Stan R. Mitchell's Blog, page 7

Hi everyone!

Thank you for being here.

Each week, I cover hot spots and critical threats that might affect our country, as well as keep you informed about our military. I end each show by sharing some scripture from the Bible (without being too pushy), and then talk about PTSD and depression (since life is hard and the veteran suicide rate is FAR too high). 

My hope is you end each show better informed, less worried, and more optimistic (about both our country and your life).

Also, huge shout out to those of you whose paid subscriptions make it possible for me to devote time and resources to researching and compiling the news each week.

If you’d like to support the show:

You can subscribe with Substack: https://stanrmitchell.substack.com/subscribe

Subscribe now

You can also now sign up at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stanrmitchell

Or send a tip through Venmo (@authorstanrmitchell): https://account.venmo.com/u/authorstanrmitchell

And there’s even a PayPal link you can use: https://paypal.me/StanRMitchell.

Finally, I’m still trying to grow the show. Please rate and leave comments on SPOTIFY, APPLE, or wherever you listen.

You can listen here, or you can find the podcast on your favorite channel below by searching for The View from the Front:

Timestamps:

Timestamp: 2:13. Let’s talk about China and Russia, and the perils of isolationism — a position I held myself as short as 10 years ago. 

Timestamp: 29:07. The United States is finally signaling that Ukraine can use American long-range weapons in their war against Russia against targets deep inside Russia.

Timestamp: 31:04. The good — and bad — about the push into Kursk by Ukraine, including the fact that Russia has launched what appears to be a massive counter-attack and taken back at least one-tenth of the land that Ukraine had seized.

Timestamp: 37:26. Ukraine gets some additional air defense from Spain.

Timestamp: 38:59. Iran has supplied more than 200 ballistic missiles to Russia, according to US intelligence.

Timestamp: 40:55. Ukraine launches its second ship inside Turkey as it works to rebuild its own navy. 

Timestamp: 42:54. Ukraine hits the economic numbers that it needs to meet to get more funding from the IMF.

Timestamp: 44:01. Up in the skies, Ukraine has taken its anti-drone drone program to new heights.

Timestamp: 50:57. Beijing appears to be carefully weighing plans to tow a Philippine vessel it says is “illegally” deployed at a disputed atoll that has become a new flashpoint in the South China Sea.”

Timestamp: 56:45. Let’s cover some scripture from the Bible, which I hope will encourage you and ground you. I truly do desire to help lift you up.

Timestamp: 1:08:25. A few words for those who are dealing with depression, PTSD, or thoughts of suicide.

Timestamp: 1:14:36. Some final words of unity, as well as more information about me and my books.

Selected source notes for podcast and transcript above.

Isolationism versus alliances.

(Gift link: Opinion: We cannot give in to the isolationists. Taiwan must not fall.)

Ukraine news: The good — and bad — about the push into Kursk by Ukraine.

The good…

The bad…

China news: Your scripture for the week:

Let’s end the show with some scripture, because I know that life is hard and sometimes, you just need to hear something that will lift you up.

I always like to share some verses from the Bible, or quotes that touch on the Bible/Jesus, because my Christian faith has become such a source of strength and wisdom and calm for me during the past couple of years, since losing my Mom and now worrying an awful lot about my Dad and his serious memory problems.

I’m betting you have something really challenging going on in your life, as well. (And if you don’t, I can guarantee it’s coming. That’s how life goes.) So, I hope by sharing some of these, it might encourage you to get into the Bible yourself. Because I think it’ll change your life, if you let it.

And, I always like to end each week’s notes 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.

Here are those links again if you’d like to support the show:

You can subscribe with Substack: https://stanrmitchell.substack.com/subscribe

Subscribe now

You can also now sign up at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stanrmitchell

Or send a tip through Venmo (@authorstanrmitchell): https://account.venmo.com/u/authorstanrmitchell

And there’s even a PayPal link you can use: https://paypal.me/StanRMitchell.

Finally, I’m still trying to grow the show. Please rate and leave comments on SPOTIFY, APPLE, or wherever you listen.

Also, all posts are free, so feel free to share. (And in that line of thinking, it seems like all the social media sites I’m on throttle down my posts when they have a link to Substack, so if you could forward this to a person or two that might be interested, and ask them to consider signing up for free, it’d sure help me a lot!)

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.

That’s it for this edition.

Love my moderate, optimistic view of politics and want to know more about how I see things?

Go here:

Political thoughts from a Southern GentlemanI’m a prior Marine and Republican, who's now a moderate. I write Lincoln-like political thoughts, full of kindness and hope. I truly believe most Americans are good and we need compromise, unity, and love. Not mockery or extremes.By Stan R. Mitchell

Dealing with PTSD? Emotionally or mentally at rock bottom? Here’s the link to my faith newsletter: Be like Ozzie; go near your master. (The power of prayer. Part 1.)

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.)

#mil #podcast #military #ukraine #china #russia #RussiaUkraineWar #motivation #inspiration #Bible #usmc #army #navy #airforce #politics #defensenews #OSINT #theviewfromthefront 

Hi everyone!

Thank you for being here.

Each week, I cover hot spots and critical threats that might affect our country, as well as keep you informed about our military. I end each show by sharing some scripture and Jesus (without being too pushy), and then talk about PTSD and depression (since life is hard and the veteran suicide rate is FAR too high). 

My hope is you end each show better informed, less worried, and more optimistic (about both our country and your life).

Also, huge shout out to those of you whose paid subscriptions make it possible for me to devote time and resources to researching and compiling the news each week.

If you’d like to support the show:

You can subscribe with Substack: https://stanrmitchell.substack.com/subscribe

Subscribe now

You can also now sign up at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stanrmitchell

Or send a tip through Venmo (@authorstanrmitchell): https://account.venmo.com/u/authorstanrmitchell

And there’s even a PayPal link you can use: https://paypal.me/StanRMitchell.

Finally, I’m still trying to grow the show. Please rate and leave comments on SPOTIFY, APPLE, or wherever you listen.

You can listen here, or you can find the podcast on your favorite channel below by searching for The View from the Front:

Timestamps:

Timestamp: 1:23. I talk about my obsession with the rock band Disciple and how Kevin Young, its lead singer, is one of my all-time favorite heroes. 

Timestamp: 10:16. Zelensky reshuffles cabinet at key moment in war and ahead of U.S. trip

Timestamp: 12:36. The latest on the defense of the Ukrainian town of Pokrovsk, where Russia is applying almost all of its pressure.

Timestamp: 23:15. An update on the push north into Russia in the Kursk region by Ukrainian forces.

Timestamp: 33:28. The limitations on weapons usage continues to get many Ukrainians killed.

Timestamp: 36:31. The EU fiddles on frozen Russian assets while Ukraine burns.

Timestamp: 43:42. For those who say we shouldn’t care about Taiwan or what China is doing as it aggressively expands, just realize they are already in America: organized and already using violence. The Washington Post broke this insane story.

Timestamp: 48:39. China rams Phillippine vessel multiple times, after surrounding it. Were they trying to immobilize and capture it?

Timestamp: 52:17. Mapping the growing U.S. presence in the Middle East, and 7 U.S. personnel wounded in Iraq raid that killed 15 ISIS members. 

Timestamp: 54:08. Motivation and encouragement, to help lift you up.

Timestamp: 1:11:10. A few words for those who are dealing with depression, PTSD, or thoughts of suicide.

Timestamp: 1:17:10. Some final words of unity, as well as more information about me and my books.

Selected source notes for podcast and transcript above.

Link to my favorite band that I mention in the intro:

Ukraine news:Zelensky reshuffles cabinet at key moment in war and ahead of U.S. trip

KYIV — Ukraine is undergoing its largest government shake-up since Russia invaded the country in 2022, as the war reaches a critical juncture and President Volodymyr Zelensky prepares to visit the United States to unveil a “victory plan” on how Kyiv hopes to win.

The visit later this month comes as Ukraine is preparing for various scenarios ahead of a U.S. presidential election in November that could affect the future of a key partnership that has, until now, ensured Ukraine’s defense. It also coincides with renewed pleas from Kyiv for Western allies — including Washington — to lift restrictions on using certain weapons for long-range strikes inside of Russia in hopes of curbing its devastating missile strikes across the country.

During a news briefing Wednesday, Zelensky praised the team that has led his government throughout the war but said, “Today, we need new energy, and these steps are related to strengthening our state in various directions.”

