Stan R. Mitchell's Blog, page 22

Episode 10-18-22

Hey guys!

Hope everyone is doing well!

Just wanted to put up a brief announcement today. I’m going to be changing things up a tad on here.

We’re going to be going to one day a week, publishing on Thursdays.

There are a number of reasons for the change.

For starters, I’ve been researching the most successful publications, and almost every one of them is once a week. (Same thing for podcasts. The most successful ones that you find on Apple, Spotify, etc, are once a week — with the great exception being re-broadcasts of television cable shows, or in news situations where it’s a full-time enterprise). 

Also, I know that once a week would be of better quality, allowing for higher-quality writing and recording. 

Finally, I have reached out to many of my paid subscribers and even some of them have admitted that they get behind or skip/miss editions with it being twice a week. I know people are super busy, and I get that. But if even my paying folks aren’t reading/listening to every edition, then twice a week is too much.

So, for all of these reasons, I’m going to move to a once-a-week publication on Thursdays.

I also wanted to say that I’ve become convinced based on my research of talking with other creators and my own paid subscribers that people convert to paying subscribers based on a patronage/support reason; not for some benefit such as unlocking a day early, commenting as a paid subscriber, or receiving exclusive paid-post-only editions. 

So the posts will be free to everyone on Thursdays.

This once-a-week schedule will have one added advantage, besides simply quality. That advantage is that by moving to once a week, I’ll be able to put out occasional breaking news editions, instead of just waiting a day or two for the Tuesday or Friday edition, when the news by that point was already stale. 

The bottom line is I think that once-a-week releases will allow for higher-quality writing and podcasting, as well as occasional breaking news alerts that are timely.

As always, I am super appreciative of everyone’s support!

If you have any questions, please free to reach out to me. And if I don’t hear from you, you’ll see the next episode in two days! I’m already hard at work on it!

Thanks!

Stan R. Mitchell

Episode 10-14-22

Hi friends!

Hope everyone is doing well!

There’s a lot to cover, but 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. Here are three reasons why you should.)

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We’ll start this episode with President Biden naming the country’s two biggest national security threats, then, we’ll move on to the following:

Besides discussing the two national security threats that Biden named, I’ll also talk about a big one I think he missed.

Ukraine’s advances in the south near Kherson are causing Russia to urge residents to evacuate.

NATO is talking about delivering increased numbers (and quality) of anti-air weapons to Ukraine.

SpaceX, which has been providing critical internet for Ukraine, announced it can no longer pay for those services, and is asking the United States to cover those costs.

And, as always, end with our motivation and wisdom section.

The biggest news of late was President Biden laying out the country’s two largest security threats.

Biden’s National Security Strategy Focuses on China, Russia and Democracy at Home

From the story:

President Biden declared on Wednesday that the overwhelming challenge for the United States in the coming years would be “outcompeting China and restraining Russia” while focusing on restoring a damaged democracy at home.

In his 48-page national security strategy, which every new administration is required to issue, Mr. Biden made clear that over the long term he was more worried about China’s moves to “layer authoritarian governance with a revisionist foreign policy” than he was about a declining, battered Russia. More than six months after the invasion of Ukraine, the Russian military appears less fearsome than it did when the first drafts of the document circulated in the White House in December.

Honestly, it’s kind of hard to disagree with these two threats. Though I’m certain if things heat up with Iran (or some kind of terrorist threat happens), then conservatives will pounce on those things not being named. (I am on vacation, as I had said, and couldn’t fully scrutinize the document, but I didn’t see Iran mentioned in a quick scan.)

You can scan the open-source document yourself here: full national strategy.

One of the items that I’m surprised wasn’t discussed more was our wide-spread division and the surprisingly-high reality of internal strife/conflict.

I found only a single sentence, unless I’m missing something:

And at the same time, we are standing up to threats to our democracy such as domestic terrorism by implementing our nation’s first-ever National Strategy for Countering Domestic Terrorism.

Not to state the overly-obvious, but…

We’ve had protestors fighting in the streets during the BLM protests, we’ve had plans to abduct a governor (in Michigan), and we’ve had a mob storm the capital (with an uglier back-up plan that included weapons from some groups).

Commentators and political figures from the right routinely talk about increasingly aggressive actions to take back the country, and it’s not even rare to hear discussions of a looming civil war.

This is one of the main reasons I’ve been doing this newsletter; this division is real, it’s nasty, and it’s dangerous. It’s arguably lethal to our country, if you study the history of other countries.

But I also know President Biden likely hesitated highlighting these threats further because such a thing would be taken by the right as proof that the federal government would use its powers to attack its opposition.

Always a balancing act for sure, and often, the art of politics is discretion and biting your tongue.

Moving along…

Ukraine continues to advance in the south, gaining new ground near Kherson. It’s gotten so bad that Russia has said it will help civilians evacuate from the area to Russian territory, though I have no idea why anyone in their right minds would want to do that.

At the same time, the Russian missile attacks against civilian structures in Ukraine are galvanizing support for better anti-air weapons.

Somewhat worrying, this news broke as well:

Alex Marquardt @MarquardtAExclusive: Musk's SpaceX says it can no longer pay for critical Starlink satellite services in Ukraine, asks Pentagon to pick up the tab cnn.comExclusive: Musk’s SpaceX says it can no longer pay for critical satellite services in Ukraine, asks Pentagon to pick up the tab | CNN Polit…Since they first started arriving in Ukraine last spring, the Starlink satellite internet terminals made by Elon Musk’s SpaceX have been a vital source of communication for Ukraine’s military, allowing it to fight and stay connected even as cellular phone and internet networks have been destroyed in…11:23 PM ∙ Oct 13, 202211,112Likes3,797Retweets

I’m going to wrap things up there for today on the news portion. It’s vacation and I probably SHOULD be relaxing more (always a struggle for me). Lol

Having said that, let’s end with Motivation and wisdom portion now.

