A report card on the Biden administration

[Sandy Shanks]

In their world truth is an unwanted commodity.

The Guardian reports, "Russia has completely blocked access to Facebook in retaliation for the platform placing restrictions on state-owned media.

"The Russian state communications regulator, Roskomnadzor, later said it had also restricted access to Twitter.

"Facebook and its sister platform Instagram have removed Russia Today (RT) and Sputnik from their output in the European Union this week and did the same with the UK on Friday."

CNN reports, "Russia’s second largest oil company has broken ranks with President Vladimir Putin.

"Lukoil, which produces more than 2% of the world’s crude oil and employs over 100,000 people, has called for an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine.

"The company’s board of directors said in a statement to shareholders, staff and customers that it was “calling for the soonest termination of the armed conflict.

"The company has operations in dozens of countries around the world and is Russia’s second biggest oil company behind state-owned giant Rosneft. It now faces huge challenges as traders shun Russian crude for fear of running afoul of Western sanctions even though they do not directly target fossil fuel exports."

Lukoil shares listed in London have lost roughly 99% of their value following the invasion. Dealing in the company’s stock was suspended on Thursday.

 

[Sandy Shanks]

Biden is experiencing a career-low 37% approval rating on his job performance overall, with 55% disapproving. I understand inflation is a problem, but there is a war on. I honestly don't know what people are complaining about.

In an earlier report the rapidly improving jobs picture was described. Inflation and Biden's role in same was explained along with his powerful leadership concerning Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine. That very day Biden's approval numbers shot up.

Of course, the media is not giving me credit. The media is giving credit to the President's SOTU address. Well, that may have had something to do with it.

The Hill explains. "President Biden is seeing a boost to his approval rating following his first State of the Union address this week, with a poll released Friday showing him at 47 percent.

"The latest NPR-PBS NewsHour-Marist National Poll found that 47 percent of Americans surveyed approve of the job he is doing as president, which is a jump from the 39 percent approval rating he had in the same poll last month."

That's not all as The Hill adds, "The poll also found Biden’s approval rating is on the upswing on issues like Ukraine and COVID-19. Fifty-five percent of Americans approve of how he is handling the coronavirus pandemic, up from 47 percent in February.

"Fifty-two percent approve of how he is handling the situation with Russia and Ukraine, up from 34 percent in February when tensions were simmering but Russia had not yet launched its invasion.

"An overwhelming majority of Americans surveyed — 83 percent — also supported the United States’ and other allies’ economic sanctions against Russia."

Considering that 40% of Americans known as Trump Republicans will disapprove of Biden no matter how effective he is, all that is pretty darn good.

"Biden's leadership on Ukraine has resonated over the last week with Americans. He has forged a consensus in the U.S. on his policy toward Ukraine. Americans are even willing to sacrifice higher energy prices in support of the Ukrainian people," Lee Miringoff, director of the Marist Institute for Public Opinion, said.

 

[Sandy Shanks]

Stephen Collinson writes, Millions of lives could be destroyed to slake Vladimir Putin’s Cold War obsession.

Less than three weeks into Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – a historic outrage 30 years in the making – the world is looking on in horror at the barbarity, human tragedy, appalling destruction and worldwide reverberations sparked by one man’s orders.
Ukraine’s fate starkly underlines that even 20 years into the 21st century and despite the world’s vows to learn from history, a lone autocrat who has ruthlessly fashioned a political system to eliminate dissent and reality itself has the power to cause unfathomable human loss and misery.

Putin, Hitler-like, is bent on obliterating Ukraine, its cities, its infrastructure, its power supplies, and it’s people. Odessa is a Russian vacation spot for Russian leaders, leaders like Vladimir Putin. Putin is about to launch an amphibious assault on the hotels, restaurants, and spas.

The Russian people are a friendly lot. Only the oldest Bolsheviks believe the nonsense, the propaganda, spewing from the state owned media, theoretically the only source of news in Russia.

