1 00:00:15,920 --> 00:00:20,439 Speaker 1: Lute force. If it doesn't work, you're just not using enough. 2 00:00:21,120 --> 00:00:26,320 Speaker 1: You're listening to Software Radio Special Operations Military mails on 3 00:00:26,560 --> 00:00:29,520 Speaker 1: straight Talk with the guys in the community. 4 00:00:36,240 --> 00:00:39,280 Speaker 2: Hi, Welcome to the episode of soft Rep Radio. I 5 00:00:39,320 --> 00:00:42,520 Speaker 2: am your host, Rad and I have a very special guest. 6 00:00:42,880 --> 00:00:47,680 Speaker 2: I have former Brigadier General, author of Total Empire, Anthony 7 00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:51,720 Speaker 2: Jay Tata. And Anthony has been more than just an author, 8 00:00:51,800 --> 00:00:53,760 Speaker 2: more than just a brigadier you know, he's. 9 00:00:53,600 --> 00:00:54,520 Speaker 3: A US citizen. 10 00:00:54,680 --> 00:00:57,440 Speaker 2: He helped put the flag over our head at night, 11 00:00:57,600 --> 00:01:01,200 Speaker 2: and you know, he's worked in politics, and it's got 12 00:01:01,280 --> 00:01:04,440 Speaker 2: to be a very difficult place to be when you're 13 00:01:04,760 --> 00:01:08,399 Speaker 2: trying to become an officer and moving a career where 14 00:01:08,520 --> 00:01:12,360 Speaker 2: there's politics involved heavily. You know, the name tape says 15 00:01:12,480 --> 00:01:16,040 Speaker 2: US Military, you know, US Coast Guard, US Army. 16 00:01:16,480 --> 00:01:17,319 Speaker 3: Welcome to the show. 17 00:01:17,560 --> 00:01:20,200 Speaker 2: And once you hear that, how do you keeping it 18 00:01:20,319 --> 00:01:23,360 Speaker 2: real in the military? It's day's climate. 19 00:01:24,200 --> 00:01:26,760 Speaker 4: Yeah, so, RN, thanks so much for having me on. 20 00:01:26,959 --> 00:01:30,200 Speaker 5: And I'll tell you, you know, anytime that I'm introduced 21 00:01:30,280 --> 00:01:34,000 Speaker 5: with PI Accolades, I never believe my own press releases. 22 00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:35,720 Speaker 4: I'll just tell you a real quick story. 23 00:01:36,360 --> 00:01:39,040 Speaker 5: We were in Afghanistan, I was a deputy command in 24 00:01:39,120 --> 00:01:43,680 Speaker 5: general there. My special operations colonel asked me to fly 25 00:01:43,800 --> 00:01:47,080 Speaker 5: down with him to combat area. We spent the day 26 00:01:47,160 --> 00:01:50,160 Speaker 5: down there after, you know, tending to are wounded. And 27 00:01:50,240 --> 00:01:53,680 Speaker 5: on the way out, we're standing in a poppy field 28 00:01:53,760 --> 00:01:57,640 Speaker 5: about chest hie and poppy and it's me the Special 29 00:01:57,720 --> 00:02:01,680 Speaker 5: Forces colonel, his radio operator and my radio operator. And 30 00:02:02,080 --> 00:02:05,000 Speaker 5: his radio operator turns to him. We're waiting on the 31 00:02:05,040 --> 00:02:08,480 Speaker 5: helicopter to come in and says, hey, sir, we've got 32 00:02:08,480 --> 00:02:12,480 Speaker 5: a intercept that the Taliban is across the river in 33 00:02:12,560 --> 00:02:16,480 Speaker 5: Hellman Province, and they have a sniper with instructions to 34 00:02:16,520 --> 00:02:19,880 Speaker 5: shoot the one without the rifle. And I look at 35 00:02:20,160 --> 00:02:24,240 Speaker 5: then Colonel Reader. He's got his rifle strapped across his chest. 36 00:02:24,880 --> 00:02:27,360 Speaker 5: I look at his radio guy, he's got his rifle. 37 00:02:27,919 --> 00:02:29,639 Speaker 5: Look at my guy, he's got his rifle. And I 38 00:02:29,680 --> 00:02:31,960 Speaker 5: always carried a rifle, and we had been in such 39 00:02:31,960 --> 00:02:33,200 Speaker 5: a hurry I didn't have him. 40 00:02:33,200 --> 00:02:34,920 Speaker 4: I had my pistol, but not my rifle. 41 00:02:35,320 --> 00:02:39,440 Speaker 5: Colonel Reader retired now Major General Reader looked at me, 42 00:02:39,520 --> 00:02:42,880 Speaker 5: spit some tobacco juice into the end of the poppies 43 00:02:42,880 --> 00:02:45,760 Speaker 5: and smiled and says, sir, it looks like you're about 44 00:02:45,760 --> 00:02:48,400 Speaker 5: to have a bad day. I said, colonel, consider this 45 00:02:48,480 --> 00:02:50,720 Speaker 5: a direct order and give me that rifle. What he 46 00:02:50,760 --> 00:02:54,960 Speaker 5: did not do. It was a jokey moment though. We 47 00:02:55,040 --> 00:02:58,880 Speaker 5: kind of kept moving around. So the sniper, you know, 48 00:02:58,960 --> 00:03:01,400 Speaker 5: if he shot, he did and hit anybody, that's for sure. 49 00:03:01,680 --> 00:03:03,840 Speaker 5: Helicopter comes in and we get out of They're just fine. 50 00:03:04,080 --> 00:03:06,960 Speaker 5: So the point many don't make too much of your rank, 51 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:09,600 Speaker 5: don't make too much of your you know, but prior 52 00:03:09,720 --> 00:03:13,680 Speaker 5: bona fide is, you know, you live today and treat 53 00:03:13,720 --> 00:03:16,160 Speaker 5: everybody kindly and move out and draw a fire. 54 00:03:16,600 --> 00:03:18,519 Speaker 2: You know, I think that being your radio man would 55 00:03:18,520 --> 00:03:19,960 Speaker 2: have been a pretty cool gig. 56 00:03:20,240 --> 00:03:23,280 Speaker 4: Huh, all right, right exactly exactly? 57 00:03:23,520 --> 00:03:25,400 Speaker 2: You know, did you guys have a pretty good intuition 58 00:03:25,440 --> 00:03:27,800 Speaker 2: you and your radio man was a regular individual that 59 00:03:27,840 --> 00:03:29,799 Speaker 2: was always with you, trusted, I have to imagine, you. 60 00:03:29,720 --> 00:03:33,920 Speaker 5: Know, Yeah, yeah, I had a security. 61 00:03:33,400 --> 00:03:35,760 Speaker 4: Team, a radio guy and Amy Camp and. 62 00:03:36,040 --> 00:03:38,120 Speaker 5: Yeah, it takes four or five people to kind of 63 00:03:38,160 --> 00:03:40,120 Speaker 5: manage in general, to make sure he doesn't get in 64 00:03:40,120 --> 00:03:41,640 Speaker 5: too much trouble, you know. 65 00:03:41,720 --> 00:03:45,440 Speaker 2: Norman Swartzkoff said, why was she just put stars all 66 00:03:45,480 --> 00:03:47,920 Speaker 2: over my vehicle and let him know where I'm at, 67 00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:51,360 Speaker 2: because you got so many damn antennas on it, right. 68 00:03:51,160 --> 00:03:54,360 Speaker 3: Exactly exactly like exactly, you know, the one. 69 00:03:54,200 --> 00:03:56,520 Speaker 2: Without the gun, the one with all the security. It's like, 70 00:03:56,600 --> 00:03:59,360 Speaker 2: you know, you're trying to like not wear anything shiny. 71 00:03:59,520 --> 00:04:02,880 Speaker 2: It's all subdued rank if at all, you know, But 72 00:04:03,800 --> 00:04:05,680 Speaker 2: posse with you, bro, how do you go around when 73 00:04:05,720 --> 00:04:08,520 Speaker 2: you're surrounded like that? Is that is that that's challenging 74 00:04:08,560 --> 00:04:10,000 Speaker 2: in its ownself. You have to have like you know, 75 00:04:10,200 --> 00:04:12,720 Speaker 2: I mean I ed alleys the whole nine yards. I mean, 76 00:04:12,760 --> 00:04:16,280 Speaker 2: you're the head of something special for us, you know, 77 00:04:16,360 --> 00:04:17,880 Speaker 2: and it's the people of the region. 78 00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:21,240 Speaker 3: So I mean, how'd that go down? Yeah? 79 00:04:21,279 --> 00:04:23,280 Speaker 5: So you know, I mean I went through a couple 80 00:04:23,360 --> 00:04:27,720 Speaker 5: ied alleys and thankfully the IDs went off behind my vehicle. 81 00:04:27,839 --> 00:04:31,440 Speaker 5: The technology work and as we maneuver around, because you do. 82 00:04:32,160 --> 00:04:35,040 Speaker 5: I mean, the risks that a flag officer or senior 83 00:04:35,080 --> 00:04:38,760 Speaker 5: military officer faces is not of the same risks that 84 00:04:38,839 --> 00:04:41,040 Speaker 5: a troop in the trench line and duking it. 85 00:04:41,040 --> 00:04:42,440 Speaker 4: Out every day faces. 86 00:04:42,680 --> 00:04:45,960 Speaker 5: I mean, those those guys and gals face a far 87 00:04:46,040 --> 00:04:48,760 Speaker 5: greater risk on a daily basis, and so on the 88 00:04:48,800 --> 00:04:51,840 Speaker 5: times that I would be out doing something. You know, 89 00:04:51,880 --> 00:04:54,360 Speaker 5: the I D that went off behind my vehicle. I 90 00:04:54,400 --> 00:04:58,000 Speaker 5: had just done a ribbon cutting in Afghanistan, meeting with 91 00:04:58,080 --> 00:05:00,599 Speaker 5: the governor. It was part of the that sort of 92 00:05:00,640 --> 00:05:03,680 Speaker 5: the political side of the job. And you're coming back 93 00:05:03,839 --> 00:05:07,279 Speaker 5: and everybody knew, Okay, well there he is. There's his 94 00:05:07,400 --> 00:05:09,880 Speaker 5: vehicle with all the antentas on it. I got one 95 00:05:09,920 --> 00:05:12,800 Speaker 5: in front of me, one behind me, and you know, 96 00:05:13,320 --> 00:05:15,240 Speaker 5: so they know, they know. And we had to go 97 00:05:15,240 --> 00:05:17,120 Speaker 5: through a t there was only one way out. 98 00:05:16,920 --> 00:05:19,120 Speaker 4: Of there, had to go through a traffic circle. 