Jon Gordon @JonGordon11Hope is a strategy. Too many say it isn’t. Yes, it needs to be followed by action. But don’t underestimate the power of hope. It keeps you going when you want to quit. Because you have hope for tomorrow you take one more step today.2:45 AM ∙ Oct 14, 2022222Likes55RetweetsSuccess Minded @_SuccessMinded_Be at peace with the past.Be conscious in the present.Be optimistic for the future.2:10 AM ∙ Oct 14, 2022536Likes136RetweetsJon Gordon @JonGordon11Being positive won’t guarantee you’ll succeed. But being negative will guarantee you won’t.2:15 AM ∙ Oct 13, 20221,537Likes336RetweetsDaily Dose of Philosophy @PhilosophyDose_"The more violent the storm, the quicker it passes."- Paulo Coelho2:26 AM ∙ Oct 14, 2022379Likes56RetweetsSuccess Minded @_SuccessMinded_"Sometimes it's a wise thing to forgive and let go instead of wasting your time by holding a grudge against them."2:15 AM ∙ Oct 13, 2022666Likes162RetweetsSuccess Minded @_SuccessMinded_"Your time is your most precious asset. Don't waste it."4:00 AM ∙ Oct 12, 20221,996Likes442RetweetsRuthjackson68 @jackruthie68I love this! ❤️😍😊🤩 10:32 AM ∙ Oct 11, 202212Likes3Retweets

And, I always like to end with this one:

Success Minded @_SuccessMinded_"Be the reason someone smiles. Be the reason someone feels loved and believes in the goodness of people."2:15 AM ∙ Aug 21, 20221,398Likes354Retweets

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 make this work sustainable, and to help improve it, is with a paid subscription. But at the same time, free ones are appreciated, too!

Subscribe now

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.🇺🇸🇺🇸

#WW2 ","username":"WWIIpix","name":"WWII Pictures","date":"Wed Nov 03 13:28:00 +0000 2021","photos":[{"img_url":"https://pbs.substack.com/media/FDRbxV...WWII Pictures @WWIIpixTwo US soldiers armed with an M1917 Browning machine gun and M3 Grease Gun in Normandy, summer 1944. #WW2 1:28 PM ∙ Nov 3, 2021659Likes57Retweets

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 all.

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.

Subscribed

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 10-11-22

Hi friends!

Hope everyone is doing well!

There’s a lot to cover, but 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. Here are three reasons why you should.)

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We’ll start this episode with Ukr…

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Episode 10-7-22

Hi friends!

Hope everyone is doing well!

There’s a lot to cover, but 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, and you can cancel at any time. Here are three reasons why you should.)

The View from the Front by Stan R. Mitchell is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber

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We’ll start this episode with the decision by OPEC to cut oil production by 2 million barrels per day, then, we’ll move on to the following:

Ukraine.

A little bit about the leadership situation in Russia, and what might happen there.

A little bit about what elections in November might mean for the military.

The latest on the reaction to North Korea firing a ballistic missile over Japan.

A raid the U.S. conducted in Syria.

The latest news about the tensions in China and Taiwan.

Some news about arctic operations for America.

And end with our motivation and wisdom.

The biggest news of late is the following:

OPEC, allies move to slash oil production, eliciting blistering White House response

A coalition of oil-producing nations led by Russia and Saudi Arabia announced Wednesday it will slash oil production by 2 million barrels per day, in a rebuke to President Biden that could push up gas prices worldwide, worsen the risk of a global recession and bolster Russia in its war in Ukraine.

The move by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its partners prompted a blistering reaction from White House officials and reverberated almost immediately through domestic and global financial markets, threatening higher energy costs for the United States and European countries already grappling with inflation and economic instability.

In another article, Biden said the move was “a disappointment, and it says that there are problems” in the U.S.-Saudi relationship.

Possible countermoves by the U.S. include:

A move by Congress to repeal a long-standing exemption to federal antitrust law that allows OPEC to align prices.

Removal of American forces from Saudia Arabia. (Rep. Tom Malinowski (D-N.J.) has already said he’d introduce a bill to do so.)

President Biden is taking serious heat for the situation.

Here are just a few examples:

David Rothkopf @djrothkopfI was one of those folks who thought the president’s trip to Saudi went pretty well. Todays OPEC decision says I was wrong. The Saudis have sent a clear message that they just don’t care about relations with Biden. Good luck with that.2:17 PM ∙ Oct 5, 20222,567Likes453RetweetsDavid Rothkopf @djrothkopfI still believe Biden's initiative to reach out to Saudi made sense. But there was a downside risk. Today's OPEC decision not only hurts the US & the our allies, it helps Russia & Biden's political opponents. Damage has been done. Admin relationship w/MBS now infused w/distrust.5:10 PM ∙ Oct 5, 2022155Likes23Retweets

Also, this, from Senator Chris Murphy, who’s a Democrat and member of the Foreign Relations Committee.

Chris Murphy @ChrisMurphyCTI thought the whole point of selling arms to the Gulf States despite their human rights abuses, nonsensical Yemen War, working against US interests in Libya, Sudan etc, was that when an international crisis came, the Gulf could choose America over Russia/China. https://t.co/szkePOGtJKNPR @NPRToday OPEC+ is expected to consider a cut in oil production of up to 1 million to 2 million barrels a day — an amount that could drive oil and gas prices back up after weeks of falling.https://t.co/xJ6UkWpr4C3:43 PM ∙ Oct 5, 20223,731Likes985Retweets

Finally, there’s this from retired CIA member and author, Marc Polymeropoulos, who appears on news segments and is on the @AtlanticCouncil.

@djrothkopf One reason I thought the trip was ok at the time was the notion that staff work prior to the trip would hav secured a firm Saudi assist re OPEC. A deliverable. Set in stone. Yet this obviously didn’t occur. A huge staffing error-trip never should hav happened without that .","username":"Mpolymer","name":"Marc Polymeropoulos","date":"Wed Oct 05 15:25:45 +0000 2022","photos":[],"quoted_tweet":{},"retweet_count":6,"like_count":54,"expanded_url":{},"video_url":null,"belowTheFold":true}">Marc Polymeropoulos @Mpolymer@djrothkopf One reason I thought the trip was ok at the time was the notion that staff work prior to the trip would hav secured a firm Saudi assist re OPEC. A deliverable. Set in stone. Yet this obviously didn’t occur. A huge staffing error-trip never should hav happened without that .3:25 PM ∙ Oct 5, 202254Likes6Retweets@djrothkopf My view of the visit too has changed dramatically. I will admit when I’m wrong-and I was dead wrong. MBS is giving the admin a big middle finger. So stupid and short sighted. Not what a true ally does. Very disappointing.","username":"Mpolymer","name":"Marc Polymeropoulos","date":"Wed Oct 05 15:38:12 +0000 2022","photos":[],"quoted_tweet":{},"retweet_count":10,"like_count":104,"expanded_url":{},"video_url":null,"belowTheFold":true}">Marc Polymeropoulos @Mpolymer@djrothkopf My view of the visit too has changed dramatically. I will admit when I’m wrong-and I was dead wrong. MBS is giving the admin a big middle finger. So stupid and short sighted. Not what a true ally does. Very disappointing.3:38 PM ∙ Oct 5, 2022104Likes10Retweets

We’ll see where this goes from here, but clearly Saudi relations are on shaky ground.