But it’s not. Despite Putin’s attempts to keep the truth from the Russian people, they are finding out what he is doing.

It is extremely doubtful they will approve. Will the military approve of the harm Putin is doing to Mother Russia, the Rodina? Some are confused as to why they are attacking and killing Ukrainian brethren. Some in the military have parents living in Ukraine ... or did. Several oligarchs have already rebelled against Putin’s war.

Putin is attacking Russian speaking peoples.

“I believe that Russians and Ukrainians are one people ... one nation, in fact. When these lands that are now the core of Ukraine joined Russia ... nobody thought of themselves as anything but Russians.” Putin

Russians believe that statement.

 

[Sandy Shanks]

Volodymyr Zelensky spoke from his office in the Ukrainian capitol today, clearly informing Putin where he is.

CNN reports, "Zelensky asked for American support in facilitating the transfer of Soviet-era fighter jets from Eastern European nations to Ukraine, where pilots have been trained to fly them and could use them to control the skies.

"By Saturday evening, US and Polish officials were in discussions about a potential agreement to supply the country with American F-16 fighter jets in exchange for Poland sending its Russian-made jets to Ukraine."

“We are working with Poland as we speak to see if we can backfill anything that they provide to the Ukrainians,” Blinken said Sunday. “But we also want to see if we can be helpful in making sure that, whatever they provide to Ukrainians, something goes to them to make up for any gap in the security for Poland that might result.”

"Thomas-Greenfield also made clear the US had “not in any way opposed the Polish government providing these jets to Ukraine,'” CNN added.

 

[Sandy Shanks]

CNN reports, "US President Joe Biden is facing bipartisan criticism over the potential for new oil deals with Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, and Iran to offset the loss of Russian oil."

I really wish the politicians would allow our Commander-in-Chief to fight this war without their meaningless advice that is meant solely for the media and their constituents. Their advice is worse than useless. It gets in the way.

Biden has plenty of help from the Pentagon, Director of National Intelligence and 15 intelligence agencies, national security advisor, National Security Council, every member of his cabinet including the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of State, and a few other entities I can't remember.

What do politicians have? A microphone and a television camera. They have no idea what they are talking about and they are clueless as to the discussions with our NATO allies and the coordination that is required.

 

[Sandy Shanks]

I really wish the politicians would allow our Commander-in-Chief to fight this war without their meaningless advice that is meant solely for the media and their constituents. Their advice is worse than useless. It gets in the way.

The Post reports, "At the White House, President Biden said he was banning all imports of oil and natural gas from Russia, effective immediately. The United Kingdom also announced a plan to phase out all Russian oil products by the end of the year."

The White House announcement came amid a rising bipartisan clamor to stop Russian imports. For example, U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) introduced the Ban Russian Energy Imports Act which would prohibit the importation of Russian crude oil, petroleum, petroleum products.

Consequently, Biden made this meaningless gesture to get the politicians off his back.

The amount of energy products we import from Russia is miniscule as compared to total Russian exports of energy. The impact will be far greater on the U.S. than it is on Russia, raising the likely prospect of this affecting Americans far more that it will affect Russians. In addition, the U.S. is going it alone, departing from our NATO partners; something Biden did not want to do.

This is what happens when politicians interfere with the Commander-in-Chief in the conduct of war.

 

[Sandy Shanks]

There are serious doubts Russia will invade Ukraine. Wars are very costly, and Ukraine has a respectable, battle hardened military which outnumbers the Russian strike force, and she will get military assistance from NATO. If she invades, the sanctions placed on Russia and Russian leaders by the NATO countries will likely be more costly than the war itself.

If the attacking force is outnumbered by the defending force, it would be disastrous for the aggressor. That is Military Strategy 101.