99 00:05:19,240 --> 00:05:22,080 Speaker 5: And you know, thankfully nobody was injured, right, But it's 100 00:05:22,120 --> 00:05:25,320 Speaker 5: the troops and the trenches slugging it out every day 101 00:05:25,560 --> 00:05:27,960 Speaker 5: that have the high risks that are carrying the weight 102 00:05:28,080 --> 00:05:29,120 Speaker 5: at the tip of the sphere. 103 00:05:29,520 --> 00:05:31,840 Speaker 2: The Marines is, from their understanding, is the tip of 104 00:05:31,839 --> 00:05:33,320 Speaker 2: the spirit. So we'll just leave them a shout out. 105 00:05:33,400 --> 00:05:35,760 Speaker 2: Leave it at that right there, Submarine Corps, right and 106 00:05:35,880 --> 00:05:37,320 Speaker 2: so you know, doing the job. 107 00:05:37,520 --> 00:05:38,760 Speaker 3: Army, I know you're out there. 108 00:05:39,000 --> 00:05:40,760 Speaker 2: In fact, I'm just going to shout out Coast Guard 109 00:05:40,760 --> 00:05:42,240 Speaker 2: because I know they went in with the Navy. So 110 00:05:42,320 --> 00:05:44,560 Speaker 2: you got Coast Guard that's deployed, you got all the 111 00:05:44,600 --> 00:05:48,159 Speaker 2: branches out there, right, National Guard reservist friend of mine. Right, 112 00:05:48,240 --> 00:05:51,480 Speaker 2: So he had a sign in the beginning of OEF 113 00:05:51,680 --> 00:05:53,960 Speaker 2: operation during Freedom one or two when he was first 114 00:05:53,960 --> 00:05:56,719 Speaker 2: sent over with the Utah Guard, and it said one 115 00:05:56,720 --> 00:05:58,440 Speaker 2: week in a month, my ass. And he had it 116 00:05:58,480 --> 00:06:01,560 Speaker 2: in the window of this like it, you know, the 117 00:06:01,640 --> 00:06:04,880 Speaker 2: flat faced troop transports back then, the tan Ones, and 118 00:06:04,920 --> 00:06:05,960 Speaker 2: it just made the headlines. 119 00:06:06,200 --> 00:06:08,000 Speaker 3: It's like one weekend in the month of my ass. 120 00:06:08,320 --> 00:06:12,960 Speaker 3: He's like that funny, you know. 121 00:06:13,080 --> 00:06:15,039 Speaker 2: And I always give a pitch out to the Guard 122 00:06:15,120 --> 00:06:16,719 Speaker 2: or to the units out there that if you're looking 123 00:06:16,760 --> 00:06:18,600 Speaker 2: to join, you know, I'm not paid by the army 124 00:06:18,680 --> 00:06:20,920 Speaker 2: or any other agency out there to say these things. 125 00:06:21,120 --> 00:06:23,160 Speaker 2: I just think that if you're inclined to want to 126 00:06:23,240 --> 00:06:26,320 Speaker 2: join and step up and raise your hand and take 127 00:06:26,360 --> 00:06:29,640 Speaker 2: on the challenge and defend your home or defend wherever 128 00:06:29,640 --> 00:06:31,360 Speaker 2: you want, just just go out and hit up your 129 00:06:31,360 --> 00:06:33,320 Speaker 2: local career center for the military. 130 00:06:32,920 --> 00:06:34,839 Speaker 3: And see if take a point in the right direction. 131 00:06:34,880 --> 00:06:36,480 Speaker 3: You know, see if you do have asthma. 132 00:06:36,760 --> 00:06:39,720 Speaker 4: All right, exactly exactly right. 133 00:06:39,640 --> 00:06:40,880 Speaker 3: At least you can eliminate it. 134 00:06:41,240 --> 00:06:43,760 Speaker 2: I think most most guys growing up, if I may 135 00:06:43,920 --> 00:06:46,200 Speaker 2: just say, you know, they've either thought about joining, or 136 00:06:46,240 --> 00:06:47,920 Speaker 2: they've attempted to join, or they. 137 00:06:47,760 --> 00:06:48,440 Speaker 3: Have gone through it. 138 00:06:48,440 --> 00:06:50,200 Speaker 2: You know, there's been some facet in their life where 139 00:06:50,200 --> 00:06:51,320 Speaker 2: it's like, what am I going to do today? 140 00:06:51,600 --> 00:06:53,159 Speaker 3: Is this the day that I decide to join? 141 00:06:53,279 --> 00:06:55,159 Speaker 2: Or you've got the guy that's the patriot, he's already 142 00:06:55,320 --> 00:06:59,520 Speaker 2: seventeen emancipated. I had no idea that kid existed until 143 00:06:59,520 --> 00:07:01,120 Speaker 2: I met him when I was twenty one in boot 144 00:07:01,120 --> 00:07:03,040 Speaker 2: and I was like, I'm old. 145 00:07:03,200 --> 00:07:05,720 Speaker 3: I'm like, how did you know such a direction at seventeen? 146 00:07:06,279 --> 00:07:06,920 Speaker 3: You know? Right? 147 00:07:07,080 --> 00:07:08,680 Speaker 2: He's like, well, I want I want a Lexus And 148 00:07:08,720 --> 00:07:10,680 Speaker 2: he's always sitting there polishing boots. He's like, how many 149 00:07:10,720 --> 00:07:12,680 Speaker 2: seventeen year olds do you know they have a Lexus rat? 150 00:07:12,800 --> 00:07:15,360 Speaker 2: And I was like, I don't know any seventeen year 151 00:07:15,360 --> 00:07:18,360 Speaker 2: olds with Alexis bro. He's like, nope, I'm gonna have one. 152 00:07:18,720 --> 00:07:22,280 Speaker 2: I was like, it's like everybody's got their goals, right, 153 00:07:22,320 --> 00:07:24,800 Speaker 2: everybody's got their goals, all right. We shined our boots, 154 00:07:24,840 --> 00:07:27,080 Speaker 2: so I figured you'd get that part right there, and 155 00:07:27,120 --> 00:07:28,120 Speaker 2: me shining life. 156 00:07:29,120 --> 00:07:29,960 Speaker 4: Right right right? 157 00:07:30,160 --> 00:07:33,400 Speaker 5: Yeah, No, I spent many hours shining boots and shoes 158 00:07:33,480 --> 00:07:37,080 Speaker 5: and all that stuff as a young cadet at West 159 00:07:37,080 --> 00:07:41,280 Speaker 5: Point and infustry officer, and to this day, if I've 160 00:07:41,320 --> 00:07:44,840 Speaker 5: got a business meeting or whatever, I make sure I 161 00:07:44,920 --> 00:07:49,120 Speaker 5: shine my shoes and my suit's just right. So yeah, 162 00:07:49,280 --> 00:07:52,240 Speaker 5: I mean it's those are habits that stick with you 163 00:07:52,280 --> 00:07:53,280 Speaker 5: for life. 164 00:07:53,160 --> 00:07:53,600 Speaker 3: That's right. 165 00:07:53,600 --> 00:07:55,960 Speaker 2: And that's some leadership habits too that come from that. 166 00:07:56,040 --> 00:07:58,760 Speaker 2: You know, you know you're already being productive in your day, 167 00:07:59,080 --> 00:08:01,320 Speaker 2: you know, doing the simple as you're already starting to 168 00:08:01,400 --> 00:08:03,520 Speaker 2: you know, do something positive with your day, and then 169 00:08:03,560 --> 00:08:05,320 Speaker 2: you're going to wait, you know, make your bed. 170 00:08:05,320 --> 00:08:06,080 Speaker 3: Shine your shoes. 171 00:08:06,120 --> 00:08:08,800 Speaker 2: Really we shine our shoes, you know, uh, got fully dressed, 172 00:08:09,120 --> 00:08:12,560 Speaker 2: you know, the whole night you brushed, shaved, showered, productivity, right, 173 00:08:12,600 --> 00:08:14,760 Speaker 2: didn't just slop around to the kitchen with the bowl cereal? 174 00:08:15,320 --> 00:08:18,000 Speaker 3: Although now right right? 175 00:08:18,200 --> 00:08:23,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, Well, so for you to transition from such a 176 00:08:23,600 --> 00:08:28,520 Speaker 2: fast paced situation right to let's just go quickly to 177 00:08:28,560 --> 00:08:31,680 Speaker 2: the Department of Defense where you transition to the is 178 00:08:31,680 --> 00:08:32,040 Speaker 2: it the. 179 00:08:31,920 --> 00:08:35,000 Speaker 3: Former secretary under Department of Defense? Did I say that right? 180 00:08:35,080 --> 00:08:36,440 Speaker 3: Under Secretary? Yeah? 181 00:08:36,480 --> 00:08:40,120 Speaker 5: So I performed the duties of Under Secretary of Defense 182 00:08:40,520 --> 00:08:43,640 Speaker 5: for Policy, which is a number three job in the 183 00:08:43,880 --> 00:08:48,120 Speaker 5: NDOD at the sectary Defense, Deputy Secretary Defense, and then 184 00:08:48,160 --> 00:08:53,960 Speaker 5: the Undersecretary for Policy. There are several undersecretaries, but policy 185 00:08:54,080 --> 00:08:57,480 Speaker 5: is the one with the biggest operation. It's kind of 186 00:08:57,559 --> 00:09:01,040 Speaker 5: like in military you have the G three, the operations officer. 