Moving along, I wanted to share this article from Defense One.

defenseone.com/ideas/2022/10/… via @DefenseOne","username":"StanRMitchell","name":"Stan R. Mitchell","date":"Thu Oct 06 23:20:48 +0000 2022","photos":[],"quoted_tweet":{},"retweet_count":0,"like_count":0,"expanded_url":{"url":"https://www.defenseone.com/ideas/2022... How Long Should the US Send Aid to Ukraine?","description":"History can help us understand whether Kyiv’s situation better resembles Afghanistan or Colombia.","domain":"defenseone.com"},"video_url":null,"belowTheFold":true}">Stan R. Mitchell @StanRMitchellJust How Long Should the US Send Aid to Ukraine? defenseone.com/ideas/2022/10/… via @DefenseOnedefenseone.comJust How Long Should the US Send Aid to Ukraine?History can help us understand whether Kyiv’s situation better resembles Afghanistan or Colombia.11:20 PM ∙ Oct 6, 2022

The article, Just How Long Should the US Send Aid to Ukraine?, was written by Erik Swabb, who served as a U.S. Marine infantry officer in Iraq and in the UN peacekeeping mission in Liberia. He also served as General Counsel of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee.

He wrote the following:

Should future U.S. assistance be measured in months, or at most a few years, especially if Ukraine is no longer in danger of being overrun by Russia?

The short answer is no. If the United States provides long-term assistance—likely for more than 10 years, not only could Ukraine secure its future against a revanchist Russia, Washington could gain a first-rate military partner. Because of its legitimate government, capable leaders, level of socio-economic development, highly motivated public, and combat experience, among other factors, Ukraine has a strong foundation on which to build. As a result, U.S. support could have an exponential impact on Ukrainian military capabilities. The United States would be a major beneficiary, allowing U.S. forces to focus on potential conflicts outside of Europe over the coming years.

Initially, my thoughts on helping Ukraine were about stopping a bully. About wrong and right, and which side we come down on.

But as Swabb explains, there’s a lot more benefit that we’re getting than we’re even thinking about.

Moving along, here are some questions for Putin to consider…

Dmitry Grozoubinski @DmitryOpinesRussian television hosts keep saying "there are 55 countries arrayed against us and we fight alone" - as if having so many 'enemies' and lacking a single ally were a mitigating fact and not evidence of a complete failure of statecraft.9:04 PM ∙ Oct 3, 20224,837Likes552RetweetsYulia Gorbunova @yuliagorbunova_Watching Putin's mad speech, specifically the part about Russia's "great liberation mission," all I can think about is the woman from Kherson I interviewed some weeks ago.6:34 PM ∙ Sep 30, 202216,378Likes3,257RetweetsYulia Gorbunova @yuliagorbunova_Russia’s security agents detained her entire family and interrogated her for several hours, with a plastic bag over her head – all the while she could hear her husband being beaten to a pulp in the next room.6:34 PM ∙ Sep 30, 20226,228Likes1,019RetweetsYulia Gorbunova @yuliagorbunova_“They kept asking me, ‘Are you a fascist? A banderovka? I told them that I was Ukrainian. They said: ‘There is no such people. We are one people.’ So, I asked them, 'if we are one people, why am I sitting here with a bag over my head, while you are beating my husband to death?'6:34 PM ∙ Sep 30, 202217,098Likes4,306Retweets

But Putin’s message isn’t completely being bought by the soldiers he’s sent. See this surrender video below.

Jay in Kyiv @JayinKyivRussians raise the white flag and surrender themselves and equipment to Ukrainian soldiers.Part 1. 5:10 PM ∙ Oct 5, 20221,359Likes236Retweets

As the losses mount, so does the pushback against Moscow. Such as this:

Blunt Criticism of Russian Army Signals New Challenge for Putin

An official in a Russian-occupied region of Ukraine suggested Russia’s defense minister should shoot himself because of his army’s failings, an unusually blunt and public rebuke of Kremlin leadership.

And also this:

As his troops retreat, Russian defense chief comes under pressure at home

The growing, strident criticism of the Russian military command is drive hard-line nationalists

…

Shoigu, 67, has no military background but has served as defense minister for nearly a decade, and has been part of Putin’s leadership team since he was elevated to the presidency on Dec. 31, 1999. Until the war, Shoigu was among the country’s most popular politicians, and was often tipped as a potential successor to Putin.

He is one of Russia’s longest-serving ministers, going back to 1991, when President Boris Yeltsin named him minister for emergency situations. Over the years, Shoigu has remained close to Putin, sometimes accompanying the president on trips to the Siberian taiga.

And the pressure on Putin is continuing to grow, as well. See this:

As Ukraine war falters, Russians ask a risky question: Could Putin fall?

Putin, who turns 70 on Friday, came to power himself through a quasi-legal succession process — appointed as deputy prime minister and then acting prime minister by President Boris Yeltsin, who resigned within five months, catapulting his handpicked successor into the presidency.

…

Names mentioned as potential successors include the Security Council secretary, Nikolai Patrushev; former president Dmitry Medvedev; longtime Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin; and Patrushev’s son, Dmitry, now agriculture minister.

I told you I’d keep up with any news about the aftereffects of North Korea launching a ballistic missile over Japan.

Well, here’s the latest on that.

Allies Conduct Naval Defense Exercises Following North Korea Missile Launches

In response to this provocation, the USS Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group, joined by two Japanese navy destroyers and one South Korean destroyer, arrived yesterday in the Sea of Japan to conduct trilateral ballistic missile defense exercises, Ryder said.

"These exercises send a clear message of allied unity between our nations and enhance the interoperability of our collective forces," he said.

"The exercises also demonstrate the deep strength of our trilateral relationship with Japan and the Republic of Korea, which is resolute against those who challenge regional stability," he said.

And moving to the Middle East, the United States conducted a risky in-person raid in Syria two days ago.

Let’s now move to China and Taiwan.

Hat tip to Joshua Hughes for sharing the next story.

Joshua Hughes @joshuadhughes“American officials are intensifying efforts to build a giant stockpile of weapons in Taiwan after studying recent naval and air force exercises by the Chinese military around the island, according to current and former officials.”nytimes.comU.S. Aims to Turn Taiwan Into Giant Weapons DepotOfficials say Taiwan needs to become a “porcupine” with enough weapons to hold out if the Chinese military blockades and invades it, even if Washington decides to send troops.6:02 PM ∙ Oct 5, 2022

From the story (U.S. Aims to Turn Taiwan Into Giant Weapons Depot):

American officials are intensifying efforts to build a giant stockpile of weapons in Taiwan after studying recent naval and air force exercises by the Chinese military around the island, according to current and former officials.

