Welcome to The View from the Front podcast. My name is Stan and this is the Jan. 25th edition.
You can listen to the podcast by clicking the blue button above. Or, you can watch the video below on YouTube.
I really hope you get something out of it.
Please note: There is also an un-edited, AI-generated transcript, that you can find by clicking the Transcript button at upper right, under the podcast player device.
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Questions? Comments? You are welcome to comment below. I read all comments and answer most of them. You can also reach out privately at: authorstanrmitchell@yahoo.com. (You can say “hi,” vent, or send news tips! I love all three of those things!)
If you just happened to stumble by, 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.
Every week, I primarily do three things with my podcast:
Cover emerging hotspots and foreign policy news that you absolutely should know. (Why I focus on foreign policy...)
Work to unite our country and remind us of how lucky we are to live in America. (My thoughts on the division in this country...)
And finally, I always share plenty of motivation and wisdom at the end of each episode.
Take a listen to the podcast. I really hope you get something out of it.
Selected source notes for podcast and transcript above.
U.S. news:
Search ends for Navy SEALs lost at sea on mission to seize Iranian arms
The U.S. military has ended its search for two Navy SEALs lost at sea during a mission to intercept Iranian weapons bound for militants in Yemen, officials said on Sunday, underscoring the risks to the United States of spiraling violence across the Middle East amid Israel’s war in the Gaza Strip.
U.S. officials said the two service members, identified Monday as Christopher J. Chambers, 37, and Nathan Gage Ingram, 27, had not been located during a 10-day search and rescue operation. “Their status has been changed to deceased,” U.S. Central Command said in a statement announcing the effort’s suspension. “We are now conducting recovery operations.”
The SEALs disappeared during a dangerous nighttime operation that occurred on Jan. 11 in the Arabian Sea near the coast of Somalia, an area known for piracy and weapons smuggling. Troops were dispatched from a floating base, the USS Lewis B. Puller, to inspect a vessel suspected of carrying illicit arms. As they attempted to board, one of the SEALs slipped from a ladder and the second, having witnessed their comrade fall into the water, dove in to help, officials have said. Both were swept away by the powerful swells.
A search and rescue mission was launched as other personnel boarded the suspect vessel. They discovered ballistic and cruise missile warheads, propulsion and guidance systems, and air defense components, military officials said, describing the equipment as an Iranian resupply of Houthi militants in Yemen.
Multiple strikes against the Houthis
Attacks were conducted inside Houthi terrorist-controlled areas of Yemen.
As a reminder, the Houthis are Iranian-backed, and the attacks were conducted by the U.S. and U.K, with support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada and the Netherlands
The Defense Department assesses that since January 11, the U.S. and partners have destroyed or degraded over 25 Houthi missile launch and deployment facilities, more than 20 missiles and an additional number of unmanned aerial vehicles, coastal radar and air surveillance capabilities and weapons storage areas.
US personnel injured in attack on Al-Asad Air Base in Iraq
US personnel were injured in a ballistic missile attack on Al-Asad Air Base in Iraq on Saturday, two US officials said.
The attack was one of the largest-scale ballistic missile attacks to date that the US has seen carried out by Iran-backed militias in Iraq, deputy Pentagon press secretary Sabrina Singh told reporters on Monday. Two US service members were diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries and have since returned to duty, she said.
US Central Command confirmed the attack Saturday evening.
Multiple ballistic missiles and rockets targeted the base and, while most were intercepted by the base’s air defenses, some made impact, the CENTCOM statement said.
The use of more powerful ballistic missiles, far rarer than rockets or one-way attack drones, comes at a time of growing tension in the region as the Israel-Hamas war passes 100 days.
Centcom also announced that the U.S. had today conducted strikes in Iraq against the Iranian-backed militia group Kataib Hezbollah. That strike was in response to attacks made by the group this past weekend, including at al-Asad Airbase in western Iraq.
According to Centcom, the strikes were against three facilities used by the Iranian-backed Kataib Hezbollah militia group and other Iran-affiliated groups in Iraq.
"These strikes targeted KH headquarters, storage and training locations for rocket, missile and one-way attack UAV [unmanned aerial vehicles] capabilities," the Centcom release said.
5th Fleet boss: Iran ‘directly involved’ in Houthi rebel ship attacks
Iran is “very directly involved” in ship attacks that Yemen’s Houthi rebels have carried out during Israel’s war against Hamas, the Navy’s top Mideast commander told The Associated Press on Monday.
Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, the head of U.S. 5th Fleet, stopped short of saying Tehran directed individual attacks by the Houthis in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
Michael Hayden, the former Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, said he thought there was only a one-in-five chance of actual conflict with Iran.
Austin released from hospital after cancer surgery complications
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was released from the hospital on Monday, after spending two weeks there to treat complications from surgery for prostate cancer he kept secret from senior Biden administration leaders and staff for weeks.
Austin will be working from home as he recovers, and his doctors said he “progressed well throughout his stay and his strength is rebounding.” They said in a statement the cancer was treated early and his prognosis is “excellent.”
Ukraine news:
'Incredibly stark': Biden aides give lawmakers a grim assessment of Ukraine without more aid
President Joe Biden’s top aides bluntly told lawmakers in a private meeting on Wednesday that if Congress fails to authorize additional military aid for Ukraine in the coming days, Russia could win the war in a matter of weeks — months at best, according to two people familiar with the meeting.
National security adviser Jake Sullivan and the Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines told the lawmakers that Ukraine will run out of certain air defense and artillery capabilities in the coming weeks, according to the people familiar with the meeting.
The grim assessment, which one White House official described as “incredibly stark,” was delivered as the future of Ukraine aid has never been more uncertain. It also comes as White House officials are increasingly alarmed at the prospect of Biden failing to follow through with his promise that the U.S. will be there for Kyiv “as long as it takes.”