187 00:09:01,400 --> 00:09:06,480 Speaker 5: The Undersecretary for Policy falls within that domain, responsible for 188 00:09:06,559 --> 00:09:10,599 Speaker 5: all the war plans, responsible for all the strategic capabilities, 189 00:09:11,160 --> 00:09:15,840 Speaker 5: responsible for the entire world. You have people assistant secretaries 190 00:09:15,880 --> 00:09:19,560 Speaker 5: of Defense that are managing different regions of the world 191 00:09:20,160 --> 00:09:24,719 Speaker 5: and anything that happens twenty four to seven, you have 192 00:09:24,880 --> 00:09:27,720 Speaker 5: somebody that's sort of in charge of that area, whereas 193 00:09:27,920 --> 00:09:32,400 Speaker 5: Ukraine or China or whatever, and they report up to 194 00:09:32,440 --> 00:09:36,800 Speaker 5: you and say, okay, you know, Navolvni got poisoned by Putin, 195 00:09:37,280 --> 00:09:42,920 Speaker 5: and so you have to submit a series of policy responses, 196 00:09:43,559 --> 00:09:47,800 Speaker 5: potential policy responses to the president. 197 00:09:48,480 --> 00:09:52,959 Speaker 4: Via the sector. And so it could be we do nothing. 198 00:09:53,400 --> 00:09:57,040 Speaker 5: It could be we strongly condemn with a statement. It 199 00:09:57,120 --> 00:10:00,760 Speaker 5: could be we kick diplomats out of the United States. 200 00:10:01,160 --> 00:10:04,120 Speaker 5: And it's a series of options that you lay out 201 00:10:04,559 --> 00:10:08,080 Speaker 5: and then obviously you recommend one and then you discuss 202 00:10:08,200 --> 00:10:11,000 Speaker 5: it with the President, the Secretary of Defense, the Vice president, 203 00:10:11,400 --> 00:10:15,720 Speaker 5: and you know, other national security advisor and so forth. 204 00:10:15,800 --> 00:10:20,360 Speaker 5: And so that's the type of position it is that 205 00:10:20,679 --> 00:10:24,320 Speaker 5: you know, I wasn't there obviously when Russia started moving 206 00:10:24,400 --> 00:10:27,320 Speaker 5: into Ukraine, but you know that would have been. Here 207 00:10:27,400 --> 00:10:30,480 Speaker 5: are a series of options that you can do and 208 00:10:30,640 --> 00:10:34,840 Speaker 5: concert with State Department, and so State Department would have Okay, 209 00:10:34,960 --> 00:10:38,320 Speaker 5: we can do diplomacy here, you know, DoD you could 210 00:10:38,360 --> 00:10:41,880 Speaker 5: say we should send a brigade combat team from the 211 00:10:41,920 --> 00:10:45,440 Speaker 5: eighty second Airborne to Poland to demonstrate. 212 00:10:45,360 --> 00:10:47,440 Speaker 4: Resolve and show NATO unity. 213 00:10:47,960 --> 00:10:51,160 Speaker 5: That's the kind of thing twenty four to seven that 214 00:10:51,360 --> 00:10:53,360 Speaker 5: that Under Secretary for Policy is doing. 215 00:10:53,600 --> 00:10:55,719 Speaker 2: And so do you feal that, you know, with your 216 00:10:56,040 --> 00:10:58,600 Speaker 2: expertise in that and just stepping out you know, you're 217 00:10:58,600 --> 00:11:00,679 Speaker 2: not in a government capacity you right now, right, so 218 00:11:00,760 --> 00:11:03,360 Speaker 2: we can speak on like Ukraine, right, So if you 219 00:11:03,400 --> 00:11:07,040 Speaker 2: feel that, do you think that you know, Russia wouldn't 220 00:11:07,080 --> 00:11:09,320 Speaker 2: have been so bold to take over Ukraine if KIV 221 00:11:09,440 --> 00:11:14,120 Speaker 2: would have kept some strategic armory available for such an occasion, 222 00:11:14,160 --> 00:11:16,760 Speaker 2: such as like any type of nuclear capabilities that they had. 223 00:11:17,440 --> 00:11:19,240 Speaker 2: I mean, they're just playing, trying to play the game, right. 224 00:11:19,280 --> 00:11:21,120 Speaker 2: They signed into the treaty in the nineties, right, and 225 00:11:21,160 --> 00:11:23,640 Speaker 2: they're like Hey, yes, we want to play sovereign games, 226 00:11:23,679 --> 00:11:25,560 Speaker 2: so we're going to play sovereign games, right, And they did. 227 00:11:25,600 --> 00:11:26,440 Speaker 3: That's what they did. 228 00:11:27,000 --> 00:11:29,960 Speaker 4: That was the agreement. Ukraine give up it's nukes. 229 00:11:30,320 --> 00:11:34,679 Speaker 5: Russia promised not to do what they're doing, so essentially broadly, 230 00:11:35,120 --> 00:11:38,920 Speaker 5: and so for me, the Ukraine piece. When I was 231 00:11:39,000 --> 00:11:43,760 Speaker 5: the under secretary, I was talking to my NATO peers constantly, 232 00:11:44,440 --> 00:11:48,120 Speaker 5: and because remember the Afghan drawdown was sort of you know, 233 00:11:48,240 --> 00:11:51,719 Speaker 5: on the horizon there, and the President wisely wanted. 234 00:11:51,480 --> 00:11:54,440 Speaker 4: To get out of Afghanistan in the war. We'd been 235 00:11:54,480 --> 00:11:55,360 Speaker 4: there way too long. 236 00:11:56,040 --> 00:11:59,079 Speaker 5: And what I kept telling my NATO peers and we 237 00:11:59,320 --> 00:12:02,520 Speaker 5: have conversations, is about as we came in together back 238 00:12:02,559 --> 00:12:06,240 Speaker 5: in two thousand and one, we modified troop levels together, 239 00:12:06,760 --> 00:12:09,400 Speaker 5: and I said, and you can be rest assured we'll 240 00:12:09,520 --> 00:12:12,439 Speaker 5: leave together as a cohesive alliance. 241 00:12:12,960 --> 00:12:16,480 Speaker 4: Well that didn't happen. What happened is you. 242 00:12:16,559 --> 00:12:21,559 Speaker 5: Had this Pellmell rush in August and it became a 243 00:12:21,679 --> 00:12:28,160 Speaker 5: real travesty because what happens in August in Europe, every 244 00:12:28,720 --> 00:12:35,640 Speaker 5: single person, government, not government, is on vacation. Yeah, yeah, holiday, 245 00:12:35,720 --> 00:12:40,920 Speaker 5: and Europe is religious about that. And secondly, it's kind 246 00:12:40,920 --> 00:12:44,640 Speaker 5: of trickled over into the United States, and so you 247 00:12:44,800 --> 00:12:48,839 Speaker 5: had Anthony Blincoln in his place in the Hampton's cooling 248 00:12:48,920 --> 00:12:52,880 Speaker 5: his heels. Jensaki was on leave, and you had a 249 00:12:52,920 --> 00:12:55,880 Speaker 5: lot of people gone in August, and there had been 250 00:12:56,000 --> 00:13:01,319 Speaker 5: no bilateral or multilateral coordination with NATE and so what 251 00:13:01,559 --> 00:13:04,920 Speaker 5: happened is we just decided to leave, and then all 252 00:13:04,960 --> 00:13:09,679 Speaker 5: of a sudden, the Taliban momentum begins to pick up 253 00:13:10,080 --> 00:13:14,880 Speaker 5: against the Afghan defense forces. And a lot of the 254 00:13:15,040 --> 00:13:19,079 Speaker 5: NATO nations that were over there were small, like Romania 255 00:13:19,280 --> 00:13:23,559 Speaker 5: and Poland. They had very small provincial reconstruction teams and 256 00:13:23,640 --> 00:13:26,520 Speaker 5: they had no way out because there had been no coordination. 257 00:13:26,640 --> 00:13:29,480 Speaker 4: There have been no discussion, there have been no you. 258 00:13:29,520 --> 00:13:33,079 Speaker 5: Know, perhaps a surge of troops to hold back and 259 00:13:33,200 --> 00:13:36,280 Speaker 5: then collapse and then get out. Get the civilians out first, 260 00:13:36,559 --> 00:13:38,880 Speaker 5: so you know, they could be protected. 261 00:13:39,360 --> 00:13:42,960 Speaker 4: And so what Putin sees is. 262 00:13:43,880 --> 00:13:50,920 Speaker 5: NATO and disarray and the wake of Afghanistan. And he says, 263 00:13:51,400 --> 00:13:56,240 Speaker 5: you know, you know, most people recognize the window of 264 00:13:56,360 --> 00:13:59,480 Speaker 5: opportunity by the sound of it slamming shut. 265 00:14:00,040 --> 00:14:01,160 Speaker 4: Well, Putin saw. 266 00:14:01,080 --> 00:14:05,520 Speaker 5: This window of opportunity and said, I'm going to. 267 00:14:05,640 --> 00:14:06,840 Speaker 4: Drive right through this window. 268 00:14:06,840 --> 00:14:10,920 Speaker 5: Of opportunity began to move troops around the Ukrainian border 269 00:14:11,120 --> 00:14:15,800 Speaker 5: and around into Belarus and like within a couple of 270 00:14:15,880 --> 00:14:19,840 Speaker 5: weeks of the Afghan withdrawal, and it was an embarrassment, 271 00:14:20,000 --> 00:14:21,560 Speaker 5: it was a nightmare. 272 00:14:22,160 --> 00:14:23,760 Speaker 4: Then there was no diplomacy. 273 00:14:24,440 --> 00:14:27,320 Speaker 5: Not only did we you know, mess up the Afghan 274 00:14:27,440 --> 00:14:32,280 Speaker 5: withdrawal very badly, to the tune of you know, you know, 275 00:14:32,480 --> 00:14:37,760 Speaker 5: a couple of dozen soldiers killed, a dozen more, yeah, lives, lives, 276 00:14:38,360 --> 00:14:42,480 Speaker 5: thirteen soldiers, thirteen soldiers killed in two dozen lost limbs 277 00:14:42,560 --> 00:14:44,200 Speaker 5: and traumatic brain injury. 