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). My hope is you end each show better informed, less worried, and more optimistic (about both our country and your life). I’ve got timestamps below on the various topics, as well as source notes you can refer to. 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, there are several ways you can do so. You can subscribe with Substack: https://stanrmitchell.substack.com/subscribe 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 review 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: 12:54. The Secretary of Defense has made some moves this week that deserve applause. Let’s highlight a few before we get into more critical coverage. Timestamp: 17:37. The Trump Administration dropped its first negotiating lines regarding Ukraine. I share what Trump and Secretary Hegseth are saying, plus my thoughts and those of some other analysts. Timestamp: 32:15. The Secretary of Defense has described how American forces will be deployed across Africa and Europe in the near future. You might be surprised by what he said. Timestamp: 36:01. The disruption of USAID has caused much damage, and even put lives at risk. Here’s the latest on that increasingly explosive news. Timestamp: 54:16. Two bits of positive Ukraine news that haven’t really made the news. Timestamp: 58:11. Here are three pieces of news coming out of China that haven’t gotten enough attention. Timestamp: 1:06:58. Let me end by sharing some spiritual encouragement for you all out there. Have a question? Or want to provide some feedback? Record a voice memo in your phone and email it to stanrmitchell2012@gmail.com. Please include at least your first name and city. (Or full name if you want to get a little famous.) Selected source notes for podcast and transcript above. Links to my preliminary thoughts. U.S. news: Pentagon to restore Fort Liberty's name to Fort Bragg Defense Secretary Discusses Force Posturing in Africa, Europe Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth today spoke about DOD's force posturing priorities on the European and African continents while meeting with members of the media during a visit to U.S. Africa Command in Stuttgart, Germany When asked whether visiting Africom on his first overseas trip as defense secretary should be taken as a sign that U.S. strategic aims in Africa are changing, Hegseth pointed to the threat posed by China in that region. He said China's intentions are pernicious, not just in their part of the world but also on the African continent. "And America's posture there, along with allies and partners, is going to matter contesting that space. So, it certainly remains a priority," he continued. In addition to continually monitoring China's presence in Africa, Hegseth said force posturing in Africom's area of responsibility is countering the ongoing terror threat in that region. As an example of this, he pointed to the Feb. 1, 2025, airstrikes against ISIS targets in Somalia that Africom coordinated in conjunction with the Federal Government of Somalia. Hegseth said the operation was an example of DOD returning tactical decision-making authority to senior military commanders. "That's a reflection … of pushing authority down untying the hands of warfighters," he said. "[Such decisions] should be made at the four-star level or at the Secretary of Defense level more quickly based on the ability to degrade the enemy," he added. Regarding troop posturing in the European area of responsibility, Hegseth — who visited U.S. European Command earlier in the day — said there are currently no plans to shift forces from Europe to the Indo-Pacific region to deal with the emerging threat from China. He added that force posturing across the world will be reviewed. The secretary said peacefully ending the war in Ukraine and ensuring European NATO countries raise their defense spending to sufficient levels would need to occur before the U.S. would consider any significant re-posturing of forces. Hegseth clarified that any future re-posturing of U.S. forces in Europe should not be viewed as an abandonment of America's allies. "We would be remiss in not reviewing force posture everywhere, but it would be the wrong planning assumption to say, 'America is abandoning [Europe]' or 'America is leaving.' No, America is smart to observe, plan, prioritize and project power to deter conflict," Hegseth said. "Being strong — peace through strength — is how you deter that," he continued. Video: Politico piece: ‘Americans Can and Will Die from This’: USAID Worker Details Dangers, Chaos USAID Kept My Troops Safe in Afghanistan Almost $500 million in food is at risk of spoilage after USAID pause, report says Almost $500 million in food aid is at risk of spoilage as it sits in ports, ships and warehouses after funding for the U.S. Agency for International Development, or USAID, was paused by the Trump administration, according to a Feb. 10 report from a government watchdog. The report from USAID's inspector general highlighted the risks of "safeguarding and distribution" of $8.2 billion in unspent humanitarian aid after the Trump administration ordered almost all staff to be placed on leave and ordered a review of U.S. foreign assistance programs. USAID, which provides humanitarian aid to more than 100 countries, buys food directly from U.S. farmers and manufacturers, which have typically provided about 40% of international food assistance, according to a 2021 report from the Congressional Research Service. With USAID funding paused, there is concern among U.S. farmers about the market for some of their products, including Kansas sorghum producers, according to the Topeka Capital-Journal. While the future of USAID's funding and its purchases from U.S. farmers remains unclear, there is currently $489 million worth of food sitting "at ports, in transit, and in warehouses at risk of spoilage, unanticipated storage needs, and diversion," the Feb. 10 USAID inspector general report said. Ukraine news: China news: Let me end by sharing some spiritual encouragement for you all out there. As you know, if you want true peace, I believe you should look to God and the Bible for that — not a country, not a party, and certainly not a person. I believe that not only can God give you ever-lasting life, but that He can also give you peace in this life. God is like a good shepherd. He leads you by the still waters. He restores your soul. He guides you out of the death and destruction of sin. If you know nothing about the Bible, but want to test the waters and maybe try it out, check out my resource page here. By the way, if you’re dealing with depression, PTSD, or thoughts of suicide, I have a link I’d like you to check out. In fact, it’s an entire page long. A pep talk, if you will, that I believe will help. I also have listed a hotline that you can call, whether you’re a service member or just a civilian. Here’s the page: PTSD. What an incredible prayer and reminder. Thank you. As you know, if you want true peace, I believe you should look to God and the Bible for that — not a country, not a party, and certainly not a person. I believe that not only can God give you ever-lasting life, but that he can also give you peace in this life. God is like a good shephard. He leads you by the still waters. He restores your soul. He guides you out of the death and destruction of sin. If you know nothing about the Bible, but want to test the waters and maybe try it out, check out my resource page here. I also have a podcast that focuses solely on faith called The Search for God. You can find it below. Love my moderate, optimistic view of politics and want to know more about how I see things? Go here: I always like to end with an important reminder, whether you’re a Chrisitan or not. 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: For $5 per month, you can subscribe with Substack: https://stanrmitchell.substack.com/subscribe Also for $5 per month, you can also now sign up at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stanrmitchell Or you can send a tip of any amount through Venmo (@authorstanrmitchell): https://account.venmo.com/u/authorstanrmitchell or PayPal: https://paypal.me/StanRMitchell. This would be like throwing some money in a hat for a performer in a town square. 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. 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. Want to talk to me directly? Email me at the following address: stanrmitchell2012@gmail.com. I love hearing feedback, compliments, and even constructive criticism. 👊💓🙏 May God bless you, Stan R. Mitchell P.S. Don’t forget that I've also written twelve fast, exciting books. #mil #podcast #military #ukraine #china #russia #RussiaUkraineWar #motivation #inspiration #Bi
