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RFK Jr. offers foreign policy views on Ukraine, Israel, vows to halve military spending
Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. vowed Wednesday that if elected president, he’d slash the military budget by half.
“I will push for [a] 50% reduction in military expenditures in my first four years in office, with more cuts to come thereafter,” Kennedy said. “A way to keep the dollar strong is to keep the country strong. We can do that by redirecting our bloated military budget toward infrastructure, education and health and building our economy and building small business”
Speaking the day before President Biden signed a security agreement with Ukraine, Kennedy told voters in Yorba Linda, Calif., that U.S. foreign policy has been based on the “delusion” that American intervention abroad will uphold democracy.
Citing billion-dollar aid packages that have been approved for Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan, Kennedy said he wants to roll back defense spending to the levels last seen under President Eisenhower. Seizing on the death of Joseph Stalin in 1953, Eisenhower believed he had an opening to avert an arms war with Russia and thought dramatically cutting defense spending would aid the cause. He did avoid major conflicts, but the Cold War still intensified during his presidency.
Kennedy also faulted the U.S. for — in his view — escalating conflict abroad over the past few decades. He has previously said he does not support more military aid for Ukraine, though he stands by Israel, calling the Russia-Ukraine conflict a “war of choice” and the Israel-Hamas conflict a “moral war.”
“We created ISIS,” Kennedy told voters Wednesday night, referring to the brutal terrorist group that grew out of the remnants of al Qaeda in Iraq and spread across the Middle East in 2014. “We drove four million immigrants up into Europe and destabilized all the Western democracies of Europe for generations.”
Kennedy suggested that the U.S. take a page out of China’s book. He said the country has emerged as a world superpower by using its budget more effectively, investing in infrastructure and businesses in places like Africa and South America, rather than beefing up its military presence.
“They spent $8 trillion on bridges, roads, airports and schools and hospitals,” Kennedy said. “Our forever wars made us enemies across the globe — left us bankrupt at home. China’s investments, in contrast, made friends across the globe and brought it influence in every corner of the Earth.”
Where does Kennedy stand on Ukraine?
Kennedy has rejected any U.S. involvement in Ukraine, including sending military aid, and told reporters at a campaign rally on Long Island in late April that he blames Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for issuing a decree making it “illegal in Ukraine to negotiate with President Putin.”
“[Putin] does not know what dignity and honesty are. Therefore, we are ready for a dialogue with Russia, but with another president of Russia,” Zelenskyy said in October 2022, after Putin annexed four Ukrainian territories, which world leaders condemned as an illegal land grab.
In an interview with Twins Pod in early April, Kennedy seemed to praise the Russian leader for what in his view were the Russian leader’s pacifist intentions, “Putin said, ‘Look I don’t want to go into Crimea. Let’s negotiate a peace.'”
Two years ago, Putin undertook an invasion of Ukraine to keep it from making common cause with western democracies, thereby posing a threat to his rule in Russia.
Kennedy has also repeated the Russian president’s claims that he undertook the invasion to keep NATO out of Ukraine and “de-Nazify” the country.
Mr. Biden has likened Putin’s invasion of Ukraine to Hitler’s Nazi forces invading other European nations. On Thursday, the leaders of the Group of Seven nations agreed to provide Ukraine with a $50 billion loan amid the ongoing war.
Where does Kennedy stand on Israel?
Kennedy has been a staunch supporter of Israel, often telling reporters that he believes Israel has the right to defend itself against Hamas following the massacre that took place on Oct. 7, 2023. Though the U.S. and western powers have called for restraint from Israel when attacking the Gaza Strip, Kennedy told Reuters that a cease-fire would only allow Hamas to rearm.
Kennedy’s running mate, Nicole Shanahan, said she disagrees with the independent candidate on this front. Israel’s response to Hamas’ attack is a topic that leads to “heated debate” between the two, Shanahan said during a podcast last week with host Glenn Greenwald.
“And what I see right now happening on the ground in Gaza, is devastating. I think that, you know, there’s arguments to be made, that we’re long past the point of a cease-fire,” Shanahan said. “I think there’s lots of arguments to be made that Israel should be showing more restraint.”
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How to watch the Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears NFL game today: Livestream options, more
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The Minnesota Vikings will take on the Chicago Bears today. The Vikings are currently 8-2, an impressive run so far this season, and will be looking to add a fourth win to their current streak after last Sunday’s 23-13 win against the Tennessee Titans. The Bears, on the other hand, are entering this game on the heels of a four-game losing streak after a tough 20-19 loss against the Green Bay Packers last Sunday.
