Hey guys,
Welcome to the View from the Front newsletter. If you just happened to stumble by here, let me say a quick word about what we’re doing here.
For those who don’t know, my name is Stan R. Mitchell, and I’m a prior Marine and journalist.
And as a guy who’s been deployed overseas, and who was a big-time history buff even before that, I care a lot about our military, where they're at, where they might be going, what conflicts might be about to occur.
Because these things matter. And as such, every week I publish news that you’re not going to easily find anywhere else.
So, if you’re a military member, a spouse of a military member, or a parent or grandparent of a military member, this is probably a great newsletter for you to subscribe to.
I’ll keep you updated on foreign policy issues, but I won’t do it like you’ll find everywhere else. First of all, the media almost never covers the military or looming hotspots. But if they do, they overhype everything. And they scare you and use lots of B-roll video with explosions and flashing graphics. Their biggest desire is eyeballs and ad dollars.
I promise you -- and you can check the past year of archived editions -- I do not overhype, exaggerate, or do any of that. If anything, I almost downplay. It’s a steady and calm voice that you’ll find here.
But on the flip side, foreign policy journals that do cover what we do also fall way short in my opinion.
Their articles are far too long, they’re far too dense, and they’re crammed with big words, technical mambo jumbo, and silly acronyms that only insiders truly know.
So, I couldn't find a show that met my needs, so I decided to create one.
Once a week, I’ll discuss military matters, while also adding in a little motivation, wisdom, and history.
Besides covering this news, and also sharing plenty of motivation at the end of each edition, I also work as hard as I can to unite this country.
Without question, I feel like our wide division and animosity toward those with whom we disagree is the greatest threat our country faces.
So, once a week I do my best to bridge this great divide, while also reminding each of us that most of us are being played by divisive political and news figures, who are ripping apart this great country just so they can reach a higher office or gain more followers and ad dollars.
Most Americans are good, and we need to remember this. Always.
While we face great challenges as a country, America has stood together for more than 240 years, and it’s only by pulling our country closer together that we can pass on a better future for our kids.
We need to hold and cherish the beliefs that got us here today. Beliefs such as patience, kindness, and a strong belief that our best days lie before us. These are the beliefs that got us to this point. And they’re also the kind of optimistic beliefs that will get us to a brighter future.
And with that out of the way, let’s get started.
One quick reminder before we get to the news…
If you haven’t already, please sign up for email notifications. (It’s FREE. Unless you choose to subscribe and support what I’m doing. It’s $5 per month should you choose that option, and you can cancel at any time. Also, people are always asking me on social media how to best support my dreams, including getting out future books in some series they love sooner. Believe me, the best way to support me is by signing up for a paid subscription here. Or, you can sign up at Patreon. Doing this provides a recurring, monthly revenue of $5 per month, and it’s the fastest way I’ll be able to return to becoming a full-time author again (my writing journey/curse), which means I’ll have more time to write fiction, cover news, and try to unite the country and motivate others — all things I feel drawn to do. Of course, you can also tell people about this newsletter, my podcast, and my books! And you can also even give a gift subscription to a friend. )
Also, a brief reminder, if you’re reading this edition by email and not listening to the podcast, click the episode headline with today’s date that is under my picture to go to the full webpage. Otherwise, the email will likely be cut off and shortened by your email provider.
One other quick announcement, which is kind of a big one. After many requests (like so many requests), I’ve created a Patreon page. You can now go there to help support what we’re doing here without having to set up your payment information with Substack.
Now to the news….
We’ll start this episode with the latest news about Saudi Arabia, and what’s happening with the threats from Iran. Then, we’ll move on to the following:
Lots of news about Ukraine and Russia, including the latest about grain shipments, a surprise attack on Russia’s Navy, an improvement in Ukraine’s satellite communications situation, and what the coming winter means (and why Ukraine is better prepared for this).
Besides these items, we’ll talk just a bit about how the Russian war plays into the rising tension with China.
And then we’ll cover just some scary new tech news that involves a flying drone and a robotic dog armed with a machine gun. Trust me, you want to know about this thing.
And, as always, we’ll end with our motivation and wisdom section.
The biggest news of late is this out-of-left-field threat from Iran to attack Saudi Arabia.
This is, uh, concerning...
And it makes sense in hindsight. Iran is dealing with internal unrest that it can’t put out, and just last week, they put out a dire warning that the protests have to stop or serious bloodshed would follow. (See below.)
But then things escalated even more, following the warning.
Clearly, it’s impossible to say if this is a serious threat or something to distract from Iran’s problems, but we need to make sure our troops are protected.
I will also say that it’s probably not a bad time to ask if Saudi Arabia might increase oil production upon further consideration.
Because given how they've fought in Yemen... Uh, they might ought to be concerned...
But on a serious note, we have several thousand troops in Saudi Arabia, as well as several thousand in the United Arab Emirates and in Qatar. All would be potential targets that fall within range of Iranian ballistic missiles.