Update on Pokrovsk

The town of Pokrovsk plays a crucial role as a logistics hub used by Ukrainian forces in the eastern region of Donbas.

(Below item is dated and no longer true; advance has slowed, but sharing this as evidence of larger point made.)

The EU fiddles while Kyiv burns

China news:

For those who say we shouldn’t care about Taiwan or what China is doing as it aggressively expands, just realize they are already in America: organized and already using violence. And you can bet they almost certainly have far more ambitious plans. 

Free gift link from The Washington Post: How China extended its repression into an American city

Chinese diplomats and pro-China diaspora groups based in the United States organized demonstrations in San Francisco that harassed and silenced protesters opposed to Beijing’s policies, including through violence, during Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s visit to the city in November, a six-month investigation by The Washington Post shows.

U.S. news: Words of encouragement:

Let’s end the show with some words of encouragement, because I know that life is hard and sometimes, you just need to hear something that will lift you up.

I always like to share some verses from the Bible, or quotes that touch on the Bible/Jesus, because my Christian faith has become such a source of strength and wisdom and calm for me during the past couple of years, since losing my Mom and now worrying an awful lot about my Dad and his serious memory problems.

I’m betting you have something really challenging going on in your life, as well. (And if you don’t, I can guarantee it’s coming. That’s how life goes.) So, I hope by sharing some of these, it might encourage you to get into the Bible yourself. Because I think it’ll change your life, if you let it.

And, I always like to end each week’s notes 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.

Here are those links again if you’d like to support the show:

You can subscribe with Substack: https://stanrmitchell.substack.com/subscribe

Subscribe now

You can also now sign up at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stanrmitchell

Or send a tip through Venmo (@authorstanrmitchell): https://account.venmo.com/u/authorstanrmitchell

And there’s even a PayPal link you can use: https://paypal.me/StanRMitchell.

Finally, I’m still trying to grow the show. Please rate and leave comments on SPOTIFY, APPLE, or wherever you listen.

Also, all posts are free, so feel free to share. (And in that line of thinking, it seems like all the social media sites I’m on throttle down my posts when they have a link to Substack, so if you could forward this to a person or two that might be interested, and ask them to consider signing up for free, it’d sure help me a lot!)

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.

That’s it for this edition.

Love my moderate, optimistic view of politics and want to know more about how I see things?

Go here:

Political thoughts from a Southern GentlemanI’m a prior Marine and Republican, who's now a moderate. I write Lincoln-like political thoughts, full of kindness and hope. I truly believe most Americans are good and we need compromise, unity, and love. Not mockery or extremes.By Stan R. Mitchell

Dealing with PTSD? Emotionally or mentally at rock bottom? Here’s the link to my faith newsletter: Be like Ozzie; go near your master. (The power of prayer. Part 1.)

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.)

#mil #podcast #military #ukraine #china #russia #RussiaUkraineWar #motivation #inspiration #Bible #usmc #army #navy #airforce #politics #defensenews #OSINT #theviewfromthefront 

Hi everyone!

Thank you for being here.

Each week, I cover our military, defense news, and foreign policy in a calm and rational manner, with an over-arching goal to unify our country.

Besides covering the news in a calm manner, I end each show with some words of encouragement.

Also, huge shout out to those of you whose paid subscriptions make it possible for me to devote time and resources to researching and compiling the news each week.

If you’d like to support the show:

You can subscribe with Substack: https://stanrmitchell.substack.com/subscribe

Subscribe now

You can also now sign up at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stanrmitchell

Or send a tip through Venmo (@authorstanrmitchell): https://account.venmo.com/u/authorstanrmitchell

And there’s even a PayPal link you can use: https://paypal.me/StanRMitchell.

Finally, I’m still trying to grow the show. Please rate and leave comments on SPOTIFY, APPLE, or wherever you listen.

You can listen here, or you can find the podcast on your favorite channel below by searching for The View from the Front:

Timestamps:

Timestamp: 1:23. The Ronda Rousey apology, and what it teaches about apologies, going down rabbit holes on the internet, and carrying guilt.

Timestamp: 12:27. Days after Hezbollah and Israel exchanged some of the heaviest cross-border fire in years, there is hope a larger conflict between the two sides may be held at bay, though eyes are still on Iran to see whether it strikes Israeli targets.

Timestamp: 15:36. On the three-year anniversary of the Afghan withdrawal, let’s re-visit that entire catastrophe and fairly distribute the blame to many different people involved.

Timestamp: 48:06. An Army private who fled to North Korea just over a year ago will plead guilty to desertion and four other charges and take responsibility for his conduct, his lawyer said Monday.

Timestamp: 52:56. The head of Telegram was arrested. How big a deal is that for Russia?

Timestamp: 58:18. Fuel supplies to Russian troops, Crimea strangled by destruction of ship.

Timestamp: 1:04:06. Has Ukraine invaded Russia again by another direction?

Timestamp: 1:08:45. Ukrainians flee Pokrovsk as Russians advance

Timestamp: 1:11:24. Russia launches one of its largest combined missile and drone attacks of the war. 

Timestamp: 1:19:33. Ukraine hits more fuel storage sites in Russia.

Timestamp: 1:24:01. Ukraine gets more than a 100 prisoners released back in prisoner exchange. 

Timestamp: 1:26:02. Motivation and encouragement, to help life you up.

Timestamp: 1:31:58. A few words for those who are dealign with depression, PTSD, or thoughts of suicide.

Timestamp: 1:38:10. Some final words of unity, as well as more information about me and my books. 

Selected source notes for podcast and transcript above.

Woah. This apology is good. And honest. And from the heart.

And it helps teach you a lesson about going down rabbit holes, which I think is really good.

It also teaches a heck of a lesson about carrying guilt.

U.S. news: I go into a very long discussion of the complicated topic below. Please listen to my words in my podcast, not the images or links below. I fairly (and equally) place the blame all around in my podcast.

A) I think the below is true of Trump (hat tip Blue Virginia), but I also think that:

B) Biden mangled the exit plan and could have extended its timeline.

C) Biden didn’t have to exit at all, and could have maintained a small U.S. presence in at least the capital (and part of the country), which would have been vastly better for the Afghan people and women, plus the deterrence factor to Russia (before it invaded Ukraine), and even for the U.S. troops who invested so much over 20 yrs, only to see it thrown away.

Ukraine news:

‘Russians do everything via Telegram.’ Pavel Durov’s arrest upends Kremlin military comms.

French authorities detained Pavel Durov on allegations that his Telegram social media platform was being used for child pornography, drug trafficking and organized crime — but the immediate freakout came from Russia.

That's because Telegram is widely used by the Russian military for battlefield communications thanks to problems with rolling out its own secure comms system. It's also the primary vehicle for pro-war military bloggers and media — as well as millions of ordinary Russians.

“They practically detained the head of communication of the Russian army,” Russian military blogger channel Povernutie na Z Voine said in a Telegram statement.

Fuel Supplies To Russian Troops, Crimea Strangled By Destruction Of Ship

The destruction of the ship full of fuel tank train cars at a port in the Kerch Strait yesterday will hamper Russia’s ability to supply troops and the Crimean peninsula with fuel and lubricants, according to the Ukrainian Navy and the popular Crimean Wind Telegram channel. As we reported yesterday, the Conro Trader, a Russian Roll On Roll Off (RORO) vessel with a reported 30 fuel tank cars aboard, erupted in a ball of flames at the Port of Kavkaz.

The Ukrainian Navy on Friday took credit for that attack, which was suspected to have been carried out by a converted Neptune missile.

“We can confirm the information that this target was destroyed by the [Ukrainian] Navy,” spokesman Captain Dmytro Pletenchuk said Friday, according to Ukrainian Pravda. “This ferry is one of the most important chains of Russian military logistics for supplying the occupation forces, primarily with fuel and lubricants, but it also transported weapons, of course. Therefore, this is a legitimate target. And, accordingly, this should reduce the potential of our enemy’s capabilities in those locations where they are actively engaged in hostilities.”

…

“Fuel is not being delivered to Crimea via the Kerch Bridge by rail, as the structures are weakened after the explosion on the bridge and the burning freight train. There are also concerns that the train carrying fuel could be hit by a missile.

Incredible map. The changing numbers represent troops in theater.