278 00:14:44,440 --> 00:14:46,640 Speaker 2: That's just you know, you see, Mjay, guys, you know, 279 00:14:46,800 --> 00:14:49,120 Speaker 2: not of let alone the interpreters who have just been 280 00:14:49,200 --> 00:14:51,440 Speaker 2: tracked down, and you know, and all the different people 281 00:14:51,440 --> 00:14:54,760 Speaker 2: who were able to you know that were hoping for 282 00:14:55,200 --> 00:14:58,760 Speaker 2: the best for their country. Now all of a sudden, 283 00:14:59,080 --> 00:15:01,840 Speaker 2: you know, when are shut out of schools, women are 284 00:15:02,160 --> 00:15:03,320 Speaker 2: told not to do anything else. 285 00:15:03,440 --> 00:15:06,240 Speaker 3: And I mean, man, I'm married twenty three years. I 286 00:15:06,320 --> 00:15:10,000 Speaker 3: will be damned, and I got. 287 00:15:09,960 --> 00:15:12,720 Speaker 2: Two daughters and este a reason under this roof, and 288 00:15:12,720 --> 00:15:14,800 Speaker 2: I'm going to tell you that that you know, that 289 00:15:14,960 --> 00:15:19,000 Speaker 2: is not the way they are not Jedi Okay, so sorry, right. 290 00:15:19,080 --> 00:15:21,440 Speaker 3: Right, right, right, But yeah, it's true. 291 00:15:21,920 --> 00:15:24,480 Speaker 4: No, no, no, that's right, that's that's that's a very 292 00:15:24,720 --> 00:15:26,160 Speaker 4: very relevant point. 293 00:15:26,040 --> 00:15:28,000 Speaker 5: The you know, at the end of the day, though, 294 00:15:28,080 --> 00:15:32,600 Speaker 5: what what happened is that debacle signal to putin that 295 00:15:33,320 --> 00:15:34,800 Speaker 5: if he was going to move, now is the time 296 00:15:34,880 --> 00:15:35,160 Speaker 5: to move. 297 00:15:35,240 --> 00:15:38,280 Speaker 4: And so he did and that led to what we've 298 00:15:38,360 --> 00:15:41,120 Speaker 4: got now and with in Ukraine. 299 00:15:41,400 --> 00:15:45,520 Speaker 5: You know, Russia's invasion Ukraine, illegal, improper, and moral, all 300 00:15:45,600 --> 00:15:49,600 Speaker 5: of that. The war is happening, and again I don't 301 00:15:49,640 --> 00:15:54,840 Speaker 5: see any level of effort on the diplomatic front from 302 00:15:54,920 --> 00:15:58,520 Speaker 5: the United States to try to camp this thing down, 303 00:15:58,680 --> 00:16:01,800 Speaker 5: find a path, find a solution. And I'm reminded of 304 00:16:02,000 --> 00:16:05,680 Speaker 5: my experience in the Balkans back in ninety five, ninety six, 305 00:16:05,840 --> 00:16:06,440 Speaker 5: ninety seven. 306 00:16:07,440 --> 00:16:11,560 Speaker 4: You had the Serbs and a very brutal. 307 00:16:11,320 --> 00:16:18,600 Speaker 5: War attacked the Bosniacs of Croatians Herzegovidians, and they came 308 00:16:18,680 --> 00:16:21,840 Speaker 5: in there. They were torturing people. You know, General Wes 309 00:16:21,920 --> 00:16:25,800 Speaker 5: Clark and President Bill Clinton got everybody together in Dayton, Ohio, 310 00:16:26,480 --> 00:16:29,160 Speaker 5: and they created the Dayton Peace Accords. It wasn't perfect, 311 00:16:29,760 --> 00:16:32,360 Speaker 5: but at the end of the day, they carved out 312 00:16:33,120 --> 00:16:38,560 Speaker 5: separate zona separation. They got the warring factions apart and 313 00:16:39,040 --> 00:16:44,200 Speaker 5: brought in a multinational force NATO, primarily to hold open 314 00:16:44,320 --> 00:16:47,600 Speaker 5: the shoulders on the Zona separation to allow. 315 00:16:47,800 --> 00:16:51,520 Speaker 4: Peace to take hold. And that was a really good 316 00:16:51,680 --> 00:16:52,160 Speaker 4: piece deal. 317 00:16:52,880 --> 00:16:55,960 Speaker 5: But you can't you can't even have that conversation today 318 00:16:56,000 --> 00:16:59,680 Speaker 5: because if you begin to talk about having any kind 319 00:16:59,720 --> 00:17:01,520 Speaker 5: of negotiated. 320 00:17:00,880 --> 00:17:03,720 Speaker 4: Settlement, you're a Putin stoode. You're all in with Russia. 321 00:17:04,040 --> 00:17:07,320 Speaker 5: You get attacked by you know, the liberal media, which 322 00:17:07,400 --> 00:17:10,800 Speaker 5: is most of it, and and then you get destroyed. 323 00:17:11,400 --> 00:17:17,359 Speaker 5: And so this runaway train toward World War three is 324 00:17:17,480 --> 00:17:20,040 Speaker 5: not matched, you know, from from the you know, the 325 00:17:20,160 --> 00:17:24,680 Speaker 5: liberal elite, is not matched by them sending their sons 326 00:17:24,720 --> 00:17:27,480 Speaker 5: and daughters into the United States military because we can't 327 00:17:27,520 --> 00:17:31,880 Speaker 5: make recruiting goals right now, So you have this high minded, 328 00:17:32,520 --> 00:17:35,800 Speaker 5: high brow Ivory tower. No, you can't give an inch 329 00:17:35,920 --> 00:17:39,520 Speaker 5: to Putin, and I'm not suggesting we do, but you 330 00:17:39,600 --> 00:17:41,560 Speaker 5: can't even have that conversation. 331 00:17:41,160 --> 00:17:44,119 Speaker 4: With Putin or anybody. And yet they're not. 332 00:17:44,240 --> 00:17:47,560 Speaker 5: Backing up what they're saying with their own blood and treasure. 333 00:17:47,960 --> 00:17:50,760 Speaker 5: And so that to me is the real hypocrisy. And 334 00:17:50,840 --> 00:17:51,800 Speaker 5: what's happening today. 335 00:17:52,359 --> 00:17:55,000 Speaker 2: Interesting, that's a very cool take on that thought I 336 00:17:55,000 --> 00:17:58,240 Speaker 2: would think right now in the Ukraine with Russia, you know, 337 00:17:58,480 --> 00:18:01,320 Speaker 2: taking down the civilian aircraft with there, you know, in 338 00:18:01,400 --> 00:18:05,080 Speaker 2: twenty twelve, twenty fourteen over Ukraine, that was during the 339 00:18:05,160 --> 00:18:06,119 Speaker 2: Obama administration. 340 00:18:06,240 --> 00:18:08,080 Speaker 3: You know, there's a little bit of this left. 341 00:18:07,920 --> 00:18:10,760 Speaker 2: On his plate that you know, was that I think 342 00:18:11,240 --> 00:18:14,399 Speaker 2: isn't brought up right, okay, because this all started around 343 00:18:14,480 --> 00:18:17,360 Speaker 2: then and what happened I think in my opinion from 344 00:18:17,400 --> 00:18:20,159 Speaker 2: watching you know, the media that you reference and everybody 345 00:18:20,200 --> 00:18:20,719 Speaker 2: else out there. 346 00:18:21,000 --> 00:18:23,760 Speaker 3: And first of all, I'm liberal with my ketchup and 347 00:18:23,880 --> 00:18:26,280 Speaker 3: my ammunition. I just want you to know that, Okay. 348 00:18:26,720 --> 00:18:29,480 Speaker 3: So I feel that that's a label. So if you're 349 00:18:29,480 --> 00:18:31,920 Speaker 3: gonna say liberal, I say, with my ketchups, no. 350 00:18:32,119 --> 00:18:35,359 Speaker 2: But but again, you know, I feel that it was 351 00:18:35,440 --> 00:18:37,800 Speaker 2: kind of unprovoked for them to go in there and 352 00:18:37,960 --> 00:18:40,680 Speaker 2: come at them, even because he wants an empire, Okay, 353 00:18:40,800 --> 00:18:43,440 Speaker 2: he has said it. Vladimir has said he wants to 354 00:18:43,520 --> 00:18:46,160 Speaker 2: go back to Peter the Great. He wants the empire 355 00:18:46,240 --> 00:18:50,400 Speaker 2: to be back, which is Moldovo, which is you know, Ukraine, 356 00:18:50,400 --> 00:18:51,320 Speaker 2: which is Belarus. 357 00:18:51,760 --> 00:18:52,200 Speaker 3: Hellooe. 358 00:18:52,320 --> 00:18:54,760 Speaker 2: You know, I mean, if he's going to put any 359 00:18:54,840 --> 00:18:58,040 Speaker 2: type of nuclear weapons inside of Belarus. He's looking for 360 00:18:58,080 --> 00:19:00,200 Speaker 2: a permanent party in that place because those have to 361 00:19:00,280 --> 00:19:02,919 Speaker 2: be operational for him to be using them. So, I mean, 362 00:19:03,040 --> 00:19:06,760 Speaker 2: Belarus is basically letting him take over Belarus now, and 363 00:19:06,880 --> 00:19:09,479 Speaker 2: so then if we let it come to America, it's 364 00:19:09,480 --> 00:19:12,120 Speaker 2: a little late, don't you think if it gets here, 365 00:19:12,119 --> 00:19:12,520 Speaker 2: it's late. 366 00:19:12,880 --> 00:19:13,440 Speaker 3: It's too late. 367 00:19:14,280 --> 00:19:15,600 Speaker 4: Yeah, it's way too late. 368 00:19:15,800 --> 00:19:15,919 Speaker 3: Right. 