Here’s how and when you can watch the Vikings vs. Bears game today, whether or not you have cable.
How and when to watch the Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears
The Vikings vs. Bears game will be played on Sunday, November 24, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET (11:00 a.m. PT). The game will air on Fox and stream on Fubo and the platforms featured below.
How and when to watch the Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears game without cable
You can watch this week’s NFL game on Fox via several streaming services. All you need is an internet connection and one of the top options outlined below.
Fubo offers you an easy, user-friendly way to watch NFL games on CBS, Fox, NBC, ABC, ESPN, and NFL Network, plus NCAA football channels. The Pro tier includes 200+ channels and unlimited DVR, while the Elite with Sports Plus tier adds NFL RedZone and 4K resolution. New subscribers get a seven-day free trial and all plans allow streaming on up to 10 screens simultaneously.
You can watch today’s game with a subscription to Sling’s Orange + Blue tier, which includes ESPN, ABC, NBC, and Fox. The plan offers 46 channels with local NFL games, nationally broadcast games and 50 hours of DVR storage. For complete NFL coverage, add Paramount+ to get CBS games, or upgrade with the Sports Extra add-on for additional sports channels like Golf Channel, NBA TV and NFL RedZone.
Watching NFL games, including Fox broadcasts, is simple with Hulu + Live TV, which includes 90 channels, unlimited DVR storage, and access to NFL preseason games, live regular season games and studio shows. The service includes ESPN+ and Disney+ in the subscription.
Want to watch today’s game live on your smartphone? If so, NFL+ streaming service is the solution you’re looking for. It lets you watch NFL Network and out-of-market games on mobile devices, with an upgrade option to NFL+ Premium that includes NFL RedZone for watching up to eight games simultaneously. Note that NFL+ only works on phones and tablets, not TVs.
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How to watch the Detroit Lions vs. Indianapolis Colts NFL game today: Livestream options, more
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The Detroit Lions will face off against the Indianapolis Colts today. The Lions enter this game as top contenders with a near-perfect record of 9-1 so far this season. The Colts, who are 5-6 this season, could have a tough game on their hands against the Lions but will be looking to rack up another win after prevailing over the New York Jets in a tight game last Sunday.
Here’s how and when you can watch the Colts vs. Lions game today, whether or not you have cable.
Here’s how and when to watch the Detroit Lions vs. Indianapolis Colts
The Lions vs. Colts game will be played on Sunday, November 24, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET (11:00 a.m. PT). The game will air on Fox and stream on Fubo and the platforms featured below.
How and when to watch the Detroit Lions vs. Indianapolis Colts game without cable
You can watch this week’s NFL game on Fox via several streaming services. All you need is an internet connection and one of the top options outlined below.
Experience NFL action like never before with Fubo’s comprehensive sports streaming platform. From Sunday showdowns to primetime matchups, catch every NFL game across major networks including CBS, Fox, NBC, ABC, ESPN and NFL Network. Choose the Pro package to unlock 200+ channels and limitless DVR storage, or elevate your game-day experience with the Elite with Sports Plus package, featuring NFL RedZone’s commercial-free scoring highlights and stunning 4K quality.
Test drive the service with a no-commitment seven-day free trial, and share the excitement with family and friends — Fubo supports simultaneous streaming on up to 10 devices, so everyone can watch their favorite teams.
You can watch today’s game with a subscription to Sling’s Orange + Blue tier, which includes ESPN, ABC, NBC, and Fox. The plan offers 46 channels with local NFL games, nationally broadcast games, and 50 hours of DVR storage. For complete NFL coverage, add Paramount+ to get CBS games, or upgrade with the Sports Extra add-on for additional sports channels like Golf Channel, NBA TV and NFL RedZone.
Watching NFL games, including Fox broadcasts, is simple with Hulu + Live TV, which includes 90 channels, unlimited DVR storage, and access to NFL preseason games, live regular season games and studio shows. The service includes ESPN+ and Disney+ in the subscription.
Want to watch today’s game live on your smartphone? If so, NFL+ streaming service is the solution you’re looking for. It lets you watch NFL Network and out-of-market games on mobile devices, with an upgrade option to NFL+ Premium that includes NFL RedZone for watching up to eight games simultaneously. Note that NFL+ only works on phones and tablets, not TVs.