Ukraine Attempting Incursion In Belgorod, Russian Regional Governor Says

Gift link from the Post: Last chance to escape: Ukrainians flee Pokrovsk as Russians advance

Those staying and those leaving wept in the thick August heat — stunned by how quickly Russian forces are advancing on Pokrovsk, a key supply hub in eastern Ukraine that until now was seen as a relatively safe fallback city, far enough from the front line to stay. Russian troops are now just eight miles from the city center, putting much of the area within range of attacks by artillery and first-person view drones.

As of this week, more than 45,000 people remained in Pokrovsk, including more than 3,000 children, according to police data shared with The Washington Post. Civilians have been ordered to evacuate and many have fled in recent days or said they are making plans to leave.

Russia launches one of its largest combined missile and drone attacks of the war.

The dam holds 3.7 billion tons of water and sits upstream from the capital city of Kyiv. A breach would endanger thousands of civilians in the city and nearby towns.

At least five systems pledged at last month's NATO Summit in Washington D.C. have failed to materialize so far, the outlet said.

Though it does not mention the specific countries behind the air defense pledges, President Volodymyr Zelensky on Aug. 18 singled out the U.S., U.K., and France during his evening address in which he called on allies to speed up deliveries of promised weapons systems.

"There are no vacations in war," he said, adding: "Decisions are needed, as is timely logistics for the announced aid packages."

Words of encouragement:

Let’s end the show with some words of encouragement, because I know that life is hard and sometimes, you just need to hear something that will lift you up.

I always like to share some verses from the Bible, or quotes that touch on the Bible/Jesus, because my Christian faith has become such a source of strength and wisdom and calm for me during the past couple of years, since losing my Mom and now worrying an awful lot about my Dad and his serious memory problems.

I’m betting you have something really challenging going on in your life, as well. (And if you don’t, I can guarantee it’s coming. That’s how life goes.) So, I hope by sharing some of these, it might encourage you to get into the Bible yourself. Because I think it’ll change your life, if you let it.

And, I always like to end each week’s notes 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.

Here are those links again if you’d like to support the show:

You can subscribe with Substack: https://stanrmitchell.substack.com/subscribe

Subscribe now

You can also now sign up at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stanrmitchell

Or send a tip through Venmo (@authorstanrmitchell): https://account.venmo.com/u/authorstanrmitchell

And there’s even a PayPal link you can use: https://paypal.me/StanRMitchell.

Finally, I’m still trying to grow the show. Please rate and leave comments on SPOTIFY, APPLE, or wherever you listen.

Also, all posts are free, so feel free to share. (And in that line of thinking, it seems like all the social media sites I’m on throttle down my posts when they have a link to Substack, so if you could forward this to a person or two that might be interested, and ask them to consider signing up for free, it’d sure help me a lot!)

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.

That’s it for this edition.

Love my moderate, optimistic view of politics and want to know more about how I see things?

Go here:

Political thoughts from a Southern GentlemanI’m a prior Marine and Republican, who's now a moderate. I write Lincoln-like political thoughts, full of kindness and hope. I truly believe most Americans are good and we need compromise, unity, and love. Not mockery or extremes.By Stan R. Mitchell

Dealing with PTSD? Emotionally or mentally at rock bottom? Here’s the link to my faith newsletter: Be like Ozzie; go near your master. (The power of prayer. Part 1.)

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.)

#mil #podcast #military #ukraine #china #russia #RussiaUkraineWar #motivation #inspiration #Bible #usmc #army #navy #airforce #politics #defensenews #OSINT #theviewfromthefront 

Hi everyone!

Thank you for being here.

Each week, I cover our military, defense news, and foreign policy in a calm and rational manner, with an over-arching goal to unify our country.

Besides covering the news in a calm manner, I end each show with some words of encouragement.

Also, huge shout out to those of you whose paid subscriptions make it possible for me to devote time and resources to researching and compiling the news each week.

If you’d like to support the show:

You can subscribe with Substack: https://stanrmitchell.substack.com/subscribe

Subscribe now

You can also now sign up at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stanrmitchell

Or send a tip through Venmo (@authorstanrmitchell): https://account.venmo.com/u/authorstanrmitchell

And there’s even a PayPal link you can use: https://paypal.me/StanRMitchell.

Finally, I’m still trying to grow the show. Please rate and leave comments on SPOTIFY, APPLE, or wherever you listen.

You can listen here, or you can find the podcast on your favorite channel below by searching for The View from the Front:

Timestamps:

Timestamp: 4:24. The latest on the Ukrainian advance into Russia, including the destruction of three permanent Russian bridges, as well as a pontoon bridge.

Timestamp: 12:07. Just how big of a secret was this invasion into Russia? Well, the troops thought it was a joke…

Timestamp: 14:31. Part of the reason for the incursion has become more public. 

Timestamp: 16:19. This push north is making Ukraine’s aerial drone attacks more effective against the Russians. They’re even hitting Moscow now. And you know the pressure has to be ramping up on Putin.

Timestamp: 24:12. Kremlin response to Kursk incursion shows how Putin freezes in a crisis

Timestamp: 27:39. With new front opened up, Russia supplying Ukraine with lots of captured tanks.

Timestamp: 30:32. In a big shift, Russia now bombing its own territory.

Timestamp: 32:12. Could retired NATO pilots fly F-16s for Ukraine?

Timestamp: 40:46. Who blew up the Nord Stream Pipeline? We may finally have the answer. 

Timestamp: 45:24. Russian oil depot fire continues for more than three days, costing Russia more than $200 million in losses.

Timestamp: 48:44. Incredible footage of Ukraine training drone pilots.

Timestamp: 52:07. Russia closes in on eastern city despite Ukraine’s successes elsewhere.

Timestamp: 55:42. Iran signals that it's promised strike on Israel may not be imminent

Timestamp: 57:23. A year in, DOD racks up wins for foreign military sales

Timestamp: 1:00:06. Russia, China Vying for Influence in Southern Hemisphere With U.S.

Timestamp: 1:03:55. Chinese and Philippine vessels collided near a disputed reef in the South China Sea, undermining what had been a brief and fragile truce.

Timestamp: 1:06:49. Motivation and encouragement.

Selected source notes for podcast and transcript above.

Ukraine news:

A short story about bridges inside Russia, and Ukraine continues its advance northward.

3 days ago: Two bridges down, one to go. Ukraine

2 days ago.

Yikes. Looks like the Russian pontoon bridge has been sunk, too!!! 😱😱 (That's now all three permanent bridges, as well as this interim temporary one...)

Also, it’s kind of crazy that Russia couldn’t have defended this third— and last — bridge. They had to know Ukraine was coming, and yet they still couldn’t station air defenses to stop it.)

Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary: Austin Has Discussed Ukraine's Actions in Russia With Ukrainian Counterpart

From the story:

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy gave a description of the objectives of the Ukrainian counteroffensive into Kursk on Saturday. "There have already been several reports by Commander-in-Chief [Ukrainian Col. Gen. Oleksandr] Syrskyi about the frontline situation and our operation in the Kursk region" of Russia, Zelenskyy said in his daily report to the Ukrainian people. "We see that the occupier is suffering losses, and this is helpful — very helpful — for our defense. It is about destroying the logistics of the Russian army and draining their reserves." 

Ukrainian forces must inflict maximum damage on all Russian positions, he said. The Ukrainian forces are tenaciously defending the Donbas region even as they advance in Kursk. "We are eliminating the Russian military presence in the area of our operations there and replenishing 'the exchange fund' for our state," he said. 

The "exchange fund' is replenishing units with personnel, ammunition and supplies.  

…

Zelenskyy said Ukraine will fortify the area in Kursk and use it as a buffer zone to prevent Russian forces from firing into Ukraine. In his Aug. 18 report, he said Ukrainian forces have achieved "good and much-needed results" in destroying Russian equipment.  

"All this is more than just defense for Ukraine. It is now our primary task in defensive operations overall to destroy as much Russian war potential as possible and conduct maximum counteroffensive actions," he said. "This includes creating a buffer zone on the aggressor's territory: our operation in the Kursk region." 

Zelenskyy took an expansive view of actions against Russia. "Everything that inflicts losses on the Russian army, Russian state, their military industrial complex, and their economy helps prevent the war from expanding and brings us closer to a just end to this aggression, a just peace for Ukraine," he said.

Ukraine attacks Moscow in one of largest ever drone strikes on Russian capital

Kremlin response to Kursk incursion shows how Putin freezes in a crisis

Faced with crisis, Vladimir Putin tends to freeze.

