The much-discussed Javelin missiles at issue do not represent the first lethal weapons' aid approved by President Trump and delivered to Ukraine. Similar funding occurred in 2017 and 2018, without incident or delay.

Hunter Biden had been on the board at Burisma since 2014 or 2015, a fact certainly known to the administration. Ukraine has a long history of corrupt government dating back to the Soviet era. There was no prior expression of concern about "corruption" in Ukraine preventing arms sales financing by the United States.

So, what changed?

What seems obvious is Joe Biden's candidacy for presidenjt. Trump gets nervous. Suddenly, without the aid of a telephone booth to change identities, he becomes SuperTrump The Corruption Fighter! He and Rudy Giuliani cooked up a plan to taint the Biden candidacy with the notion of corrupt practice, without supporting evidence except that Hunter was on Burisma's board. Trump demands an investigation into the Bidens, or more precisely, public announcement of such an investigation.

He wants from President Zelensky what he got gratis from Jim Comey about Hillary Clinton in 2016. Any wonder about the lust after the whistle-blower's scalp in the White House and among congressional Republicans? You can bet Lt. Col. Vindman doesn't make full colonel anytime soon.

Herbert Ross

Lyme