The exercises showed that China would probably blockade the island as a prelude to any attempted invasion, and Taiwan would have to hold out on its own until the United States or other nations intervened, if they decided to do that, the current and former officials say.

But the effort to transform Taiwan into a weapons depot faces challenges. The United States and its allies have prioritized sending weapons to Ukraine, which is reducing those countries’ stockpiles, and arms makers are reluctant to open new production lines without a steady stream of long-term orders.

Along those same lines, I wanted to share a couple of stories below, just because they show the increasingly aggressive words of American leaders toward China.

U.S., Australian Defense Leaders Stress Importance of Alliance System

The two discussed their unwavering commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific region and the challenges to that ideal.

Both Australia and the United States are dedicated to the premise that all countries should be free to choose their own destinies. Further, the international, rules-based order is based on the idea that nations should respect international laws and resolve disputes peacefully, Austin said. 

"These shared convictions run deep, and they are the foundation of our unbreakable alliance," the secretary said. "The region and the world face a growing challenge from autocratic countries attempting to change the status quo through threats, coercion and provocative military activities and even naked aggression," Austin said. "We're deeply concerned by China's aggressive, escalatory and destabilizing military activities in the Taiwan Strait and elsewhere in the region." 

Nations around the world are uniting to oppose Russia's unprovoked and cruel invasion of Ukraine. "The United States and Australia are united in opposing actions that threaten peace, stability and the rules-based international order," he said.

Indo-Pacific Component Commanders Stress Importance of Partners

"Clearly, China wants to be the world's only superpower, and they actually believe that everybody else has to be a loser, and they can be the only winner," Air Force Gen. Kenneth S. Wilsbach said. (He’s the commander of Pacific Air Forces.) "It's clear that they want to impose their will on the world, especially their close neighbors. And that's, that's counter to our objective of [being] free and open."

Pitch Black exercise hosted by Australia. As the name implies, it is an exercise that emphasizes operating in low light. "There were 17 countries flying," he said. "And often when you have that many countries flying in one exercise, you actually have to reduce the complexity of the exercise so that everybody can participate."

I know I had said earlier I’d cover the artic command and Republican plans for Congress regarding the military, but this newsletter has gotten too long, so I’ll do my best to do that in the next edition.

So, with that, let’s move to the motivation and wisdom portion now.

Success Minded @_SuccessMinded_Self-care is practicing how to stop feeling guilty for choosing peace over people.2:15 AM ∙ Oct 7, 2022779Likes162RetweetsDaily Dose of Philosophy @PhilosophyDose_“Straight roads do not make skillful drivers.”- Paulo Coelho9:10 PM ∙ Oct 6, 20222,761Likes622RetweetsLife Quotes @RTLifeQuotesDon't compare your beginning to someone else's middle, or your middle to someone else's end. Don't compare the start of your second quarter of life to someone else's third quarter. - Jon Acuff2:01 AM ∙ Oct 6, 2022125Likes32RetweetsLife Quotes @RTLifeQuotesIf you have hope in the future you will have power in the present! - Chris Voss2:01 AM ∙ Oct 5, 2022119Likes28RetweetsMotivational Quotes @motivation_qotStay private. Keep them guessing10:00 AM ∙ Oct 4, 2022312Likes92RetweetsLife Quotes @RTLifeQuotesOne of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors. - Plato10:01 AM ∙ Oct 4, 202249Likes12RetweetsN. M. Curry @realNickCurryI don’t know who needs to hear this today but…Continue to stay inspired…11:36 PM ∙ Oct 6, 2022

I always like to end with this one:

Success Minded @_SuccessMinded_"Be the reason someone smiles. Be the reason someone feels loved and believes in the goodness of people."2:15 AM ∙ Aug 21, 20221,398Likes354Retweets

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 make this work sustainable, and to help improve it, is with a paid subscription. But at the same time, free ones are appreciated, too!

Subscribe now

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.🇺🇸🇺🇸

#WW2 ","username":"WWIIpix","name":"WWII Pictures","date":"Wed Nov 03 13:28:00 +0000 2021","photos":[{"img_url":"https://pbs.substack.com/media/FDRbxV...WWII Pictures @WWIIpixTwo US soldiers armed with an M1917 Browning machine gun and M3 Grease Gun in Normandy, summer 1944. #WW2 1:28 PM ∙ Nov 3, 2021659Likes57Retweets

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 all.

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.

Subscribe now

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 10-4-22

Hi friends!

Hope everyone is doing well!

There’s a lot to cover, but 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, and you can cancel at any time. Here are three reasons why you should.)

The View from the Front by Stan R. Mitchell is a reader-suppor…

Read more

Episode 9-30-22

Hey guys, welcome to the View from the Front podcast. My name is Stan R. Mitchell, and I’m a prior Marine and journalist, who twice a week discusses military matters, while also adding in a little motivation, wisdom, and history. I do my best to cover our military: where’s it at, what they’re doing, where they might be going, and any conflicts and hotspots that could lead to military intervention.

Besides covering this news, I also try to share some motivation and wisdom with each episode, while also working 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, twice 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.

The View from the Front by Stan R. Mitchell is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Source notes follow below, with subject heading in bold. (I again apologize for not being able to do full write-ups at this time. I hope you enjoy the podcast above.):

reuters.com/investigates/s…",&qu... R. Mitchell","date":"Thu Sep 29 18:00:08 +0000 2022","photos":[],"quoted_tweet":{},"retweet_count":0,"like_count":0,"expanded_url":{"url":"https://www.reuters.com/investigates/... the CIA failed Iranian spies in its secret war with Tehran","description":"Gholamreza Hosseini got caught spying for the CIA in Iran. The story of how he was burned casts light on an epic U.S. intelligence failure.","domain":"reuters.com"},"video_url":null,"belowTheFold":true}">Stan R. Mitchell @StanRMitchellThis story. Just wow. 😳😳 reuters.com/investigates/s…How the CIA failed Iranian spies in its secret war with TehranGholamreza Hosseini got caught spying for the CIA in Iran. The story of how he was burned casts light on an epic U.S. intelligence failure.reuters.com

September 29th 2022

America’s throwaway spies; How the CIA failed Iranian informants in its secret war with Tehran The Russian men fleeing mobilization, and leaving everything behind

summarize:

180,000 Russians have fled

To escape fighting in Ukraine, the 42-year-old Russian construction worker flew through two countries in four days, spending so much on tickets, so quickly, he lost track of it all. Finally, he ended up in Turkey, where it was safe. As he stopped to breathe Tuesday, on plastic seats in the airport arrival hall, he conceded he had no idea where to go next.