Moscow’s slow, fumbling military response to Ukraine’s surprise occupation of parts of the western Kursk region is the latest example of the Kremlin chief failing to respond with quick, decisive action to match his bellicose rhetoric.

The Kursk incursion is the fourth major blow to Putin’s authority since his February 2022 invasion of Ukraine and highlights the weaknesses of a top-down autocracy that operates largely on fear and punishment.

In each case — after Russia’s failure to topple the Ukrainian government at the start of the invasion, after Wagner mercenary boss Yevgeniy Prigozhin led a rebellion against the regular Russia military command and after Islamist extremists struck the popular Crocus City Hall concert venue — the Kremlin’s response has been halting, with Putin waiting 24 hours or more to offer any public comment.

“It’s always the same style. Putin likes to keep everything secret. When he appears publicly, he doesn’t say much. He prefers not to be alarmist,” said Tatiana Stanovaya, founder of France-based analytical group R.Politik.

In a big shift, Russia now bombing its own territory.

Link to the story:

Fire rages for a third day at a Russian oil depot

Any Russia-Ukraine peace deal unlikely to be just

From the story:

Any peace deal reached between Ukraine and Russia likely won't be fair, Czech President Petr Pavel said Wednesday — but justice should be the objective nonetheless.

"A just peace, if we were to imagine it on a scale from 100 percent to nothing, would mean the restoration of Ukraine's full control over its territory, including Crimea. It would require that the aggressor pay compensation for war damages. But that's probably a fantasy, we can all agree," Pavel said on PoliTalk, a Czech political podcast.

Russia closes in on eastern city despite Ukraine’s successes elsewhere

U.S. news:

Iran signals that it's promised strike on Israel may not be imminent

Iranian officials are signaling this week that an attack against Israel may not be imminent, tamping down some of the more urgent rhetoric around threats to avenge Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, who was killed last month in a blast at his guesthouse in Tehran.

Iran had warned early on of a “devastating” reprisal to “punish” Israel for the assassination — but it later adjusted its language, and, in a statement Wednesday, the Iranian mission to the United Nations reinforced the government’s position that any response “must be carefully calibrated” to avoid affecting a potential cease-fire in the Gaza Strip.

Even Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the country’s most powerful security force, said that an attack might not come right away. “Time is at our disposal,” Brig. Gen. Ali Mohammad Naeini, the IRGC spokesman, said Tuesday, according to local media. “And the waiting period for this response could be long.”

A Year in, DOD Racks Up Wins for Foreign Military Sales

According to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, in fiscal year 2021, sales through FMS clocked in at about $34.8 billion total. For fiscal year 2022, that number jumped to $49.7 billion. In fiscal year 2023, it jumped again to about $66.2 billion. And so far in fiscal year 2024, FMS sales are already above $80 billion, and may top $100 billion by year's end. 

Russia, China Vying for Influence in Southern Hemisphere With U.S.

Russian warships have been making port visits to Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua, and 22 nations in the U.S. Southern Command's area of responsibility have signed on to China's Belt and Road Initiative, the commander of Southcom told attendees of the Aspen Security Forum.

Army Gen. Laura J. Richardson said the nations that have signed on to the Chinese initiative don't see the investments the U.S. has been making in their countries. 

"All they see are the Chinese cranes," she said. "These projects are in the billions of dollars. … They are big-time projects." 

Richardson said it would be OK with her if those investments were for doing good in the hemisphere. "But it makes me a little suspicious when it's in the critical infrastructure." 

Critical infrastructure, she said, includes deep-water ports, cybersecurity, energy and space.

"I worry about the dual use nature of that. These are state-owned enterprises by a communist government. I worry about the flipping of that to a military application," Richardson said, referring to China. 

Southcom's No. 1 teammate working in the various countries in the region are U.S. ambassadors, but some nations are without a U.S. ambassador because many have not been confirmed in a timely manner, leaving, she said.  

"We have an absolute connective tissue with all of our U.S. ambassadors in the region." 

Besides U.S. ambassadors, others that Southcom partners with to increase U.S. influence in the region include the Commerce Department, U.S. Agency for International Development, NASA, the Inter-American Development Bank, the American Chambers of Commerce, the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, and human rights and nongovernmental organizations, the general said.

"I really believe that economic security and national security go hand in hand here in this hemisphere, and we have got to work both of them together very, very quickly," she said. 

Regarding the Russian port visits, Richardson said U.S. vessels have been shadowing those vessels to ensure the safety and security of the United States. 

Also, the Russians continue to make high-level government visits to Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua with their foreign affairs minister and the head of the Russian legislative body, she said, adding that the U.S. could be doing more in its own government exchanges.

China news: Words of encouragement:

Let’s end the show with some words of encouragement, because I know that life is hard and sometimes, you just need to hear something that will lift you up.

I always like to share some verses from the Bible, or quotes that touch on the Bible or Jesus, because my Christian faith has become such a source of strength and wisdom and calm for me during the past couple of years, since losing my Mom and now worrying an awful lot about my Dad and his serious memory problems.

I’m betting you have something really challenging going on in your life, as well. (And if you don’t, I can guarantee it’s coming. That’s how life goes.) So, I hope by sharing some of these, it might encourage you to get into the Bible yourself. Because I think it’ll change your life, if you let it.

But before I do, let me share this post in the hopes that it might help some veteran or family who had roots to Afghanistan. I think this is a good and healthy way to see it.

And, I always like to end each week’s notes 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.

Here are those links again if you’d like to support the show:

You can subscribe with Substack: https://stanrmitchell.substack.com/subscribe

Subscribe now

You can also now sign up at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stanrmitchell

Or send a tip through Venmo (@authorstanrmitchell): https://account.venmo.com/u/authorstanrmitchell

And there’s even a PayPal link you can use: https://paypal.me/StanRMitchell.

Finally, I’m still trying to grow the show. Please rate and leave comments on SPOTIFY, APPLE, or wherever you listen.

Also, all posts are free, so feel free to share. (And in that line of thinking, it seems like all the social media sites I’m on throttle down my posts when they have a link to Substack, so if you could forward this to a person or two that might be interested, and ask them to consider signing up for free, it’d sure help me a lot!)

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.

That’s it for this edition.

Love my moderate, optimistic view of politics and want to know more about how I see things?

Go here:

Political thoughts from a Southern GentlemanI’m a prior Marine and Republican, who's now a moderate. I write Lincoln-like political thoughts, full of kindness and hope. I truly believe most Americans are good and we need compromise, unity, and love. Not mockery or extremes.By Stan R. Mitchell

Dealing with PTSD? Emotionally or mentally at rock bottom? Here’s the link to my faith newsletter: Be like Ozzie; go near your master. (The power of prayer. Part 1.)

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.)

#mil #podcast #military #ukraine #china #russia #RussiaUkraineWar #motivation #inspiration #Bible #usmc #army #navy #airforce #politics #defensenews #OSINT #theviewfromthefront 

Hi everyone!

Thank you for being here.

Each week, in The View from the Front podcast, I cover defense news in a sophisticated and balanced manner, with an over-arching goal to unify our country.

Besides covering the news in a respectful way, I end each show with some motivation and wisdom. Hope you enjoy the show! #SupportOurMilitary #DefendDemocracy

Also, huge shout out to those of you whose paid subscriptions make it possible for me to devote time and resources to researching and compiling the news each week.

If you’d like to support the show:

You can subscribe with Substack: https://stanrmitchell.substack.com/subscribe

Subscribe now

You can also now sign up at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stanrmitchell

Or send a tip through Venmo (@authorstanrmitchell): https://account.venmo.com/u/authorstanrmitchell

And there’s even a PayPal link you can use: https://paypal.me/StanRMitchell.

Finally, I’m still trying to grow the show. Please rate and leave comments on SPOTIFY, APPLE, or wherever you listen.

You can listen here, or you can find the podcast on your favorite channel below by searching for The View from the Front:

Selected source notes for podcast and transcript above.

Ukraine news:

Ukraine’s Kursk attack surprised Russia and perhaps some of its backers

A week on, as Russian forces scrambled to respond to the sneak attack after days of fierce fighting, Ukraine’s top military commander said that his troops were in control of 1,000 square kilometers (386 square miles) of territory.

