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Podcast Episode 2-22-24 of The View from the Front. · The Stan R. Mitchell Show

0:01
SPEAKER_00: Hey guys, welcome to The View from the Front.
0:04
SPEAKER_00: My name is Stan and hope you're doing well from wherever you're joining us from.
0:08
SPEAKER_00: We have a lot to cover in tonight's episode, and I can't wait to get into it.
0:12
SPEAKER_00: But first, just in case this is the first time you've ever tuned in, let me tell you what the show is about.
0:18
SPEAKER_00: Each week, I primarily do three things in every episode.
0:21
SPEAKER_00: First, I cover defense news and hot spots happening around the world that could affect our country.
0:27
SPEAKER_00: Secondly, I work to unite the nation and make you feel better and more optimistic about the country's future, because it's probably not as bad as you've been hearing.
0:36
SPEAKER_00: Finally, at the end of each episode, I share some motivation and inspiration because we all can use a little of that.
0:43
SPEAKER_00: In all honesty, by the end of this show, you should be a little better informed about our military and the events happening out there that don't typically make the news.
0:52
SPEAKER_00: You'll be a little more positive about our country and its future.
0:56
SPEAKER_00: Finally, you'll be a little stronger emotionally and mentally.
1:00
SPEAKER_00: That's what my goal is.
1:01
SPEAKER_00: And I try to do that while I'm working my hardest to unify our country.
1:05
SPEAKER_00: Because without question, our country's greatest threat is our anger toward each other and this wide political divide.
1:14
SPEAKER_00: So if you've been looking for a calmer, more optimistic news source, you've come to the right place.
1:19
SPEAKER_00: In fact, you may have come to just about the only place.
1:23
SPEAKER_00: I am going to do my absolute best tonight to keep the show positive but unfortunately the first part of the show is going to involve some not so great news for Ukraine and just a bit of a description of some of the challenges they are facing and then I will definitely bring in some stuff to balance it at the middle part to end of the show
1:50
SPEAKER_00: because there is some small rays of sunlight and I definitely want to try to stay as optimistic and calm about this as possible but the reality is is that since the last episode it has not been a good week for Ukraine and so let's just get into the first of several details that I want to get into regarding what is happening inside Ukraine right now
2:16
SPEAKER_00: So we're going to begin with the bad news, and then we'll go over some of the challenges.
2:20
SPEAKER_00: First, the absolutely horrible bad news.
2:25
SPEAKER_00: Since the last episode, the city of Avdiivka has fallen to Russia.
2:33
SPEAKER_00: And sadly, not only did the city fall, but potentially hundreds of Ukrainian troops have been captured.
2:41
SPEAKER_00: So I want to read just a few sentences from a New York Times article
2:45
SPEAKER_00: I have a gift link in the episode notes so you can read the entire article if you wish.
2:50
SPEAKER_00: The headline is, So here's the story, and I'm quoting.
3:00
SPEAKER_00: Hundreds of Ukrainian troops may have been captured by advancing Russian units or disappeared during Ukraine's chaotic retreat from the eastern city of Avdiivka, according to senior Western officials and soldiers fighting for Ukraine, a devastating loss that could deal a blow
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SPEAKER_00: The View from the Front by Stan R Mitchell titled Podcast Episode 2-22-24 of The View from the Front
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SPEAKER_00: Podcast Episode 2-22-24 of The View from the Front
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SPEAKER_00: The View from the Front featuring Stan R Mitchell titled Podcast Episode 2-22-24 of The View from the Front featuring Stan R Mitchell titled Podcast Episode 2-22-24 of The View from the Front
4:33
SPEAKER_00: Last episode, President Zelensky had said that the city was going to be reinforced with the new general, but I guess in hindsight, that was a bluff and they were really trying to get out the troops and unfortunately, I suppose they didn't buy enough time
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SPEAKER_00: by Stan R Mitchell titled Podcast Episode 2-22-24 of The View from the Front
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SPEAKER_00: Podcast Episode 2-22-24 of The View from the Front
5:23
SPEAKER_00: A short break for about 10 days or so.
5:28
SPEAKER_00: That had made a lot of news shortly after the podcast, not that I broke that news or anything like that, but people started becoming aware of how big a situation it was that Congress was going to be out of session.
5:41
SPEAKER_00: And so that has increasingly been making the news as Ukraine has suffered this pretty large battlefield loss
5:48
SPEAKER_00: It's very clear that the pressure is building on the House, the Republicans in the House, to do something.
5:55
SPEAKER_00: So the pressure is building.
5:57
SPEAKER_00: What's stopping it?
5:59
SPEAKER_00: Well let me quote David French.
6:00
SPEAKER_00: He's a New York Times columnist.
6:02
SPEAKER_00: He's an author.
6:03
SPEAKER_00: He's a fairly conservative guy, but he's not a MAGA guy.
6:08
SPEAKER_00: Let me quote what he said.
6:11
SPEAKER_00: Russia is threatening to break Ukrainian lines in five different places.
6:17
SPEAKER_00: The need for American aid is urgent.
6:19
SPEAKER_00: Most Americans want to help Ukraine, and most of the House supports aid.
6:25
SPEAKER_00: But Speaker Mike Johnson answers to Donald Trump, and Trump apparently wants Ukraine.