One person quoted, from the story above:

The government, he said, was enlisting men “en masse.” Neighbors and friends had been called up. “I had no choice. I can’t go to war and kill people in Ukraine. And if I stayed, there was no other option.” He and his wife decided he should leave on the day Putin announced the mobilization.

“In one day, I quit my job, took the money from the bank, took my wife and the baby to my parents. My entire life is breaking apart,” he said.

max seddon @maxseddonPutin the good tsar has a go at the bad boyars for mobilizing the wrong people into the army.“We must correct mistakes and not allow them going forward,” he says, and everyone who doesn’t meet the criteria “must be sent home.”Shows the Kremlin is anxious about the backlash

September 29th 2022

1,037 Retweets5,140 Likes

I don't think you can beat men like this, God bless them.

#NAFO #NAFOfellas #NAFOexpansion ","username":"SaintFeIIa","name":"✙ Saint Fella ✙","date":"Wed Sep 28 21:35:44 +0000 2022","photos":[{"img_url":"https://substackcdn.com/image/upload/...✙ Saint Fella ✙ @SaintFeIIaIs it HIMARS o'clock afterparty?)#NAFO #NAFOfellas #NAFOexpansion

September 28th 2022

2,782 Retweets18,900 Likes

“A happy fighter is a dangerous fighter.” -- Mike Tyson.

Andrew deGrandpré @adegrandpreNew --> Pentagon announces another $1.1 billion in long-term military support for Ukraine. The new list includes 18 additional HIMARS long-range artillery systems.

September 28th 2022

24 Retweets77 Likes@JoeBiden. ","username":"MaxBoot","name":"Max Boot 🇺🇦🇺🇸","date":"Wed Sep 28 18:43:36 +0000 2022","photos":[],"quoted_tweet":{"full_text":"New --> Pentagon announces another $1.1 billion in long-term military support for Ukraine. The new list includes 18 additional HIMARS long-range artillery systems. https://t.co/2BemsFUG9k","u... deGrandpré"},"retweet_count":189,"like_count":840,"expanded_url":{},"video_url":null,"belowTheFold":true}">Max Boot 🇺🇦🇺🇸 @MaxBootNow you're talking! This will more than double the number of US-supplied HIMARS that Ukraine has (currently 16). A major increase in Ukrainian capability and the right response to Russia's mobilization, which will simply create more HIMARS targets. Good going, @JoeBiden.

Andrew deGrandpré @adegrandpre

New --> Pentagon announces another $1.1 billion in long-term military support for Ukraine. The new list includes 18 additional HIMARS long-range artillery systems. https://t.co/2BemsFUG9k

September 28th 2022

189 Retweets840 LikesIllia Ponomarenko🇺🇦 @IAPonomarenkoIt’s a death trap

September 30th 2022

191 Retweets2,193 Likes What to know about Russia’s annexations

Russia is proposing to annex four provinces — Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson — in the south and the east of Ukraine where intense fighting continues. Moscow hastily put the plan in motion after a humiliating battlefield defeat drove the Russian Army out of another province, Kharkiv, in early September and the Ukrainian advance appeared to be gathering force.

The Kremlin plans to declare the land where battles are raging in all four regions to be Russian territory and to assert that it is defending, not attacking, in the war in Ukraine.

Stan R. Mitchell @StanRMitchellI really enjoyed this column. Made me think quite a bit, and hopefully even helped change me a bit for the better. To not comment: The pros of rural reticence Opinion | To not comment: The pros of rural reticenceIn the rural West, quiet reserve is an essential skill and a fading art form, lost on people, like me, who rush to react and to be heard.washingtonpost.com

September 25th 2022

Curtis Moore knows both worlds. He grew up in the small town of Bishop, Calif., and spent his summers packing mules in the Eastern Sierras. Later, he cowboyed at a nearby ranch before becoming a lawyer who deals with natural resource conflict resolution. He likes to cite Aldo Leopold, who wrote, “Is education possibly a process of trading awareness for things of lesser worth?”

News about China and Taiwan:PLAOps @PLAOpsOSINTHow does the PLA intend to conduct amphibious assaults? Well, the easiest way is to let them show us. A 🧵

September 27th 2022

370 Retweets1,598 LikesPLAOps @PLAOpsOSINT2/ The process begins with amphibious IFVs entering into their respective carriers - whether it's an LPD, LHD, or a RO-RO ship.

September 27th 2022

7 Retweets197 LikesPLAOps @PLAOpsOSINT3/ In this particular exercise, we saw load up their ships in the daytime, and then launch the amphibious assault portion of the exercise at night

September 27th 2022

9 Retweets177 LikesPLAOps @PLAOpsOSINT4/ The first wave are recon troops in small crafts, their intent is not to make contact but to infiltrate deep behind enemy lines and establish OPs to identify high value targets: artillery and missile batteries, which will be destroyed by fires

September 27th 2022

8 Retweets189 LikesPLAOps @PLAOpsOSINT5/ When the full amphibious assault begins at day time, the exercising forces (73rd Group Army) makes use of unmanned platforms to clear any sea mines that may impede the main landing force.

September 27th 2022

9 Retweets163 LikesPLAOps @PLAOpsOSINT6/ Simultaneously, helicopters take off and begin suppressing shore defenders to allow the first wave of small crafts and engineers to make landfall. Helicopters also carry SOF that are expected to be inserted behind shore defenders

September 27th 2022

7 Retweets160 LikesPLAOps @PLAOpsOSINT7/ This is when amphibious IFVs are deployed, coordinating with helicopters, artillery, and special forces, and EWar during landing ops, to seize a beachhead. The ZBD-05--can be configured in a number of ways: 30mm autocannons, 105mm guns, and ATGMs

September 27th 2022

9 Retweets157 LikesPLAOps @PLAOpsOSINT10/ Once shore defenders are sufficiently degraded, follow on forces--usually the heavy or medium CABDEs--will be brought ashore. Shown here is a RORO ship unloading tanks onto a floating pier

