Despite Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky begging NATO for planes, it was reported last Friday that Joe Biden was the one who personally vetoed the proposed plan to have Poland send MiG fighter jets to Ukraine because he was concerned that Russia may consider such a move provocative.
Now, I’m no special pleader for Joe Biden. The guy is a weak, incompetent president and a hopeless Commander-in-Chief.
But how could Russia not view the shipment of fighter jets from NATO to Ukraine as anything but a provocation? Putin has already said the sanctions are an act of war. It doesn’t take a genius to conclude he’d feel the same way about a transfer of jets.
We’ve painted ourselves into a corner here. And by “we” I mean this administration.
On the one hand, Biden doesn’t want to do anything that could escalate the conflict to the point where the United States is dragged into a direct war with Russia.
On the other hand, Biden and lawmakers from both sides of the aisle can’t shut the hell up about how they are standing with Ukraine and President Zelensky.
See, Washington is trying to pick a side in this war without having to fight for either side.
And they’re not doing a particularly good job of it.
This morning after I finished up my day job, I happened to stumble across a Just the News report that Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer have invited President Zelensky to address a joint session of Congress on Wednesday.
In announcing the virtual address, the pair wrote:
“The Congress, our country and the world are in awe of the people of Ukraine, who have shown extraordinary courage, resilience and determination in the face of Russia’s unprovoked, vicious, and illegal war. As war rages on in Ukraine, it is with great respect and admiration for the Ukrainian people that we invite all Members of the House and Senate to attend a Virtual Address to the United States Congress delivered by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine on Wednesday, March 16th at 9:00 a.m.”
Why the hell does Zelensky (or Zelenskiy or Zelenskyy) need to speak before a joint session of Congress? Didn’t they just approve another $13.6 billion in aid for Ukraine last week?
Well, we all know why Volodymyr Zelensky would agree to put his job on hold to speak before the United States Congress. He will use this Zoom address to demand a no-fly zone over Ukraine and more fighter jets.
He’d be a fool to pass up an opportunity to take his demands directly to Congress.
Zelensky is trying to save his country and it’s no skin off his nose if he has to drag the US and NATO into a war with Russia to do it.
Okay, now I realize that we’re all supposed to swoon over Volodymyr Zelensky like he’s the fifth Beatle. But if Joe Biden is worried about provoking Russia, shouldn’t he be a little concerned about Congress giving Zelensky a platform to demand we provoke Russia?
Zelensky has no idea that the only reason Chuck and Nancy are putting on this show is for the optics of it.
Right now, as stupid as I might think it is, Volodymyr Zelensky is getting the rock star treatment from pretty much everybody. Having him speak to a joint session of Congress would be ratings gold for the news media. And even though it’s at nine in the morning, I’m guessing more Americans will tune in for Zelensky’s speech than tuned in for Joe Biden’s State of the Union Address.
And Chuck and Nancy want to glom on to Zelensky’s popularity in hopes it rubs off on them.
And with motives like that, I’m afraid that their fan-girling over Zelensky is going to have some disastrous unintended consequences for the United States.
Admittedly, many members of Congress, especially Republicans, are already in the War with Russia camp.
The other members of Congress who right now don’t want to provoke Russia are such weak-minded, emotionally-driven women, I’m afraid a direct “Zoom” appeal from President Heartthrobenksy, along with the requisite media hype it will generate, just might drive the rest of Congress into the War with Russia camp too.
Let’s be honest. Joe Biden isn’t a strong leader. He isn’t any kind of leader.
So if the fan-girls in Congress are so inspired by Zelensky’s address that they decide the United States has to give in to his demands, I don’t think Joe Biden will be able to resist them.