The MiG-29 is an old multi-role fighter aircraft. The plane was designed in the 1970’s, the era of discos, bell bottom pants, polyester shirts, and leisure suits. It was put into service in the early 1980’s. The plane is older than most of the pilots who fly them.

President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine is asking, pleading, for aircraft to counter the Russians who are destroying his country. Poland said they have older MiG-29s that they are willing to give to Ukraine. Ukrainian pilots are already trained to fly the MiG-29 and are described by some sources as the best MiG pilots in the world.

The Poles are asking the United States to backfill their fighter inventory with F-16s when the Ukrainians take possession of the MiGs. Our Department of Defense (DoD) ‘green lighted‘ the transfer of the MiG-29s from Poland to Ukraine. The Polish government asked the the transfer take place at the United States’ Ramstein Air Base in Germany. From my understanding, the DoD was good with this arrangement, BUT Joe Biden personally gave the kibosh to the deal. As of today, the MiGs are sitting on the ground in Poland and Ukraine is still getting bombed. 

Wait one, if the transfer took place in Poland, Joe was okay with the deal, BUT if the transfer took place on a US base in Germany Joe is PERSONALLY against the deal. WTF?

If I were the Polish government or any of the Baltic NATO members, I’d need to consider what this means.

Joe is telling the Poles, “You go ahead and give the MiGs to the Ukrainians and I’ll be walking my dog on a Delaware beach, eating some ice cream when your air base is bombed by the Russians, BUT I don’t want Putin to get mad at me.“

For Joe, an air base bombed in Poland might just be another “Minor incursion” that he might see as NOT worth getting involved in. I suspect he would just get another ice cream cone and watch what happens.  Joe’s priority always seems to be, “I don’t want Putin mad at me.“