Episode 11-10-22

Hey guys, Welcome to the View from the Front newsletter. If you just happened to stumble by here, 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. And as a guy who’s been deployed overseas, and who was a big-time history buff even before that, I care a lot about our military, where they're at, where they might be going, what conflicts might be about to occur. Because these things matter. And as such, every week I publish news that you’re not going to easily find anywhere else. So, if you’re a military member, a spouse of a military member, or a parent or grandparent of a military member, this is probably a great newsletter for you to subscribe to. I’ll keep you updated on foreign policy issues, but I won’t do it like you’ll find everywhere else. First of all, the media almost never covers the military or looming hotspots. But if they do, they overhype everything. And they scare you and use lots of B-roll video with explosions and flashing graphics. Their biggest desire is eyeballs and ad dollars. I promise you -- and you can check the past year of archived editions -- I do not overhype, exaggerate, or do any of that. If anything, I almost downplay. It’s a steady and calm voice that you’ll find here. But on the flip side, foreign policy journals that do cover what I do also fall way short in my opinion. Their articles are far too long, they’re far too dense, and they’re crammed with big words, technical mambo jumbo, and silly acronyms that only insiders truly know. I couldn't find a show that met my needs, so I decided to create one. Once a week, I’ll discuss military matters, while also adding in a little motivation, wisdom, and history. Besides covering this news, and also sharing plenty of motivation at the end of each edition, I also work as hard as I can to unite this country. Without question, I feel like our wide division and animosity toward those with whom we disagree is the greatest threat our country faces. So, once a week I do my best to bridge this great divide, while also reminding each of us that most of us are being played by divisive political and news figures, who are ripping apart this great country just so they can reach a higher office or gain more followers and ad dollars. Most Americans are good, and we need to remember this. Always. While we face great challenges as a country, America has stood together for more than 240 years, and it’s only by pulling our country closer together that we can pass on a better future for our kids. We need to hold and cherish the beliefs that got us here today. Beliefs such as patience, kindness, and a strong belief that our best days lie before us. These are the beliefs that got us to this point. And they’re also the kind of optimistic beliefs that will get us to a brighter future. And with that out of the way, let’s get started. One quick reminder before we get to the news… If you haven’t already, please sign up for email notifications. (It’s FREE. Unless you choose to subscribe and support what I’m doing. It’s $5 per month should you choose that option, and you can cancel at any time. Also, people are always asking me on social media how to best support my dreams, including getting out future books in some series they love sooner. Believe me, the best way to support me is by signing up for a paid subscription here. Or, you can sign up at Patreon. Doing this provides a recurring, monthly revenue of $5 per month, and it’s the fastest way I’ll be able to return to becoming a full-time author again (my writing journey/curse), which means I’ll have more time to write fiction, cover news, and try to unite the country and motivate others — all things I feel drawn to do. Of course, you can also tell people about this newsletter, my podcast, and my books! And you can also even give a gift subscription to a friend. But you don’t have to do any of these things. I feel called to do this and I’ve already had tremendous support from people who’ve signed up to chip in a few bucks each month. Trust me, you can sign up and come and go as you like. As long as I’m making enough to recoup my costs and continue this outreach, then I’m not going anywhere.) Also, a brief reminder, if you’re reading this edition by email and not listening to the podcast, click the episode headline with today’s date that is under my picture at the top of the page; that will take you to the full webpage. Otherwise, the email will likely be cut off and shortened by your email provider. (But honestly, I almost always have more details in my podcast, so that’s probably the best way to stay informed and enjoy the experience more.) We’ll start this episode with the latest news about Ukraine, including the possible terms they’ve laid out (under pressure from the West) to begin some kind of peace talks. Then, we’ll move on to the following: * News that Russia has pulled its ships into the safety of port after the drone-ship vessel attack a week ago. * News that Ukrainian advances in the southern part of the country near Kherson have continued, and Russia announced it is withdrawing from the western side of the Dnipro River, which is obviously huge news. (As a reminder, this is the only regional capital that Russia managed to seize during its massive invasion this year.) * I’ll share what this withdrawal means for the tactical situation, according to one General who’s well-versed in the art of war. * I’ll share what one retired Army officer has said, who has come out and said that the Russians have already lost the war and have no real options left. I’ll share the reasons he has said this. * I’ll share video of a horrendous attack that the Russians attempted with an armored thrust on the eastern part of the front in the Donbas region, and how Ukrainian artillery absolutely decimated this attempt. * I’ll show the aftermath of what happened after Russians blew a damn in the east — yet another atrocity from them — and how they created a man-made natural disaster that emptied a massive lake that was more than 50 miles long and two miles wide. The reservoir is now completely shallow. * I’ll share a well-structured, well-reasoned argument for why supporting Ukrainian efforts to oust the Russians actually serves U.S. interests, and not just in deterring Russia. How that supporting Ukraine also aligns with U.S. interests in thwarting China's territorial ambitions and expansions. * I’ll even share a quick, must-read thread about the economics of possibly supporting Ukraine with tanks first. * I’ll share the balancing act that Ukraine is being forced to walk with China right now, something I wasn’t aware of — and I’ll bet you weren’t either. (This has seriously not been reported anywhere that I’m aware.) * I’ll share news of a disturbing phone call between China and Russia, which I haven’t seen reported. * I’ll remind everyone briefly that Nov 10th is the Marine Corps Birthday. It’s 247th Marine Corps birthday. * Finally, for the news portion, I’ll take about the size of our Navy, remind everyone of how large it used to be in World War II (just to provide some perspective), and share an idea that could be used to help thwart China with smaller ships and more missiles. It’s really quite fascinating how much this has all changed. * And, as always, we’ll end with our motivation and wisdom section. NOTE: This is a lot of news. I HIGHLY STRONGLY suggest listening to the podcast on your drive or while you work, if you can. It’ll be way more relaxing and enjoyable. The biggest news of late is that Ukraine has laid out possible terms (under pressure from the West) to begin peace talks with Russia. The bare minimum requirements are the following: Moving along, Russia is having to pull its ships back to safety after the recent unmanned naval drone/ship attack by Ukraine. Not a good look for them, but their naval forces are about on par with their land forces, which is to say not good. Similar to this Russian ret… This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stanrmitchell.substack.com/subscribe