1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:02,920 Speaker 1: Last week we talked to Rebecca Koffler, just getting some 2 00:00:03,000 --> 00:00:07,040 Speaker 1: background on both Putin and Zelenski, also getting some background 3 00:00:07,120 --> 00:00:11,440 Speaker 1: on the history between Russia and Ukraine, why Pune decided 4 00:00:11,480 --> 00:00:14,120 Speaker 1: to invade when he did, why he did not do 5 00:00:14,160 --> 00:00:16,840 Speaker 1: it under Trump, why he waited to do it under Biden, 6 00:00:17,040 --> 00:00:19,880 Speaker 1: and also what his endgame is, what does he ultimately 7 00:00:19,880 --> 00:00:22,680 Speaker 1: want from all of this. So that was the last episode. 8 00:00:22,840 --> 00:00:24,920 Speaker 1: In this episode, we're going to talk to Rebecca about 9 00:00:24,920 --> 00:00:27,400 Speaker 1: where this is heading, how close to a world war 10 00:00:27,560 --> 00:00:30,520 Speaker 1: are we right now, what are her biggest concerns. We'll 11 00:00:30,560 --> 00:00:33,000 Speaker 1: also get into China a little bit sure reveal something 12 00:00:33,040 --> 00:00:36,600 Speaker 1: that honestly blew my mind. I think it will yours 13 00:00:36,600 --> 00:00:40,440 Speaker 1: as well, and we'll discuss about this deepening relationship between 14 00:00:40,520 --> 00:00:43,000 Speaker 1: Russia and China and what it means for our country 15 00:00:43,320 --> 00:00:46,720 Speaker 1: and our future moving forward again. Rebecca Koffler is the 16 00:00:46,800 --> 00:00:51,160 Speaker 1: author of Pune's Playbook. She's also a strategic military intelligence 17 00:00:51,200 --> 00:00:56,040 Speaker 1: analyst who served as a Russian doctrine and strategy specialist 18 00:00:56,280 --> 00:00:59,040 Speaker 1: and the Defense intelligence agencies. So this is someone who 19 00:00:59,040 --> 00:01:02,360 Speaker 1: has studied Russia throughout her career. This is what she knows. 20 00:01:02,680 --> 00:01:05,360 Speaker 1: I hope you enjoy the second part with Rebecca Koffler. 21 00:01:10,560 --> 00:01:14,240 Speaker 1: There were reports that we blew up the north Stream pipelines, 22 00:01:14,400 --> 00:01:18,279 Speaker 1: not Russia. Do you think that's accurate? No, I don't 23 00:01:18,480 --> 00:01:23,240 Speaker 1: that one. I disagree. So in fact, I wrote a 24 00:01:23,400 --> 00:01:29,319 Speaker 1: piece which is basically my unclassified intelligence analysis on the 25 00:01:29,360 --> 00:01:34,680 Speaker 1: Fox News website, Top five reasons why Russia is behind 26 00:01:34,800 --> 00:01:42,440 Speaker 1: the North Stream explosion. Just a couple of points on that, 27 00:01:42,959 --> 00:01:50,000 Speaker 1: as it's consistent with Russian doctrine of strategic operation to 28 00:01:50,280 --> 00:01:55,680 Speaker 1: defeat critical infrastructure of the adversary. The Russians had and 29 00:01:55,840 --> 00:02:03,160 Speaker 1: Putin had the motivation to do it. The pipelines neither 30 00:02:03,960 --> 00:02:08,600 Speaker 1: nor Stream one, neither nor nor Stream two were operational. 31 00:02:08,720 --> 00:02:12,680 Speaker 1: They were not revenue producing at the time, right because 32 00:02:12,720 --> 00:02:16,760 Speaker 1: the Russians refused to repair nor Stream one, claiming that 33 00:02:16,880 --> 00:02:21,280 Speaker 1: sanctions are preventing them from getting necessary parts. Nor Stream 34 00:02:21,320 --> 00:02:26,919 Speaker 1: two was never authorized, and so in their doctrial documents 35 00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:33,280 Speaker 1: they actually explored similar types of operations. So I wrote 36 00:02:33,280 --> 00:02:37,120 Speaker 1: it all out. Anybody couldn't look it up. With regard 37 00:02:37,200 --> 00:02:41,200 Speaker 1: to us, you know, the United States, yes, we do 38 00:02:41,360 --> 00:02:44,280 Speaker 1: have where one of very few countries that have the 39 00:02:44,320 --> 00:02:47,880 Speaker 1: capability to do it, to do it covertly the way 40 00:02:47,960 --> 00:02:51,080 Speaker 1: that it was done. But it's just not how we 41 00:02:51,160 --> 00:02:56,000 Speaker 1: do business at least in this particular Yes, we do, 42 00:02:56,040 --> 00:02:58,920 Speaker 1: you know, all sorts of operations, but in this particular scenario, 43 00:02:59,600 --> 00:03:04,280 Speaker 1: this would of been a covert operation, which requires the 44 00:03:04,360 --> 00:03:08,840 Speaker 1: authorization of the president. And look at you know, Joe 45 00:03:08,840 --> 00:03:12,880 Speaker 1: Biden was effectively paralyzed when he had to make the 46 00:03:13,040 --> 00:03:17,600 Speaker 1: decision about shooting down the Chinese spy balloon. Can you 47 00:03:17,680 --> 00:03:23,639 Speaker 1: imagine him actually authorizing the intelligence operation of that scale. 