…

Kyiv’s aims are not entirely clear. Some analysts speculate that the incursion aims to strengthen Ukraine’s hand in future peace negotiations. Military experts agree that it should provide some relief for embattled Ukrainian troops by drawing enemy soldiers away from the frontline.

Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry says the operation is to protect against long-range strikes launched from Kursk. “Ukraine is not interested in taking the territory of the Kursk region, but we want to protect the lives of our people,” spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi said, according to local media.

Ukraine turns the tables on Russia

By one estimate, Ukraine has seized more Russian territory in a week than Russia has captured in Ukraine in this whole calendar year.

…

The operation has led Russia’s forces to carry out bombing raids on its own territory — after months of pummeling Ukraine. “The incursion clearly has achieved at least one Ukrainian objective: breaking through the haze of Russian complacency about the war — which has had limited impact on the lives of most ordinary Russians,” my colleagues wrote earlier this week.

“Since last week, Russians, rather than Ukrainians, have taken to social media and blogs to wonder whether the nuclear plant nearest the combat area is safe, to watch videos of their young conscript soldiers taken prisoner and civilians stripped of shelter as the Kursk region disappears behind an active front line,” wrote Anna Nemstova in the Atlantic.

Ukraine Strikes Russian Airfields Hosting Hypersonic Missile Carriers

U.S. news:

U.S. Seeks to Deter Regional War in Middle East

There is still time for diplomacy to work in the Middle East, Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said today during a news conference. 

U.S. forces are moving into the U.S. Central Command's area of responsibility as a deterrence measure, he said. The Air Force has moved F-22 Raptor aircraft into the region, and the U.S. Navy is moving the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group — centered around F-35C Lightning II aircraft — to the region, as well. The USS Georgia, a guided missile submarine, is also progressing there. 

Today, there are approximately 40,000 U.S. service members in the Centcom region, Ryder said. 

The Defense Department continues to closely monitor the situation in the Middle East. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III is in almost daily contact with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and other partners in the region, Ryder said.  

"The U.S. remains intensely focused on de-escalating tensions in the region, while also remaining focused on securing a cease-fire as part of a hostage deal to bring all of the hostages home and to end the war in Gaza," the general said.  

In his most recent phone call with Gallant, Austin assured the Israeli leader of the United States' commitment to take every possible step to defend Israel. He also noted the strengthening of U.S. military force posture and capabilities throughout the Middle East in light of escalating regional tensions, Ryder said.  

"These U.S. military force-posture adjustments are designed to improve U.S. force protection, to increase our support for the defense of Israel, and to ensure the United States is prepared to respond to a wide variety of contingencies," Ryder said.  

U.S. Will Work With African Nations to Protect Interests, Encourage Cooperation

The United States has vital interests on the African continent and will protect those interests in concert with African nations, said the deputy assistant secretary of defense for Africa during an interview earlier this month. 

Maureen Farrell emphasized that Africa — with more than 1.5 billion people in 54 nations who speak hundreds of languages and have hundreds of cultures — is a diverse continent where a one-size-fits-all approach will not work.  

Still, Farrell said there are commonalities. Nations in some sub-regions and particular climate belts share concerns, and often the U.S. government works with the nations in all aspect of government — from the economy to diplomacy to security and more, she said. 

But all of this is done "based on the feedback from our African colleagues, as opposed to what might make sense from a policy maker's desk here in Washington, where if you haven't worked on Africa in depth, it can all blend together without the nuance that one clearly needs to understand to be effective," she said.  

Listening and engaging with African leaders is an important part of Farrell's job, and it is also an important aspect of the strategy of Marine Corps Gen. Michael Langley, commander of U.S. Africa Command. Farrell and Langley and Air Force Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., just returned from the African Chiefs of Defense Conference held in Gaborone, Botswana, where they did listen to and engage with African leaders.  

"It was a fantastic opportunity for the chairman and the combatant commander to hear directly from their uniformed counterparts at a very senior level," Farrell said. The two U.S. leaders, along with Farrell, were able to hold many bilateral talks with African chiefs of defense and have focused discussions. The discussions on West Africa were particularly important, she said, as Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso following recent coups have withdrawn from the Economic Community of West African States.  

"There are some interesting politics and threat information at play in terms of the withdrawal of these three states from ECOWAS," she said. The African nations in the region and beyond, Farrell said, are looking at the political implications of those policy decisions for the uniformed military services in the region.  

African leaders very much want African solutions to African problems, Farrell said, and many nations are working together. She noted that two constellations of nations offered different approaches to the troubles in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Southern African Development Community has sent peacekeeping forces to the Eastern region of Congo. SADC is also sending peacekeepers to Mozambique where an ISIS-affiliated uprising has killed thousands since 2017 and displaced more than 800,000. 

African nations are also working together in the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia.

"These are all African-led initiatives," Farrell said. "There are plenty of examples of African leadership on security solutions." 

One continent-wide problem is climate change. The Sahara is growing, and the Sahel nations are feeling that effect, Farrell said. This has meant increased migration and struggles for resources from water to food to energy. 

"The expansion of the Sahel is posing resiliency challenges for the people of the Sahel and coastal West Africa and the broader the West African region." Farrell said. "The drought problems afflicting the Horn of Africa are creating increased security pressures. Add to this the economic challenges from the global food crisis caused by the Russia and Ukraine war. All these issues have squeezed systems in Africa." 

She said the continent is also still feeling the aftereffects of the COVID-19 pandemic. "All of these economic challenges create friction in societies that makes easy fodder for conflict," she said. "I think our security service counterparts on the continent are very cognizant of the pressure of resource constraints and what that creates in terms of security challenges for them. So, it's a reality that we're acknowledging as a factor in a spark for conflict, usually over water." 

She pointed to Lake Chad — a main source of water for Niger, Chad and Nigeria — as an example. The lake has dramatically diminished in size in recent years placing enormous economic and political pressures on these countries. "If you look over time at the size of Lake Chad, you can see it has shrunk in a matter of years, not multiple decades, but just a handful of years," she said. 

The future in Africa involves more African leadership, Farrell said. The United States is listening to and deferring to African leaders. "Our African colleagues are leading, and I think that's only going to grow," she said. "I think the challenge for us in Washington and for our partners and allies is to appropriately support those mechanisms, as opposed to asserting our own particular worldview." 

Africa has its challenges, but it has opportunities as well. She noted that Turkey and the United Arab Emirates are investing in the continent. India, Japan and South Korea are active economically and diplomatically with African nations. "These are dynamics that I think we have to pay attention to," she said. "There's no question that the rest of the globe sees the importance of the continent, and not just for resource extraction, but for diplomatic maneuvering, and economic investment. Those are trends that I think have to be part of the consideration for DOD." 

China and Russia are also interested in expanding influence on the continent. "We recognize that Africans have a choice, and we are choosing to engage with African partners for our mutual benefit," Farrell said. "It's part of the landscape that there are other actors engaged. We're interested in partnering with countries such as Angola, with Kenya, with Cote d'Ivoire, with Nigeria and with many others, because of the importance that we place on these bilateral relationships, and in many cases, those countries' roles in the broader region."  

"There could be threats emanating from some of those other actors' engagements on the continent, but in general, our priority is to engage with African partners for our own mutual benefit," she continued.

Words of encouragement:

Let’s end the show with some words of encouragement, because I know that life is hard and sometimes, you just need to hear something that will lift you up.

I always like to share some verses from the Bible, or quotes that touch on the Bible or Jesus, because my Christian faith has become such a source of strength and wisdom and calm for me during the past couple of years, since losing my Mom and now worrying an awful lot about my Dad and his serious memory problems.

I’m betting you have something really challenging going on in your life, as well. So, I hope by sharing some of these, it might encourage you to get into the Bible yourself. Because I think it’ll change your life, if you let it.

And, I always like to end each week’s notes 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

If you can, consider at some point becoming a paid subscriber.

Here are those links again if you’d like to support the show:

You can subscribe with Substack: https://stanrmitchell.substack.com/subscribe

Subscribe now

You can also now sign up at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stanrmitchell

Or send a tip through Venmo (@authorstanrmitchell): https://account.venmo.com/u/authorstanrmitchell

And there’s even a PayPal link you can use: https://paypal.me/StanRMitchell.

Finally, I’m still trying to grow the show. Please rate and leave comments on SPOTIFY, APPLE, or wherever you listen.