If Putin invades Ukraine, it would be the Soviet/Afghan War all over again, and with it, the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Now we can add Ukraine's citizens to the Ukrainian defense force , men, women, and teenagers who refuse to submit to Russian oppression. It is rapidly becoming self-evident that Putin will not be allowed to successfully occupy Ukraine. His army isn't big enough.

“We assess Moscow underestimated the strength of Ukraine’s resistance and the degree of internal military challenges we are observing which include an ill-constructed plan, morale issues and considerable logistical issues,” Avril Haines, director of national intelligence, said before the House Intelligence Committee. CNBC provided this statement.

Strange Putin didn't know this or was he blinded by an obsession? Putin may still win this war, but what exactly will he win and at what cost to the Rodina? Will the Russian people, oligarchs, and military leaders acept that cost?

“We assess Putin feels aggrieved the West does not give him proper deference and perceives this as a war he cannot afford to lose,” added Haines, who leads America’s 18 intelligence agencies.

A Pyrrhic victory is a victory that is not worth winning because so much is lost to achieve it.

 

[Sandy Shanks]

CNN reports, "Vice President Kamala Harris is jetting to Europe Wednesday for a trip that became more complicated after one of her hosts – Poland – caught the United States by surprise with a proposal to provide its Soviet-era fighter jets to Ukraine.

"What seemed like a straightforward mission turned more fraught when the Polish foreign ministry announced it was prepared to deploy the jets to the US Air Force’s Ramstein Air Base in Germany, which in theory could then be provided to Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has pleaded for more aircraft amid the Russian invasion."

The Polish offer "appeared designed to avoid the appearance of Poland directly arming Ukraine in its battle against Russia, but created a conundrum for the United States, which is also intent on avoiding direct conflict with Moscow," CNN.

Based on geography that reasoning is spurious at best. Poland is far more vulnerable that the U.S. Poland has a long border with the war zone, meaning Ukraine. Also, Poland has a substantial border with Belarus, a Russian puppet that is assisting Putin in his attempts to obliterate Ukraine. The Russian forces attacking Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital, come from Belarus.

The U.S. is on a different continent separated by an extremely wide ocean.

The reactions from Moscow and Washington are interesting because they both are disingenuous.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "The [Russian] Defense Ministry has already commented on the possibility of using any other airfields for takeoffs of military planes."

"This is an extremely undesirable and potentially dangerous scenario," he added.

Which, of course, means nothing. Like many threats coming from the Kremlin, they are unsubstantiated.

The American reaction to the Polish proposal is extremely disheartening to many.

The official Pentagon statement reads in part, "The prospect of fighter jets "at the disposal of the Government of the United States of America" 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. It is simply not clear to us that there is a substantive rationale for it.

No substantive rationale for it. Incredible rationale, indeed, on the part of the Pentagon. Ukrainian cities are being bombed into oblivion, and Putin seems bent on killing as many civilians as possible. The lives of men women, and children mean nothing to this evil man , but the Pentagon does not see the need to fight the monstrous evil.

Putin is isolated and probably deranged by an obsession, but he is not stupid. Putin will not attack NATO.

In diplomat-speak the Pentagon says the MiG transfer "raises serious concerns for the entire NATO alliance," meaning the Pentagon thinks Putin may attack NATO.

In other words, the Pentagon thinks Putin may be suicidal. He is a bastard, but he is not suicidal.

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.

 

[Sandy Shanks]

The AP reports, "A Russian airstrike devastated a maternity hospital Wednesday in the besieged port city of Mariupol amid growing warnings from the West that Moscow’s invasion is about to take a more brutal and indiscriminate turn. Ukrainian officials said the attack wounded at least 17 people, including women near childbirth.

"The ground shook more than a mile away when the Mariupol complex was hit by a series of blasts that blew out windows and ripped away much of the front of one building."

I watched quite a bit of footage of this complex today, and there is something very strange about this report.

Supposedly, the building was attacked from the air, meaning bombs. Any fan of World War Two movies knows that when a building is hit by bombs, there is severe destruction at the point of impact. That portion of the building is blown to pieces.