48 00:03:23,919 --> 00:03:31,680 Speaker 1: And also the operation had a very dramatic environmental consequences, 49 00:03:32,040 --> 00:03:34,880 Speaker 1: and we just don't do business that way, Lisa, so 50 00:03:35,240 --> 00:03:38,920 Speaker 1: that is not accurate. My assessment is that Russia is 51 00:03:38,960 --> 00:03:42,280 Speaker 1: behind the nord Stream explosions. Interesting, you know, Joe Biden 52 00:03:42,360 --> 00:03:45,680 Speaker 1: obviously had said that if Russia invades Ukraine that he 53 00:03:45,720 --> 00:03:48,400 Speaker 1: would add nord Stream too, and then blinkln you know, 54 00:03:48,600 --> 00:03:51,960 Speaker 1: essentially celebrated the destruction of the pipeline. So it just 55 00:03:52,000 --> 00:03:54,920 Speaker 1: sort of, you know, raises suspicions with even the things 56 00:03:54,920 --> 00:03:58,840 Speaker 1: they've said publicly. Sure, no, I understand why, and the 57 00:03:58,920 --> 00:04:04,920 Speaker 1: Russians definitely play up that narrative. Um, but I think 58 00:04:05,680 --> 00:04:09,360 Speaker 1: Joe Biden probably regrets what he said. I believe what 59 00:04:09,480 --> 00:04:14,120 Speaker 1: he meant was non kinetic ways of eliminating you know, 60 00:04:14,200 --> 00:04:18,760 Speaker 1: the nord Stream, which which he did in a sense 61 00:04:19,080 --> 00:04:26,080 Speaker 1: by having the Germans refused to to certify it, so 62 00:04:26,160 --> 00:04:30,320 Speaker 1: it's not operational. So the result is the same, right, 63 00:04:30,520 --> 00:04:35,719 Speaker 1: But I don't think President By meant kinetic strike on 64 00:04:35,960 --> 00:04:38,760 Speaker 1: nord Stream and elimination of it that way. But I 65 00:04:38,800 --> 00:04:41,680 Speaker 1: can see how people, you know, would come to that conclusion. 66 00:04:41,839 --> 00:04:44,000 Speaker 1: You had said something earlier about so you think that 67 00:04:44,120 --> 00:04:47,599 Speaker 1: COVID was not an accidental lablake. It was part of 68 00:04:47,640 --> 00:04:52,279 Speaker 1: an attentional plan by China. Yes, I do, I do. 69 00:04:53,080 --> 00:05:01,680 Speaker 1: China has adoptrine of unrestricted warfare. Under that doctrine, there 70 00:05:01,720 --> 00:05:07,800 Speaker 1: has several types of weapons that China m considers soft 71 00:05:08,120 --> 00:05:15,360 Speaker 1: weapons and biological you know, Cambio is under that bucket. 72 00:05:15,720 --> 00:05:22,680 Speaker 1: The Wuhan Institute has participated in those programs for years 73 00:05:22,880 --> 00:05:27,360 Speaker 1: and in fact, we were funding the gain of you know, 74 00:05:27,480 --> 00:05:34,120 Speaker 1: function research that doctor Fauci you know, denied and so 75 00:05:34,480 --> 00:05:39,160 Speaker 1: um it's going to be. Unfortunately, the intelligence community uh 76 00:05:39,440 --> 00:05:43,360 Speaker 1: did not have the guts to come out and you know, 77 00:05:43,640 --> 00:05:49,760 Speaker 1: call China on it, because you know, sometimes there's let's 78 00:05:49,800 --> 00:05:53,560 Speaker 1: just say not really inclusion, but sometimes the intelligence community, 79 00:05:53,720 --> 00:05:58,280 Speaker 1: especially the DNI, the Director of National Intelligence and its 80 00:05:58,400 --> 00:06:05,360 Speaker 1: National Intelligence Council, in producing their analytic assessments, they use 81 00:06:06,560 --> 00:06:10,600 Speaker 1: effectively the adversary. So they use some Chinese groups, and 82 00:06:11,440 --> 00:06:15,719 Speaker 1: so those Chinese you know, so called experts, they have 83 00:06:16,000 --> 00:06:21,160 Speaker 1: the ability to put pressure on, not really put pressure, 84 00:06:21,760 --> 00:06:24,599 Speaker 1: I mean, not be the right language, but to weigh 85 00:06:24,760 --> 00:06:28,560 Speaker 1: in right and give their analysis. And so there was 86 00:06:28,680 --> 00:06:34,200 Speaker 1: no political will to call out the Chinese program, and 87 00:06:34,760 --> 00:06:41,320 Speaker 1: in fact, the intelligence community concealed from the oversight agencies 88 00:06:42,040 --> 00:06:45,359 Speaker 1: Hipsie and