Welcome to The View from the Front podcast. My name is Stan and this is the Dec. 28th 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:
U.S. strikes Iran-backed militias in Iraq after troops are wounded in drone attack
About 3,500 U.S. troops remain in Iraq and Syria to prevent a resurgence of the Islamic State extremist group. Iran has long backed militias in an effort to dislodge the U.S. presence in the region.
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In a statement Tuesday, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani condemned the drone attack and the U.S. response, which he said killed one Iraqi service member and injured 18 others, including civilians.
“This constitutes a clear hostile act. It runs counter to the pursuit of enduring mutual interests in establishing security and stability, and it opposes the declared intention of the American side to enhance relations with Iraq,” he said.
DOD Announces Aid Package for Ukraine
The Defense Department today announced a security assistance package for Ukraine valued at up to $250 million.
The package includes air defense capabilities, artillery and antitank weapons and other equipment to help Ukraine in its continued fight to counter Russia's unprovoked invasion.
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The security assistance package announced today is likely the last until Congress authorizes additional funds.
Included in it were:
The Pentagon revealed what was included in the new package of military aid to Ukraine
🔹additional ammunition for the NASAMS air defense system;
🔹 Stinger anti-aircraft missiles;
🔹components of the air defense system;
🔹additional ammunition for HIMARS;
🔹artillery shells of caliber 155 mm and 105 mm;
🔹TOW missiles;
🔹 Javelin and AT-4 anti-tank systems;
🔹more than 15 million cartridges for small arms;
🔹 explosive ammunition for clearing obstacles;
🔹spare parts, medical equipment, maintenance and other auxiliary equipment.
DOD Gives More Detail on How Operation Prosperity Guardian Will Work
A few notes on the latest news out of the Pentagon on this from the Pentagon Press Secretary, Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder:
Operation Prosperity Guardian will work and Ryder called on the Houthis, an Iranian proxy group, to cease targeting international commerce.
Between 10 and 15 percent of global shipping flows through the Red Sea.
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These attacks are impacting global trade and commerce, negatively impacting the economies of nations around the world and costing commercial shipping firms billions of dollars
To date more than 20 nations have signed on to participate, Ryder said. "In the days ahead, the United States will continue to consult closely with our allies and partners who share the fundamental principle of freedom of navigation, and we expect to see the coalition continue to grow," he said.
"It's very important to understand that the Houthis aren't attacking just one country, they're really attacking the international community," Ryder said. "They are attacking the economic well-being and prosperity of nations around the world. So in effect, they really become bandits along the international highway that is the Red Sea."
To further this analogy, the forces assigned to Operation Prosperity Guardian, will serve the highway patrol in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden "to respond to and assist as necessary commercial vessels that are transiting this vital international waterway," the general said. "It's a defensive coalition meant to reassure global shipping and mariners that the international community is there to help with safe passage."
The area is large, roughly the distance between Boston and Washington, D.C., and the operation will work to assure safe passage all along the way.
"Last thing I'd say on this is that the Houthis need to stop these attacks, and they need to stop them now," Ryder said. "That's clear and simple. They really need to ask themselves if they've bitten off more than they can chew, when it comes to taking on the entire international community and negatively impacting billions and billions, billions of dollars in global trade, economic prosperity and international law."
US Navy shoots down more than a dozen drones, missiles in Red Sea
United States military leader finally talks with China’s military leader
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force Gen. CQ Brown, Jr. held talks today with his Chinese military counterpart, People's Liberation Army Gen. Liu Zhenli, for the first time since Brown became chairman.
The two leaders discussed a range of global and regional security issues as Brown reaffirmed the importance of maintaining open lines of military-to-military communications, according to a summary of the video teleconference.
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"Gen. Brown discussed the importance of working together to responsibly manage competition, avoid miscalculations, and maintain open and direct lines of communication," the summary reads. "Gen. Brown reiterated the importance of the People's Liberation Army engaging in substantive dialogue to reduce the likelihood of misunderstandings."
The last talks between U.S. and Chinese counterparts at this level occurred in July 2022.
Defense officials have repeatedly raised concerns over China's lack of communication with U.S. military leaders, noting that Beijing has consistently denied or ignored U.S. requests for defense engagements at multiple levels.
Those concerns have been amplified as U.S. officials observe increasingly provocative and risky behavior on the part of China's military.
Defense officials have noted a steep rise in China's risky and aggressive intercepts of U.S. aircraft operating in international airspace in accordance with international law.
According to the most recent China Military Power Report, the U.S. has documented more than 180 coercive and risky air intercepts against U.S. aircraft in the region between 2021 and 2023.
That is more risky intercepts in the past two years than in the past decade, according to the report.
After Tough Year, Military Recruiting Is Looking Up
It's no secret that 2023 was a tough year for military recruiting, but that situation is looking up, said Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder during news conference yesterday.
Ryder, the Pentagon press secretary, said recruiting will remain challenging, but the services are adapting to the challenging environment and there's reason to be optimistic.
Last fiscal year, only the Marine Corps and the Space Force made their recruiting goals.
Still, there are concerns. Only 23 percent of young people between 17 and 24 even qualify to join the military. Even fewer have expressed the "propensity" to enlist, officials said.
Also working against the recruiting environment is the fact that the military is smaller and in fewer places. Many young people do not know anyone who has enlisted and they do not see service members in their communities or even on a regular basis.
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Some of the things they’re trying:
The Army has a program to help recruits qualify for enlistment, and the service works with potential enlistees to meet the enlistment standards. Army officials said 95 percent of those in the program have successfully completed it.
The Air Force has aviation camps where young people get to experience life in the service and the various aviation jobs available to them, Ryder said.
Ukraine news:
CNN: Ukraine claims it destroyed Russian tank landing ship
Free Wash Post article with map: Ukraine attacks Russian landing ship in Crimean port
Ukraine says it took out 5 Russia war planes in a 3-day killstreak
Motivation and wisdom:
Here’s my faith blog/substack link that I mentioned in the show:
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.
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 12-28-23. (Includes video.)