We cannot help Ukraine with repairs of previously provided equipment without funding – Pentagon
The Pentagon has indicated that the lack of funding not only affects the US's ability to send weapons to Ukraine but also to help repair the equipment it has already provided.
Source: Patrick Ryder, spokesperson for the US Department of Defense, during a briefing
Details: The official stressed that due to insufficient funding, the Pentagon cannot draw down weapons from its own stockpiles, which hinders "meeting Ukraine's most urgent battlefield needs to include things like artillery rounds, anti-tank weapons, air defence interceptors".
"Also, without additional funding, it prevents us from being able to provide systems and equipment to meet both their medium- and longer-term requirements and help them sustain systems that we've previously provided to them," Ryder stressed.
The official added that the Pentagon would further cooperate with Congress and urge it to pass a decision on additional funding as soon as possible.
WSJ: EU creates fresh plan for $22 billion in military support for Ukraine
EU members have argued over reimbursement rates and the use of the EPF to offset purchases. Hungary has blocked an eighth tranche of funding to compensate EU countries for supplies. Ukraine has not received funds from the EPF for six months as a result, although individual member states have pledged military aid in the interim period.
The new proposal would seek to approach the deadlock with a plan to disburse the $22 billion back to EU member states over the next four years in compensation for funds they have spent on military aid for Ukraine.
A Ukrainian drone attack on an oil depot inside Russia causes a massive blaze, officials say
A Ukrainian drone struck an oil storage depot in western Russia on Friday, causing a massive blaze, officials said, as Kyiv’s forces apparently extended their attacks on Russian soil ahead of the war’s two-year anniversary.
Four oil reservoirs with a total capacity of 6,000 cubic meters (1.6 million gallons) were set on fire when the drone reached Klintsy, a city of some 70,000 people located about 60 kilometers (40 miles) from the Ukrainian border, according to the local governor and state news agency Tass.
The strike apparently was the latest in a recently intensified effort by Ukraine to unnerve Russians and undermine President Vladimir Putin’s claim that life in Russia is going on as normal before its March 17 presidential election.
Russia accuses Ukraine of shooting down military plane, killing all 74 on board
Russia accused Ukraine of downing a Russian military plane near the Ukrainian border Wednesday, saying all 74 people on board were killed including dozens of Ukrainian servicemen being transported for a prisoner swap.
…
Ukraine’s military command said it regarded Russian military aircraft approaching Belgorod as legitimate targets but stopped short of acknowledging it fired at the plane.
In a carefully worded statement, the General Staff of Ukraine’s armed forces said recent attacks on the city of Kharkiv, which lies just 18 miles (30 km) from Russia, are being facilitated by Russian cargo planes bringing weapons close to the border.
“The recorded intensity of the shelling is directly related to the increase in the number of military transport aircraft that have recently been heading to the Belgorod airfield,” the statement said.
US, France to lead artillery coalition for Ukraine
Ukraine ordered six Caesar howitzers from Nexter in December that will be delivered in coming weeks.
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The company is capable of manufacturing an additional 72 of the truck-mounted guns for Ukraine this year, for total potential production of 78, he said. Nexter, part of KNDS, has increased output of the howitzer from two a month at the start of 2022 to six per month by last fall.
France has freed up €50 million ($54 million) that Lecornu says will buy 12 Caesar guns for Ukraine. The country is appealing to its coalition allies to chip in about €280 million for another 60 howitzers, including the costs of personnel training, operation and ammunition.
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French production of the 155-millimeter shells shells fired by the Caesar and other NATO-standard artillery will accelerate to 3,000 a month from January, after having already doubled last year from 1,000 a month before February 2022.
Pentagon expects Ukraine to receive first F-16s this year
The Pentagon expects Ukraine to receive its first F-16 fighters and the accompanying spare parts and infrastructure this year.
Source: Celeste Wallander, Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, as reported by European Pravda
Quote: "We are working as a coalition on [the F-16 program]; we are aiming to bring Ukraine’s F-16 program to initial operating capability in 2024."
Details: Wallander said that this programme includes the aircraft themselves, pilot training, technician training, and spare parts and ammunition.
Background: During the 18th meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group (Ramstein) on 23 January, Canadian Defence Minister Bill Blair announced the participation of Canadian instructors in training Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets.
At the end of December 2023, the first six Ukrainian pilots completed basic training with the UK’s Royal Air Force and were learning to fly F-16s in Denmark.
Turkish parliament approves Sweden’s NATO membership bid
The Turkish parliament voted Tuesday to approve Sweden’s NATO membership bid, bringing the Nordic country one step closer to joining the military alliance after months of delays.
Motivation and inspiration:
I always like to share a few from the Bible, because that book has become such a source of strength and wisdom and calm for me during the past year.
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.
That’s it for this edition.
Dealing with PTSD? Emotionally or mentally at rock bottom? Here’s the link that I mention in each podcast: Be like Ozzie; go near your master. (The power of prayer. Part 1.)
Love my moderate, optimistic view of politics and want to know more about how I see things?
Go here:
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.
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.
Please join me again in our next episode, and please stay safe until then.
Don’t forget: You can comment anytime — I try to monitor those. You can also reach out privately at: authorstanrmitchell@yahoo.com. (You can say “hi,” vent, or send news tips! I love all three of those things!)
Love and peace,
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 self-help book about President Obama, and two realistic war novels: one about World War II and one about Afghanistan. You can find all of these books on Amazon.
Want to know more about me? Click here: About me. You can also learn more about my journey here: Writers are crazy, and I’m crazier than most.
Podcast Episode 1-25-24 of The View from the Front. (Includes video.)