Sunday on CBS’s “Face the Nation,” Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH) said “there needs to be an investigation” over speed limits affecting the Starlink network used by Ukraine.
Partial transcript as follows:
MARGARET BRENNAN: I want to ask you about Elon Musk’s SpaceX technology, Starlink. Ukraine uses it for communication, they use it to control their drones. Secretary Rubio said no one at the White House ordered it to be slowed down this week so that drones couldn’t use it. But effectively, that was the outcome. Here is how Secretary Rubio explained it last night.
SEC. MARCO RUBIO: We had nothing to do with it. I don’t- I don’t- the United States, nobody ordered that Starlink speed to be slowed down. It sort of happened. But my understanding is it’s been restored.
BRENNAN: Is “it sort of happened” sufficient explanation for you and others on the Armed Services Committee?
TURNER: Absolutely not. I mean, this is something where there needs to be an investigation. There needs to be a congressional investigation. I mean, this is one of those things where- where we see that- that policies occur where sometimes there’s- there’s breaks in- in weapon systems that are supposed to be sent to Ukraine that doesn’t happen, where monies are- are- don’t arrive, where intelligence gets broken, where then later that we have- find, you know, unnamed people in the Pentagon perhaps break it. There needs to be an investigation. We need to find out who these people are because lives are at risk and lives are lost over these things. And even today, you know, the Institute for the Study of War reports today and Zelenskyy reports that, you know, perhaps it’s spotty. There are areas where that it’s restored–
BRENNAN: It’s been straddled back.
TURNER: –and there are areas where perhaps it is not. People’s lives are at risk, and this- this is within Ukraine. This is areas where they’re trying to defend themselves.
BRENNAN: Right.
TURNER: This is essential to the United States support of Ukraine in defending real aggressive attacks by Russia within Ukraine, and this needs to be restored.
BRENNAN: But Elon Musk, who owns this company, and Starlink is a commercial enterprise. Elon Musk publicly opposes President Zelenskyy. He posted on social media he doesn’t want Starlink used for offensive military action. I know Secretary Rubio said it had been restored, but–
TURNER: But this is within Ukraine. This is defending Ukraine against aggression within Ukraine.
BRENNAN: Exactly, but it is just- they’re all pointing at each other, saying no, DOD is in charge. No, Elon Musk’s in charge. I don’t know, it just sort of happened.
TURNER: But the policy decision has been made that- that Starshield will be utilized for the purposes of Ukraine defending itself against Russian aggression–
BRENNAN: Starshield.
TURNER: Starshield.
BRENNAN: Which is the U.S. military contract.
TURNER: Within its territory, and it has, by everybody’s reports, been broken in- in its ability to be able to be accessed. And there should be an investigation as to why, and it should be completely restored.
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