Also, all posts are free, so feel free to share. (And in that line of thinking, it seems like all the social media sites I’m on throttle down my posts when they have a link to Substack, so if you could forward this to a person or two that might be interested, and ask them to consider signing up for free, it’d sure help me a lot!)

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.

That’s it for this edition.

Love my moderate, optimistic view of politics and want to know more about how I see things?

Go here:

Political thoughts from a Southern GentlemanI’m a prior Marine and Republican, who's now a moderate. I write Lincoln-like political thoughts, full of kindness and hope. I truly believe most Americans are good and we need compromise, unity, and love. Not mockery or extremes.By Stan R. Mitchell

Dealing with PTSD? Emotionally or mentally at rock bottom? Here’s the link to my faith newsletter: Be like Ozzie; go near your master. (The power of prayer. Part 1.)

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.)

#mil #podcast #military #ukraine #china #russia #RussiaUkraineWar #motivation #inspiration #Bible #usmc #army #navy #airforce #politics #defensenews #OSINT #theviewfromthefront 

Hi everyone!

Thank you for being here.

Each week, in The View from the Front podcast, I cover defense news in a sophisticated and balanced manner, with an over-arching goal to unify our country.

Besides covering the news in a respectful way, I end each show with some motivation and wisdom. Hope you enjoy the show! #SupportOurMilitary #DefendDemocracy

Also, huge shout out to those of you whose paid subscriptions make it possible for me to devote time and resources to researching and compiling the news each week.

If you’d like to support the show:

You can subscribe with Substack: https://stanrmitchell.substack.com/subscribe

Subscribe now

You can also now sign up at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stanrmitchell

Or send a tip through Venmo (@authorstanrmitchell): https://account.venmo.com/u/authorstanrmitchell

Finally, I’m still trying to grow the show. Please rate and leave comments on SPOTIFY, APPLE, or wherever you listen.

You can listen here, or you can find the podcast on your favorite channel below by searching for The View from the Front:

Selected source notes for podcast and transcript above.

Some light news you won’t find anywhere else:

Full size:

BALD EAGLE POPULATION EXCEEDS 11,000 PAIRS IN 2007

Having collected the most recent census data from state and federal bald-eagle managers in each of the lower 48 states and the District of Columbia, the Center for Biological Diversity has determined that the 2007 bald eagle population is approximately 11,040 pairs. This is a nearly 1,300-pair increase from the 2006 estimate released by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in May 2007. The bald eagle's spectacular return from 417 pairs in 1963 is one of the world's great conservation success stories.

Ukraine news:

Images of Ukraine's new F-16s and their weapons hint at what the US-made fighter jets may start off doing against the Russians

China news:

Marine Corps' Force Design Is Focused on Pacing Challenge From China

U.S. news: Assorted news: Motivation and wisdom:

Here’s some motivation and wisdom for you, because I know that life is hard and pep talks help. I also know that sometimes you can get too close to a situation and not be able to see what’s happening, so I share some quotes of wisdom alongside these motivational quotes in the hopes that maybe just one of them might speak to you.

I always like to share a few from the Bible, or that touch on Jesus, because Christianity and the Bible have become such a source of strength and wisdom and calm for me during the past couple of years.

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.

Just came across this one. Wish I had seen this one twenty years ago. (I am such an overthinker.)

And, I always like to end each week’s notes 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. By Stan R. Mitchell. is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

That’s it for this edition.

Love my moderate, optimistic view of politics and want to know more about how I see things?

Go here:

Political thoughts from a Southern GentlemanI’m a prior Marine and Republican, who's now a moderate. I write Lincoln-like political thoughts, full of kindness and hope. I truly believe most Americans are good and we need compromise, unity, and love. Not mockery or extremes.By Stan R. Mitchell

Dealing with PTSD? Emotionally or mentally at rock bottom? Here’s the link to my faith newsletter: Be like Ozzie; go near your master. (The power of prayer. Part 1.)

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.)

#mil #podcast #military #ukraine #china #russia #RussiaUkraineWar #motivation #inspiration #Bible #usmc #army #navy #airforce #politics #defensenews #OSINT #theviewfromthefront 

Hi everyone!

Thank you for being here.

Each week, in The View from the Front podcast, I cover defense news in a sophisticated and balanced manner, with an over-arching goal to unify our country.

Besides covering the news in a respectful way, I end each show with some motivation and wisdom. Hope you enjoy the show! #SupportOurMilitary #DefendDemocracy

Also, huge shout out to those of you whose paid subscriptions make it possible for me to devote time and resources to researching and compiling the news each week.

If you’d like to support the show:

You can subscribe with Substack: https://stanrmitchell.substack.com/subscribe

Subscribe now

You can also now sign up at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stanrmitchell

Or send a tip through Venmo (@authorstanrmitchell): https://account.venmo.com/u/authorstanrmitchell

Finally, I’m still trying to grow the show. Please rate and leave comments on SPOTIFY, APPLE, or wherever you listen.

You can listen here, or you can find the podcast on your favorite channel below by searching for The View from the Front:

Selected source notes for podcast and transcript above.

Ukraine news:

Update on F-16s in Ukraine.

Unfortunately, there may be as few as six fighter pilots. Here’s a report from the Telegraph about that. (About the 9 min mark to 11:35 or so.)

On the ground, the Russians continue to invest in massive ground attacks against Ukraine, but with little success to date.

U.S. news:

U.S. military launches first airstrike in Iraq in months

South America news:

Maduro urges Venezuelans to report protesters who question his reelection

Motivation and wisdom:

Here’s some motivation and encouragement for you, because I know that life is hard and pep talks help. I also know that sometimes you can get too close to a situation and not be able to see what’s happening, so I share some quotes of wisdom alongside these motivational quotes in the hopes that maybe just one of them might speak to you.

I always like to share a few from the Bible, or that touch on Jesus, because Christianity and the Bible have become such a source of strength and wisdom and calm for me during the past couple of years.

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, I always like to end each week’s notes 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. By Stan R. Mitchell. is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

That’s it for this edition.

Love my moderate, optimistic view of politics and want to know more about how I see things?

Go here:

Political thoughts from a Southern GentlemanI’m a prior Marine and Republican, who's now a moderate. I write Lincoln-like political thoughts, full of kindness and hope. I truly believe most Americans are good and we need compromise, unity, and love. Not mockery or extremes.By Stan R. Mitchell

Dealing with PTSD? Emotionally or mentally at rock bottom? Here’s the link to my faith newsletter: Be like Ozzie; go near your master. (The power of prayer. Part 1.)

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.)

#mil #podcast #military #ukraine #china #russia #RussiaUkraineWar #motivation #inspiration #Bible #usmc #army #navy #airforce #politics #defensenews #OSINT #theviewfromthefront 

Hi everyone!

Each week, in The View from the Front podcast, I cover the news in a sophisticated and balanced manner, with an over-arching goal to unify our country.

Besides covering the news in a respectful way, I end each show with some motivation and wisdom. Hope you enjoy the show! #SupportOurMilitary #DefendDemocracy

Thank you for being here. And thank you to those of you whose paid subscriptions make it possible for me to devote time and resources to researching and compiling the news each week.

If you’d like to support the show:

You can subscribe with Substack: https://stanrmitchell.substack.com/subscribe

Subscribe now

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Selected source notes for podcast and transcript above.

U.S. news:

While JLOTS Mission Has Concluded, Several Million Pounds of Aid Remain to be Delivered

The U.S. military Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore system, or JLOTS, in use since May to deliver humanitarian aid into Gaza, has closed out its mission, U.S. Central Command announced yesterday. 

But Centcom remains committed to delivering several million pounds of aid originally destined for delivery using that system, said Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh during a news briefing. 

"In the coming days, Centcom will work with USAID to deliver the remaining aid commodities, currently afloat, to the port of Ashdod, in Israel, for onward distribution to Gaza, and will provide coordination and liaison support for humanitarian aid delivery as a request of USAID when appropriate," Singh said. 

Due to sea states, the JLOTS pier has not been in operation in Gaza since late June. That pause in operations, coupled with the announced shuttering of the mission, will require about five million pounds of humanitarian aid once designated for delivery over the JLOTS pier to be delivered through the Israeli port of Ashdod. 

That aid, Singh said, is either in Cyprus, or "afloat," in that it is currently either on commercial shipping vessels or U.S. military vessels underway on the Mediterranean Sea. 