Cissy, you know, the intelligence committees both within 89 00:06:45,440 --> 00:06:51,320 Speaker 1: Congress and the Senate, that m COVID nineteen was consistent 90 00:06:51,800 --> 00:06:59,080 Speaker 1: with China's biological warfare doctrine. But I think now that 91 00:06:59,360 --> 00:07:04,600 Speaker 1: some of the agencies did come out and said that 92 00:07:04,640 --> 00:07:09,600 Speaker 1: the origins of COVID is actually a lab week is 93 00:07:09,680 --> 00:07:16,520 Speaker 1: just a matter of time before they acknowledge that where 94 00:07:16,680 --> 00:07:20,880 Speaker 1: it's really coming from and how this whole thing fits 95 00:07:21,080 --> 00:07:27,679 Speaker 1: into China's understricted warfare concept, which is targeting the United States, 96 00:07:27,800 --> 00:07:31,040 Speaker 1: you know, the China's and perceived them certain number one 97 00:07:31,240 --> 00:07:34,560 Speaker 1: is US, and they don't conceal it, and they're developing 98 00:07:34,680 --> 00:07:41,200 Speaker 1: all kinds of new operational concepts, and in order to 99 00:07:41,680 --> 00:07:45,760 Speaker 1: defeat US without actually going to war with US is 100 00:07:45,840 --> 00:07:50,520 Speaker 1: to defeat us internally from the inside with all sorts 101 00:07:50,560 --> 00:07:53,680 Speaker 1: of things, you know, and and COVID being just one 102 00:07:53,720 --> 00:07:56,200 Speaker 1: of them. Well, and of course the concern there as 103 00:07:56,280 --> 00:07:59,640 Speaker 1: we've seen Russia and China grow closer under the Biden 104 00:07:59,680 --> 00:08:03,680 Speaker 1: minister station, both diplomatically economically, Russia and Iran have grown 105 00:08:03,720 --> 00:08:07,600 Speaker 1: closer as well. How concerned should we be about these 106 00:08:07,720 --> 00:08:12,040 Speaker 1: growing relationships and these dynamics that are unfolding. We should 107 00:08:12,160 --> 00:08:16,840 Speaker 1: be very concerned research for several reasons. The most immediate 108 00:08:16,960 --> 00:08:22,600 Speaker 1: reason is that Russia in China could challenge the United 109 00:08:22,680 --> 00:08:27,280 Speaker 1: States into a two theater war. Right what do I 110 00:08:27,320 --> 00:08:29,560 Speaker 1: mean by that? You know, right now we have a 111 00:08:29,600 --> 00:08:35,240 Speaker 1: war on the European continent between Russia and Ukraine that 112 00:08:35,480 --> 00:08:40,080 Speaker 1: is on the brink of spilling out potentially into broader 113 00:08:40,160 --> 00:08:45,079 Speaker 1: Europe in fresh who perceives that, you know, we stop 114 00:08:45,160 --> 00:08:50,720 Speaker 1: providing war planes to Ukraine so that you know is 115 00:08:50,840 --> 00:08:55,559 Speaker 1: on the that can come into play, and then China 116 00:08:55,920 --> 00:09:01,559 Speaker 1: can decide and in fact, she is already know contemplating 117 00:09:01,920 --> 00:09:06,320 Speaker 1: taking over Taiwan by military force instead of waiting to 118 00:09:06,360 --> 00:09:15,320 Speaker 1: integrate it economically, and so if they synchronize their operations, 119 00:09:16,440 --> 00:09:19,120 Speaker 1: it would put us really in a vine because we 120 00:09:19,200 --> 00:09:22,840 Speaker 1: have provided so much weaponry to Ukraine that we are 121 00:09:22,880 --> 00:09:28,439 Speaker 1: depleting our own weapons arsenal. The replacement times for some 122 00:09:28,520 --> 00:09:33,319 Speaker 1: of the weaponry is that five years for one hundred 123 00:09:33,320 --> 00:09:39,360 Speaker 1: and fifty five millimeter am a, seven years for javelins 124 00:09:39,400 --> 00:09:44,920 Speaker 1: in eighteen years, and wobbing eighteen years for stingers. And 125 00:09:44,960 --> 00:09:49,680 Speaker 1: so our assessment right now is that if we were 126 00:09:49,960 --> 00:09:55,160 Speaker 1: to come to Taiwan's rescue at this time, if China 127 00:09:55,280 --> 00:10:00,000 Speaker 1: were to attack, that we would run out of weapons 128 00:10:00,640 --> 00:10:03,520 Speaker 1: in a matter of one to two weeks because we 129 00:10:03,600 --> 00:10:08,960 Speaker 1: have depleted, you know, our covers, and so Russian China 130 00:10:09,240 --> 00:10:12,199 Speaker 1: know that, and so that's how they can challenge us 131 00:10:12,240 --> 00:10:17,800 Speaker 1: from the long range standpoint. It's also a huge strategic 132 00:10:17,880 --> 00:10:23,160 Speaker 1: threat Russia China cooperation because right now, you know, with 133 00:10:23,800 --> 00:10:27,800 Speaker 1: the US government using sanctions against Russia as a weapon, 134 00:10:28,320 --> 00:10:32,400 Speaker 1: Russia has turned to China right, and they're using a 135 00:10:32,440 --> 00:10:37,080 Speaker 1: lot of transactions now in China in Chinese yawn, and 136 00:10:38,160 --> 00:10:44,400 Speaker 1: they're also establishing an alternative to swift right and in 137 00:10:44,440 --> 00:10:51,000 Speaker 1: the long term both countries are planning to dedollarize their economy, 138 00:10:51,400 --> 00:10:57,760 Speaker 1: and so that is a roading US dominance, economic dominance. 