We’re certainly getting a lot of 180s from the Biden administration this week. A week ago, Jen Psaki said that no, the United States wasn’t funding Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine because the Russian oil only made up around 10 percent of what the U.S. imports. A day ago, President Biden told the press that he “can’t do much now” about the “Putin spike” at the gas pump because “Russia is responsible” for the increase in gas prices we’ve seen over the past year.
And as Twitchy reported, Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said a week ago that high gas prices were because of the country’s “transition” away from fossil fuels. On Wednesday, she told the American oil industry that we are “on a war footing” and U.S. oil companies should produce more oil immediately.
The U.S. has also done a 180, it seems, on a plan to provide Polish fighter jets to Ukraine by letting them pass through U.S. air bases. On “Face the Nation” Sunday, Secretary of State Anothony Blinken gave the “green light” to transfer the MiGs to Ukraine.
.@SecBlinken: The U.S. has given the “green light” to NATO countries if they choose to provide fighter jets to Ukraine, one day after President Zelensky made a plea to members of Congress to provide them during a Saturday Zoom call. https://t.co/liDkdNCAFI pic.twitter.com/3vHqk6YzQe
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) March 6, 2022
On Tuesday, though, Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said that plan was not going to happen:
🚨Pentagon nixes Polish plan to give MiG’s to Ukraine via Ramstein:
“departing from a U.S./NATO base in Germany to fly into airspace that is contested with Russia over Ukraine raises serious concerns for the entire NATO alliance…simply not clear there is substantive rationale.” pic.twitter.com/DQv5MlUcvX
— Jacqui Heinrich (@JacquiHeinrich) March 8, 2022
Pentagon officially shoots down plan to send Polish MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine calling move a "high risk" maneuver that would likely escalate tensions with Russia
— Lucas Tomlinson (@LucasFoxNews) March 9, 2022
If we’re not sending Ukraine the weapons they need to win, then what is the point. Javelins provided by the U.S. and launched by Ukrainians are fine but Polish planes flown by Ukrainians are not. Okay. https://t.co/4w1GXJFCyb
— Katie Pavlich (@KatiePavlich) March 9, 2022
Also, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Sunday that the jets being transferred to Ukraine already had the “green light.” Today, Psaki said it was a logistics issue and that talks were ongoing. Now, Pentagon says no go. What changed? https://t.co/PbnkTxq8Ik
— Katie Pavlich (@KatiePavlich) March 9, 2022
A logistics issue?
Clowns. pic.twitter.com/eloXkB3QMs
— AG🌻 (@AGHamilton29) March 9, 2022
Here’s Michael Weiss with a thread detailing what went down:
The backstory of how this all went down in Warsaw is both hilarious and terrifying, FYI.
— Michael Weiss 🌻🇺🇸🇮🇪 (@michaeldweiss) March 8, 2022
From what I've heard from a senior Polish military official, the decision to send the MiG-29s to Ukraine — clandestinely — was taken a while ago. Then what happened?
— Michael Weiss 🌻🇺🇸🇮🇪 (@michaeldweiss) March 8, 2022
Well, people in the PM's cabinet went around boasting of it to foreign diplomats, which may have been why Borrell shot his wad prematurely. Then the Ukrainians (Air Force and Rada) followed suit. Whoops. So much for the element of surprise!
— Michael Weiss 🌻🇺🇸🇮🇪 (@michaeldweiss) March 8, 2022
Last night, this source messaged me: "To sum up, we will pass those fighters to UA under wraps, but I don't call it 'in secret' since this now a total farce."
— Michael Weiss 🌻🇺🇸🇮🇪 (@michaeldweiss) March 8, 2022
They want to send them to Rammstein, too, so they're parked, de-NATO-fied and reflagged on German, not Polish, soil. Points for imagination on that one, I suppose.
— Michael Weiss 🌻🇺🇸🇮🇪 (@michaeldweiss) March 8, 2022
What I don't know but would suspect is that Zelenskyy saw what a shit-show this had become and purposefully brought up getting fighter jets on that call with U.S. legislators to make sure the plan went ahead anyway. Indeed, look at the bipartisan support for it.
— Michael Weiss 🌻🇺🇸🇮🇪 (@michaeldweiss) March 8, 2022
FUBAR: https://t.co/7COPpT3k6T
— Michael Weiss 🌻🇺🇸🇮🇪 (@michaeldweiss) March 8, 2022
The MiG-29s no one wanted except Ukraine. This is why we can't have nice things. https://t.co/awUJN4AXcN
— Michael Weiss 🌻🇺🇸🇮🇪 (@michaeldweiss) March 8, 2022
"Heya pal, whatcha got there?"
"Pierogis."
"Oh yeah?"
"Old family recipe. Only served in Lviv."
"All right, come on through." pic.twitter.com/tFlZV4pjhq— Michael Weiss 🌻🇺🇸🇮🇪 (@michaeldweiss) March 8, 2022
They found MiG-29s in their local military surplus stores.
— Damon Smith 🇺🇦 (@SmithDamonA) March 8, 2022
Just send a bunch of farmers with tractors to tow them over the border. The pilots need those planes now.
— Tucker’s Person 🌻 (@natashancn) March 9, 2022
It’s amazing how everybody thinks they have to be the first one to post stuff. This is a serious security risk. Nothing should have been said until the planes were on the ground in Ukraine.
— Art Clinton (@ArtClinton5) March 9, 2022
Now that they need to share the risk and responsibility, Blinken's light is not so green anymore.
— Tamir Charmchi 🌻 (@t_charmchi) March 8, 2022
Am curious, but candidly at this point, I just want to hear the planes are in Ukraine.
— Catherine McCarthy (@CathMcCarthy77) March 8, 2022
Same! Tired of hearing they are almost there.
— KhakrivProud37 (@g_khakriv) March 8, 2022
We went from the “green light” on Sunday to Poland’s plan “not being a tenable one” on Tuesday.
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