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SPEAKER_00: Podcast Episode 2-22-24 of The View from the Front
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SPEAKER_00: The View from the Front by Stan R Mitchell titled Podcast Episode 2-22-24 of The View from the Front
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SPEAKER_00: The View from the Front featuring Stan R Mitchell titled Podcast Episode 2-22-24 of The View from the Front
7:31
SPEAKER_00: But as I said, the pressure is growing on the House from the American people.
7:36
SPEAKER_00: And it isn't just the pressure from the American people, it's the pressure on the battlefield as well in Ukraine.
7:43
SPEAKER_00: It's more clear than ever that something needs to happen or some very catastrophic results are going to happen inside Ukraine.
7:52
SPEAKER_00: Let's talk for just a moment about just how bad is that ammunition shortage inside Ukraine.
7:59
SPEAKER_00: So how bad is it?
8:01
SPEAKER_00: Well, the reality is it's pretty bad.
8:03
SPEAKER_00: Take a listen to this, which is some recent reporting from an NBC reporter who visited the front lines.
8:10
SPEAKER_01: Well, on the ground in Ukraine, Russian forces have captured a key city in the eastern part of Ukraine, marking Russia's largest gain on the battlefield in nine months as Ukraine's military now faces a critical shortage of ammunition.
8:24
SPEAKER_01: Joining us now from eastern Ukraine is NBC News Chief Foreign Correspondent Richard Engel.
8:28
SPEAKER_01: Richard, what's the latest there?
8:30
SPEAKER_03: So I was just talking to soldiers out here in eastern Ukraine a few minutes ago, and they were telling me that the shortages of ammunition are now so extreme that they're counting bullets.
8:41
SPEAKER_03: They are rationing their artillery rounds, they're rationing their regular ammunition that they put into their rifles.
8:51
SPEAKER_03: They still have enough drones, they say.
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SPEAKER_03: by Stan R Mitchell
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SPEAKER_03: by Stan R Mitchell titled Podcast Episode 2-23 of The View from the Front
9:32
SPEAKER_03: As they were overwhelmed, as they were outmanned, as they were outgunned, the government decided that holding it simply wasn't worth it.
9:39
SPEAKER_03: And as we've seen on the other side, as we've seen with the Russians, once you start losing territory and once you start having to go on the back foot and retreat
9:50
SPEAKER_03: You can lose territory quite quickly.
9:52
SPEAKER_03: It can cleave off a little bit like glaciers off the side of a mountain.
9:58
SPEAKER_03: It doesn't necessarily just go one little town and then stop.
10:02
SPEAKER_03: So right now you have a situation where Ukrainian forces out here in the east are in retreat and the concern is can they stop that?
10:10
SPEAKER_03: Can they stop this wound before it spreads and they lose a significant amount of territory?
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SPEAKER_03: The View from the Front by Stan R Mitchell
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SPEAKER_00: The View from the Front by Stan R Mitchell titled Podcast Episode 2-22-24 of The View from the Front
10:53
SPEAKER_00: This involves renewed concerns about a nuclear plant in Zaporizhia.
10:59
SPEAKER_00: This is the world's largest nuclear power plant, and we've talked about this in prior episodes, but it's mostly been stable until of late, and here's why it's now making the news again.
11:11
SPEAKER_00: This reporting comes from Richard Engel as well.
11:15
SPEAKER_03: So the Zaporizhia plant, the biggest nuclear power plant in Europe, has six uranium reactors.
11:22
SPEAKER_03: And the plant was taken over in the early weeks of the war by Russian forces.
11:27
SPEAKER_03: So Russian forces captured the plant,
11:30
SPEAKER_03: They took over the facility.
11:32
SPEAKER_03: They captured the personnel inside and Ukrainian forces were able to hold on to the opposite bank of the Dnieper River.
11:40
SPEAKER_03: So the plant is right on the front line with Ukrainian forces on one side of the river and Russian forces on the other side of the river.
11:49
SPEAKER_03: And the IAEA, and I spoke to the Director General, is deeply concerned about this facility.
11:55
SPEAKER_03: One, because it's right on the front line.
11:58
SPEAKER_03: The knock-on effect of the war is having a tremendous impact on the plant.
12:04
SPEAKER_03: Now, the plant is in a semi-shutdown state right now, so it is in a kind of a safe mode, but it still requires outside electricity.
12:14
SPEAKER_03: And there are four electrical lines leading into the plant.
12:19
SPEAKER_03: And Ukrainian officials, including the former director of the plant, told me that
12:24
SPEAKER_03: three of those four external power lines which are essential for cooling and keeping the the reactors stable are not working and the fourth the final line is faulty so there have been eight blackouts at this plant recently the last one uh just a few months ago in December and the IAEA considers this plant the most dangerous nuclear facility in the world Ukrainians are describing it as a ticking time bomb and they say that if they're
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SPEAKER_03: The View from the Front by Stan R Mitchell
13:21
SPEAKER_00: Clearly, the news about Avdiivka and the renewed concerns about the Zaporozhian nuclear plant are not good news for anyone that's in the West or that's been keeping up with this war.