139 00:10:58,960 --> 00:11:05,679 Speaker 1: We spend decades building this international financial architecture, right, and 140 00:11:06,520 --> 00:11:09,800 Speaker 1: so all of a sudden, with the stroke of a pen, 141 00:11:10,080 --> 00:11:17,479 Speaker 1: effectively President Biden has signed a verdict death sentence, eventual 142 00:11:17,640 --> 00:11:23,200 Speaker 1: death sentence to the Western financial architecture. And it's going 143 00:11:23,280 --> 00:11:27,920 Speaker 1: to be replaced because with the Chinese one. Because there 144 00:11:27,960 --> 00:11:31,320 Speaker 1: are other dictators in the world, like look at you know, 145 00:11:31,360 --> 00:11:36,720 Speaker 1: Saudi Arabia. They are not exactly observers of human rights, 146 00:11:36,760 --> 00:11:40,840 Speaker 1: and they're looking at what's going on with the sanctions regime, 147 00:11:40,960 --> 00:11:43,800 Speaker 1: and they don't want to put all their eggs in 148 00:11:44,040 --> 00:11:48,160 Speaker 1: the you know, in the US dollar asket, and they're 149 00:11:48,160 --> 00:11:52,199 Speaker 1: going to use that system, which effectively will replace US 150 00:11:52,320 --> 00:12:01,359 Speaker 1: dollar as the premier currency of international exchange and international reserves. 151 00:12:01,640 --> 00:12:08,439 Speaker 1: Quick break more in Russia and Ukraine. Are we still 152 00:12:08,520 --> 00:12:12,400 Speaker 1: the world's leading superpower or are those days over? I 153 00:12:12,440 --> 00:12:17,280 Speaker 1: believe we are. I mean the United States. And here's 154 00:12:17,760 --> 00:12:22,559 Speaker 1: why I say that we have. What's a superpower? Right? 155 00:12:23,280 --> 00:12:30,560 Speaker 1: You include a military aspect, economic aspect, and influence, geopolitical influence. 156 00:12:30,960 --> 00:12:36,600 Speaker 1: Right militarily with still the top dog in the world, 157 00:12:36,840 --> 00:12:43,040 Speaker 1: although Russia and China are considered to be near pea competitors. 158 00:12:43,120 --> 00:12:48,240 Speaker 1: This is the official language of the Pentagon. China is 159 00:12:48,679 --> 00:12:56,320 Speaker 1: increasingly developing a very unique weaponry include space weapons to 160 00:12:56,480 --> 00:13:03,559 Speaker 1: include hypersonics. It is also tripling it's nuclear arsenal by 161 00:13:03,600 --> 00:13:09,760 Speaker 1: twenty thirty five. The Russia is also modernizing it's nuclear 162 00:13:09,920 --> 00:13:13,400 Speaker 1: arsenal and has other, you know, space types of weapon 163 00:13:13,480 --> 00:13:18,319 Speaker 1: rates that you know they're planning to use if a 164 00:13:18,440 --> 00:13:23,559 Speaker 1: conflict were to break out between Russia and the US. So, 165 00:13:23,760 --> 00:13:27,160 Speaker 1: but we're still the top dog, but they're inching up. 166 00:13:27,200 --> 00:13:32,520 Speaker 1: Really in terms of economy, yes, we're still the top dog, 167 00:13:32,600 --> 00:13:37,280 Speaker 1: but we have thirty one trillion dollar dead and so 168 00:13:37,320 --> 00:13:44,080 Speaker 1: we're not using our money money effectively. But from geopolitical standpoint, 169 00:13:44,240 --> 00:13:50,120 Speaker 1: I think that's our weakest point, geopolitical influence, because as 170 00:13:50,120 --> 00:13:54,680 Speaker 1: you said earlier, nobody's afraid of us, you know anymore. 171 00:13:54,880 --> 00:13:59,880 Speaker 1: It's because we're not backing up our words with actions. 172 00:14:00,400 --> 00:14:05,400 Speaker 1: And we just have a president who's perceived to be 173 00:14:05,800 --> 00:14:10,400 Speaker 1: as weak based on not only on his kind of profile, 174 00:14:11,720 --> 00:14:16,920 Speaker 1: on his behavior, but on how he is unable to 175 00:14:16,960 --> 00:14:21,960 Speaker 1: handle crisis in the world. How significant was the bodged 176 00:14:22,000 --> 00:14:27,640 Speaker 1: withdrawal from Afghanistan and feeding those perceptions of weakness very significant. 