Thursday, March 10, 2022

Are two departments of the Biden administration at war with each other?

 

It begins to look as if the State Department is acting on its own over the Ukraine war, and not bothering to consult or coordinate with any other executive department - to the extreme detriment of the USA as a whole.  Sundance explains (bold, underlined text is my emphasis):


Last weekend, the US Department of State, Secretary Anthony Blinken, made the unilateral claim that Poland -a NATO ally- was approved by the State Department to send fighter jets into Ukraine.   Blinken was located in Moldova when he made the statement to three U.S. media outlets. Poland was caught completely off guard by Blinken’s statements, and only learned about them from the media reporting.

Hours later, western media, desperately pushing the pro-Ukraine defense position, began asking the Polish government for details of what Secretary Blinken had stated.  The Sunday afternoon reply from Poland was to call these media reports “fake news,” further stating they had no intention of sending their MiG-29 fighter jets into Ukraine territory.

It became stunningly clear that Secretary Blinken had never discussed the issue with Poland before making his statement.  Obviously, given the nature of the statement from the Pentagon yesterday and affirmed again today by spokesperson John Kirby, Secretary Blinken also did not discuss his position on the transfer of Polish (NATO) jets with the Pentagon.

Now pause for a moment and accept what is evident.  The US Secretary of State, seeking to leverage the public pressure of a global community aligned in favorability toward the Ukrainian people, unilaterally made a national security policy decision that would trigger an escalated NATO conflict with Russia.

The U.S. State Department was willing, intentionally and willfully willing, to set up a scenario that would draw the United States into war with Russia, and Secretary Blinken intended to trigger this “escalation” by pushing Poland into a corner of compliance – without ever discussing it with them.

By the time Blinken traveled to Poland (Monday), he was greeted and told the transfer of fighter jets he proposed and advocated for publicly was not something the Polish government would ever contemplate.

. . .

Secretary Blinken made no effort to extract Poland from the situation he created for them; in fact, he did the opposite. Blinken stayed quiet while western government officials and media kept making inquiries of Poland Tuesday and Wednesday.

Eventually Poland had to extricate themselves from this box Secretary Blinken had built around them.

On Wednesday night, doing exactly the same thing Blinken did to them by not informing the U.S prior to their statement, Poland said they would send the jets to Ramstein AFB in Germany but would not send them to Ukraine.  Essentially, if Blinken wanted to use these jets to create his war with Russia, well, here they are – go for it.

Poland was calling Blinken’s bluff.

The U.S. Pentagon could not support the position Secretary Blinken put them in to, and immediately released a statement saying the proposal by Poland was “not tenable.”  The bizarre nature of the situation left everyone confused.

According to the United States government, per Anthony Blinken, sending planes from NATO base Poland was good.  However, according to the same United States government, sending planes from NATO base Germany was bad.  See the dichotomy?

This dueling scenario was not, and is not, a fracture within NATO.  What surfaced in the insanity is a fracture within the United States government as an outcome of a rogue U.S. State Department led by Secretary Anthony Blinken.


. . .

Do not let this behavior of Secretary Blinken just fall away from your frame of reference without giving it the appropriate weight it deserves.  This is a very dangerous situation.

If Secretary Blinken been successful with his intended plan, we were about to enter a hot war with Russia and no one would realize how exactly it started.


There's more at the link, and it's worth reading in full.

Sundance points out that this isn't the first time such a situation has arisen.  It occurred with the US response to the situation in Libya in 2011.  I can testify to similar confusion between executive branch departments during the war in Angola in the mid-1970's.  We (South African armed forces) were simultaneously receiving (and assisting with) flights into Angola from black-painted, unmarked C-130 Hercules transports, carrying US arms and other assistance to anti-Communist guerrilla (terrorist) movements, and listening to US State Department representatives decrying our involvement there and blaming everything on us.  The crews of those aircraft (not wearing any insignia of nation, service or rank, but speaking in obvious US accents) made their opinions clear about the US State Department and everything it said or did.  They were rather... expressive... about it.

Lord Palmerston of England famously pointed out:


Nations have no permanent friends or allies, they only have permanent interests.


Nowadays, we should perhaps add to that, "provided the State Department doesn't override them!"



Peter


8 comments:

Uncle Lar said...

It finally occurred to me the other day that Biden and company are even more idiotic that I previously believed.
Cutting off our purchase of Russian oil harms Putin just how exactly?
We don't buy it he just sells it on the international market at its current inflated price. Profits from which continue to fund his war of conquest on the Ukraine and potentially elsewhere.
What would cause a serious beat down on Russia would be for us to massively ramp up our domestic production of oil and natural gas and flood the international market to drive the price way down thus cutting Russia's income considerably.
But this just proves that I am not edumacated enough to understand the complexities of politics being dealt with by the current Powers That Be.

heresolong said...

Add to the list Pentagon and/or State Dept officials lying to PDT about troops in Syria and going behind the President's back to talk to the Chinese military. We are doomed.

Also, $6 a gallon for diesel yesterday here in the Pacific NW. Probably cancelling my trip to scout for locations for retirement cause can't afford both trip and retirement. :-)

NITZAKHON said...

What was that line from "Mission: Impossible"?

IT'S MUCH WORSE THAN YOU THINK.

Between Afghanistan and now, the entire - IMHO premeditated - goal is to so besmirch and tarnish America's global reputation NO COUNTRY will ever trust us again.

I know, from discussions with friends in Israel and other related sources, that Israel is fast coming to the conclusion that the US is a fair-weather friend at best. They will - as should ANY NATION - do what they need to do to protect themselves because it's clear the US cannot be counted on.

Aesop said...

Blinken to Poland: "Let's you and Vlad fight."
Poland to Blinken: "Here's the boxing gloves. Why don't you try your luck."



Say Peter, didja also notice how fast and hard the DoD spokeshole walked Blinken's gooberism back?

Almost like there's no one at the top in charge of setting policy, or something, because he hadn't had his morning pudding pop.

Mind your own business said...

Add our incompetent government toddling around in a part of the world with this history ...

https://rumble.com/vwxxi8-ukraine-on-fire.html

Gerry said...

As I recall Germany and Romania both have MIG-29's that are still flight capable. I don't expect either to part with them anytime soon.

This is one more example of a weak president's cabinet and staff doing what the want without repercussions.

Sherm said...

Further evidence that no one is really in charge. Blinken knows he can do whatever he wants because there is no one who will call him on it. Biden can't because it requires strength and character. No one else will because those behind Biden have to keep their heads down, for now, lest it become whack a mole season. Blinken also probably knows enough to blow the whole sham sky high and that can't be risked.

He'll either stay, die under "unfortunate circumstances," or secure an income stream that makes leaving profitable.

MrGarabaldi said...

Hey Peter;

I don't trust the pricks from Foggy Bottom, they have been working against America's Interest since the 1950's. They epitomizes the "Deep State" as far as I am concerned.