Hey guys!
Welcome to the show! In this episode, we’ll be discussing several topics, which you probably haven’t seen in the news. As I always say, our media does a terrible job covering our military and potential hotspots, so I’m hoping to fill this void.
But, in addition to ending the podcast with some awesome motivation and wisdom, we’ll cover:
Timestamp: 2:19. The latest on Ukraine’s counteroffensive.
Timestamp: 5:02. On the one hand, there’s much to celebrate. On the other, it’s like this is but the smallest taste of what’s to come.
Timestamp: 6:01. As Ukraine’s counteroffensive heats up, Washington holds its breath.
Timestamp: 8:48. To date, more than 50 countries have sent aid to Ukraine in this unprovoked war started by Russia.
Timestamp: 12:19. Even though limited land has been taken to date, major successes truly are occurring, as evidenced in the video below.
Timestamp: 15:56. Just to piggy-back on that point, this Ukrainian commander dispels several myths about the counteroffensive.
Timestamp: 19:05. Two pieces of broader, world news you need to know about.
Hey guys,
Welcome to the View from the Front podcast. 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.
In this episode, we’ll be discussing several topics, that I think will really interest you, and that I almost guarantee you haven’t seen in the news!
The work I do each week is primarily a podcast. You can listen to it from the player above, or from whatever podcast you listen to it from.
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Enough of the sales pitch, I hope you enjoy today’s edition. Again, you should listen to it from the player above.
Source notes:
One administrative note: There will not be a podcast next week, as I’ll be on vacation, but I plan to continue to provide newsletter updates as big news breaks.
Russia and Ukraine news:
Ukraine says it has retaken 100 square kilometres of land in counteroffensive
Ukraine has regained control of over 100 square kilometres, or 38 square miles, of territory in its counteroffensive against Russian forces, a senior Ukrainian military commander said on Thursday.
…
He confirmed that in the early stages of the offensive, which Ukraine said had begun last week, seven settlements had been liberated in the eastern region of Donetsk and in the southern region of Zaporizhzhia.
On the one hand, there’s much to celebrate. On the other, it’s like this is but the smallest taste of what’s to come.
War Mapper provided the most up-to-date assessment of how deep into the Russian defenses that Ukrainian forces have driven.
As Ukraine’s counteroffensive heats up, Washington holds its breath
As Ukraine launches its long-awaited counteroffensive against entrenched Russian occupiers, both Kyiv and its backers are hoping for a rapid retaking of strategically significant territory. Anything less will present the United States and its allies with uncomfortable questions they are not yet prepared to answer.
With this year’s flow of billions of dollars’ worth of advanced Western weaponry to Ukraine, “everybody’s hopeful that, you know, you’d see overwhelming success,” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters last week. But, he said, adding a note of caution, “I think most people have a realistic outlook on this.”
…
The stakes for President Biden are high.
As he heads into next year’s reelection campaign, Biden needs a major battlefield victory to show that his unqualified support for Ukraine has burnished U.S. global leadership, reinvigorated a strong foreign policy with bipartisan support and demonstrated the prudent use of American military strength abroad.
Allies in NATO and beyond have bought heavily into Biden’s case. “Let no one doubt U.S. leadership — and resources — are the decisive contribution,” visiting British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said Thursday at a news conference in Washington with Biden.
To date, more than 50 countries have sent aid to Ukraine in this unprovoked war started by Russia.
Japan in talks to provide artillery shells to U.S. to help Ukraine, Wall Street Journal reports. The Asian nation is considering supplying 155-mm. artillery shells under a 2016 pact to share ammunition as part of its long-standing security alliance with the United States, the paper added, citing people familiar with the matter.
Even though limited land has been taken to date, major successes truly are occurring, as evidenced in the video below.
Wow. Ukraine took out five self-propelled howitzers of Russia. This is huge because they fire and move quickly and are usually hard to target.
You can see video of it below.
By forcing Russian forces to react, you can get them in the open and target them.
Here’s a picture of what the Msta-S looks like, and not to state the obvious, but this thing can fire 6 to 8 rounds per minute, which travel up to 15 miles, and then scoot away so that counter-battery fire doesn’t hit it.
Just to piggy-back on that point, this Ukrainian commander dispels several myths about the counteroffensive.
Pressure builds to get Sweden in NATO.
Story: GOP senator blocks arms sale to Hungary for stalling Sweden’s NATO bid
China news:
Blinken to visit China this week
Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to China to meet with Beijing’s senior officials this week, the State Department announced Wednesday.
During the trip, he’ll discuss the “importance of maintaining open lines of communication to responsibly manage” the relationship between the two countries, the statement said.
…
Blinken, who will leave on Friday and return Wednesday, will become the first secretary of State to visit China in five years and the first Cabinet-level official to do so in four years.
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.
And with that, I’m out.
Love and peace,
Stan R. Mitchell
P.S. Enjoy what you’re reading but don’t want to subscribe? Send me a small tip on Venmo (@authorstanrmitchell). The more tips I get, the more I produce. 🤣
P.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 6-15-23