September 27th 2022

12 Retweets142 Likes@tshugart3 has done a fantastic write up on estimating PLA RORO ship transport capacity - highly recommended as he goes into some back of napkin math that estimates the amount the PLA can transport using those assets alone\n","username":"PLAOpsOSINT","name":"PLAOps","date":"Tue Sep 27 15:16:28 +0000 2022","photos":[],"quoted_tweet":{"full_text":"Some folks may recall this article I wrote last year in @WarOnTheRocks on how the PRC could use civilian shipping—and especially roll-on/roll-off ferries & vehicle carriers—to augment traditional PLA Navy amphibious sealift capacity in a Taiwan invasion. https://t.co/S6aM1oBbhc","u... Shugart ⚓️⚛️"},"retweet_count":9,"like_count":165,"expanded_url":{},"video_url":null,"belowTheFold":true}">PLAOps @PLAOpsOSINT11/ @tshugart3 has done a fantastic write up on estimating PLA RORO ship transport capacity - highly recommended as he goes into some back of napkin math that estimates the amount the PLA can transport using those assets alone

Tom Shugart ⚓️⚛️ @tshugart3

Some folks may recall this article I wrote last year in @WarOnTheRocks on how the PRC could use civilian shipping—and especially roll-on/roll-off ferries & vehicle carriers—to augment traditional PLA Navy amphibious sealift capacity in a Taiwan invasion. https://t.co/S6aM1oBbhc

September 27th 2022

9 Retweets165 LikesPLAOps @PLAOpsOSINT12/ The US naval war college also has done an in depth look at total sealift capacity of the PLA, especially once their civilian assets have been accounted for - a must read:

September 27th 2022

13 Retweets169 LikesPLAOps @PLAOpsOSINT15/ Back to the amphibious ops, one thing worth noting is that the vast majority of the ETC's heavy brigades are located in the Jiangsu-Shandong region - approximate locations

September 27th 2022

9 Retweets136 LikesMotivation and wisdom:Success Minded @_SuccessMinded_To reveal your brightest light, recognize who you truly are.

September 28th 2022

361 Retweets1,587 LikesSuccess Minded @_SuccessMinded_If you quit now you'll end up right back where you first began. And when you first began you were desperate to be where you are right now. Keep going!

September 29th 2022

278 Retweets958 LikesMotivational Quotes @motivation_qot"I walk slowly, but I never walk backward."

September 28th 2022

24 Retweets84 LikesSuccess Minded @_SuccessMinded_"Nothing grows in comfort zone. Do something today that causes you discomfort."

September 29th 2022

52 Retweets170 LikesSuccess Minded @_SuccessMinded_"Thoughts become things."

September 29th 2022

190 Retweets1,034 LikesSuccess Minded @_SuccessMinded_Remind yourself from time to time that you are healing.

September 29th 2022

293 Retweets1,538 LikesSuccess Minded @_SuccessMinded_"Keep smiling, it makes people wonder what you're up to."

September 29th 2022

363 Retweets1,678 LikesSuccess Minded @_SuccessMinded_Each morning, you have a new chance to become your best self.

September 28th 2022

855 Retweets3,799 LikesSuccess Minded @_SuccessMinded_"Consistency is the answer to all your problemsTurn up every day, put in the reps and you'll work it out."

September 28th 2022

331 Retweets1,456 Likes

I always like to end with this one:

Success Minded @_SuccessMinded_"Be the reason someone smiles. Be the reason someone feels loved and believes in the goodness of people."

August 21st 2022

354 Retweets1,398 Likes

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 make this work sustainable, and to help improve it, is with a paid subscription. But at the same time, free ones are appreciated, too!

Subscribe now

As a reminder, please be kind and try your best to love your fellow Americans.

Let’s all work together to unite this country.

And 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 all.

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.

Subscribed

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 9-27-22

Hey guys, welcome to the View from the Front podcast. My name is Stan R. Mitchell, and I’m a prior Marine and journalist, who brings you the latest military and defense news twice a week, while also adding in a little motivation, wisdom, and history. I’m also a nice guy, who’s working as hard as I can to unite this country. I feel like our division and …

Read more

Episode 9-23-22

Source notes follow below, with subject heading in bold. (I again apologize for not being able to do full write-ups at this time. I hope you enjoy the podcast above.):

The View from the Front by Stan R. Mitchell is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Subscribe now

Ukraine-Russia news:

Putin Raises Stakes in the War, With Direct Challenge to the West

President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia accelerated his war effort in Ukraine on Wednesday, announcing a call-up of roughly 300,000 reservists to the military, while also directly challenging the West over its support for Ukraine with a veiled threat of using nuclear weapons.

Biden threatens a consequential response if Russia uses unconventional weapons

“You think I would tell you if I knew exactly what it would be? Of course I’m not going to tell you. It’ll be consequential,” Mr. Biden said, according to an excerpt from the interview. “They’ll become more of a pariah in the world than they ever have been. And depending on the extent of what they do will determine what response would occur.”

His warning was in response to an interviewer’s question, not in light of any newly released intelligence suggesting that the threat had changed.

Tom Nichols @RadioFreeTomAgree. This is desperation. Also, the "I have nukes" threat is a repeat of how he started the war, and almost a standard fallback in a Putin speech. (Not a reason to ignore it, but it's not new.)

mark safranski @zenpundit

Putin’s problem is that every ethnic Russian family with even a smidgen of resources or political pull gets their sons out of conscription. Being drafted is for yokels and Muslims from the Caucuses and SiberiaDrafting the children of his base is going to be a real test

September 21st 2022

184 Retweets1,027 LikesJohn Spencer @SpencerGuardPutin threatens (again) the world with his nuclear weapons. The number one interest of any nation or even evil dictator is survival. Use of Nuclear, Biological, Chemical weapons would end the Putin regime and Russian federation as it is today. Bluff! Subscribe to read | Financial TimesNews, analysis and comment from the Financial Times, the worldʼs leading global business publicationft.com

September 21st 2022

75 Retweets297 Likes U.S. has sent private warnings to Russia against using a nuclear weapon

The attempt by the White House to cultivate what’s known in the nuclear deterrence world as “strategic ambiguity”

…

The State Department has been involved in the private communications with Moscow, but officials would not say who delivered the messages or the scope of their content.

…

Biden administration officials have emphasized that this isn’t the first time the Russian leadership has threatened to use nuclear weapons since the start of the war on Feb. 24, and have said there is no indication Russia is moving its nuclear weapons in preparation for an imminent strike.

More on the mobilization:

Some men flee Russia, fearing they could be called up to fight.

Since President Vladimir V. Putin’s announcement on Wednesday of a new troop call-up, waves of Russian men who had previously thought they were safe from being forced to the front lines have realized they could not count on staying out of their country’s invasion of Ukraine.

Some have left the country in a rush, paying rising prices to catch flights to countries such as Armenia, Georgia, Montenegro and Turkey that allow them to enter without visas.