In early May, the Defense Department completed deployment of the JLOTS in the Mediterranean Sea. This included a floating pier several miles off the coast of Gaza as well an additional pier, referred to as the Trident Pier, anchored on the Gaza shore. 

The mission was then carried out in multiple steps. Commercial cargo ships loaded with humanitarian aid in Cyprus sailed to the floating pier. There, at sea, cargo was unloaded from the commercial ships and onto trucks that were aboard Army-owned logistic vessels.

After leaving the floating pier, the Army vessels traveled to the Trident Pier. There, the trucks exited the Army vessels and moved aid over the pier to the shore, where the humanitarian aid supplies could then be staged for delivery inside Gaza. 

Singh said the mission was successful. 

"With collaboration from 12 nations, international partners, USAID, and the United Nations, the temporary pier successfully delivered nearly 20 million pounds of aid, which is the highest volume of humanitarian assistance the U.S. military has ever delivered into the Middle East," Singh said. "The temporary pier achieved its goal of providing an additive means of delivering high volumes of humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza." 

Going forward, Singh said, the U.S. military will play an advisory role, at least for the short term, in the continued delivery of aid, which is expected to go through Ashdod and then over ground routes into Gaza. 

"In the immediate future, we're going to maintain some coordination elements that have been in place, such as the coordination cell ... in Cyprus and in Israel. We want to make sure that aid is going to continue to flow into Gaza," she said. "But this new route, that aid flows through Ashdod, will ultimately be managed by USAID and other humanitarian organizations ... I'd include the World Food Program in that as well." 

Ukraine news:Opinion: With U.S. aid flowing, Ukraine’s defense stiffens — for now

Michael Kofman, an analyst at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace who recently returned from visiting Ukraine, wrote on X: “Ukraine faces difficult months of fighting ahead, but the situation at the front is better than it was this spring.”

…

The biggest danger to Ukraine at the moment is not from a Russian ground assault but from the air. Last week’s Russian missile strikes, which hit a children’s hospital in Kyiv and killed at least 37 people, are a reminder of the constant menace. Kofman notes that “Ukraine is very low on ammunition for legacy Soviet [air defense] systems, whereas Russian drone and missile production rates have increased significantly.”

The Russians have had particular success in recent months in targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. Ukrainian officials say Russian strikes have taken offline nine of the 18 gigawatts that the country needs for peak consumption this winter. Electricity is already being rationed, and it could be limited to as little as five hours a day in the winter. As Ukrainian officials have been saying since the start of the war, they are in desperate need of more air defenses, to protect not only their cities and infrastructure but also their front-line positions. Ukrainian troops have suffered devastating damage from Russian “glide bombs,” as stockpiled dumb bombs retrofitted with cheap guidance kits are called.

At last week’s NATO summit, the allies announced that they were sending dozens of new air defense systems to Ukraine, including at least four U.S.-made Patriot batteries, the most effective system for stopping Russian missiles. Talks are underway for Israel to contribute as many as eight of its own earlier-generation Patriot batteries, which it no longer needs. The imminent delivery of F-16s from the Netherlands and Denmark should help, too: Those fighter aircraft can chase away the Russian bombers dropping glide bombs.

China news:

Background article from June: Philippine Sailor Severely Injured, Vessels Damaged as Chinese Block South China Sea Mission

  Defense Official Says U.S.-Philippines Alliance Is Making Remarkable Progress

Part of this vision is the United States standing with the Philippines as the nation defends its lawful rights in the South China Sea, Ratner said. China is challenging the Philippines' lawful right to the Second Thomas Shoal, a "low-tide elevation beyond any lawful territorial sea, on the Philippines' continental shelf, and well within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone," Ratner said.  

China's claim on the Shoal "has no more credibility today than it did when the arbitral tribunal issued its unanimous ruling in 2016," he said. "And the kind of revisionism and coercion we've seen there from [China] is both destabilizing and dangerous." 

This aggressive Chinese behavior stands in sharp contrast to the remarkable leadership by President Marcos to protect and defend the rights of the Philippines under international law, Ratner said. 

"All the while, the United States has acted in support of the Philippines and made clear that our alliance commitments are ironclad and that all nations should be able to fly, sail and operate wherever international law allows," Ratner said. 

…

The Philippines is working alongside Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and other nations of the region in these exercises. 

These like-minded nations are moving toward greater interoperability and cooperation, Ratner said. They are granting reciprocal access. They are also engaging in more complicated and complex regional exercises. "The new convergence in the Indo-Pacific won't always start with or include the United States, nor should it," Ratner said.  

South China Sea Arbitration Ruling: What Happened and What’s Next?

Gift link from The Washington Post: Why does China care about a rust bucket in the middle of the sea?

China brokers Palestinian unity declaration in bid to be global mediator

Leaders of Palestinian factions, including Fatah and Hamas, signed a joint statement Tuesday in Beijing aimed at ending divisions between the bitter rivals, a deal bolstering China’s claim to being a global mediator but unlikely to heal the deep rift between the Palestinian political groups.

The statement calls for the formation of a Palestinian unity government overseeing the West Bank, Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip and eventually holding elections, for which the leaders of the factions would meet and draw up a road map. The Israeli government has rejected any proposal that gives a governing role to Hamas or the Fatah-controlled Palestinian Authority.

Chinese media hailed the “Beijing declaration” as a breakthrough and a sign of the country’s emerging role as a peace broker in faraway conflicts. In a speech after the talks ended, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called it a “historic moment for the cause of Palestine’s liberation” and highlighted the “consensus around establishing an interim national reconciliation government to manage Gaza after the war.”

Motivation and wisdom:

Here’s some motivation and encouragement for you, because I know that life is hard and pep talks help. I also know that sometimes you can get too close to a situation and not be able to see what’s happening, so I share some quotes of wisdom alongside these motivational quotes in the hopes that maybe just one might speak to you.

billionaire_Secrets @bilionaire_secDo it alone. Do it broke. Do it tired. Do it scared. Just do it.4:09 AM ∙ Aug 30, 2022232Likes75RetweetsDaily Dose of Philosophy @PhilosophyDose_"Care about what other people think and you will always be their prisoner."- Lao Tzu2:58 AM ∙ Aug 21, 20221,051Likes252RetweetsSuccess Minded @_SuccessMinded_The only downside of improving yourself:It gets lonely.2:15 AM ∙ Aug 31, 2022890Likes187RetweetsSuccess Minded @_SuccessMinded_Get better. All the time. That's how you succeed.2:15 AM ∙ Sep 1, 20221,835Likes406RetweetsMotivational Quotes @motivation_qotForgive your old self, you've changed.4:05 PM ∙ Aug 31, 202298Likes20RetweetsDaily Dose of Philosophy @PhilosophyDose_“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”- Margaret Mead2:37 AM ∙ Sep 2, 2022371Likes91RetweetsLife Quotes @RTLifeQuotesI hated every minute of training, but I said 'don’t quit, suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.' - Muhammad Ali2:01 AM ∙ Aug 31, 2022289Likes62RetweetsSuccess Minded @_SuccessMinded_Give yourself credit for trying. Working on yourself can be hard, but the rewards of not giving up can really change your life. Keep going.4:15 PM ∙ Aug 31, 20221,119Likes314RetweetsSuccess Minded @_SuccessMinded_When you speak, always speak with strong confidence. Watch the difference it makes.7:15 PM ∙ Aug 28, 20222,170Likes471RetweetsSuccess Minded @_SuccessMinded_"A goal should scare you a little and excite you a lot"11:35 AM ∙ Aug 29, 20222,833Likes631Retweets

I always like to share a few from the Bible, or that touch on Jesus, because Christianity and the Bible have become such a source of strength and wisdom and calm for me during the past couple of years.

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, I always like to end each week’s notes 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. By Stan R. Mitchell. is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

That’s it for this edition.

Love my moderate, optimistic view of politics and want to know more about how I see things?

Go here:

Political thoughts from a Southern GentlemanI’m a prior Marine and Republican, who's now a moderate. I write Lincoln-like political thoughts, full of kindness and hope. I truly believe most Americans are good and we need compromise, unity, and love. Not mockery or extremes.By Stan R. Mitchell

Dealing with PTSD? Emotionally or mentally at rock bottom? Here’s the link to my faith newsletter: Be like Ozzie; go near your master. (The power of prayer. Part 1.)

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.)

#mil #podcast #military #ukraine #china #russia #RussiaUkraineWar #motivation #inspiration #Bible #usmc #army #navy #airforce #politics #defensenews #OSINT #theviewfromthefront 

Hi everyone!

