Appearing on MSNBC Wednesday morning, the Eurasia Center’s Melinda Haring slammed the Biden White House for being “weak” when it came to helping Ukraine defend itself against Russia’s brutal invasion, especially after the administration quashed an attempt by Poland to give fighter jets to it’s war-ravaged neighbor. She also remarked that she “wouldn’t expect very much from” Vice President Harris visiting eastern Europe, who is “not a foreign policy specialist at all.”
In the 9:00 am ET hour, anchor Chris Jansing wondered: “...so what are the other diplomatic options, what are the options beyond fighter jets, what are the conversations that might be being had among NATO leaders, might be being had with the Vice President as she travels to Poland today, that look for an off-ramp for Vladimir Putin?”
Haring responded: “Chris, I think we need to talk about the fighter jets a little bit more. I know you want to look at other options.” She then ripped into the Biden administration:
What the Pentagon said is nonsense. They said that it’s logistically difficult to move about 30 Migs from Poland to Ukraine. That’s absolute nonsense. If you talk to any military experts, flight from the base in Poland to the base in Ukraine where we need to move them is less than an hour. And the Russian air force is not there, it is not risky. The White House does not want to do it. The White House is weak and doesn’t have any chutzpah, that’s what this boils down to.
So I think the White House needs to consult some external military experts and get some different views on this. I think it’s unconscionable that millions of Ukrainians are going to die, innocent children, innocent women who have done nothing wrong and we’re standing in the way. So I am really, really disappointed with the Biden administration.
In reference to the Vice President visiting Poland, Haring dismissed the notion that it would help anything: “But I wouldn't expect very much from the Harris visit. She’s not a foreign policy specialist at all.”
Earlier in the discussion, Jansing asked former NATO commander General John Allen: “Militarily right now at this point in the war, does getting those jets into the hands of the Ukrainian military make sense today, tomorrow, as soon as possible?” Allen replied: “I think it does, actually....the capacity to deliver close air support against Russian formations or against those long columns of Russian support troops, and Russian reinforcements could have a real effect upon Russian morale, have a real effect upon the Russian capacity to achieve its objectives.”
Later, when Jansing melodramatically raised the possibility of NATO supplying Ukraine with jets sparking “World War III,” Haring pushed back:
Wrong, this is not a possibility of World War III. Moving under 30 jets in a flight that is less than an hour is not going to escalate the conflict. If you want Putin to stand down, you have to show real strength. That’s the only thing that’s going to stop this war.
Allen then chimed in: “I agree.”
A surprised Jansing concluded: “Such a consequential debate that’s going on – You agree. Alright, so the story continues.”
Every once in a while, the liberal media brings on a guest that bucks the pro-Democrat narrative and catches an anchor off guard.
Here is a transcript of the March 9 discussion:
9:15 AM ET
(...)
CHRIS JANSING: General, the Pentagon’s press person, John Kirby, said this yesterday: “There’s not a substantive rationale for a deal on Polish jets because of that risk of wider confrontation.” But from Zelenskyy’s point of view, it’s the one hope to end all of this before it gets to the point, almost, of no return. Militarily – militarily right now at this point in the war, does getting those jets into the hands of the Ukrainian military make sense today, tomorrow, as soon as possible?
GEN. JOHN ALLEN [NATO INTL. SECURITY ASSISTANCE FORCE FORMER COMMANDER]: I think it does, actually. As President Zelenskyy has said, and as we’ve been watching this tactical situation unfold, particularly as the Russians attempt to encircle, unsuccessfully, Kyiv, they’re moving into assembly areas potentially for the final assault on the capital. And as they move into those positions, having the capacity to deliver close air support against Russian formations or against those long columns of Russian support troops, and Russian reinforcements could have a real effect upon Russian morale, have a real effect upon the Russian capacity to achieve its objectives.
(...)
9:17 AM ET
JANSING: Well, Melinda, let’s go to that big picture because obviously what has been done so far has not changed Vladimir Putin’s calculus, so what are the other diplomatic options, what are the options beyond fighter jets, what are the conversations that might be being had among NATO leaders, might be being had with the Vice President as she travels to Poland today, that look for an off-ramp for Vladimir Putin?
MELINDA HARING [THE ATLANTIC COUNCIL DEPUTY DIRECTOR, EURASIA CENTER]: Chris, I think we need to talk about the fighter jets a little bit more. I know you want to look at other options.
JANSING: Sure.
HARING: What the Pentagon said is nonsense. They said that it’s logistically difficult to move about 30 Migs from Poland to Ukraine. That’s absolute nonsense. If you talk to any military experts, flight from the base in Poland to the base in Ukraine where we need to move them is less than an hour. And the Russian air force is not there, it is not risky. The White House does not want to do it. The White House is weak and doesn’t have any chutzpah, that’s what this boils down to.
So I think the White House needs to consult some external military experts and get some different views on this. I think it’s unconscionable that millions of Ukrainians are going to die, innocent children, innocent women who have done nothing wrong and we’re standing in the way. So I am really, really disappointed with the Biden administration.
Now in terms of diplomacy, the Russians and the Ukrainians have started talking about options, and yesterday, Zelenskyy said that he’s open to some options and the Russians have said that they want Crimea to be recognized as theirs and they want the people’s republics to be recognized as theirs, and they want Ukraine to give up on its NATO aspirations, so that’s the first sort of real opening between Ukraine and Russia and there’s going to be talks very soon.
But I wouldn't expect very much from the Harris visit. She’s not a foreign policy specialist at all.
JANSING: So I want to go back to what you said at the beginning – and we’re out of time but I think it deserves a follow up – which is this, so what do you say to the Biden administration, what do you say to the NATO leaders who say, “Yes, even if we can do this, what you’re looking at is the very real possibility of World War III”?
HARING: Wrong, this is not a possibility of World War III. Moving under 30 jets in a flight that is less than an hour is not going to escalate the conflict. If you want Putin to stand down, you have to show real strength. That's the only thing that’s going to stop this war.
JANSING: Such a consequential debate that’s going on –
ALLEN: I agree.
JANSING: You agree. Alright, so the story continues.
(...)