369 00:19:18,880 --> 00:19:21,720 Speaker 5: Putin is exactly what you're saying. That's the re vantism 370 00:19:21,840 --> 00:19:25,720 Speaker 5: of taking back what he claims is his territory. Yeah, 371 00:19:25,840 --> 00:19:29,720 Speaker 5: they for whatever reason, he can't live with the international 372 00:19:29,920 --> 00:19:32,800 Speaker 5: boundaries that are in place. And and sure, you know 373 00:19:33,040 --> 00:19:37,879 Speaker 5: history is replete with international boundaries being shifting and fought for. 374 00:19:39,200 --> 00:19:43,320 Speaker 3: I'm an empire drawing the Middle East. It's true, it's true. 375 00:19:43,520 --> 00:19:46,320 Speaker 5: And this really is sort of a naked play for 376 00:19:46,680 --> 00:19:50,280 Speaker 5: the coal, the oil, and the dawn boss yep. And 377 00:19:50,440 --> 00:19:54,640 Speaker 5: from my perspective, it's an energy play. It's about resources, 378 00:19:55,560 --> 00:19:58,640 Speaker 5: it's about economy, and it's a little bit about him 379 00:19:59,000 --> 00:20:02,240 Speaker 5: reasserting himself on the world stage. For all the great 380 00:20:02,359 --> 00:20:06,880 Speaker 5: President Trump received about you know, all these fabricated notions 381 00:20:06,960 --> 00:20:10,159 Speaker 5: of his relationship with Putin and Russia and all that, 382 00:20:10,560 --> 00:20:12,919 Speaker 5: and it's one utter bs. 383 00:20:13,400 --> 00:20:16,960 Speaker 4: It's Obama and Biden who have given in to putin. 384 00:20:17,040 --> 00:20:21,679 Speaker 5: Obama gave him Crimea and sent blankets instead of javelins 385 00:20:22,440 --> 00:20:26,080 Speaker 5: when when the Russians came in, and then now Biden 386 00:20:26,640 --> 00:20:31,560 Speaker 5: has essentially you know, it didn't do anything to forestall 387 00:20:31,680 --> 00:20:34,719 Speaker 5: the intervention in the six months of building up troops. 388 00:20:35,119 --> 00:20:37,040 Speaker 4: So those are the facts on the ground. 389 00:20:37,200 --> 00:20:38,960 Speaker 2: With that said, do you think that we have been 390 00:20:39,080 --> 00:20:41,480 Speaker 2: ramping up with some of our sf you know since 391 00:20:41,600 --> 00:20:45,359 Speaker 2: the airliners and the original Crimea. My understanding is some 392 00:20:45,520 --> 00:20:50,000 Speaker 2: of Ukraine was ready, whereas Russian soldiers were just displaced 393 00:20:50,119 --> 00:20:52,920 Speaker 2: and discombobulated, which they still seem to be because they're 394 00:20:53,040 --> 00:20:55,440 Speaker 2: working underneath the whole, like this whole Wagner group and 395 00:20:55,800 --> 00:20:58,959 Speaker 2: you know, uh, they're they're like all conscripts and and uh, 396 00:20:59,080 --> 00:21:01,240 Speaker 2: I mean, try to force patriotism with a mini gun 397 00:21:01,280 --> 00:21:03,159 Speaker 2: to your back if you don't go to fight, right, 398 00:21:03,240 --> 00:21:03,679 Speaker 2: it's like you. 399 00:21:03,760 --> 00:21:04,479 Speaker 3: Love this country? 400 00:21:04,640 --> 00:21:09,840 Speaker 6: Well, I mean yes, yes, I do you know you're 401 00:21:09,840 --> 00:21:11,080 Speaker 6: going to pick up the ammo in front of the 402 00:21:11,160 --> 00:21:13,720 Speaker 6: dude before you because he just died. Wait, what about 403 00:21:13,760 --> 00:21:15,960 Speaker 6: a gun and pick his up over there? You're like, wait, 404 00:21:16,560 --> 00:21:19,960 Speaker 6: I mean that's my opinion. Again, my thoughts is what's 405 00:21:20,040 --> 00:21:23,320 Speaker 6: happening with those troops over there. There's kind of disarrayed, right, 406 00:21:23,440 --> 00:21:26,479 Speaker 6: I mean, you see putting himself on the center stage 407 00:21:26,600 --> 00:21:30,960 Speaker 6: and trying to flex with you know, President she from China. Okay, 408 00:21:31,119 --> 00:21:33,360 Speaker 6: and they've gotten together recently and they've met and they've 409 00:21:33,359 --> 00:21:35,760 Speaker 6: shaken hands and they both said, oh, we agree to 410 00:21:35,920 --> 00:21:38,680 Speaker 6: you know, you know, pause in the conflict. And what's 411 00:21:38,720 --> 00:21:42,440 Speaker 6: your take on China getting involved with Russia to try 412 00:21:42,520 --> 00:21:43,600 Speaker 6: to pause the conflict? 413 00:21:44,440 --> 00:21:47,480 Speaker 5: Yeah, So what I see there is China filling a 414 00:21:48,160 --> 00:21:53,040 Speaker 5: leadership and diplomacy vacuum created by the current administration because 415 00:21:53,240 --> 00:21:58,200 Speaker 5: of this cultish religion within the current administration here in 416 00:21:58,240 --> 00:22:02,240 Speaker 5: the United States about how you cannot talk to Putin, 417 00:22:02,320 --> 00:22:05,720 Speaker 5: you cannot try to find a solution to this problem. 418 00:22:06,160 --> 00:22:11,119 Speaker 5: It inhibits and prohibits discussion creative solutions such as a 419 00:22:11,200 --> 00:22:13,600 Speaker 5: dat and piece of cords. And so what China is 420 00:22:13,680 --> 00:22:17,160 Speaker 5: doing is there's a leadership and a power vacuum out there. 421 00:22:17,280 --> 00:22:18,080 Speaker 4: It's very clear. 422 00:22:18,600 --> 00:22:22,679 Speaker 5: And so they have come in and so from China's perspective, 423 00:22:23,160 --> 00:22:29,600 Speaker 5: what better than to pledge friendship with Russia? Promised them 424 00:22:29,760 --> 00:22:33,679 Speaker 5: some money some equipment, some backing, and all of a sudden, 425 00:22:34,560 --> 00:22:38,040 Speaker 5: China gets the weak in the United States Arsenal by 426 00:22:38,560 --> 00:22:43,119 Speaker 5: leveraging Russia to do so when he sees our myopic 427 00:22:43,280 --> 00:22:47,439 Speaker 5: commitment to Ukraine. And so if he can, if China 428 00:22:47,800 --> 00:22:52,120 Speaker 5: ge can get us to double, triple, quadruple down inside 429 00:22:52,320 --> 00:22:56,360 Speaker 5: Ukraine with our patriots, with all the things that we're 430 00:22:56,359 --> 00:23:01,040 Speaker 5: going to need, and a tiewatcher, yeah, yeah, not only 431 00:23:01,160 --> 00:23:02,840 Speaker 5: is he watching, he's supporting Russia. 432 00:23:03,240 --> 00:23:04,960 Speaker 4: And it's a baited ambush. 433 00:23:05,320 --> 00:23:05,440 Speaker 3: You know. 434 00:23:05,600 --> 00:23:09,240 Speaker 5: The more that China gives Russia, the more we have 435 00:23:09,440 --> 00:23:12,120 Speaker 5: to put into Ukraine. And as we begin to flow 436 00:23:12,119 --> 00:23:15,040 Speaker 5: all that stuff in there, there's some tipping point out 437 00:23:15,080 --> 00:23:19,080 Speaker 5: there where China will then do whatever it intends to 438 00:23:19,200 --> 00:23:22,920 Speaker 5: do regarding Taiwan. That's my reading of the Tea Leaves here, 439 00:23:23,440 --> 00:23:28,360 Speaker 5: and again, this utter lack of diplomacy from Antony Blincoln 440 00:23:28,640 --> 00:23:33,520 Speaker 5: and the Biden administration is breathtaking. The level of incompetence 441 00:23:33,960 --> 00:23:37,359 Speaker 5: that I see right now from this administration and dealing 442 00:23:37,440 --> 00:23:43,400 Speaker 5: with foreign policy, whether it's Afghanistan, China, Russia, it's staggering. 443 00:23:43,880 --> 00:23:46,840 Speaker 5: And it's because in part because we're so focused on 444 00:23:48,000 --> 00:23:52,719 Speaker 5: domestic stuff that is meaningless and not on the major 445 00:23:53,240 --> 00:23:58,240 Speaker 5: geopolitical chess match that is constantly happening, and all the 446 00:23:58,400 --> 00:24:02,119 Speaker 5: chaos here in this country is just music to the 447 00:24:02,200 --> 00:24:05,320 Speaker 5: years of the Geese and Putins of the world. 448 00:24:05,800 --> 00:24:09,439 Speaker 2: Right And so do you think that with Iran right 449 00:24:09,520 --> 00:24:13,360 Speaker 2: now being out of the peace agreement with oil where 450 00:24:13,359 --> 00:24:15,600 Speaker 2: they were producing oil for you know, the world, they 451 00:24:15,640 --> 00:24:18,159 Speaker 2: had that supply going with Obama in fifteen, do you 452 00:24:18,240 --> 00:24:21,560 Speaker 2: think that dealing with policy you know yourself, do you 453 00:24:21,600 --> 00:24:24,200 Speaker 2: feel that that was the right move for the Trump 454 00:24:24,240 --> 00:24:26,720 Speaker 2: administration to pull out of Iran like that and just 455 00:24:26,880 --> 00:24:29,399 Speaker 2: like nipping. But because I want to point out, I 456 00:24:29,520 --> 00:24:31,840 Speaker 2: know there's a lot of talk about TikTok and social media, 457 00:24:31,920 --> 00:24:33,680 Speaker 2: but I'm on it and I see it, and there's 458 00:24:33,720 --> 00:24:36,399 Speaker 2: a lot of the youth of Iran, all right, and 459 00:24:36,520 --> 00:24:38,600 Speaker 2: I say, I'm youthful. I'm forty five now, but this 460 00:24:38,680 --> 00:24:40,920 Speaker 2: has been going on for some time, and so you 461 00:24:41,000 --> 00:24:42,840 Speaker 2: know there's the thirty year olds, the twenty five, the 462 00:24:42,920 --> 00:24:44,800 Speaker 2: thirty forty year olds who are like, you know, we 463 00:24:44,960 --> 00:24:47,640 Speaker 2: just want to listen to DJ music. We just want 464 00:24:47,720 --> 00:24:50,680 Speaker 2: to export the oil that is in the reserves that 465 00:24:50,760 --> 00:24:53,240 Speaker 2: they have. They don't want to be under you know, 466 00:24:53,440 --> 00:24:56,480 Speaker 2: the regime that has taken them over since the seventies, right, 467 00:24:56,600 --> 00:24:59,160 Speaker 2: that turn them into who they are today. And there's 468 00:24:59,200 --> 00:25:02,320 Speaker 2: this underground that wants what we want them to have. 469 00:25:02,480 --> 00:25:04,680 Speaker 2: How can we help them? We were helping them, but 470 00:25:04,800 --> 00:25:06,280 Speaker 2: then it got pulled out. I feel that was a 471 00:25:06,359 --> 00:25:07,680 Speaker 2: rug pulled out from the situation. 