I saw a great deal of the complex -- far more than is seen in the photo above -- and the complex was intact!

It looked more like an abandoned complex instead of a bombed out complex.

Is it possible we are receiving Ukrainian propaganda? If so, Americans don't need it. We know the human catastrophe occurring in Ukraine. We don't need false images.

 

[Sandy Shanks]

In diplomat-speak the Pentagon says the MiG transfer "raises serious concerns for the entire NATO alliance," meaning the Pentagon thinks Putin may attack NATO.

In other words, the Pentagon thinks Putin may be suicidal. He is a bastard, but he is not suicidal.

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.

CNN reports, "The swift US rejection of a Polish plan to get MiG-29 fighter jets into Ukraine is the clearest example yet of the complications that the US and its NATO allies face trying to help Ukraine defend itself against Russia’s brutal assault while ensuring they don’t get dragged into a wider war.

"On Wednesday afternoon, the Pentagon bluntly announced it was opposed to the idea, which Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin conveyed in a call to his Polish counterpart."

“Secretary Austin thanked the minister for Poland’s willingness to continue to look for ways to assist Ukraine, but he stressed that we do not support the transfer of additional fighter aircraft to the Ukrainian air force at this time, and therefore have no desire to see them in our custody either,” Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said at a briefing.

That is pretty blunt to an ally we are supposed to be aiding in the fight against Russian aggression.

CNN continued, "The Pentagon’s rejection of the plan to provide jets came after Secretary of State Antony Blinken endorsed the idea earlier in the week, and one senior GOP lawmaker said there were divisions inside the administration about what to do on the issue."

Officials tell CNN that all of the public discussion about the plan make it less likely to happen, because it only increases Moscow’s ability to call any moves escalatory.

So what? Is Putin running the Pentagon now? Don't do this or I will call it escalatory.

The Pentagon is afraid Putin will attack NATO. Nothing is more ridiculous. He can't even defeat Ukraine, and he has lost a lot of soldiers, tanks, APC's, warplanes, trucks, and other military hardware trying.

The Poles were willing to make this exchange and they are a lot closer to the danger.

Many are ashamed of our military right now and its irrational fear. Our Commander-in-Chief needs re-examine the Pentagon's decision regarding this matter and sooner is better than later.

As in now!

 

[Sandy Shanks]

The Hill reports, "Ukraine has begged NATO for fighter jets as it fights off a brutal Russian invasion on the ground and in the air, pleas that have won limited support in Washington over escalation fears.

"Republican senators grilled intelligence officials on Thursday for not supporting Poland's plan to send fighter jets to Ukraine, claiming the United States was bowing to threats from Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"At a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on global threats, Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) blasted U.S. officials for "failing to help Poland," which on Tuesday offered to send MiG-29 fighter jets to a base in Germany for deployment to Ukraine, with the U.S. then providing fighter jets to Poland to resupply its military.

"Cotton asked why Putin "might be A-okay with us transferring missiles that turn their tanks into burning piles of rubbish or shoot their jets out of the sky, yet transferring tactical aircraft is considered unacceptable?"

"I don't think there's a lot of common sense between the distinction," he added.

It isn't often that I agree with Cotton, but I agree with his logic on this matter. A lot of Americans do.

 

[Sandy Shanks]

The Pentagon is afraid Putin will attack NATO. Nothing is more ridiculous. He can't even defeat Ukraine, and he has lost a lot of soldiers, tanks, APC's, warplanes, trucks, and other military hardware trying.

The Poles were willing to make this exchange and they are a lot closer to the danger.

Many are ashamed of our military right now and its irrational fear.

"The Poles were willing to make this exchange and they are a lot closer to the danger."

The Russians attacked the airfield in Lutsk today. Lutsk is 70 miles from the Polish border.

