Inside Biden’s ‘Tiger Team’ that decides how to strike back if Russia deploys chemical, biological or nuke weapons
JOE Biden’s so-called Tiger Team will decide how the US should respond if Vladimir Putin-backed forces resort to chemical or nuclear weapons.
The task force was set up just days after Putin’s troops launched their invasion into Ukraine.
Officials meet three times a week and they examine different scenarios – ranging from potential Russian invasions into countries such as Moldova and Georgia to troops launching biological or chemical weapons.
President Biden feared that chemical warfare is a “very real threat” as he departed for Europe, while Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov refused to rule out using nuclear weapons if Moscow faced an “existential threat.”
The Tiger Team is also working on strategies on how European nations can prepare for the consequences of the refugee crisis that has materialized.
More than 10million people have been forced from their homes since the war, according to the UN.
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And, nearly 3.5million have crossed borders out of Ukraine as refugees.
Biden is currently in Europe, where NATO, EU, and G7 emergency summits will take place.
Western leaders will rally behind Ukraine and their embattled president Volodymyr Zelensky while also reinstating their cooperation in punishing Russia for the invasion.
White House officials view the Ukraine crisis as one of Biden’s “defining challenges” while in office, according to CNN.
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Zelensky told US lawmakers last week: “Being the leader of the world means being the leader of peace.”
The embattled leader called for “military assistance without limitations” as Russia is “without limits using its entire arsenal.”
Zelensky called on NATO to provide Kyiv with “1 percent of all your planes, 1% of all your tanks.”
He said: “When we will have all this, it will give us, just like you 100% security.”
SWITCHBLADE DRONES
It was reported that Washington may send American-made Switchblade drones that have the potential to blow up tanks in a bid to bolster Ukraine’s defense against Russia.
Both the Switchblade 300 and 600 drones are extremely portable as they can be carried in backpacks and are fired from tubes.
The 600 weapon can hover over a target for 40 minutes and dash at 115mph.
Meanwhile, the Switchblade 300 can hover for 15 minutes and dive toward targets at speeds of 100mph.
Switchblade 300s are commonly used to target personnel, while 600s are deployed to hit army vehicles.
The weapons, dubbed “kamikaze” drones, come fitted with cameras, guidance systems, and explosives.
Attacks can also be aborted just seconds before targets are hit.
They are much faster than the Turkish Bayraktar TB2 drones that Ukrainian military forces have been using against Russia.
The unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are thought to cost about $5million, and experts have branded it a World War I style aircraft.
Washington has already sent more than 600 Stinger missiles, 2,600 Javelin anti-armor systems, 200 shotguns, 200 machine guns, and around 40million rounds of small arms ammunition.
Helicopters, patrol boats, and helmets have also been sent to bolster Kyiv’s defenses.
Polling suggests that Americans want President Biden to be tougher on Russia.
Out of 1,082 adults surveyed, 56 percent think the commander-in-chief’s response hasn’t been tough enough, an Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll shows.
Almost seven in 10 Republicans and more than 40 percent of Democrats believe Biden hasn’t been strong enough.
While only 36 percent say, his approach has been “about right.”
However, the majority of Republicans and Democrats approve of the economic sanctions imposed on Russia and the ban on Russian oil, according to the poll.
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But while 77 percent of Democrats approve of how Biden is handling the relationship with Russia, just 12 percent of Republicans do.
While some Democrats acknowledged thinking that Biden could be doing more, many are confident in him to do what’s best for the country.
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