472 00:25:08,000 --> 00:25:08,200 Speaker 3: Yeah. 473 00:25:08,480 --> 00:25:11,200 Speaker 4: Yeah, it's interesting. You make some very good points there. 474 00:25:11,240 --> 00:25:17,520 Speaker 5: It's like there are good relevant social cause applications for 475 00:25:17,680 --> 00:25:20,360 Speaker 5: social media, this being one of them. 476 00:25:20,800 --> 00:25:21,320 Speaker 4: TikTok. 477 00:25:21,800 --> 00:25:25,440 Speaker 5: We dealt in the administration with China every day, and 478 00:25:25,560 --> 00:25:32,800 Speaker 5: in particular their technology and Tencent and TikTok and all 479 00:25:32,880 --> 00:25:36,480 Speaker 5: the apps that they have, And the big concern from 480 00:25:36,520 --> 00:25:41,040 Speaker 5: our perspective was it's an information collection operation so that 481 00:25:41,160 --> 00:25:45,240 Speaker 5: they can you know, build databases of users within the 482 00:25:45,400 --> 00:25:51,239 Speaker 5: United States used appropriately the tiktoks and youtubes and all 483 00:25:51,400 --> 00:25:56,520 Speaker 5: that can help galvanize and gain momentum for movements. The problem, 484 00:25:56,640 --> 00:25:59,480 Speaker 5: particularly with the Obama example, you made it, you know, 485 00:25:59,600 --> 00:26:04,520 Speaker 5: became a hashtag. You know, people could hashtag something and 486 00:26:05,480 --> 00:26:08,320 Speaker 5: feel good about it and then go go, you know, 487 00:26:08,440 --> 00:26:10,399 Speaker 5: to their you know, big dinner. 488 00:26:11,080 --> 00:26:13,919 Speaker 2: Thoughts, some prayers over Facebook, like my thoughts and prayers 489 00:26:13,960 --> 00:26:16,160 Speaker 2: are for you. You know, it's like either side saying 490 00:26:16,200 --> 00:26:20,000 Speaker 2: thoughts or prayers, it's like really yeah yeah, and. 491 00:26:20,080 --> 00:26:21,680 Speaker 4: Then they could feel good about them. 492 00:26:21,840 --> 00:26:23,800 Speaker 3: Yeah, either side it was about them. 493 00:26:24,000 --> 00:26:28,880 Speaker 5: It was about the individual saying, oh yes, I hashtag Iran, 494 00:26:29,119 --> 00:26:31,760 Speaker 5: you know, revolution and you know now I'm sipping my 495 00:26:31,920 --> 00:26:32,720 Speaker 5: champagne at my. 496 00:26:32,880 --> 00:26:38,240 Speaker 2: I rounded up my chain. Yeah, it's like my, I 497 00:26:38,480 --> 00:26:42,760 Speaker 2: my good deed, right, and that does culminate into a 498 00:26:42,840 --> 00:26:45,199 Speaker 2: big waterfall. I get the good deeds. I don't want 499 00:26:45,200 --> 00:26:47,720 Speaker 2: them to stop. But but that's you can't say thoughts 500 00:26:47,760 --> 00:26:52,680 Speaker 2: and prayers man on Facebook aren't going to solve it. Sorry, sorry, sorry. 501 00:26:53,000 --> 00:26:54,920 Speaker 2: Realism is going to solve it and solve it and 502 00:26:55,359 --> 00:27:00,280 Speaker 2: having an understanding and diplomacy, open channels communication, teamwork. NATO 503 00:27:00,359 --> 00:27:02,560 Speaker 2: needs to be a team anybody like they just brought 504 00:27:02,600 --> 00:27:05,600 Speaker 2: Finland into the world of NATO. So now you you know, 505 00:27:06,040 --> 00:27:10,800 Speaker 2: it's got to be communication, open lines of communication. Now, 506 00:27:11,240 --> 00:27:15,320 Speaker 2: how do you handle somebody who is throwing a tantrum? 507 00:27:15,840 --> 00:27:18,919 Speaker 2: How do you handle somebody who throws a tantrum? How 508 00:27:18,960 --> 00:27:21,000 Speaker 2: do you communicate with them? You know, our kids what 509 00:27:21,119 --> 00:27:21,520 Speaker 2: do they get? 510 00:27:21,600 --> 00:27:21,960 Speaker 3: They win? 511 00:27:22,760 --> 00:27:24,920 Speaker 2: You know, kids are the best negotiators when it comes 512 00:27:24,960 --> 00:27:27,640 Speaker 2: to negotiating, because if we went into a court, into 513 00:27:27,720 --> 00:27:28,920 Speaker 2: a courtroom, yeah. 514 00:27:28,760 --> 00:27:30,800 Speaker 3: Your honor, this is the law. I tell you, this 515 00:27:30,920 --> 00:27:32,560 Speaker 3: is the law. This is the law. You just threw 516 00:27:32,600 --> 00:27:34,119 Speaker 3: a tantrum. Yeah, maybe he could throw you out. I 517 00:27:34,160 --> 00:27:36,479 Speaker 3: don't know. But in the corporate office, you would get 518 00:27:36,520 --> 00:27:37,639 Speaker 3: your way the negotiation. 519 00:27:37,760 --> 00:27:41,120 Speaker 2: If you were a kid, what if that person now 520 00:27:41,200 --> 00:27:44,399 Speaker 2: has the red button under his thumb in any country, right, 521 00:27:44,640 --> 00:27:46,600 Speaker 2: how do we handle that kid who's throwing a tantrum. 522 00:27:47,240 --> 00:27:49,399 Speaker 4: Yeah, that's the concern, right is. 523 00:27:50,000 --> 00:27:53,240 Speaker 5: And that's what's happening today even with you know, any 524 00:27:53,320 --> 00:27:58,400 Speaker 5: of the issues that our country confronts, whether it's abortion 525 00:27:58,760 --> 00:28:00,480 Speaker 5: or Second Amendment or or whatever. 526 00:28:01,840 --> 00:28:04,960 Speaker 4: You have for the most part, man and man coverage 527 00:28:05,160 --> 00:28:05,720 Speaker 4: on so. 528 00:28:05,840 --> 00:28:10,000 Speaker 5: To speak on you know, people who are have high 529 00:28:10,080 --> 00:28:14,200 Speaker 5: profiles that are you know, Supreme Court justices or or 530 00:28:14,640 --> 00:28:18,320 Speaker 5: you know politicians, and people get in their face and 531 00:28:18,520 --> 00:28:22,560 Speaker 5: you know, while they're eating dinner. And and that's Alensky's 532 00:28:22,640 --> 00:28:25,800 Speaker 5: rules of warfare is to be as disruptive as possible, 533 00:28:26,280 --> 00:28:29,199 Speaker 5: carry that message forward. That's how you're going to achieve 534 00:28:29,680 --> 00:28:33,159 Speaker 5: social change. And we're in a real time in this 535 00:28:33,400 --> 00:28:38,200 Speaker 5: nation we're so politically divided, the celebration of the indictment 536 00:28:38,440 --> 00:28:41,720 Speaker 5: of a former president, you know, love him, hate him. 537 00:28:42,160 --> 00:28:42,600 Speaker 3: I think. 538 00:28:44,160 --> 00:28:47,880 Speaker 4: All your listeners out there, it's like, you know, take 539 00:28:47,920 --> 00:28:48,600 Speaker 4: a step. 540 00:28:48,480 --> 00:28:52,320 Speaker 5: Back from that and say, this is a harbinger for 541 00:28:52,520 --> 00:28:56,640 Speaker 5: our country. This is this is a really tough spot 542 00:28:57,200 --> 00:28:59,840 Speaker 5: for us to be in, and it's a symptom of 543 00:29:00,080 --> 00:29:05,560 Speaker 5: a disease that is plaguing our country that could ultimately 544 00:29:06,200 --> 00:29:09,480 Speaker 5: fundamentally destroy the republic in which we live. 545 00:29:09,960 --> 00:29:13,040 Speaker 2: Now, what's coming out in other news outlets are you 546 00:29:13,120 --> 00:29:15,280 Speaker 2: know you mentioned Supreme Court justices, you know, and I 547 00:29:15,360 --> 00:29:17,800 Speaker 2: know that's not really our conversation, but you know, getting 548 00:29:17,840 --> 00:29:20,360 Speaker 2: all these trips from best friends who are billionaires and 549 00:29:20,400 --> 00:29:23,240 Speaker 2: stuff like that, you know, and reporting a Bible that's 550 00:29:23,320 --> 00:29:25,680 Speaker 2: nineteen thousand dollars in value from the same person, but 551 00:29:25,800 --> 00:29:26,360 Speaker 2: nothing else. 552 00:29:26,560 --> 00:29:27,960 Speaker 3: It's like, right, why. 553 00:29:27,840 --> 00:29:30,080 Speaker 2: Would you report the one thing at one point but 554 00:29:30,120 --> 00:29:32,320 Speaker 2: then think you don't report nothing else after that point. 