As is my daily pattern, I watch about two hours of the news today using mostly ABC and CNN. The attacks on Ukrainian cities from the air and from the land continued. The damage is horrific, and, if anything, it is going to get worse. The Russians are attempting to circle Kyiv, the capital. It is estimated that around 600 civilians have been killed. 2.5 million Ukrainians have become refugees and have fled the country.

It is self-evident that Russian tanks, artillery, APC's, and troop carriers are vulnerable to air attacks, air attacks like say from the MiG-29. However, the swift US rejection of a Polish plan to get MiG-29 fighter jets into Ukraine severely weakened Ukraine attempts to attack from the sky. The President's decision also severely limited Ukraine's ability to defend itself from Russian war planes.

As a consequence the Russian war planes are relentless in their bombing attacks on Ukrainian cities.

A word about the MiG 29 since the Pentagon is making every effort to assert the fighter is substandard. The mainstays of the U.S. Air Force are the F-15 and F-16. The MiG 29 was developed to be on equal footing with the F-15 and F-16. Other fighters on both sides are superior but are limited in number.

When the media talked about future ways the U.S. could help Ukraine, it completely ignored the elephant in the room -- the Polish MiG's and our President's refusal to allow the transfer because Putin may call it escalatory.

There was no mention of the 28 Polish MiG's. The shame is palpable.

Biden made a speech today. Instead of discussing the real threats to the Ukrainian people such as artillery and tank bombardments, missiles, and Russian air attacks, Biden talked about imaginary threats such as Russia using CBW or attacking a NATO country. He promised "severe consequences" if either happened.

Biden then announced new sanctions on Russian vodka, caviar, and diamonds.

The shame is palpable.

 

[Sandy Shanks]

If Trump somehow gets elected President again, Putin is going to have a friend in the White House,

CNN reports, "It's not just that Donald Trump recently hailed the "genius" of Putin's strike against Ukraine. Since his political career began, Trump has backed Putin in ways connected directly to the Russian's quest to subjugate that country.

"Putin seized Crimea from Ukraine the following year. Protests in Kyiv had forced a Kremlin ally to quit the presidency. The ousted president, who fled to Russia, had been advised by an American political consultant. That consultant, Paul Manafort, subsequently became Trump's 2016 campaign manager.

"Candidate Trump spoke forgivingly about Russia's violation of Ukrainian sovereignty. He mused about lifting sanctions to smooth relations with Putin."

"The people of Crimea, from what I've heard, would rather be with Russia than where they were," Trump told ABC News in July 2016. That had been Putin's justification for the invasion.

CNN continued, "President Trump sought to undo one punishment imposed on Putin by proposing that Russia rejoin the G7, an organization of the world's major industrial economies.

"His administration implemented some new sanctions on Russia at the insistence of national security officials and Congress. Trump himself objected. In almost every case, the sanctions were imposed with Trump complaining about it and saying we were being too hard," his former national security adviser John Bolton.

"Trump cast doubt on America's decades-old commitment to defending European partners in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Aides feared he might try to withdraw from NATO if he won a second term.

"He fomented discord at home, advancing Putin's objective of sapping American resolve. "Donald Trump is the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people," his former Defense Secretary James Mattis said in 2020.

"Trump shielded Russia from opprobrium. Echoing Russian propaganda, he led fellow Republicans in smearing Ukraine by falsely suggesting that Kyiv rather than Moscow had interfered in the 2016 US presidential election."

At Helsinki Trump rejected American intelligence and accepted Putin's word that Russia did not interfere in the 2016 election.

Putin isn't to blame for the war in Ukraine, according to Trump. Biden is.

'While we need to help stop this brutal invasion, we also have to clean out the rot of our failed foreign policy establishment -- it is indeed rotten to the core -- before these total lunatics lead us down the path of national ruin and World War III," Trump said at a recent rally in South Carolina.