13:34
SPEAKER_00: But the one bright spot is that all of this has brought Ukraine back to the news in a much larger way than it had been in the past few months.
13:44
SPEAKER_00: I feel like Ukraine news had kind of started slipping off of the radar.
13:49
SPEAKER_00: The front lines seemed stabilized ever since people talked about a stalemate back in November.
13:54
SPEAKER_00: I think some people in America possibly even began to think, hey, Ukraine can hold on its own.
14:00
SPEAKER_00: It doesn't need our help.
14:02
SPEAKER_00: And so I think
14:03
SPEAKER_00: Americans, as we are so often apt to do, we started to fall asleep, so to speak.
14:10
SPEAKER_00: So I'm trying to look at this in a positive way that maybe Americans are starting to pay attention more and it seems like from the people I follow on social media and even from bystanders that maybe haven't been as tuned in that more and more folks are beginning to pay attention.
14:26
SPEAKER_00: So that is some good news.
14:28
SPEAKER_00: Now let's move to a
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SPEAKER_00: The View from the Front featuring Stan R Mitchell titled Podcast Episode 2-23 of The View from the Front
14:49
SPEAKER_00: Now in the column, his solution, let me just tell you the solution, which isn't really what I'm going to share because we've talked about the solution a lot in the past year, which is the U.S.
14:58
SPEAKER_00: sending those long-range Atacoms missiles.
15:01
SPEAKER_00: That was one of the solutions he suggests, but I know that you guys have been listening for quite a while, know what Atacoms missiles are.
15:10
SPEAKER_00: We've talked about them so many times, and so I don't really want to get in the weeds on that.
15:14
SPEAKER_00: What I did want to cover from his column
15:17
SPEAKER_00: was a couple of things.
15:19
SPEAKER_00: Now, clearly, the big news since last week, besides the fall of Avdevka, was the death of Alexei Navalny, who was obviously a heroic opposition leader to Vladimir Putin, who voluntarily, after being poisoned, went back to Russia, was put in a Siberian prison camp, and died in very obscure circumstances.
15:43
SPEAKER_00: That's probably the nicest way I can say it.
15:46
SPEAKER_00: So he mentions that, David Ignatius mentions the death of Alexei Navalny and how that shows that Putin is feeling more confident, but what he really gets into in the column that I wanted to bring up, and I do have a gift link to this in the episode notes, is how cold-blooded Russia is in the use of just its manpower.
16:10
SPEAKER_00: Let me just read a couple of small parts and then he also mentioned something that I wasn't quite aware of.
16:16
SPEAKER_00: So here's the part that I wanted to mention and read from.
16:19
SPEAKER_00: Russian troops are grinding forward using their two great national resources.
16:25
SPEAKER_00: Warm bodies and cold-blooded patience.
16:29
SPEAKER_00: That's how Russia fights its wars, from Napoleon to Hitler to now.
16:35
SPEAKER_00: Zelensky quoted them as saying, quote, They are crazy, the Russians.
16:38
SPEAKER_00: They are raging.
16:40
SPEAKER_00: Tens of thousands of their soldiers.
16:42
SPEAKER_00: That's what they have.
16:44
SPEAKER_00: And so this was Zelensky speaking at the Munich conference.
16:48
SPEAKER_00: Zelensky said Ukraine, in contrast, was struggling to protect its troops, whom he described as, quote, our main weapon.
16:56
SPEAKER_00: Now, stepping away from the column for just a moment, most Western observers believe Russia expended at least 7,000 to 10,000 troops trying to take Avdiivka, which isn't a very large city.
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SPEAKER_00: by Stan R Mitchell titled Podcast Episode 2-22-24 of The View from the Front
17:28
SPEAKER_00: This is one of those facts that you kind of pick up a little bit from some Western analysts, but it's never been quite so clear.
17:35
SPEAKER_00: And that fact is that Putin has been using lots of troops from ethnic minorities from some of the smaller Russian states such as Chechnya and Dagestan.
17:47
SPEAKER_00: And interestingly, he gets into the details on this some, and he mentions how the pay for soldiers at the front is three times what they would normally earn.
17:56
SPEAKER_00: And furthermore, families of dead soldiers receive a bonus worth more than $50,000, which is obviously a lot of money in Russia.
18:03
SPEAKER_00: It's a decent chunk even here in America.
18:07
SPEAKER_00: And so, one European ambassador at the Munich Security Conference was talking about that the war has brought a kind of prosperity for poor Russians.
18:15
SPEAKER_00: So I found that really interesting because I think in the West a lot of times we see these very high casualty numbers in Russia which are now above 300,000 and you think when are the Russians going to turn?
18:28
SPEAKER_00: When are the people, the mothers, when are they going to turn against this?
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SPEAKER_00: The View from the Front
18:53
SPEAKER_00: and so I think it's just important to keep that in mind and then one other great thing that David Ignatius talked about is going back to Alexei Navalny's death
19:05
SPEAKER_00: Ignatius goes into a bit about that this was all part of Putin's calculus.
19:10
SPEAKER_00: That Vladimir Putin doesn't care about elite public opinion, as David Ignatius says, because he said it doesn't threaten his control.
19:19
SPEAKER_00: And Putin, according to Ignatius, doesn't care that demonstrators are laying flowers or staging small marches.