Each week, in The View from the Front podcast, I cover the news in a sophisticated and balanced manner, with an over-arching goal to unify our country.

Besides covering the news in a respectful way, I end each show with some motivation and wisdom. Hope you enjoy the show! #SupportOurMilitary #DefendDemocracy

Thank you for being here. And thank you to those of you whose paid subscriptions make it possible for me to devote time and resources to researching and compiling the news each week.

If you’d like to support the show:

You can subscribe with Substack: https://stanrmitchell.substack.com/subscribe

Subscribe now

You can also now sign up at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stanrmitchell

Or send a tip through Venmo (@authorstanrmitchell): https://account.venmo.com/u/authorstanrmitchell

Finally, I’m still trying to grow the show. Please rate and leave comments on SPOTIFY, APPLE, or wherever you listen.

You can listen here, or you can find the podcast on your favorite channel below by searching for The View from the Front:

Selected source notes for podcast and transcript above.

Motivation and wisdom:

Here’s some motivation and encouragement for you, because I know that life is hard and pep talks help. I also know that sometimes you can get too close to a situation and not be able to see what’s happening, so I share some quotes of wisdom alongside these motivational quotes in the hopes that maybe just might speak to you.

I always like to share a few from the Bible, or that touch on Jesus, because Christianity and the Bible have become such a source of strength and wisdom and calm for me during the past couple of years.

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.

John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid."

Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Romans 8:28 “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

Romans 8:31 “If God be for us, who can be against us?”

Romans 15:13   “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” 

And, I always like to end each week’s notes 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. By Stan R. Mitchell. is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

That’s it for this edition.

Love my moderate, optimistic view of politics and want to know more about how I see things?

Go here:

Political thoughts from a Southern GentlemanI’m a prior Marine and Republican, who's now a moderate. I write Lincoln-like political thoughts, full of kindness and hope. I truly believe most Americans are good and we need compromise, unity, and love. Not mockery or extremes.By Stan R. Mitchell

Dealing with PTSD? Emotionally or mentally at rock bottom? Here’s the link to my faith newsletter: Be like Ozzie; go near your master. (The power of prayer. Part 1.)

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.)

#mil #podcast #military #ukraine #china #russia #RussiaUkraineWar #motivation #inspiration #Bible #usmc #army #navy #airforce #politics #defensenews #OSINT #theviewfromthefront 

Welcome to The View from the Front podcast. My name is Stan and this is the July 11th edition. 

Subscribe now

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.

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 the news and foreign policy reports 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 above. I really hope you get something out of it.

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Selected source notes for podcast and transcript above.

I honored my wife with a few words in the podcast.U.S. news:

This was Tuesday: The Biden question has been answered: he's not leaving.

But by Wednesday, it seemed the ground had shifted again.

Nancy Pelosi opened the door, subtly, to replacing Biden.

George Clooney called for Joe Biden to step down, saying he witnessed the President’s decline

First Senate Democrat asked Biden to leave race, and now nine members of the House who are Democrats have spoken out publicly about it

So, we will just have to see.

In other political news, Trump’s VP choice may be down to 3. Here’s what each brings. (Breaking down the advantages of having Marco Rubio, J.D. Vance or Doug Burgum on the ticket — and what they lack.)

July 4 U.S. Central Command Update

In the past 24 hours U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) forces successfully destroyed two Iranian-backed Houthi uncrewed surface vessels (USV) in the Red Sea and one Houthi radar site in a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen.

It was determined the USVs and radar site presented an imminent threat to U.S. and coalition forces, and merchant vessels in the region. These actions were taken to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure.

US to complete withdrawal from Niger base Sunday

The U.S. is set to complete its withdrawal of forces and equipment Sunday from an air base in Niamey, the capital of the West African country of Niger, with a joint ceremony marking the occasion.

Next on the U.S. agenda is its exit from a Niger drone base that is scheduled to be completed in August.

The departures are in compliance with a September 15 deadline agreed upon by the U.S. and Niger’s ruling junta, after Niger’s new military leaders ordered U.S. troops to leave following a coup in Niamey last year.

U.S. Air Force Major General Kenneth Ekman, in Niger to coordinate the exits, told reporters by video conference that the bulk of the U.S. forces in Niger will be transferred to European locations. However, he said small teams of U.S. forces have been relocated to other West African countries.

Ukraine news:

Russia strikes a children's hospital in Kyiv and other sites across Ukraine

Joint Statement on Strengthening Ukraine’s Air Defenses

Ukraine’s first F-16s will see combat this summer, officials say

NATO to announce new military command to train Ukrainian troops, appoint Kyiv representative, Sullivan says

In the coming days, the NATO alliance will announce a new military command in Germany to train and equip Ukrainian troops, as well as appoint a new NATO senior representative in Kyiv, U.S. national security advisor Jake Sullivan said on July 9 at the start of the NATO summit in Washington.

Outlining measures the U.S. and NATO allies will take to further support for Ukraine, Sullivan briefly detailed "robust new measures," including previously unannounced plans for a three-star general to lead a new German military command for "training, equipping, and force development program for Ukrainian troops."

Sullivan also announced that NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg will appoint a new senior NATO representative in Kyiv to "deepen Ukraine's institutional relationship with the alliance and serve as the focal point for NATO's engagement with senior Ukrainian officials."

China news:

Japan and the Philippines sign a defense pact in the face of shared alarm over China

Motivation and wisdom:

Here’s some motivation and encouragement for you, because we all know that life is hard and pep talks help.

Success Minded @_SuccessMinded_"Your thoughts shape your future."9:45 AM ∙ Aug 25, 2022769Likes145Retweetsbillionaire_Secrets @bilionaire_sec"It's never too late to become what you might have been."10:00 AM ∙ Aug 25, 202284Likes20RetweetsSuccess Minded @_SuccessMinded_Wake up with energy and optimism. New opportunities are waiting for you today.10:10 PM ∙ Aug 24, 2022648Likes159RetweetsSuccess Minded @_SuccessMinded_"Always be kinder than you feel."4:10 PM ∙ Aug 24, 20221,427Likes246RetweetsLife Quotes @RTLifeQuotesI don’t believe in being serious about anything. I think life is too serious to be taken seriously. - Ray Bradbury10:01 AM ∙ Aug 24, 202255Likes15RetweetsSuccess Minded @_SuccessMinded_You weren't born to just pay bills and die... Live up to your fullest potential10:15 PM ∙ Aug 19, 20221,533Likes373Retweets@StanRMitchell Aloha and perfect pronunciation. The line is attributable to one helluva Warrior Leader @PMEHardTrox \nHere’s one for next week, “worry about your disposition and not your position.” \nGreat stuff this week. Continue to do great deeds and endure. #SemperFi","username":"aaspadaro","name":"Anthony Spadaro","date":"Wed Aug 24 19:23:19 +0000 2022","photos":[],"quoted_tweet":{},"retweet_count":1,"like_count":1,"expanded_url":{},"video_url":null,"belowTheFold":true}">Anthony Spadaro @aaspadaro@StanRMitchell Aloha and perfect pronunciation. The line is attributable to one helluva Warrior Leader @PMEHardTrox Here’s one for next week, “worry about your disposition and not your position.” Great stuff this week. Continue to do great deeds and endure. #SemperFi7:23 PM ∙ Aug 24, 20221Like1Retweet

I always like to share a few from the Bible, or that touch on Jesus, because Christianity and the Bible have become such a source of strength and wisdom and calm for me during the past couple of years.

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, I always like to end each week’s notes 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. By Stan R. Mitchell. is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

That’s it for this edition.

Love my moderate, optimistic view of politics and want to know more about how I see things?

Go here:

Political thoughts from a Southern GentlemanI’m a prior Marine and Republican, who's now a moderate. I write Lincoln-like political thoughts, full of kindness and hope. I truly believe most Americans are good and we need compromise, unity, and love. Not mockery or extremes.By Stan R. Mitchell

Dealing with PTSD? Emotionally or mentally at rock bottom? Here’s the link to my faith newsletter: Be like Ozzie; go near your master. (The power of prayer. Part 1.)

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.)

#mil #podcast #military #ukraine #china #russia #RussiaUkraineWar #motivation #inspiration #Bible #usmc #army #navy #airforce #politics #defensenews #OSINT #theviewfromthefront