Welcome to The View from the Front podcast. My name is Stan and this is the May 16th edition.
You can listen to the podcast by clicking the link above. There is also an AI-generated transcript that you can find above. Or, you can find the podcast on your favorite channel by searching by name Stan R. Mitchell and The View from the Front.
Timestamps:
Timestamp: 6:07. Modern Europeans are a people of peace? It’s a joke, people. And we need to start with a joke before we get to something deadly serious.
Timestamp: 9:04. American political dysfunction and propaganda from Russia are beginning to threaten political support in the U.S. and Europe for Ukraine.
Timestamp: 24:50. The latest updates on the advances of the Ukrainian forces in its counteroffensive against Russian-occupied forces.
Timestamp: 25:56. Russia gets a taste of its own medicine as Ukraine launches small drone attacks on Russian electrical substations.
Timestamp: 29:59. Ukrainian forces are increasingly conducting raids in Russian-occupied Crimea.
Timestamp: 42:59. Motivation and encouragement, just for you. As well as the honoring of a special Medal of Honor recipient.
Timestamp 35:02. Some final words of unity and a few special words for those vets out there (and non-vets, too) who are struggling with PTSD or are just in a really low valley right now. I think it’s really important to discuss this topic in every single show since veterans are at 57% higher risk of suicide than their peers of the same age groups who haven't served. Please listen to this if you are struggling.
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 encouragement 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.
Ukraine news:
Gift link to NYTimes: White House Worries Russia’s Momentum Is Changing Trajectory of Ukraine War
Ukraine has been able to use that recaptured territory near Kharkiv to conduct harassing attacks into Russia. Those attacks have prompted the Russians to retake land in recent weeks to create a buffer zone that Mr. Putin has said will make cross-border attacks harder for Ukraine to carry out. Recently, the head of Ukraine’s military intelligence agency has called the Russian advance near Kharkiv “critical.”
Some outside experts caution that Russia’s real strategic aim in taking territory around Kharkiv is to force Ukraine’s troops to move to reinforce the city, weakening the front lines elsewhere. That could set up an opportunity for another Russian drive in June, in the Donbas, the part of eastern Ukraine that the Kremlin has illegally annexed and is trying to capture.
“The Russian offensive aim is likely to draw Ukrainian reserves and elite units, then pin them in Kharkiv, thereby weakening the rest of the front,” Mr. Kofman said. “The primary Russian objective still remains recapturing the rest of the Donbas.”
Gift link to Wash Post: Why Russian troops are suddenly able to advance toward Kharkiv
Germany to buy three US HIMARS launchers for Ukraine for $30 million
U.S. news:
Pentagon orders all US combat troops to withdraw from Niger
Never, ever give up segment links:
I call it the "Never, ever give up segment” because we must never ever give up as a country (though we face great division, a massive debt burden, and probably future problems that none of us could even predict. But we must never give up as a country.
And I believe we must stay united.
And also as individuals, we must never, ever give up. We’ve got family and friends counting on us, so in this section, I’m going to share some motivation to help encourage you.
I’d like to begin by honoring a Medal of Honor recipient.
If you don’t know, the Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration you can possibly earn in the military, and it’s awarded to service members who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor.
The medal is typically awarded by the President of the United States, upon the recommendation of the Armed Services.
I share these Medal of Honor stories to remind us of the sacrifices that have been made through the nearly 250 years of American history.
Through so many major wars, more than 1 million Americans have sacrificed their lives and died, getting us to this place and time.
In wars such as the American Revolution, the War of 1812, the Civil War, World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, Desert Shield and Desert Storm, then after Sept 11th, there was Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
And these were only the major wars that I’ve listed, and I know I overlooked so many smaller conflicts. In all, more than 41 million Americans have served over the course of the nation's history. And as I said earlier, more than 1 million have died, and tens of millions have been wounded or had their lives shattered.
So, I think it’s always important we remember these facts, particularly when we have people regularly saying we face a potential civil war. Or that we should split up our country because of whatever the latest culture war is. Or any other number of silly reasons.
I think our grandparents and great-grandparents and those who came before them would be dumbfounded to think we could rip apart this great nation over such trifling issues.
Now, let’s share some motivation to make sure that we never, ever give up in our own personal lives.
Of course, if you’re a regular listener, you know I also speak about never giving up when I discuss PTSD at the end of the show.
But for now, let’s just talk about some motivation.
And we’ve got some great ones this week.
I always like to share a few from the Bible, because this book has become such a source of strength and wisdom and calm for me during the past year.
And I hope by sharing a few, it might encourage you to get into the Bible yourself. Because I think it’ll really help you.
And honestly, if you were like me, and you had spent years and years reading self-help books, meditating, Buddhism, whatever, and it’s still not working? Then why not try something else? We know that the definition of insanity is dong the same thing over and over, expecting a different result.
If you’ve never cracked open the Bible, I invite you to try it. In fact, I almost double-dog dare you to try it. Because if it’s all fake, if it’s all not real, then it should have no effect.
It’s just another lame self-help book. But if you’re courageous enough to open it, I think it will rock your world, the same way it’s rocked mine.
Bottom line, what do you have left to lose? You’ve tried everything else, so why not try this.
And I think if you do, you’ll see that the Bible is the handbook for your life. I think you’ll find it speaking to you, because it’s not just ancient words, it’s the wisdom of God.
And if you need hope and purpose, if you’re really drowning and feeling lost, then you need more than the self-help quotes I shared above. You need God and one of the best ways to find Him is in the Bible. You don’t just have to go to some church you’re nervous to visit. You can start learning about Him from the safety of your home, by simply reading the Bible — either in print or on your phone through a Bible app.
Hebrews: 13:5-6
John 6:51.
Isaiah 40:29-31.
And, I always like to end each week’s notes 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.
Love and peace,
Stan R. Mitchell
P.S. Don’t forget that I've also written twelve fast, exciting books.
Finally, I also write a faith blog about God and the Bible. (As a child, I was wounded badly by the church and left it to study other religions, before returning to the faith of my roots.)
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