177 00:14:27,920 --> 00:14:35,560 Speaker 1: It's emboldened Putin and it's emboldened see Jimpings. In terms 178 00:14:35,560 --> 00:14:42,080 Speaker 1: of Putin's decision calculus, he saw that we do not 179 00:14:42,360 --> 00:14:50,280 Speaker 1: have the stamina to basically come through on achieving our goals, 180 00:14:50,440 --> 00:14:56,200 Speaker 1: right and also we had unachievable goals that we were pursuing. 181 00:14:57,080 --> 00:15:01,400 Speaker 1: So that was from the sort of the the optics standpoint, 182 00:15:01,480 --> 00:15:07,160 Speaker 1: but then there was also practical standpoint. We gifted billions 183 00:15:07,160 --> 00:15:11,720 Speaker 1: of dollars worth of high tech, top secret weaponry to 184 00:15:12,040 --> 00:15:17,640 Speaker 1: Taliban effectively, and Putin uh is in negotiations with Taliban 185 00:15:17,760 --> 00:15:20,640 Speaker 1: to get his hands on some of those weaponries. So 186 00:15:20,760 --> 00:15:27,000 Speaker 1: that played in UM. That withdraw definitely, UM played into 187 00:15:27,200 --> 00:15:31,080 Speaker 1: his UM decision making, and in the same the same 188 00:15:31,160 --> 00:15:35,800 Speaker 1: for for China. So they know that we don't have 189 00:15:35,880 --> 00:15:39,920 Speaker 1: a clear, you know, strategy for victory that we keep 190 00:15:40,040 --> 00:15:48,120 Speaker 1: like expanding the scope when we go in into combat theater. Um, 191 00:15:48,200 --> 00:15:51,560 Speaker 1: we don't just you know, achieve the goal and get 192 00:15:51,600 --> 00:15:55,360 Speaker 1: out as we did you know in Afghanistan. Because remember 193 00:15:55,480 --> 00:16:00,160 Speaker 1: our you know, CIA and special forces, they did the 194 00:16:00,280 --> 00:16:02,480 Speaker 1: job pretty quickly, and that would have been you know, 195 00:16:02,640 --> 00:16:06,240 Speaker 1: in a matter of twelve to eighteen months, and that 196 00:16:06,280 --> 00:16:09,320 Speaker 1: would have been a good time to get out, but no, 197 00:16:09,760 --> 00:16:12,720 Speaker 1: we can't you know, doing it. And that's a good 198 00:16:12,760 --> 00:16:17,880 Speaker 1: way the Russians in the Chinese think to exhaust our 199 00:16:18,520 --> 00:16:23,080 Speaker 1: weapons arsenal and that erode our combat readiness. And in fact, 200 00:16:23,160 --> 00:16:26,360 Speaker 1: that's what China is planning to do. That the balloons 201 00:16:26,400 --> 00:16:28,760 Speaker 1: they just demonstrate it wasn't a balloon, it was also 202 00:16:28,800 --> 00:16:35,880 Speaker 1: a concept of operation. We used a four hundred thousand 203 00:16:36,160 --> 00:16:42,800 Speaker 1: dollars worth of missile missile to shoot down a cheap, 204 00:16:43,640 --> 00:16:47,520 Speaker 1: you know, relatively cheap that is balloon. And if if 205 00:16:47,560 --> 00:16:51,320 Speaker 1: the Chinese sent twenty or one hundred of those in 206 00:16:51,360 --> 00:16:54,360 Speaker 1: the run up to the conflict, that's how they exhaust 207 00:16:54,520 --> 00:16:59,640 Speaker 1: our missile arsenal. That's how they tie up our intelligence 208 00:16:59,720 --> 00:17:03,320 Speaker 1: risk this because we would be just really stretched. And 209 00:17:03,600 --> 00:17:09,000 Speaker 1: how do you identify you know, those payloads and you know, 210 00:17:09,119 --> 00:17:11,639 Speaker 1: all those things we can talk about later if you 211 00:17:11,720 --> 00:17:17,760 Speaker 1: need to, but there's these answers are constantly monitoring what 212 00:17:17,800 --> 00:17:20,520 Speaker 1: we do, how we do it, why we do it, 213 00:17:21,000 --> 00:17:24,480 Speaker 1: and how long it takes us to make those decisions 214 00:17:24,480 --> 00:17:28,399 Speaker 1: on who's in charge that's making those decisions. How close 215 00:17:28,440 --> 00:17:31,560 Speaker 1: to a world war are we right now? Well, it depends, 216 00:17:31,600 --> 00:17:36,240 Speaker 1: It depends on it depends on the actions of the 217 00:17:36,400 --> 00:17:44,520 Speaker 1: Vitan administration and um Putin and she jumping three people, 218 00:17:45,600 --> 00:17:52,480 Speaker 1: while actually Zelensky as well. Unfortunately we outsourced our decision 219 00:17:52,560 --> 00:17:57,720 Speaker 1: making on strategic matters of strategic importance to Zelenski at 220 00:17:57,720 --> 00:18:01,200 Speaker 1: this point because we're letting him call the shots no matter. 