Anton Gerashchenko @Gerashchenko_enAre those crowds Russians wishing to enlist?No, these are Russians wishing to flee - these are lines in Vnukovo airport, Russia.Russians are not ready to take their regime down - they are waiting for Ukrainians to do it.

September 22nd 2022

1,382 Retweets6,843 LikesPutin faces fury in Russia over military mobilization

As women hugged their husbands and young men boarded buses to leave for 15 days of training before potentially being deployed to Russia’s stumbling war effort in Ukraine, there were signs of mounting public anger.

More than 1,300 people were arrested at anti-mobilization protests in cities and towns across Russia on Wednesday and Thursday, in the largest public protests since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24.

ChrisO @ChrisO_wiki1/ There'll be lots of commentary this morning about the logistical difficulties of Putin's announcement of a partial mobilisation. But I thought I'd add a few points, based on my own personal observations, of what it means politically and for the troops already in Ukraine.

September 21st 2022

1,182 Retweets4,709 LikesChristopher Miller @ChristopherJMZelensky appeals to Russians in his eve address. “55k Russian soldiers died in this war in six months. Tens of thousands are wounded and maimed. Want more? No? Then protest. Fight back. Run away or surrender to Ukrainian captivity. These are your options if you want to survive.”

September 22nd 2022

2,983 Retweets13,402 Likes Russia, Ukraine announce major surprise prisoner swap

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the swap - which involved help from Turkey and Saudi Arabia - had been under preparation for quite a long time and involved intense haggling. Under the terms of the deal, 215 Ukrainians - most of whom were captured after the fall of Mariupol - were released.

In exchange, Ukraine sent back 55 Russians and pro-Moscow Ukrainians and Viktor Medvedchuk, the leader of a banned pro-Russian party who was facing treason charges.

"This is clearly a victory for our country, for our entire society. And the main thing is that 215 families can see their loved ones safe and at home," Zelenskiy said in a video address.

bit.ly/3Lyz3jc ","username":"AP","name":"The Associated Press","date":"Thu Sep 22 13:33:00 +0000 2022","photos":[{"img_url":"https://substackcdn.com/image/upload/...The Associated Press @APUkraine announced a high-profile prisoner swap early Thursday. It was the culmination of months of efforts to free many of the Ukrainian fighters who defended a steel plant in Mariupol during a long Russian siege. bit.ly/3Lyz3jc

September 22nd 2022

53 Retweets227 LikesThe Icon of Ukrainian Resistance: Azovstal Defenders Released From Captivity

… crack troops of the Azov Battalion who led the long defense of Mariupol’s Azovstal steelworks, which became an icon of Ukrainian resistance.

The defenders of Azovstal have become an example of invincibility and courage for the whole world and the worst enemies for Russia and its propaganda machine. Azov Regiment soldiers and other military personnel held the Azovstal and Mariupol plant defense for three months.

Under constant shelling and severe wounds, they held back the enemy to the last despite living in terrible conditions.

The evacuation of military personnel from Azovstal began on May 16. The commanders of the units located at the plant were ordered by the Ukrainian authorities to save the lives of the personnel, so the army was evacuated to territory not controlled by Ukraine, but by Russia.

These Ukrainian soldiers were held captive for more than four months. Some of them did not manage to return as they died as a result of the terrorist attack on Olenivka, when Russia launched a missile attack on the isolation ward where the Ukrainian military, including the defenders of Azovstal, were located.

John Hudson, who covers diplomacy and national security for @WashingtonPost, shared the following thread:

Motivation and wisdom:Daily Dose of Philosophy @PhilosophyDose_"Never give up on what you really want to do. The person with big dreams is more powerful than one with all the facts." - Albert Einstein

September 20th 2022

533 Retweets2,237 LikesLife Quotes @RTLifeQuotesFor true success ask yourself these four questions Why? Why not? Why not me? Why not now? - James Allen

September 20th 2022

11 Retweets33 LikesDaily Dose of Philosophy @PhilosophyDose_"All children are artists. The problem is how to remain an artist once they grow up."- Pablo Picasso

September 19th 2022

150 Retweets697 LikesMotivational Quotes @motivation_qot"No one is too busy, it's only a matter of priorities."

September 20th 2022

46 Retweets133 LikesSuccess Minded @_SuccessMinded_"You can totally do this."

September 23rd 2022

102 Retweets408 Likesbillionaire_Secrets @bilionaire_secBelieve in yourself and stop trying to convince others.

September 23rd 2022

28 Retweets74 LikesMotivational Quotes @motivation_qotTrust your intuition. It never lies.

September 23rd 2022

15 Retweets36 LikesSuccess Minded @_SuccessMinded_Let your HUSTLE be louder than your words

September 7th 2022

245 Retweets1,245 Likes

I always like to end with this one:

Success Minded @_SuccessMinded_"Be the reason someone smiles. Be the reason someone feels loved and believes in the goodness of people."

August 21st 2022

354 Retweets1,398 Likes

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 make this work sustainable, and to help improve it, is with a paid subscription. But at the same time, free ones are appreciated, too!

Subscribe now

As a reminder, please be kind and try your best to love your fellow Americans.

Let’s all work together to unite this country.

And 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 all.

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.

Subscribed

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 9-23-22

Source notes follow below, with subject heading in bold. (I again apologize for not being able to do full write-ups at this time. I hope you enjoy the podcast above.):

The View from the Front by Stan R. Mitchell is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Ukraine-Russia news:

Putin Raises Stakes in the War, With Direct Challenge to the West

President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia accelerated his war effort in Ukraine on Wednesday, announcing a call-up of roughly 300,000 reservists to the military, while also directly challenging the West over its support for Ukraine with a veiled threat of using nuclear weapons.

Biden threatens a consequential response if Russia uses unconventional weapons

“You think I would tell you if I knew exactly what it would be? Of course I’m not going to tell you. It’ll be consequential,” Mr. Biden said, according to an excerpt from the interview. “They’ll become more of a pariah in the world than they ever have been. And depending on the extent of what they do will determine what response would occur.”

His warning was in response to an interviewer’s question, not in light of any newly released intelligence suggesting that the threat had changed.