555 00:29:32,400 --> 00:29:35,200 Speaker 2: It's like, you know, I think that once you get 556 00:29:35,280 --> 00:29:39,320 Speaker 2: through your service to self and you've serviced a country, 557 00:29:39,360 --> 00:29:42,320 Speaker 2: which you've done, and you know, the Department of Defense 558 00:29:42,360 --> 00:29:45,120 Speaker 2: you just kept going, You're like, give me another Bard code. 559 00:29:45,240 --> 00:29:48,240 Speaker 2: My life, so I can scan into this id badge 560 00:29:48,320 --> 00:29:52,040 Speaker 2: me what turns you into the author of all these novels, 561 00:29:52,080 --> 00:29:54,800 Speaker 2: whereas I know the character is like a general that 562 00:29:54,960 --> 00:29:57,800 Speaker 2: goes out and get gets around a little bit. So 563 00:29:58,160 --> 00:30:01,360 Speaker 2: tell me about Total Empire. Since we've been talking about 564 00:30:01,360 --> 00:30:04,440 Speaker 2: empires and China and everything, this is kind of a 565 00:30:04,520 --> 00:30:07,840 Speaker 2: culminating topic here, So tell us about Total Empire and 566 00:30:07,880 --> 00:30:09,560 Speaker 2: what spurred you on to be this writer? 567 00:30:09,760 --> 00:30:09,920 Speaker 3: Sir. 568 00:30:10,440 --> 00:30:13,520 Speaker 5: Yeah, Well, you know, I've always written all my life, 569 00:30:13,960 --> 00:30:16,640 Speaker 5: even as a young kid. I can remember coming back 570 00:30:16,680 --> 00:30:19,240 Speaker 5: from baseball practice when I was twelve or something like that, 571 00:30:19,400 --> 00:30:21,360 Speaker 5: So what do you want to be when you grow up? 572 00:30:21,360 --> 00:30:23,360 Speaker 5: And I said, well, I want to write fiction novels, 573 00:30:23,400 --> 00:30:25,600 Speaker 5: you know. And he laughed and said, you got to 574 00:30:25,600 --> 00:30:27,800 Speaker 5: put food on the table. You're going to have a 575 00:30:27,920 --> 00:30:32,040 Speaker 5: family and all that. And I've always had this creative spark. 576 00:30:32,320 --> 00:30:34,960 Speaker 5: I've always been a big, big reader. I was a 577 00:30:35,160 --> 00:30:37,680 Speaker 5: kid that elementary school that would come back from book 578 00:30:37,760 --> 00:30:40,120 Speaker 5: fair day with, you know, more books than I could 579 00:30:40,160 --> 00:30:43,560 Speaker 5: ever read, right, And my parents would look at me 580 00:30:43,680 --> 00:30:46,440 Speaker 5: like I'm crazy, But I'd devour them and I'd read them, 581 00:30:46,720 --> 00:30:50,960 Speaker 5: and I transitioned from being a consumer of entertainment to 582 00:30:51,080 --> 00:30:54,040 Speaker 5: wanting to understand how to produce it at a very 583 00:30:54,120 --> 00:30:58,840 Speaker 5: young age. And so I quit watching TV because that 584 00:30:59,040 --> 00:31:02,680 Speaker 5: was like a p If you're watching TV, you're not writing. 585 00:31:03,080 --> 00:31:05,960 Speaker 5: And so I quit watching TV and I started writing. 586 00:31:05,960 --> 00:31:08,280 Speaker 5: I said, I want to be a producer of entertainment, 587 00:31:08,480 --> 00:31:11,120 Speaker 5: not a consumer of entertainment. And I watched TV and 588 00:31:11,160 --> 00:31:14,720 Speaker 5: all that, but the larger principle is organize your time 589 00:31:14,840 --> 00:31:19,120 Speaker 5: so that you can produce. You have to understand television, 590 00:31:19,280 --> 00:31:22,920 Speaker 5: film books to understand what sells and what works, and 591 00:31:23,000 --> 00:31:26,760 Speaker 5: it's really all about character. A Total Empire is the 592 00:31:26,880 --> 00:31:31,240 Speaker 5: second book in the General Garrett Sinclair series. It's my 593 00:31:31,440 --> 00:31:35,840 Speaker 5: fifteenth novel i've had published. Sam Martin's Press McMillan is 594 00:31:35,920 --> 00:31:42,480 Speaker 5: my publisher, And the basic story is Sinclair has to 595 00:31:42,640 --> 00:31:47,120 Speaker 5: lead his Dagger Task Force, which is responsive to the President, 596 00:31:47,600 --> 00:31:52,480 Speaker 5: on a mission to find his goddaughter who in the 597 00:31:52,560 --> 00:31:56,280 Speaker 5: Eye of Africa, which is this obscure terrain feature in 598 00:31:56,440 --> 00:32:01,440 Speaker 5: Mauritania where there is some Chinese activity happen and as 599 00:32:01,520 --> 00:32:05,920 Speaker 5: he gets there, the race against time unfolds as China 600 00:32:06,280 --> 00:32:10,960 Speaker 5: has built a laser targeting system to guide hypersonic glide 601 00:32:11,040 --> 00:32:14,760 Speaker 5: vehicles outer space and they're laden with nukes on them. 602 00:32:15,000 --> 00:32:19,200 Speaker 5: And so the whole concept of this came to me from, 603 00:32:19,960 --> 00:32:24,680 Speaker 5: you know, our ballistic defense. Our nuclear defense is primarily 604 00:32:24,760 --> 00:32:30,040 Speaker 5: based upon our ability to detect ballistic arcs of missiles launched. 605 00:32:30,880 --> 00:32:34,160 Speaker 5: And when it starts smoking in the hole in China 606 00:32:34,360 --> 00:32:36,440 Speaker 5: or Russia or wherever it's going to come from. 607 00:32:36,720 --> 00:32:39,200 Speaker 4: And the hatch opens up and you pick it that 608 00:32:39,360 --> 00:32:41,680 Speaker 4: you know, we see that we are tracking it. 609 00:32:42,160 --> 00:32:44,520 Speaker 5: And I'm not giving away any state secrets here because 610 00:32:44,560 --> 00:32:47,120 Speaker 5: it's all out there on the internet. But it's that 611 00:32:47,320 --> 00:32:51,320 Speaker 5: parabolic arc that we can tell the speed, you know, 612 00:32:51,760 --> 00:32:56,400 Speaker 5: based upon the parabolic art, where the destination is. And 613 00:32:57,120 --> 00:33:02,040 Speaker 5: so all this hypersonic glide vave equal stuff that's been 614 00:33:02,160 --> 00:33:03,680 Speaker 5: going on development. 615 00:33:03,280 --> 00:33:06,000 Speaker 4: Of hypersonic weapons. Traveling at mock eate, I. 616 00:33:06,080 --> 00:33:10,840 Speaker 5: Thought about, well, what if China, which has some space 617 00:33:10,840 --> 00:33:15,560 Speaker 5: shultar light vehicles, put a nuke on a hypersonic nuke 618 00:33:15,640 --> 00:33:21,000 Speaker 5: on it, and it's coming back through outer space and 619 00:33:21,600 --> 00:33:25,200 Speaker 5: there's no parabolic arc, there's no signature. It's just been 620 00:33:25,280 --> 00:33:29,480 Speaker 5: out and outer space undetected. And now it's moving at 621 00:33:29,600 --> 00:33:32,800 Speaker 5: mock eight toward a target and you can't intercept it 622 00:33:33,320 --> 00:33:35,120 Speaker 5: because you don't know what it is, where it is, 623 00:33:35,480 --> 00:33:39,120 Speaker 5: there's no arc, and you know that's the logical end 624 00:33:39,200 --> 00:33:41,920 Speaker 5: state for all this kind of stuff. So that's the 625 00:33:42,080 --> 00:33:46,240 Speaker 5: threat that I create with China and Total Empire is 626 00:33:46,280 --> 00:33:51,080 Speaker 5: a story about the human cost of combat and the 627 00:33:51,640 --> 00:33:56,120 Speaker 5: stakes at hand when you ultimately pay that ultimate price 628 00:33:56,400 --> 00:33:59,560 Speaker 5: to protect and defend this country. 629 00:34:00,920 --> 00:34:01,360 Speaker 3: Amazing. 630 00:34:01,520 --> 00:34:05,320 Speaker 2: I'm so happy that you've written fifteen fifteen books, right, okay? 631 00:34:05,480 --> 00:34:08,080 Speaker 2: And Saint Martin's Press, you know, good job. I think 632 00:34:08,080 --> 00:34:10,239 Speaker 2: I should give a shout out to Isabella. She's I 633 00:34:10,280 --> 00:34:13,000 Speaker 2: think the one that arranged us to talk today, so 634 00:34:13,560 --> 00:34:14,680 Speaker 2: we'll give We'll give her. 635 00:34:14,560 --> 00:34:16,239 Speaker 3: A shout out, a nice shout out. I think she'd 636 00:34:16,280 --> 00:34:17,879 Speaker 3: like to hear that because she's probably gonna listen. 637 00:34:18,640 --> 00:34:19,080 Speaker 2: How did it go? 638 00:34:19,760 --> 00:34:23,719 Speaker 3: Rat Anthony? Tony, Tony? How it was it? 639 00:34:23,760 --> 00:34:23,920 Speaker 4: Good? 640 00:34:24,480 --> 00:34:28,240 Speaker 3: Do we say? Mars Press, Total. 641 00:34:28,040 --> 00:34:33,360 Speaker 5: Empire, Isabella Vanessa or my publicists and they do a 642 00:34:33,480 --> 00:34:38,560 Speaker 5: fantastic job, a red renegade and they do an awesome job. 643 00:34:38,640 --> 00:34:41,560 Speaker 5: They're they're wonderful people to work with. And then Joe 644 00:34:41,680 --> 00:34:44,680 Speaker 5: Ronaldi at Sant Martin's Press is my publicist. 645 00:34:44,760 --> 00:34:44,960 Speaker 4: There. 646 00:34:45,480 --> 00:34:50,600 Speaker 5: Joe's great mark Resnik, My editor is fantastic. His his assistant, 647 00:34:50,719 --> 00:34:54,840 Speaker 5: Lily Crownig, is tremendous. And I really, you know, I 648 00:34:55,040 --> 00:35:00,040 Speaker 5: was doing a podcast yesterday with Don Junior and and 649 00:35:00,080 --> 00:35:03,280 Speaker 5: I said, you know, I really have to give thanks 650 00:35:03,320 --> 00:35:07,040 Speaker 5: to McMillan and Sant Martin's Press for tremendous support. 