221 00:18:01,640 --> 00:18:06,400 Speaker 1: You know that we're funneling all the money to him. 222 00:18:06,520 --> 00:18:10,360 Speaker 1: We're basically saying he has the right to to dictate 223 00:18:10,400 --> 00:18:14,439 Speaker 1: the terms of discourse, whether he's gonna negotiate with Russia 224 00:18:14,560 --> 00:18:19,040 Speaker 1: or not, what the victory is. But bottom line, if so, 225 00:18:19,520 --> 00:18:25,800 Speaker 1: the nuclear card could be played by Putin, if he's 226 00:18:25,960 --> 00:18:32,160 Speaker 1: the intelligence assessment. If Putin and his intelligence services determined 227 00:18:32,720 --> 00:18:37,720 Speaker 1: that the United States is about to deploy forces into 228 00:18:37,760 --> 00:18:41,560 Speaker 1: the theater or take other actions that would dramatically flip 229 00:18:41,640 --> 00:18:48,680 Speaker 1: the battlefield in Ukraine's favor, then you could detonate a 230 00:18:48,880 --> 00:18:53,359 Speaker 1: tactical nuclear warhead in the theater and that could cause 231 00:18:53,680 --> 00:19:00,400 Speaker 1: a World War three. It's because we have satellites stems 232 00:19:00,560 --> 00:19:06,879 Speaker 1: all over the world tracking nuclear deat nation right, we 233 00:19:06,960 --> 00:19:11,200 Speaker 1: have census on our GPS. Not many people know that, 234 00:19:12,280 --> 00:19:16,800 Speaker 1: but we have nuclear sensus all all over and it's 235 00:19:16,840 --> 00:19:20,560 Speaker 1: not just US. Ours is the most extensive, but obviously 236 00:19:20,800 --> 00:19:27,680 Speaker 1: every country that possesses nuclear weapons has those and once 237 00:19:27,760 --> 00:19:31,360 Speaker 1: a nuclear strike is detected, nobody really knows, you know, 238 00:19:32,080 --> 00:19:38,440 Speaker 1: how this is going to progress, because countries will react 239 00:19:38,760 --> 00:19:42,800 Speaker 1: to this, because there's a lot of uncertainty in this conflict. 240 00:19:42,880 --> 00:19:47,800 Speaker 1: And back in the intelligence community, we war gamed a 241 00:19:47,840 --> 00:19:51,680 Speaker 1: lot of these things, specifically, you know, conflict with between 242 00:19:52,160 --> 00:19:55,320 Speaker 1: Russia and the United States, you know that would grow 243 00:19:55,359 --> 00:19:59,360 Speaker 1: out of similar scenario that we're in right now with Ukraine. 244 00:19:59,560 --> 00:20:04,560 Speaker 1: Wee related conflict was China, and a lot what where 245 00:20:04,640 --> 00:20:09,440 Speaker 1: we are now is firmly on the escalation ladder and 246 00:20:09,960 --> 00:20:14,040 Speaker 1: every single time it ended up, you know, during war gaming, 247 00:20:14,160 --> 00:20:18,560 Speaker 1: either in a nuclear armageddon or cyber space armageddon. And 248 00:20:18,640 --> 00:20:25,119 Speaker 1: so so yes, I don't rule out the possibility of 249 00:20:25,840 --> 00:20:29,480 Speaker 1: looking at what is happening right now. And it seems 250 00:20:29,560 --> 00:20:35,600 Speaker 1: like none of these characters, you know, Biden regime, putin regimes, 251 00:20:35,800 --> 00:20:42,159 Speaker 1: the Landskishi, they are not anywhere close to like sitting 252 00:20:42,240 --> 00:20:47,600 Speaker 1: down and talking about de escalation. Biden has no exit 253 00:20:47,680 --> 00:20:52,119 Speaker 1: strategy out of Ukraine. In fact, we're climbing, you know, 254 00:20:52,280 --> 00:20:55,879 Speaker 1: high and high up the tree, and so the higher 255 00:20:55,920 --> 00:20:58,919 Speaker 1: we climb up, the more difficult you know, it's going 256 00:20:58,960 --> 00:21:04,199 Speaker 1: to climb climb down. So it's I see no cooler heads, 257 00:21:04,320 --> 00:21:08,399 Speaker 1: you know, prevailing right now. And that's the time again 258 00:21:08,560 --> 00:21:11,920 Speaker 1: for people to really wake up and start putting pressure 259 00:21:12,080 --> 00:21:16,800 Speaker 1: on our officials to start thinking rationally instead of like 260 00:21:17,200 --> 00:21:20,880 Speaker 1: having all this wishful thinking. You know, let's let Ukraine win. Well, 261 00:21:20,960 --> 00:21:24,600 Speaker 1: what does that mean, Ukraine win, Let's defeat Russia? Well, really, 262 00:21:25,080 --> 00:21:26,840 Speaker 1: you think Putin is just going to sit and wait 263 00:21:26,960 --> 00:21:31,879 Speaker 1: until he's defeated. Let's just you know, all get you know, 