Many have objected to the authorization, claiming it was an unnecessary escalation to the war that threatens to worsen matters. As such, Rep. Keith Self (R-TX) wrote a letter to the president challenging his decision and warned it could have “catastrophic results.”
“I write to challenge your administration’s decision to authorize Ukraine’s use of Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) to strike inside Russia,” Self wrote. “Last September, Russian President Vladimir Putin changed Moscow’s ‘nuclear doctrine’ to include ‘the right to use nuclear weapons’ in the event of ’a massive launch of means of aerospace attack,’ including ‘strategic and tactical aircraft, as well as cruise missiles and drones, hypersonic and other delivery vehicles.’”
“When the United States began providing such weapons to Kyiv in 2023, the dynamics of the war could have been changed drastically, but your administration exerted its influence over the conflict to limit the rules of engagement and the use of ATACMS,” Self wrote. “At this stage of the war, however, the ill-timed decision to green-light the use of US-supplied ATACMS into Russian territory is counter-productive to President-elect Donald J. Trump’s stated goal toward a negotiated peace.”
The Texas congressman questioned the timing of the decision and the potential ulterior motives behind doing so. Self also warned that permitting Ukraine to use these weapons, particularly at this juncture, especially after Putin’s warning, could have dire consequences.
“If this desperate move by your administration represents an attempt by deep-state operatives to hamstring the incoming Trump presidency, it’s a dangerous miscalculation,” Self said in the letter. “I am very concerned that this miscalculation could have catastrophic results.”
Biden’s timing on the decision to allow Ukraine to use the long-range missile systems is arguably questionable. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had been pleading for weeks to use the weapons, which can travel up to 190 miles from where they were launched. He said it was imperative to be able to counter Russian aggression by being able to strike targets inside Russia. However, Biden repeatedly refused. The president changed his mind due to the presence of North Korean troops fighting on behalf of Russia, according to the New York Times.
In his letter, the congressman mentioned that both Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed a desire to resolve the conflict once President-elect Donald Trump began his term in January. The decision to allow Ukraine to use ATACMS shortly before Trump began his term jeopardized this objective.
“Americans do not want World War III,” Self wrote. “This newfound expectation for peace in Eastern Europe is the byproduct of the will of the American people, who decisively pledged their support for a Commander-in-Chief who is committed to accomplishing peace through strength.”
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Furthermore, Self requested Biden provide Congress with a briefing on the details behind the decision to authorize ATACMS before November 25. He concluded that if this briefing did not happen by the aforementioned deadline, he would proceed with “further oversight.”
“Since your recent actions seem to be pushing the world closer to the brink of nuclear war, I hereby request a classified briefing prior to Monday, November 25, 2024, regarding full details of your administration’s agreement on Ukraine’s stipulated rules of engagement with regard to the long-range ATACMS,” Self wrote. “If this briefing is not provided, I will immediately move for further oversight.”