651 00:35:07,120 --> 00:35:07,800 Speaker 4: They've shown me. 652 00:35:08,480 --> 00:35:12,480 Speaker 5: As politically divided as this nation is, they have stood 653 00:35:12,560 --> 00:35:17,520 Speaker 5: by me one percent. They're great people, great Americans. And 654 00:35:18,239 --> 00:35:21,640 Speaker 5: you know, whatever political differences are out there, if there 655 00:35:21,680 --> 00:35:24,160 Speaker 5: are any, I don't know. I'm not a political guy 656 00:35:24,320 --> 00:35:27,600 Speaker 5: much contrary to what people will read about me. I've 657 00:35:27,600 --> 00:35:31,360 Speaker 5: always been a solutions oriented leader. Y. You know, I 658 00:35:31,520 --> 00:35:34,160 Speaker 5: left the military, I got into education. I wanted to 659 00:35:34,200 --> 00:35:38,160 Speaker 5: make the world a better place for those most underserved populations. 660 00:35:40,480 --> 00:35:44,480 Speaker 5: The DC public schools in County Raleigh and you know, 661 00:35:44,760 --> 00:35:47,920 Speaker 5: very very large school systems with very tough missions, and 662 00:35:48,000 --> 00:35:52,399 Speaker 5: then Secretary Transportation in North Carolina about connecting more rural 663 00:35:52,480 --> 00:35:57,719 Speaker 5: populations to education and employment centers. So for me, life 664 00:35:57,760 --> 00:36:00,320 Speaker 5: has been about making a difference, as my mother always 665 00:36:00,400 --> 00:36:03,279 Speaker 5: told me to do. And the writing has sort of 666 00:36:03,320 --> 00:36:06,320 Speaker 5: ballooned into this whole separate path where I get to 667 00:36:07,080 --> 00:36:09,960 Speaker 5: entertain and it's the fulfillment of a childhood dream. 668 00:36:10,120 --> 00:36:11,080 Speaker 3: The producer. 669 00:36:12,960 --> 00:36:17,040 Speaker 5: Just turned in books book sixteen to Mark Resnik and so, 670 00:36:17,239 --> 00:36:18,280 Speaker 5: you know, sixteen books. 671 00:36:18,320 --> 00:36:20,480 Speaker 4: That's not a bad writing. 672 00:36:20,600 --> 00:36:22,720 Speaker 3: No, that's not that's not at all though. That's actually 673 00:36:22,800 --> 00:36:23,200 Speaker 3: really cool. 674 00:36:23,239 --> 00:36:26,120 Speaker 2: And I hope something turns out to where they get 675 00:36:26,239 --> 00:36:29,520 Speaker 2: adapted into something furthermore for you. And I'm on set. 676 00:36:29,760 --> 00:36:32,279 Speaker 2: I hope you need a long haired or you can 677 00:36:32,320 --> 00:36:33,879 Speaker 2: cut it off. I'll tell you right now. The beer 678 00:36:33,960 --> 00:36:37,640 Speaker 2: doesn't make me I'm me Yeah, I. 679 00:36:37,719 --> 00:36:38,960 Speaker 4: Can certainly write that in. 680 00:36:39,520 --> 00:36:44,400 Speaker 5: You know, A cool guy that keeps his father's flag 681 00:36:44,520 --> 00:36:46,640 Speaker 5: on the mantle of the fireplace. 682 00:36:46,760 --> 00:36:48,960 Speaker 4: That's that's that's all I need to know right there. 683 00:36:49,520 --> 00:36:51,840 Speaker 3: Thank you. Here, I'll give you my eyes. There's my 684 00:36:51,920 --> 00:36:55,080 Speaker 3: soul for you, sir. I appreciate that. Thank you so much. Yes, 685 00:36:55,560 --> 00:36:56,640 Speaker 3: that is very kind of mean you. 686 00:36:57,200 --> 00:37:00,320 Speaker 2: Well, listen, I think we've had a wonderful conversation and 687 00:37:00,560 --> 00:37:02,640 Speaker 2: I would love to have you back talking about your 688 00:37:02,719 --> 00:37:05,759 Speaker 2: next book or talking about other things going on. 689 00:37:05,800 --> 00:37:06,280 Speaker 3: In the world. 690 00:37:06,400 --> 00:37:09,080 Speaker 2: Right you're very knowledgeable about that, So just keeping you 691 00:37:09,160 --> 00:37:11,320 Speaker 2: on the on the burners, you know, if you have 692 00:37:11,400 --> 00:37:13,680 Speaker 2: anything you want to say where we can find your book. 693 00:37:13,760 --> 00:37:16,120 Speaker 2: I know it's out there. It's called Total Empire. Can 694 00:37:16,160 --> 00:37:17,719 Speaker 2: they find it anywhere books are sold? 695 00:37:17,840 --> 00:37:17,960 Speaker 3: Right? 696 00:37:18,760 --> 00:37:21,200 Speaker 5: Yeah, yep, it's been out a couple of weeks now 697 00:37:21,440 --> 00:37:24,880 Speaker 5: and it's in Barns and Noble, indie bookstores all across the. 698 00:37:24,920 --> 00:37:26,680 Speaker 3: Country bookstores, that's right. 699 00:37:27,360 --> 00:37:30,880 Speaker 5: I did signings and with Coyle Ridge and Raleigh, with 700 00:37:31,080 --> 00:37:33,880 Speaker 5: Barrow Beach Book Center, Palm Beach Bookstore. 701 00:37:34,239 --> 00:37:36,680 Speaker 4: I did a signing in Virginia Farms and Noble. 702 00:37:37,000 --> 00:37:39,680 Speaker 5: Yeah, and then I was out out and murdered by 703 00:37:39,719 --> 00:37:43,240 Speaker 5: the book half Price Books in Houston and Dallas and Phoenix, 704 00:37:43,320 --> 00:37:46,920 Speaker 5: I did Poison Pen. Those are all indie bookstores. I 705 00:37:47,000 --> 00:37:49,680 Speaker 5: support indie bookstores and we all need to do that. 706 00:37:50,600 --> 00:37:53,000 Speaker 5: And so yeah, it's it's on Amazon, of course, and 707 00:37:53,719 --> 00:37:57,520 Speaker 5: anywhere you can find it. Total Empire will be there. 708 00:37:58,080 --> 00:38:00,480 Speaker 5: I always tell people if if you read and you 709 00:38:00,600 --> 00:38:03,279 Speaker 5: love it, give me a five star Amazon review. If 710 00:38:03,320 --> 00:38:06,000 Speaker 5: you don't send me a personal email. 711 00:38:05,920 --> 00:38:08,200 Speaker 2: Trying to get that five stars, huh. You got out 712 00:38:08,239 --> 00:38:09,879 Speaker 2: with one, now you're trying to get the other four. 713 00:38:11,239 --> 00:38:14,920 Speaker 2: There you go, one star general, you I don't want 714 00:38:14,960 --> 00:38:16,200 Speaker 2: a five star general now. 715 00:38:16,239 --> 00:38:19,919 Speaker 4: I'm just playing right right now I'm happy with the one. 716 00:38:20,239 --> 00:38:20,400 Speaker 4: You know. 717 00:38:20,600 --> 00:38:22,680 Speaker 3: I'm just glad that I'm not in regulations anymore. 718 00:38:24,120 --> 00:38:25,200 Speaker 4: Right, right, exactly. 719 00:38:25,320 --> 00:38:27,640 Speaker 2: I'll still slide the paper across your desk to you, though, sir, 720 00:38:27,719 --> 00:38:29,320 Speaker 2: I got you, okay, I got you. 721 00:38:29,880 --> 00:38:30,040 Speaker 4: Well. 722 00:38:30,080 --> 00:38:32,000 Speaker 2: Thank you for being a part of softwarep Welcome to 723 00:38:32,040 --> 00:38:35,040 Speaker 2: the soft rep family. And you know, as the host 724 00:38:35,080 --> 00:38:38,000 Speaker 2: of soft Reap, I'm grateful to Brandon Webb who helms 725 00:38:38,080 --> 00:38:40,800 Speaker 2: this ship that I'm aboard. You know, he also is 726 00:38:40,880 --> 00:38:44,160 Speaker 2: an author with Saint Martin's and you know, writing books 727 00:38:44,160 --> 00:38:46,160 Speaker 2: out there traveling and doing the same type of thing. 728 00:38:46,280 --> 00:38:48,440 Speaker 3: And believe it in me to run the show and 729 00:38:48,600 --> 00:38:50,799 Speaker 3: to shout out about our merch. We have merch. 730 00:38:51,120 --> 00:38:52,960 Speaker 2: Check it out. Go check out soft reap dot com. 731 00:38:53,280 --> 00:38:55,080 Speaker 2: You know, if you like the show, you like anything 732 00:38:55,120 --> 00:38:57,560 Speaker 2: that we're doing, buy a shirt. It keeps the lights on, 733 00:38:57,719 --> 00:38:59,719 Speaker 2: it really does. I love what I do, and I 734 00:38:59,800 --> 00:39:04,120 Speaker 2: want again thank you to my guest Anthony Tta Tony 735 00:39:04,880 --> 00:39:08,920 Speaker 2: Aj the author Brigadier General, Sir, thank you for your 736 00:39:09,120 --> 00:39:10,880 Speaker 2: patriotism to our country and I appreciate it. 737 00:39:11,480 --> 00:39:13,719 Speaker 5: Thank you, Rod and tell Brandon, I said, Hi, we 738 00:39:13,880 --> 00:39:16,520 Speaker 5: drank whiskey on set one time, and and it was 739 00:39:16,600 --> 00:39:18,600 Speaker 5: some strong stuff so way. 740 00:39:18,480 --> 00:39:20,080 Speaker 3: Back in the day, probably Japanese. 741 00:39:21,120 --> 00:39:22,800 Speaker 4: Yeah, when it was for starting. 742 00:39:24,160 --> 00:39:25,719 Speaker 2: Well, here we are and I'll be sure that this 743 00:39:25,800 --> 00:39:28,040 Speaker 2: stays in there. So thank you, General, I appreciate your time, 744 00:39:28,120 --> 00:39:31,080 Speaker 2: and again on behalf of everybody that's listening and watching, 745 00:39:31,280 --> 00:39:32,120 Speaker 2: I say peace 746 00:39:36,960 --> 00:39:39,440 Speaker 1: You've been listening to self Repladia