it rather than taking the money, a closed theft case from April 2022, and two cases where resources weren’t used because of ongoing fighting. One investigation took place in Moldova. Investigators found no kickbacks or bribery, only the alleged unfair advantage.
This bill provided continuing FY 2023 appropriations to federal agencies through December 16, 2022. It also provided supplemental appropriations for assistance to Ukraine, including an additional $4.5 billion in bilateral assistance to be made available for direct financial support for the Government of Ukraine.
Related to the provision of this assistance, the bill requires the Secretary of State to certify and report that mechanisms for monitoring and oversight of such funds are in place and functioning and that the Government of Ukraine has in place substantial safeguards to prevent corruption and ensure accountability of funds. The bill further requires the Inspectors General of the Department of State and the United States Agency for International Development to submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees detailing and assessing the mechanisms for monitoring and safeguarding that the Secretary of State certifies per the same legislation.
This bill provided appropriations to federal agencies for the remainder of FY 2022. It also provided supplemental appropriations for several federal agencies to assist Ukraine in responding to the Russian invasion, including funding for emergency food assistance, migration and refugee assistance, defense equipment, economic assistance, and enforcing sanctions against Russia.
Specific to the Office of Inspector General for the Department of State, the bill provided $91,458,000 for the necessary expenses of the OIG and noted that such funds were made available notwithstanding section 209(a)(1) of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 as it relates to post inspections. Separately, in a Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, the bill provided for an additional $4 million for OIG to remain available until September 30, 2024.
This bill provided $40.1 billion in FY 2022 emergency supplemental appropriations for activities to respond to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. It included appropriations for defense equipment, migration and refugee assistance, regulatory and technical support regarding nuclear power issues, emergency food assistance, economic assistance, and seizures of property related to the invasion.
Specific to OIG, the bill provided an additional $4 million to remain available until September 30, 2024.
Despite the grave implications of a successful illegal conquest and the average American having nothing to gain from supporting the war, the Mises op-ed ascribed the support to corrupt selfishness.
The Mises op-ed dismisses valid concerns about US security and the threats posed by Russia’s repeated attacks.
The super-majority of Americans support sending aid to Ukraine.
- “Ultimately though, 73% of Americans say the United States should continue to support Ukraine despite Russia threatening to use nuclear weapons,” according to Reuters/Ipsos poll tracking.
- Nearly 90% of Americans agree that a country’s army is never or rarely justified to target and kill civilians.
Broad US support exists despite the average American having nothing to gain from the war, and if anything, Americans are enduring price increases associated with energy market disruptions.
The Mises article omits relevant context when raising corruption, similar to Russia’s misleading claims to discourage aid to Ukraine.
Mises Institute’s article does not mention Russia’s strategic corruption designed to prevent Ukraine and other ex-Soviet states from integrating with Europe and preventing such change from reaching Russia.
By attributing Russia’s strategic corruption to Ukraine, the author—in effect— helps Russia exert control over ex-Soviet states like Ukraine.
“In recent years, a number of countries—China and Russia, in particular—have found ways to take the kind of corruption that was previously a mere feature of their own political systems and transform it into a weapon on the global stage. Countries have done this before, but never on the scale seen today.”
The article also disregards Ukrainian efforts to combat corruption, which include a designated Anti-Corruption Court and a National Corruption Policy Council. Experts believe the loss of the ability to manipulate through corruption is one reason Russia invaded Ukraine. The 2014 invasion came immediately following a Ukrainian revolution that ousted the pro-Kremlin leader Viktor Yanukovych, who Putin allowed to flee to Russia.
Declining corruption was threatening Russia’s ability to manipulate Ukraine. The 2014 invasion swiftly followed a revolution ousting the country’s pro-Kremlin leader.
The Ukrainian people rejected the corruption of Yanukovych in 2013 when he accepted money from Russia in exchange for not joining the EU.
“Having tried to undermine Ukraine through military and hybrid aggression, Putin now threatens a large-scale invasion to destroy the country—not only because it is successfully undergoing comprehensive domestic transformation but, more importantly, because it has the potential to trigger similar democratic reforms in Russia.”
In the article “Why Ukraine’s Fight Against Corruption Scares Russia,” members of the Anti-Corruption Action Center in Ukraine discuss the country’s journey out of Soviet corruption.
“In 2015-16, the Ukrainian government opened state databases… which now saves up to 10 percent of the funds budgeted for each purchase due to the site’s auction approach, transparency, and competitiveness. Since 2016, around one million public servants have submitted asset declarations to the electronic declaration system annually. They must report their and their family members’ incomes, assets, real estate, valuable property, corporate rights, beneficial ownership of companies, bank accounts, art, fur coats—and even hard cash stocked in closets or deposit boxes. These measures significantly empowered civil society experts and investigative journalists to reveal and expose corruption, thus elevating the risk for corrupt officials, who are sensitive to any public exposure of their wrongdoings.”
Kaleniuk and Halushka continue:
“Digitization in the city-planning and construction industry alone helps to save around $110 million annually, which previously had gone into the pockets of corrupt officials. This radical openness gave birth to more anti-kleptocracy projects driven by civil society, such as a public national database of politically exposed persons—individuals who hold “prominent public function”—and their family members and close associates.”
Citing a far-left website, the article makes the unsupported claim that “Russophobes” want to “dismantle” Russia.
The article asserts that “American Russophobes” want to dismantle Russia, another common claim used by the Kremlin to justify the war, and that (sic) “The foreign policy elites, however, only benefit politically and financially from more war, ongoing ad nauseum. There is as of yet no downside for these elites in more war.”
- For the claim about dismantling Russia, the author cites MRonline.org, a far-left website that SimilarWeb assesses as most similar to Marxist.org, but also like Marxist.com.
- MRonline.org has also recently published content denying the Uighur genocide from an author promoted by outlets with close ties to the Kremlin and Russian oligarchs like Katehon and RT.
Appendix
Auditing of aid to Ukraine
- Department of Defense. (2022). Department of Defense Office of Inspector General > Ukraine. Office of Inspector General, United States Department of Defense. https://www.dodig.mil/Ukraine/
- Department of State. (2022). Ukraine Response Oversight. Office of Inspector General. https://www.stateoig.gov/ukraine-response-oversight
- USAID. (2022). Ukraine Oversight. USAID.Gov. https://oig.usaid.gov/our-work/ukraine-oversight/