19:27
SPEAKER_00: and he quotes a Kremlin official that had said this to a European ambassador several years ago and so he was talking to this European ambassador at the Munich Security Conference and this European ambassador said that a Kremlin official had told him quote anything below a million
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SPEAKER_00: Podcast Episode 2-23 of The View from the Front
20:15
SPEAKER_00: This was kind of a disappointing thing to read.
20:17
SPEAKER_00: I wish some of these facts were wrong because I've long hoped that at some point the Russian people would stand up and try to push for their freedom, but it doesn't seem like that's really happening at this moment at least.
20:30
SPEAKER_00: Although, as the old saying goes, you never see a huge uprising and a turning of power until after it starts and has already happened and then months and months after it happens you're like, of course it happened, how did we not see that coming?
20:49
SPEAKER_00: The View from the Front by Stan R Mitchell
21:15
SPEAKER_00: Okay so we've still got some more great stuff to get into including some positive things that I want to share so we'll do that right after this break and we'll also cover obviously the motivation and inspiration section which we share every week.
21:37
SPEAKER_00: Just a quick reminder, if you love what you're listening to and would like to support what I'm doing, you can sign up on my Substack page or on my Patreon page to help support the show.
21:49
SPEAKER_00: For $5 per month, you can help me grow this into something even bigger.
21:54
SPEAKER_00: And I think by doing that, in a weird way, you will help contribute to me pulling off something I really want to do, but at a much larger level.
22:04
SPEAKER_00: You will help unify our country,
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SPEAKER_00: The View from the Front by Stan R Mitchell
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SPEAKER_00: Podcast Episode 2-22-24 of The View from the Front
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by Stan R Mitchell
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SPEAKER_00: Alright, so we've talked about the fighting at the lower level on the battlefield and a little bit in regards to the larger level of Ukraine, but let's pull back away from that lower level to a much higher level and even at the level of various battlefields or battle spaces so to speak, let's look at the big picture for just a moment.
23:37
SPEAKER_00: Part of why I want to share this is that I want to try to educate all of us, including myself, on some of the larger issues that happen when we get too focused internally as a country.
23:52
SPEAKER_00: Obviously, this show is about defense news.
23:54
SPEAKER_00: The View from the Front
24:24
SPEAKER_00: This is probably one of the more distinguished gentlemen that you could possibly quote from.
24:29
SPEAKER_00: He obviously was a four-star admiral, spent 37 years in the military.
24:34
SPEAKER_00: I mean, that's no joke.
24:37
SPEAKER_00: Additionally, he was the 16th Supreme Allied Commander for NATO.
24:43
SPEAKER_00: From 2009 to 2013, with responsibility for Afghanistan, Libya, the Balkans, Syria, counter-piracy, cyber security, he also served as the commander of U.S.
24:57
SPEAKER_00: Southern Command,
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SPEAKER_00: by Stan R Mitchell titled Podcast Episode 2-22-24 of The View from the Front
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SPEAKER_00: Written 12 books, four-star admiral, long distinguished career in the military.
25:23
SPEAKER_00: So I just wanted to share what he said because it was, like I said, it was just really riveting.
25:30
SPEAKER_00: Take a listen for yourself.
25:32
SPEAKER_03: This is a 1939 moment when the United States can lead the band here and shut down Vladimir Putin now in Ukraine, which is not a NATO member.
25:46
SPEAKER_03: And if we don't shut him down now, it will be called appeasement and it will have a knock-on effect
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SPEAKER_03: The View from the Front by Stan R Mitchell
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SPEAKER_03: The View from the Front by Stan R Mitchell
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SPEAKER_03: We are desperately seeking now for our NATO allies to come to the Middle East and operate with us to shut down Houthi pirates We are asking our NATO allies to come to the South China Sea and sail with us so China doesn't
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SPEAKER_03: The View from the Front by Stan R Mitchell
27:21
SPEAKER_00: I want to share one more small segment on this topic.
27:24
SPEAKER_00: This is from former Congressman Joe Scarborough, who's obviously the host of Morning Joe on MSNBC.
27:31
SPEAKER_00: He's a Republican, but he makes a really good point.
27:35
SPEAKER_00: And then Admiral Stavridis speaks one more time at the end of this.
27:39
SPEAKER_00: But I think this is just a couple more great points that are worth listening to.
27:43
SPEAKER_03: Oh, it will come here and find us.
27:46
SPEAKER_03: And, you know, it's so stupid.
27:48
SPEAKER_03: We do this all the time.
27:50
SPEAKER_03: You know, in 2010, most Americans agreed with President Obama.
27:55
SPEAKER_03: I'm not saying what he did was stupid.
27:57
SPEAKER_03: In 2010, because so many people, you know, myself included, said, okay, well, we've been over in Iraq enough.
28:04
SPEAKER_03: Let's just bring him home.
28:06
SPEAKER_03: We brought him home.
28:08
SPEAKER_03: Then came ISIS.
28:10
SPEAKER_03: We didn't move in Syria.
28:12
SPEAKER_03: 500,000 dead.
28:13
SPEAKER_03: I'm not saying we have to send in 200, 300,000 troops everywhere.
28:18
SPEAKER_03: We need to support people on the ground.