Reminder from just a couple of years ago…
Iran fired missiles at Iraqi bases that the United States
uses to fight the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.
Four of the ballistic missiles broke up in flight;
10 hit Al Asad and two hit Irbil, officials said.
Moving along to Ukraine, there’s been a few things I want to share from there.
First, Russia has rejoinedits wartime deal on Ukrainian grain exports. This follows them briefly abandoning the deal following a Ukrainian drone attack against its Black Sea fleet. The drone attack only barely made the news,
But you can see a nice summary of the attack below.
And the attack really did likely make history.
But the grain deal is back in place, so that’s good. And if more Russian assets are required to defend the fleet and naval installation from a similar drone attack, then I say that’s great news for Ukraine and the West.
Moving along, I came across this post and thought it was the perfect summary of what Russia constantly does. (And what Russia has constantly done for the past 10 or 15 years with Putin at the helm.)
Is that dead on or what?
We did make another contribution of aid. See below.
And part of what we sent was really important.
The United States is sending four satellite antennas to Ukraine in a move that will bolster the communication abilities of the Ukrainian Army, after the Russians have hammered the electrical grid (and Elon Musk spoke out about the too-high cost of providing internet through low-flying satellites).
I’ll share just a bit from the story (US sending satellite antennas to Ukraine after Musk’s Starlink U-turn):
“These SATCOMs are not intended to serve as a substitute for a service like Starlink,” she said during a Pentagon briefing. “They help increase communication efforts on the battlefield.”
…
“We’re seeing Ukrainian infrastructure and electrical grids being targeted by the Russians,” Singh said, “and these antennas provide an additional capability on the ground at a critical time when Ukraine’s infrastructure is being hit.”
So, I’m really glad we’ve helped strengthen Ukraine’s communication equipment, because communication is absolutely crucial in the middle of a war obviously.
Speaking of the war and the approaching winter, you really should check out this thread if you have a moment.
General Hertling explains in his thread that NCOs will absolutely make the difference. And that Ukrainian troops will continue to advance throughout the winter.
I want to share two quick political thoughts.
First, there’s this reminder that China is watching how all this goes down and looking to see if Russia succeeds or fails.
Secondly, for those who want the U.S. to seek peace, this is a nice reminder that it’s not that simple.
(Also, if you listen to the podcast, you’ll hear a pretty epic rant and a pretty bold prediction.)
And yes, I’m trying to tease the podcast and get you to listen to it, thanks for asking! lol
Finally, before we get to the motivation and wisdom portion, check out this crazy story as part of our tech news for this week.
An armed, walking dog, delivered by drones.
That’s pretty scarry, right?
Motivation and Wisdom:
You know, just one small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day. And we all know that opportunities don't happen, you create them.
So, I want to make sure I do my best to feed you mentally. As you’ve probably heard, people often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing, that's why we recommend it daily.” That was said by the great Zig Ziglar, and I’ve found it to be true for sure.
Without further delay, let’s just begin.
And, I always like to end with this one:
And with that, thanks for joining us this week on The View from the Front.
If you can, consider at some point becoming a paid subscriber.
The View from the Front is a reader-supported publication. The best way to support this work and make it sustainable is with a paid subscription. But at the same time, free ones are appreciated, too!
As a reminder, please be kind and try your best to love your fellow Americans.
So many men and women have sacrificed, fought, and died to keep this country together the past 240-plus years. Please work daily to unite our country again. The vast majority of Americans are decent, loving, great people.
Please don’t name-call the other side. They are mothers and fathers and folks not much different than you.🇺🇸🇺🇸
Also, please try to be a better person each and every day. Try to be kinder on social media and how you interact with others with whom you disagree.
Also, if you have a dream kicking around in the back of your mind? Go after it. If you have that friend or family member that you know you should reach out to? Reach out to them.
Finally, and this especially goes to all my awesome military folks listening out there, if you need help, reach out to someone. Please. Call that friend or family member. Do it for us all. We’ve already lost too many of the greatest folks that this country has produced to suicide. So I’m asking you to be brave once more, and show some vulnerability. Take a deep breath, breathe, and call a friend or family member or someone who can help.
I appreciate each and every one of you. Every tweet, every share, every email, etc. I can’t even tell you how much those mean to me, and I love each and every one of you.
Please join me again in our next episode, and please stay safe until then.
Thanks again, everyone! You guys are the best. As always, don’t forget to check out my books. You can find all 11 of them on Amazon.
And with that, I’m out.
Semper Fidelis,
Stan R. Mitchell
P.S. Don’t forget to check out my books. I’ve written a CIA/Marine sniper series, a detective series, a private investigator series, an action-packed Western, a motivational/biography book about President Obama, and two realistic war novels: one about World War II and one about Afghanistan.
P.P.S. And here’s a short bio about me and what I’m trying to do with the newsletter.
Episode 11-3-22