 

[toobfreak]

A report card on the Biden administration​

Let me sum it up for you more succinctly:

 

[Sandy Shanks]

When the media talked about future ways the U.S. could help Ukraine, it completely ignored the elephant in the room -- the Polish MiG's and our President's refusal to allow the transfer because Putin may call it escalatory.

There was no mention of the 28 Polish MiG's.

Biden made a speech today. Instead of discussing the real threats to the Ukrainian people such as artillery and tank bombardments, missiles, and Russian air attacks, Biden talked about imaginary threats. Then he announced new sanctions on Russian vodka, caviar, and diamonds.

(CNN)President Joe Biden's choices and challenges on Ukraine were already extremely tough. As the war's horror mounts, they are about to get even more excruciating.

"Since Russia launched its onslaught last month, Biden has sought to punish and isolate President Vladimir Putin and to mitigate the slaughter of civilians by providing defensive weapons to the Kyiv government. But he's also calibrated his actions to avoid being dragged into a dangerous direct conflict with nuclear-armed Russia while finessing his own delicate political situation at home.

"As Putin escalates his assault, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky gets more desperate and the civilian toll becomes more appalling by the day, Biden's balancing act becomes much harder.

"The political heat on the President, after a period of unusual unity in Washington, is also about to rise. That will especially be the case if, as appears increasingly likely, the rest of the world is forced to watch an inhumane Russian siege and bombardment of Kyiv."

Some of the President's critics in Congress and in parts of the foreign policy establishment, including in his own party, argue that he's been too cautious, and he is allowing Putin to dictate his decisions.

CNN continued, "That has encouraged Biden critics in Congress to warn that Washington's opposition to Poland's offer to send Soviet-era jets to Ukraine amounted to the US bowing to a Russian bluff. Only a few members of Congress have called for a no-fly zone over Ukraine, underscoring reluctance to send US service personnel into harm's way and into an alarming head-to-head clash with Russia. But Senate Republican Whip John Thune said Monday there is broad bipartisan support for including a provision approving the deployment of military aircraft to Ukraine in a bill targeting Russia's energy imports and trade status."

 

[Sandy Shanks]

Some of the President's critics in Congress and in parts of the foreign policy establishment, including in his own party, argue that he's been too cautious, and he is allowing Putin to dictate his decisions.

The media can no longer ignore the elephant in the room insofar as Putin's invasion of Ukraine is concern and the desperate need for the Polish MiG-29's in Ukraine, as well as Biden's refusal to transfer same.

But the media is being misleading in its coverage.

First, they lump the fighters in with the issue of the no-fly zone. The latter is a no-brainer. It's not going to happen. In the next breath they bring up fighters -- that's right, just "fighters" -- saying the White House has ruled that out, too. The media is hoping the listener will accept the common sense to the first will carry over to the second.

Second, the media only says "fighters," not Polish MiG's. Then the media reports that the White House will not allow American pilots to fly in Ukraine, confusing the issue between the no-fly zone and Polish generosity and courage in the case of the MiG's. Obviously, Ukrainian pilots would fly the MiG's, a fighter with which they are quite familiar.

28 MiG-29's are badly needed in Ukraine as civilian deaths mount and cities and towns are being destroyed by the Russian onslaught. Biden's decision on this matter is both sad and perplexing.

 

[Sandy Shanks]

28 MiG-29's are badly needed in Ukraine as civilian deaths mount and cities and towns are being destroyed by the Russian onslaught. Biden's decision on this matter is both sad and perplexing.

CNN reports, "US President Joe Biden is set to travel to Europe next week for an extraordinary meeting and show of US support for Ukraine, the White House has confirmed.

"Biden will join NATO world leaders in person in Brussels, Belgium, next Thursday, March 24.

"The visit will mark a quickly-arranged and critical meeting with key allies amid Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine as NATO attempts to curb Russian President Vladimir Putin’s ongoing aggression.

"Earlier, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said he had convened a leaders summit."