28:20
SPEAKER_03: We need to support the Kurds.
28:22
SPEAKER_03: Maybe we send in a couple thousand here, a couple thousand there.
28:25
SPEAKER_03: It has worked.
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SPEAKER_03: The View from the Front by Stan R Mitchell
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SPEAKER_03: The View from the Front by Stan R Mitchell
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SPEAKER_03: by Stan R Mitchell
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SPEAKER_03: In Beijing, they are doing high fives at the prospect of breaking the transatlantic alliance because we are so much weaker when the pieces and parts start to fall apart.
29:38
SPEAKER_03: And Jody, your point about using smaller footprints around the world, that's what we did in Colombia.
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SPEAKER_03: by Stan R Mitchell titled Podcast Episode 2-22-24 of The View from the Front
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SPEAKER_03: by Stan R Mitchell titled Podcast Episode 2-23 of The View from the Front
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SPEAKER_03: I mean we've got a 50 trillion dollar GDP to China's 18 trillion to Russia's 1.2 trillion come on think about that when we are together we have a defense budget of well over a billion dollars when we are together with our European allies like this is not a close call
30:47
SPEAKER_00: I hope you got something from those sections I shared.
30:50
SPEAKER_00: I hope you got even half as much as I got from them because it really was a good reinforcement and a reminder of some of our history in the past few decades and even going back 100 years to World War II.
31:02
SPEAKER_00: Now, I promised to end the episode with some good news, and so I've got two things I want to share.
31:11
SPEAKER_00: The first comes from Republican Congressman Michael McCaul.
31:16
SPEAKER_00: He is the chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and he said just a day ago that even though Speaker Johnson is holding up Ukraine aid, I want to read his quote.
31:28
SPEAKER_00: I don't see any way of putting on the floor the Israel, Indo-Pacific, and eventually Ukraine funding bill.
31:39
SPEAKER_00: Just a quick reminder, the speaker only has a majority of two votes.
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SPEAKER_00: The View from the Front by Stan R Mitchell
32:29
SPEAKER_00: and I want to reinforce it with just one other bit of good news and this comes from the former RNC chairman you guys probably have seen his name or heard him in interviews his name is Michael Steele he was a as I said the Republican National Committee chairman was very successful he's now a commentator but there's very few people who know the right better than Michael Steele
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SPEAKER_00: by Stan R Mitchell titled Podcast Episode 2-22-24 of The View from the Front
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SPEAKER_02: by Stan R Mitchell titled Podcast Episode 2-22-24 of The View from the Front by Stan R Mitchell titled Podcast Episode 2-22-24 of The View from the Front
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SPEAKER_00: You probably obviously heard another voice in that and that was from Rick Wilson probably a voice you recognize he's a former Republican as well and a member of the Lincoln Project but he was the one who was interviewing Rick or I apologize Michael Steele in that interview
34:19
SPEAKER_00: So again, I think this will pass the house, but we should not rest on our laurels.
34:26
SPEAKER_00: And I think there's two things that we can do.
34:29
SPEAKER_00: Obviously, the selfish thing that I would suggest is if you have a friend who's not fully informed on the issue, send them the link to this podcast.
34:38
SPEAKER_00: Say, hey, it's about a 45-minute episode.
34:40
SPEAKER_00: You'll learn some things.
34:42
SPEAKER_00: You'll understand the issue a little better.
34:44
SPEAKER_00: You'll understand why it's important.
34:46
SPEAKER_00: I think that's a good way to inform people.
34:48
SPEAKER_00: so that's option one but that's a little self-serving so here's option two which you most certainly should do and that is contact your house member whoever that person is now back in November and early part of December I contacted both of my senators and my house member depending on where you live now the the bill has already passed the Senate so you just need to reach out to your house member it's easy to look up
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SPEAKER_00: Podcast Episode 2-22-24 of The View from the Front
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SPEAKER_00: I respectfully disagree.
35:39
SPEAKER_00: These elections are going to be very close.
35:42
SPEAKER_00: The Republicans will probably lose the House.
35:45
SPEAKER_00: Even the Republicans in your district, they know this vote is closer than they want this vote being both the one coming up and also the one that's going to happen in November.
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SPEAKER_00: Podcast Episode 2-22-24 of The View from the Front
36:25
SPEAKER_00: Now let me read a comment that inspired me, and that I hope will inspire you.
36:29
SPEAKER_00: This was in the Washington Post.
36:31
SPEAKER_00: It's from, um, the name of the commenter is Diana USA, so obviously that's not the full name.
36:39
SPEAKER_00: A commenter before her that she was replying to had said that they felt like they were wasting their time and money trying to support Ukraine.
36:46
SPEAKER_00: Here's how Diana USA responds.
36:49
SPEAKER_00: Dear David, you are not wasting your time or money, but more of us need to step up and act now.
36:56
SPEAKER_00: Putin must be stopped.
36:59
SPEAKER_00: Let our anger over the death of Alexei Navalny move us to action.
37:05
SPEAKER_00: Alexei said, "...it is not shameful to do too little.
37:09
SPEAKER_00: It is shameful to do nothing."
37:11
SPEAKER_00: Yuliya, Navalny's wife, is stepping into the breach.