264 00:21:32,119 --> 00:21:35,480 Speaker 1: dose of reality and start thinking about things in a 265 00:21:35,680 --> 00:21:38,120 Speaker 1: in a smart way. Rebecca, if I asked you every 266 00:21:38,200 --> 00:21:40,320 Speaker 1: question I had would be talking for like three or 267 00:21:40,359 --> 00:21:44,840 Speaker 1: four hours. Yeah, I wanted to make sure we get 268 00:21:44,880 --> 00:21:48,040 Speaker 1: this in before we go. Your book, Putin's Playbook, people 269 00:21:48,119 --> 00:21:50,440 Speaker 1: can you know find out a lot of what we 270 00:21:50,560 --> 00:21:53,680 Speaker 1: discussed here, but a lot more as well. But there 271 00:21:53,760 --> 00:21:55,880 Speaker 1: is an effort to try to shut your book down 272 00:21:56,240 --> 00:21:58,680 Speaker 1: by the government. Talk about what people can get from 273 00:21:58,720 --> 00:22:01,560 Speaker 1: your book and then also why there is an effort 274 00:22:01,760 --> 00:22:03,879 Speaker 1: to try to shut it down. Sure, in my book, 275 00:22:03,960 --> 00:22:08,240 Speaker 1: I predicted this comes, like you know, Russian's invasion of Ukraine. 276 00:22:08,400 --> 00:22:12,480 Speaker 1: But I also laid out, at the unclassified level of 277 00:22:12,840 --> 00:22:18,080 Speaker 1: Putin's entire strategy. You know, what his goals are, how 278 00:22:18,200 --> 00:22:22,920 Speaker 1: he's planning to achieve them. UM. And there's several instruments 279 00:22:23,280 --> 00:22:27,320 Speaker 1: you know, to Russian you know, statecraft. It's not just nuclear, 280 00:22:27,359 --> 00:22:32,879 Speaker 1: it's not just uh military, but there's also like UM 281 00:22:33,440 --> 00:22:41,040 Speaker 1: star wars strategy, cyber weapons strategy, how he infiltrates UM 282 00:22:41,840 --> 00:22:46,200 Speaker 1: spies into the United States to try to destabilize the 283 00:22:46,320 --> 00:22:51,960 Speaker 1: country from the from the inside. It talks about you know, 284 00:22:52,080 --> 00:22:56,000 Speaker 1: what happened in twenty sixteen, and the role of the 285 00:22:56,160 --> 00:22:59,920 Speaker 1: Russians as well as the role of the corrupt intel 286 00:23:00,000 --> 00:23:04,800 Speaker 1: eligence officials. UM. So all of that is laid out, 287 00:23:05,200 --> 00:23:10,520 Speaker 1: so every question is answered about Putin's mindset and Russia 288 00:23:10,560 --> 00:23:13,560 Speaker 1: and how the Russians think, and why Russia can never 289 00:23:13,720 --> 00:23:18,800 Speaker 1: be America's friend US. As a former intelligence officer, I 290 00:23:18,880 --> 00:23:23,000 Speaker 1: had to submit my manuscript to my former agency, the 291 00:23:23,520 --> 00:23:27,520 Speaker 1: Intelligence Agency, and UM it had to be reviewed by 292 00:23:27,600 --> 00:23:30,640 Speaker 1: both them and the CIA because I did some work 293 00:23:30,720 --> 00:23:36,200 Speaker 1: for the National Clandestine Service as well, and so they 294 00:23:36,440 --> 00:23:41,840 Speaker 1: reviewed it, and they dragged down the review process. And 295 00:23:42,000 --> 00:23:45,920 Speaker 1: also they claimed that there was classified information. There was 296 00:23:46,040 --> 00:23:49,080 Speaker 1: no class right information in my book, because you know, 297 00:23:49,320 --> 00:23:52,680 Speaker 1: I know, I'm not a full right I would have 298 00:23:52,800 --> 00:23:57,200 Speaker 1: been in jail already if that were some but they 299 00:23:57,840 --> 00:24:03,840 Speaker 1: deemed classified such silly things. And is my personal opinion 300 00:24:04,000 --> 00:24:09,040 Speaker 1: that CIA's cafeteria was better than das And in fact, 301 00:24:09,119 --> 00:24:13,480 Speaker 1: I wrote a piece about that called top Secret Vietnamese 302 00:24:13,640 --> 00:24:18,960 Speaker 1: Soup or top secret Soup in town Hall, right, so 303 00:24:19,480 --> 00:24:22,159 Speaker 1: he talks about that. But the real reason why they 304 00:24:22,320 --> 00:24:25,440 Speaker 1: tried to silence me is because in my book I 305 00:24:26,000 --> 00:24:32,600 Speaker 1: exposed incompetence of the intelligence community about Russia, about Putin, 306 00:24:33,200 --> 00:24:36,119 Speaker 1: you know, and how they bungled the Russia threat because 307 00:24:36,160 --> 00:24:40,359 Speaker 1: they diverted resources on the non existent you know, Trump 308 00:24:40,520 --> 00:24:47,680 Speaker 1: Russia collusion instead of actually tracking Russia's military modernization and 309 