“I have convened an extraordinary Summit on 24 March at #NATO HQ. We will address #Russia’s invasion of #Ukraine, our strong support for Ukraine, and further strengthening NATO’s deterrence & defence. At this critical time, North America & Europe must continue to stand together,” Stoltenberg said.

Good, maybe our allies can straighten out Biden. Putin is obsessed, but he is not suicidal or stupid. He will not attack the NATO alliance. So far, he hasn't even been able to defeat Ukraine, and he will never be able to occupy Ukraine. For Putin, this is Afghanistan redux.

 

[Sandy Shanks]

First, they lump the fighters in with the issue of the no-fly zone. The latter is a no-brainer. It's not going to happen. In the next breath they bring up fighters -- that's right, just "fighters" -- saying the White House has ruled that out, too. The media is hoping the listener will accept the common sense to the first will carry over to the second.

Second, the media only says "fighters," not Polish MiG's.

CNN reports, "The President will unveil the new package of military assistance, including anti-tank missiles, as soon as Wednesday following Zelensky's speech, according to officials familiar with the plans. The new assistance will stop short of the no-fly zone or fighter jets Zelensky has said are necessary to sustain Ukraine's fight against Russia.

"Fighter jets!" Not Polish MiG-29's. There is no mention of MiG's in the entire article, and no mention of the courageous offer by the Poles whose country shares a common border with the war zone.

Breaking Biden announces hundreds of millions in new security aid for Ukraine​

CNN is no different. The entire media wants Americans to forget the generous offer from Poland, and the President's refusal to transfer the MiG's to Ukraine. Putin is dictating Biden's actions, or inaction.

This is a disgrace. Instead, Biden is throwing money at the problem while the Russian onslaught from the skies and the ground continues. The civilian casualties are adding up quickly, and cities are beginning to look like a junkyard.

 

[Sandy Shanks]

Define sick!

ABC News reports, "About 400 bulletproof vests destined for Ukraine were stolen from a New York City non-profit organization that’s been leading an effort to collect and ship tactical gear to people in the warzone, police said Wednesday."

“It is despicable that someone would break into a building to steal supplies and materials intended to aid those affected by this humanitarian crisis,” said Vicki DiStefano, a spokesperson for Suffolk County Sheriff Errol Toulon Jr.

Unfortunately, we live in a world where there are some really sick jerks.

 

[Sandy Shanks]

The President will unveil the new package of military assistance, including anti-tank missiles, as soon as Wednesday following Zelensky's speech, according to officials familiar with the plans. The new assistance will stop short of the no-fly zone or [Polish MiG-29] fighter jets Zelensky has said are necessary to sustain Ukraine's fight against Russia.

I don't with to demean Biden's assistance to Ukraine as the media continues to mislead the public by not defining where the fighters are coming from. The listener is given the impression the discussion concerns American fighters.

ABC reports, "Speaking just hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on him to be a "leader for peace," President Joe Biden on Wednesday thanked Zelenskyy for his "passionate message" and detailed how much military aid the U.S. is already providing -- or will provide -- to Ukraine.

"He did not directly address Zelensky's emotional and direct appeal to lawmakers on Wednesday for the U.S. to back a no-fly zone the administration has repeatedly rejected -- but announced an additional $800 million in military assistance as part of the $13.6 billion aid package for Ukraine contained in the government spending bill Biden signed into law Tuesday, which includes weapons the Ukrainians have been requesting, such as anti-armor and anti-air systems."

"What’s at stake here are the principles that the United States and the United Nations and across the world stand for. It's about freedom. It’s about the right of people to determine their own future. It's about making sure Ukraine never, will never be a victory for Putin no matter what advances he makes on the battlefield," Biden said.

"The American people are answering President Zelenskyy's call for more help, more weapons for Ukraine to defend itself, more tools to fight Russian aggression. And that’s what we’re doing," Biden added.

Well, okay, but that assistance comes with an asterisk.