Tom Nichols @RadioFreeTomAgree. This is desperation. Also, the "I have nukes" threat is a repeat of how he started the war, and almost a standard fallback in a Putin speech. (Not a reason to ignore it, but it's not new.)

mark safranski @zenpundit

Putin’s problem is that every ethnic Russian family with even a smidgen of resources or political pull gets their sons out of conscription. Being drafted is for yokels and Muslims from the Caucuses and SiberiaDrafting the children of his base is going to be a real test

September 21st 2022

184 Retweets1,027 LikesJohn Spencer @SpencerGuardPutin threatens (again) the world with his nuclear weapons. The number one interest of any nation or even evil dictator is survival. Use of Nuclear, Biological, Chemical weapons would end the Putin regime and Russian federation as it is today. Bluff! Subscribe to read | Financial TimesNews, analysis and comment from the Financial Times, the worldʼs leading global business publicationft.com

September 21st 2022

75 Retweets297 Likes

U.S. has sent private warnings to Russia against using a nuclear weapon

The attempt by the White House to cultivate what’s known in the nuclear deterrence world as “strategic ambiguity”

…

The State Department has been involved in the private communications with Moscow, but officials would not say who delivered the messages or the scope of their content.

…

Biden administration officials have emphasized that this isn’t the first time the Russian leadership has threatened to use nuclear weapons since the start of the war on Feb. 24, and have said there is no indication Russia is moving its nuclear weapons in preparation for an imminent strike.

More on the mobilization:

Some men flee Russia, fearing they could be called up to fight.

Since President Vladimir V. Putin’s announcement on Wednesday of a new troop call-up, waves of Russian men who had previously thought they were safe from being forced to the front lines have realized they could not count on staying out of their country’s invasion of Ukraine.

Some have left the country in a rush, paying rising prices to catch flights to countries such as Armenia, Georgia, Montenegro and Turkey that allow them to enter without visas.

Anton Gerashchenko @Gerashchenko_enAre those crowds Russians wishing to enlist?No, these are Russians wishing to flee - these are lines in Vnukovo airport, Russia.Russians are not ready to take their regime down - they are waiting for Ukrainians to do it.

September 22nd 2022

1,382 Retweets6,843 LikesPutin faces fury in Russia over military mobilization

As women hugged their husbands and young men boarded buses to leave for 15 days of training before potentially being deployed to Russia’s stumbling war effort in Ukraine, there were signs of mounting public anger.

More than 1,300 people were arrested at anti-mobilization protests in cities and towns across Russia on Wednesday and Thursday, in the largest public protests since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24.

ChrisO @ChrisO_wiki1/ There'll be lots of commentary this morning about the logistical difficulties of Putin's announcement of a partial mobilisation. But I thought I'd add a few points, based on my own personal observations, of what it means politically and for the troops already in Ukraine.

September 21st 2022

1,182 Retweets4,709 LikesChristopher Miller @ChristopherJMZelensky appeals to Russians in his eve address. “55k Russian soldiers died in this war in six months. Tens of thousands are wounded and maimed. Want more? No? Then protest. Fight back. Run away or surrender to Ukrainian captivity. These are your options if you want to survive.”

September 22nd 2022

2,983 Retweets13,402 Likes Russia, Ukraine announce major surprise prisoner swap

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the swap - which involved help from Turkey and Saudi Arabia - had been under preparation for quite a long time and involved intense haggling. Under the terms of the deal, 215 Ukrainians - most of whom were captured after the fall of Mariupol - were released.

In exchange, Ukraine sent back 55 Russians and pro-Moscow Ukrainians and Viktor Medvedchuk, the leader of a banned pro-Russian party who was facing treason charges.

"This is clearly a victory for our country, for our entire society. And the main thing is that 215 families can see their loved ones safe and at home," Zelenskiy said in a video address.

bit.ly/3Lyz3jc ","username":"AP","name":"The Associated Press","date":"Thu Sep 22 13:33:00 +0000 2022","photos":[{"img_url":"https://substackcdn.com/image/upload/...The Associated Press @APUkraine announced a high-profile prisoner swap early Thursday. It was the culmination of months of efforts to free many of the Ukrainian fighters who defended a steel plant in Mariupol during a long Russian siege. bit.ly/3Lyz3jc

September 22nd 2022

53 Retweets227 LikesThe Icon of Ukrainian Resistance: Azovstal Defenders Released From Captivity

… crack troops of the Azov Battalion who led the long defense of Mariupol’s Azovstal steelworks, which became an icon of Ukrainian resistance.

The defenders of Azovstal have become an example of invincibility and courage for the whole world and the worst enemies for Russia and its propaganda machine. Azov Regiment soldiers and other military personnel held the Azovstal and Mariupol plant defense for three months.

Under constant shelling and severe wounds, they held back the enemy to the last despite living in terrible conditions.

The evacuation of military personnel from Azovstal began on May 16. The commanders of the units located at the plant were ordered by the Ukrainian authorities to save the lives of the personnel, so the army was evacuated to territory not controlled by Ukraine, but by Russia.

These Ukrainian soldiers were held captive for more than four months. Some of them did not manage to return as they died as a result of the terrorist attack on Olenivka, when Russia launched a missile attack on the isolation ward where the Ukrainian military, including the defenders of Azovstal, were located.

John Hudson, who covers diplomacy and national security for @WashingtonPost, shared the following thread:

Motivation and wisdom:Daily Dose of Philosophy @PhilosophyDose_"Never give up on what you really want to do. The person with big dreams is more powerful than one with all the facts." - Albert Einstein

September 20th 2022

533 Retweets2,237 LikesLife Quotes @RTLifeQuotesFor true success ask yourself these four questions Why? Why not? Why not me? Why not now? - James Allen

September 20th 2022

11 Retweets33 LikesDaily Dose of Philosophy @PhilosophyDose_"All children are artists. The problem is how to remain an artist once they grow up."- Pablo Picasso

September 19th 2022

150 Retweets697 LikesMotivational Quotes @motivation_qot"No one is too busy, it's only a matter of priorities."

September 20th 2022

46 Retweets133 LikesSuccess Minded @_SuccessMinded_"You can totally do this."

September 23rd 2022

102 Retweets408 Likesbillionaire_Secrets @bilionaire_secBelieve in yourself and stop trying to convince others.

September 23rd 2022

28 Retweets74 LikesMotivational Quotes @motivation_qotTrust your intuition. It never lies.

September 23rd 2022

15 Retweets36 LikesSuccess Minded @_SuccessMinded_Let your HUSTLE be louder than your words

September 7th 2022

245 Retweets1,245 Likes

I always like to end with this one:

Success Minded @_SuccessMinded_"Be the reason someone smiles. Be the reason someone feels loved and believes in the goodness of people."

August 21st 2022

354 Retweets1,398 Likes

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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.

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Episode 9-20-22

Thank you so much for joining us today on The View from the Front podcast. My name is Stan R. Mitchell and in a nice guy, who’s working as hard as I can to unite this country. This show is mostly about military and defense news, and I’ll explain in a moment why I think it’s important we stay informed on this topic, but the show also includes plenty of m…

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