37:17
SPEAKER_00: If this incredibly brave woman can take over in the depths of her sorrow, how can we not act?
37:25
SPEAKER_00: Please, call your house member today.
37:27
SPEAKER_00: It's easy enough to look up his or her information online.
37:31
SPEAKER_00: Urge them to work with the entire House to get the Ukraine funding bill to the floor, opposing all other floor action if necessary, and bring it to a vote.
37:41
SPEAKER_00: Ukraine is our front line.
37:43
SPEAKER_00: They are doing the heavy lifting.
37:45
SPEAKER_00: If they fall, it will be our men and women at the front once Putin invades a NATO ally, and you know he will.
37:53
SPEAKER_00: He has already told us so.
37:55
SPEAKER_00: We can all do something.
37:57
SPEAKER_00: The View from the Front by Stan R Mitchell
38:16
SPEAKER_00: That was such a moving comment that I felt like I had to read it.
38:20
SPEAKER_00: So allow that to inspire you to just take a few minutes to email or call your House Congress member.
38:28
SPEAKER_00: It matters.
38:30
SPEAKER_00: Let's move to the motivation and inspiration section, which is one of the best parts of the show.
38:45
SPEAKER_00: This is the motivation and inspiration section.
38:48
SPEAKER_00: I share these each week because I think all of us could use a few words of encouragement.
38:53
SPEAKER_00: We all influence those around us, and the work we do at our jobs, in our homes, and in our communities is important.
39:01
SPEAKER_00: So let's dig a little deeper and step up our game.
39:04
SPEAKER_00: For ourselves, our kids, our spouse, our friends,
39:10
SPEAKER_00: Our Community and For Our Country Let's spread a little more love and a few more smiles.
39:17
SPEAKER_00: Here's the first one.
39:18
SPEAKER_00: Stay prepared.
39:20
SPEAKER_00: Opportunities are coming.
39:23
SPEAKER_00: Again, stay prepared.
39:25
SPEAKER_00: Opportunities are coming.
39:27
SPEAKER_00: That's a good one.
39:28
SPEAKER_00: Gotta keep the faith, right?
39:30
SPEAKER_00: Next one.
39:31
SPEAKER_00: When you meet a man, you judge him by his clothes.
39:35
SPEAKER_00: When you leave, you judge him by his heart.
39:40
SPEAKER_00: Again, when you meet a man, you judge him by his clothes.
39:44
SPEAKER_00: When you leave, you judge him by his heart.
39:47
SPEAKER_00: That's a good one.
39:49
SPEAKER_00: Alright, next one.
39:50
SPEAKER_00: Be the person you look up to.
39:52
SPEAKER_00: I love that one.
39:54
SPEAKER_00: Again, be the person you look up to.
39:58
SPEAKER_00: All of us should have those role models that we almost, to some degree at least, model ourselves on.
40:04
SPEAKER_00: So be the person you look up to.
40:06
SPEAKER_00: That's such a good one.
40:09
SPEAKER_00: Alright here's the next one.
40:10
SPEAKER_00: Trying times are not the times to stop trying.
40:14
SPEAKER_00: That's a good one.
40:15
SPEAKER_00: Again, trying times are not the times to stop trying.
40:20
SPEAKER_00: Here's the next one.
40:21
SPEAKER_00: What's happening in your life is a result of what's happening in your mind.
40:26
SPEAKER_00: Man that's another good one.
40:27
SPEAKER_00: What's happening in your life is a result of what's happening in your mind.
40:33
SPEAKER_00: Here's the next one.
40:34
SPEAKER_00: Podcast Episode 2-22-24 of The View from the Front
40:55
SPEAKER_00: The View from the Front featuring Stan R Mitchell titled Podcast Episode 2-22-24 of The View from the Front
41:23
SPEAKER_00: The View from the Front by Stan R Mitchell
41:28
SPEAKER_00: This next one's a pretty good one too.
41:30
SPEAKER_00: The growth journey is simply refusing to accept what society has taught you.
41:35
SPEAKER_00: You are constantly unlearning it so that you can make better decisions.
41:41
SPEAKER_00: It's pretty good.
41:43
SPEAKER_00: The next one's a quote from Eleanor Roosevelt.
41:45
SPEAKER_00: The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.
41:51
SPEAKER_00: That is so good.
41:52
SPEAKER_00: The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.
41:58
SPEAKER_00: This next one is one you should remember when you share your dreams to someone or you talk about it because a lot of times your friends and your family they mean well but they will kind of caution you if not at times almost stomp out your dreams because it is very hard when someone is dreaming big to hear that and not be concerned for that person or maybe not tell them to
42:28
SPEAKER_00: People that don't have the same vision as you will never understand why you work so hard or distance yourself at times
42:46
SPEAKER_00: Alright, so I like to always share a few from the Bible just because that book has become such a source of strength and wisdom and even calm for me during the past year.
42:56
SPEAKER_00: The first one this week is from Romans chapter 8 verse 31.
43:02
SPEAKER_00: What then shall we say to these things?
43:05
SPEAKER_00: If God is for us, who can be against us?
43:09
SPEAKER_00: That is so good.
43:11
SPEAKER_00: Again, if God is for us, who can be against us?