00:24:47,840 --> 00:24:52,720 Speaker 1: Putin's plans and doctrine. And the Obama administration. Remember at 310 00:24:52,800 --> 00:24:57,240 Speaker 1: the time when she was criticizing Senator Romney who said 311 00:24:57,280 --> 00:25:02,080 Speaker 1: that Russia was the biggest jubil to go threat. Obama 312 00:25:02,240 --> 00:25:07,320 Speaker 1: was pursuing the wishful thinking reset policy with Russia. He 313 00:25:07,520 --> 00:25:10,800 Speaker 1: was very aware of the threat, right, and yet he 314 00:25:10,920 --> 00:25:14,320 Speaker 1: didn't bother to develop a counter strategy. And now we're 315 00:25:14,359 --> 00:25:17,359 Speaker 1: trying to come up with some magic bullet, you know, Um, 316 00:25:17,720 --> 00:25:21,159 Speaker 1: how can we defeat Putin? Um? And so these are 317 00:25:21,240 --> 00:25:26,200 Speaker 1: the reasons why the intelligence community trying to silence my 318 00:25:26,440 --> 00:25:31,800 Speaker 1: book because they don't want their incompetence exposed. Um. So 319 00:25:32,040 --> 00:25:36,040 Speaker 1: that's why you will see some of these black blackouts. UM. 320 00:25:36,400 --> 00:25:39,560 Speaker 1: But that that's the truth. That's just what they do. 321 00:25:40,040 --> 00:25:45,720 Speaker 1: You know. They use legitimate processes, they weaponize them against 322 00:25:45,920 --> 00:25:49,440 Speaker 1: those with whom you know, who try to uh to 323 00:25:49,840 --> 00:25:53,600 Speaker 1: to sort of to blow the whistle on their lack 324 00:25:53,680 --> 00:25:58,800 Speaker 1: of competence and lack of strategy to protect Americans from 325 00:25:58,880 --> 00:26:01,879 Speaker 1: foreign threats. All right, well, Rebecca, you know, and I 326 00:26:01,960 --> 00:26:05,119 Speaker 1: believe the Ukrainian people are fighting for their freedom. I 327 00:26:05,200 --> 00:26:08,680 Speaker 1: just I don't trust Zelenski's intention and if he's you know, 328 00:26:08,760 --> 00:26:11,560 Speaker 1: telling this truth. But Rebecca Koffler, this has been a 329 00:26:11,600 --> 00:26:15,359 Speaker 1: fascinating conversation. I really appreciate your time. I've taken up 330 00:26:15,359 --> 00:26:17,280 Speaker 1: a lot of it. I'm sorry, I just had so 331 00:26:17,359 --> 00:26:20,560 Speaker 1: many questions for you. I so appreciate your time. And 332 00:26:20,640 --> 00:26:24,560 Speaker 1: everyone go check out Putin's playbook. Rebecca's book. Of course, 333 00:26:24,720 --> 00:26:27,080 Speaker 1: thank you very much for having me. It's an honor 334 00:26:27,119 --> 00:26:30,320 Speaker 1: to be here with you and got in your listeners, 335 00:26:30,520 --> 00:26:38,360 Speaker 1: and I hope you guys learned a lot. I hope 336 00:26:38,359 --> 00:26:41,720 Speaker 1: you enjoyed that interview with Rebecca Koffler again, she's out 337 00:26:41,720 --> 00:26:44,359 Speaker 1: with a new book, Putin's Playbook. It's hard to get 338 00:26:44,400 --> 00:26:46,800 Speaker 1: to the truth with all of this, but I think 339 00:26:46,840 --> 00:26:50,400 Speaker 1: it's important to just bring different perspectives, talk to different people. 340 00:26:50,520 --> 00:26:53,080 Speaker 1: You know, we've talked to Mike Pompeo talking to someone 341 00:26:53,160 --> 00:26:55,440 Speaker 1: like Rebecca Koffler, who obviously has a different point of 342 00:26:55,480 --> 00:26:57,679 Speaker 1: view and all of this, but also someone who has 343 00:26:57,680 --> 00:27:00,879 Speaker 1: studied this, who studied Russia, who was Putin. She knows 344 00:27:00,920 --> 00:27:03,960 Speaker 1: what she's talking about. So in all of this, you 345 00:27:04,080 --> 00:27:06,880 Speaker 1: figure out what you believe and will continue to work 346 00:27:06,920 --> 00:27:09,320 Speaker 1: to try to get to the truth on these issues 347 00:27:09,359 --> 00:27:11,680 Speaker 1: and so much more on the truth with Lisa Booth 348 00:27:11,960 --> 00:27:14,000 Speaker 1: and I hope you listen every Monday and Thursday, but 349 00:27:14,040 --> 00:27:16,040 Speaker 1: you can listen throughout the week. Also, feel free to 350 00:27:16,119 --> 00:27:18,320 Speaker 1: leave us a review on Apple podcasts. I love looking 351 00:27:18,359 --> 00:27:21,080 Speaker 1: at those, looking at the ratings as well saying what 352 00:27:21,200 --> 00:27:23,439 Speaker 1: you have to say. I want to thank John Castle 353 00:27:23,480 --> 00:27:26,080 Speaker 1: and my producer for putting this together Until next time.