43:15
SPEAKER_00: The next one is from Psalms chapter 34 verses 18 and 19.
43:20
SPEAKER_00: The Lord is near to those who are discouraged.
43:25
SPEAKER_00: He saves those who have lost all hope.
43:29
SPEAKER_00: Good people suffer many troubles, but the Lord saves them from them all.
43:35
SPEAKER_00: That's really good.
43:38
SPEAKER_00: Then we'll do one more from Genesis.
43:40
SPEAKER_00: I am with you and will watch over you.
43:43
SPEAKER_00: Podcast Episode 2-22-24 of The View from the Front
43:57
SPEAKER_00: I always like to end with this one.
44:00
SPEAKER_00: Be the reason someone smiles.
44:02
SPEAKER_00: Be the reason someone feels loved and believes in the goodness of people.
44:07
SPEAKER_00: I mean, that's the goal, right?
44:09
SPEAKER_00: Regardless of your faith, be a decent human being, and love your neighbor as you love yourself.
44:14
SPEAKER_00: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
44:17
SPEAKER_00: Hey, thanks for joining us on this episode.
44:20
SPEAKER_00: I hope as you go through this week that you will act a little nicer on social media and in the world as well.
44:26
SPEAKER_00: Smile at folks in the grocery store, do small acts of kindness, and remember that most Americans are good and they will help you in an emergency, even if you don't agree politically.
44:37
SPEAKER_00: Now, I have to finish with two things.
44:39
SPEAKER_00: I want to say a bit about myself and my books, in case you're new to the show, and then I want to say just a few words for those struggling with PTSD or with mental illness, since veterans are at a 57% higher risk of suicide than their peers of the same age group who haven't served.
44:56
SPEAKER_00: Now, first the part about myself and my books, in case you have absolutely no idea who I am.
45:01
SPEAKER_00: I am a prior military vet.
45:04
SPEAKER_00: I spent four years in the Marine Corps, all of that time in the infantry.
45:07
SPEAKER_00: After my enlistment, I went to college at the University of Tennessee, became a journalist, and spent more than ten years in the news business.
45:15
SPEAKER_00: Besides all of that, I've also written 12 books.
45:18
SPEAKER_00: Those books include a series about a Marine Corps sniper, several novels about a police detective and private investigator, and a few books about war, such as World War II and Afghanistan.
45:29
SPEAKER_00: Basically, these are fast moving books with lots of action and plot twists, because those are the kind of books I've always enjoyed reading.
45:36
SPEAKER_00: These books have been very successful thanks to all of y'all's help.
45:40
SPEAKER_00: In fact, I've been fortunate to have sold more than 70,000 copies to date.
45:44
SPEAKER_00: So if you're one of those people who have purchased one of my books or told others about me, I really appreciate it.
45:49
SPEAKER_00: They are not traditionally published, so there is no big book publisher out there.
45:54
SPEAKER_00: Podcast Episode 2-22-24 of The View from the Front
46:22
SPEAKER_00: You can find more information about these books in the episode notes or you can look on Amazon just by searching my name Stan R Mitchell.
46:29
SPEAKER_00: The second thing I want to discuss before we end this episode is I have to talk about PTSD and suicide for just a moment.
46:37
SPEAKER_00: As I said earlier, veterans are at a 57% higher risk of suicide than those who have never served, but this isn't just for veterans.
46:46
SPEAKER_00: We can all get in really low spots in our life, but I like to tell people it's just a season.
46:51
SPEAKER_00: It's just a valley.
46:52
SPEAKER_00: Now, if you are having serious issues, you can call 988 and select 1-
46:58
SPEAKER_00: by Stan R Mitchell titled Podcast Episode 2-22-24 of The View from the Front by Stan R Mitchell titled Podcast Episode 2-22-24 of The View from the Front by Stan R Mitchell titled Podcast Episode 2-22-24 of The View from the Front
47:20
SPEAKER_00: The fact is that when we had drill instructors or drill sergeants yelling at us, or even if you never served, if you had that football coach or baseball coach that was pushing you, when someone pushes you, you can go further than when it's just yourself.
47:33
SPEAKER_00: So I'm going to be mean for a moment.
47:35
SPEAKER_00: I'm going to be that drill instructor or that football coach.
47:38
SPEAKER_00: I have to say, you cannot give up.
47:41
SPEAKER_00: Do not lose this fight.
47:42
SPEAKER_00: Do not make your parents or family have to plan your funeral.
47:46
SPEAKER_00: Do not make them feel guilty that they did not check on you, that they could not reach you.
47:50
SPEAKER_00: Do not leave your wife or kids here without you.
47:53
SPEAKER_00: You can hold on for another day, and if you do, I believe the next day will be a little easier.
47:59
SPEAKER_00: If you are in a fight that you worry you may lose, call someone.
48:02
SPEAKER_00: Call a friend or a family member.
48:04
SPEAKER_00: It's easy to do.
48:05
SPEAKER_00: Just tell them, hey, I need to talk.
48:07
SPEAKER_00: I'm just having some depressed thoughts or feelings right now.
48:11
SPEAKER_00: Please, that's all you've got to do.
48:14
SPEAKER_00: Or you can call 988 and select one.
48:16
SPEAKER_00: But I do have to be mean.
48:17
SPEAKER_00: You cannot quit.
48:19
SPEAKER_00: Do.
48:20
SPEAKER_00: Not.
48:20
SPEAKER_00: Quit.
48:23
SPEAKER_00: Don't do this to your family or friends.
48:26
SPEAKER_00: You're in a valley and this world needs you.
48:28
SPEAKER_00: Probably your parents need you.
48:31
SPEAKER_00: I mean seriously, who's going to take care of your parents in 30 years?
48:34
SPEAKER_00: I'm serious.
48:35
SPEAKER_00: I just helped take care of my mom before she passed.
48:38
SPEAKER_00: I'm now helping take care of my dad.
48:40
SPEAKER_00: So who's going to do it if you make the worst decision ever?
48:43
SPEAKER_00: Are you just going to let the system take care of them?
48:45
SPEAKER_00: How horrible is that?
48:47
SPEAKER_00: You cannot quit.
48:49
SPEAKER_00: Don't you dare quit.
48:52
SPEAKER_00: Don't make the mistake.
48:53
SPEAKER_00: There's something you're meant to do.
48:55
SPEAKER_00: You just can't see it because you're in this immediate fog and pain.
48:59
SPEAKER_00: You can't see that end result.
49:02
SPEAKER_00: There's a mission for you to do.
49:04
SPEAKER_00: Maybe it's to coach Little League.
49:06
SPEAKER_00: Maybe it's to help others with PTSD.
49:08
SPEAKER_00: Maybe it's to run for office.
49:10
SPEAKER_00: There's some calling for you, you just haven't found it.
49:14
SPEAKER_00: And so you're in this fog and you're depressed and it just feels like it's all too much.
49:18
SPEAKER_00: And giving up is easy.
49:21
SPEAKER_00: It's the easiest thing you can do.
49:23
SPEAKER_00: But you can't do that.
49:25
SPEAKER_00: Find a way to get involved.
49:26
SPEAKER_00: Stop isolating yourself.
49:29
SPEAKER_00: Visit a veterans group, the VFW, something like that.
49:33
SPEAKER_00: Visit a church near you.
49:35
SPEAKER_00: Visit some family that you've lost touch with or that you've grown apart from.
49:40
SPEAKER_00: The View from the Front
49:59
SPEAKER_00: If you don't already have some kind of faith that you lean on, then let Jesus save you.
50:03
SPEAKER_00: He can drive out the devil and the horrendous evil thoughts in your head.
50:08
SPEAKER_00: He wants you to reach out to Him.
50:09
SPEAKER_00: You can reach Him at any time through prayer, through reading the Bible.
50:13
SPEAKER_00: If you don't have a Bible, download a Bible app on your phone or look up Bible websites online.
50:20
SPEAKER_00: Even simpler, I have a link in my episode notes that I think can help you.
50:23
SPEAKER_00: It's a story about my dog, who was a stray that we adopted from the shelter.
50:28
SPEAKER_00: My dog's name is Ozzie, and the title of the article is Be Like Ozzie, Go Near Your Master.
50:34
SPEAKER_00: It's got a subtitle of The Power of Prayer, Part 1.
50:37
SPEAKER_00: Podcast Episode 2-22-24 of The View from the Front
50:57
SPEAKER_00: I always like to end the show by reminding people you can reach out to me at any time.
51:01
SPEAKER_00: You can comment on the episode.
51:03
SPEAKER_00: I try to monitor those.
51:04
SPEAKER_00: You can also reach out privately at authorstanrmitchell at yahoo.com.
51:09
SPEAKER_00: Again, that's authorstanrmitchell at yahoo.com.
51:13
SPEAKER_00: You can say hi.
51:14
SPEAKER_00: You can vent.
51:15
SPEAKER_00: You can send news tips.
51:16
SPEAKER_00: I love all three of those things.
51:18
SPEAKER_00: Hey, here's one other thing.
51:19
SPEAKER_00: This podcast is about defense news, but did you know I also write about politics on a weekly basis?
51:25
SPEAKER_00: The View from the Front by Stan R Mitchell
51:40
SPEAKER_00: The View from the Front featuring Stan R Mitchell
52:00
SPEAKER_00: Hey, thanks so much for hanging with me.
52:01
SPEAKER_00: It's truly an honor to talk with all of you each week and to know that there's a few of you out there who are listening and who care about our country and our military and these issues the same way that I do.
52:12
SPEAKER_00: I love you all, but never forget that God loves you more.
52:15
SPEAKER_00: If you want true peace and strength and wisdom, make sure you read your Bible some this week.
52:20
SPEAKER_00: It'll help you a lot.
52:21
SPEAKER_00: And also, if you're doing well, reach out to a friend or someone who might be struggling, whether they are young or old.
52:28
SPEAKER_00: The true strength of this country is its people and that includes you folks listening to me right now.
52:34
SPEAKER_00: So be a leader.
52:35
SPEAKER_00: Be a doer.
52:37
SPEAKER_00: Be a servant to someone.
52:39
SPEAKER_00: With all of that being said, I'll catch you all next week.
52:42
SPEAKER_00: You have been listening to The View from the Front.
52:44
SPEAKER_00: I hope you enjoyed the show.