Building Military Readiness for an Increasingly Dangerous World

0:00 Speaker 1 Sunday morning. What is today is brigand you a General John taich It otherwise known as Dragon and uh, well, General, there’s so many things going on. I mean, I don’t know where to start. You you heard President Trump’s speech on Thursday night, What did you think, John?

0:18 Speaker 2 The thing that struck me the most is that there is a comprehensive, holistic attempt by the Chinese Communist Party to undermine the core of our republic. And I’m very concerned about it. He made a great case, and I think that the focus going forward needs to be on some of the domestic elements that covered that up. But

0:40 really the biggest thing that we need to do is find a way to punish China for their activities that are striving to undermine the core of our democracy.

0:50 Speaker 1 I understand that, and but they’re they’re they’re they’re hurting us in so many different areas. Drugs fetanoyl from from Mexico, uh are political system, our educational system, buying land next to our air bases. Are we? I mean, President Trump said it the right way. With Iran forty seven years of getting screwed by Iran and China, I’m not sure

1:20 that much better.

1:22 Speaker 2 No, I actually don’t think that they are. And again I think that they are trying in every way possible, in fact, using a strategy that they developed about forty seven years ago called unrestricted warfare to undermine us as a country. I’m extremely concerned about it. And here’s just the data point, John, there are two hundred thousand Chinese

1:43 students currently in American universities. Their number one priority is to steal American intellectual property. Why we continue to allow Chinese students to populate key locations around our country in American university is beyond me. They’re doing it to undermine us, and we need to stop it.

2:04 Speaker 1 Now. Let’s move on to Iran. Are we ever going to solve this problem?

2:10 Speaker 2 I am hopeful, John, that the President now has promised expanded military operations against Iran starting next week. I realize he’s made that promise before, but I finally think that Iran has so taken advantage of the President’s goodwill and patience that he’s sick and tired of it, and that means that he’s going to follow through on these promises.

2:32 I hope to start attacking power plants and bridges and logistical lines and transportation nodes, and I think as we do that and map each of those targets to strategically significant points, then we will start to get attention of the regime in a way that condemned them to our will understood.

2:53 Speaker 1 What else would you like to talk about on a Sunday morning. There’s so many things going on.

2:57 Speaker 2 There are John, There’s something that’s significant that happened this last Wednesday that the President hosted a Pennsylvania Defense summit, and the number one priority of that summit was to find ways to increase domestic production of a variety of items, including military related items. And I think it is vitally important that as we consider Iran and we consider China,

3:21 that we start to increase our weapons stockpiles and we start to increase our ability to produce domestically. And you know, the President talked about two things that I think are important to all listeners. Number One, he mentioned a company called Divergent that makes via digital manufacturing supercars in the morning and cruise missiles in the afternoon. And that’s a

3:43 great example of the flexibility and adaptability of American industry that we need more of. And then there’s also a concern about cement and not having enough domestic production of cement, and I think that the president is focused on increasing domestic capacity, so we’re not reliant on China. We’ve got the weapon stockpiles that we need, and I think that

4:05 is a great way forward to produce an arsenal of freedom that we desperately need in this country.

4:13 Speaker 1 You’re absolutely right, General, I mean, where do we go? Russia, Russia and Ukraine. Who do you trust less? Well?

4:25 Speaker 2 I trust Russia far less that I think Ukraine. First of all, they didn’t start this war, but they actually are doing very well against the determined adversary that is unwilling to stop. Putin started this four and a half years ago. And while there are some reasons to be concerned about Zelenski and Ukraine that they are defending themselves brilliantly,

4:48 Russia is unwilling to stop, even though it’s driving their economic system into the ground. You know, the Russian Central Bank not too long ago said that their economic outlook is dismal, future is bleak. And for some reason Putin doesn’t understand it’s in his best interest to stop. But he’s the aggressor here. We’ve got to always remember that

5:09 which is why it is reasonable for US to continue to support Ukraine in a sustainable way. And I think because they’re starting to gain territory and take the fight to the Russian economy, that they’re going to ultimately succeed, whether Putin realizes it or not.

5:24 Speaker 1 Now, just before you retired, you would Space Command anything the American people should know about Space Command? Any are they moving forward to tell us what’s going on yet?

5:37 Speaker 2 Well, John, there is going to be a new Chief of Space Operations soon. It’s going to be the third one. You know. Space Force started as a force in December of twenty nineteen, so they’re fairly new. But they’re going to have their third senior old Journal senior general as General Saltzman retires.

5:54 And I’m excited as they’re looking to double the size of their force. They’re looking to double their budget. And it’s important for your listeners to understand, John, that space is a contested domain. Everything we do in a military sense, in an economic sense in this country is highly reliant on our ability to operate in space. Space Force is

6:16 there to protect that national right. And I’m excited as we see a third new general as the chief of Space Operations and the Chief of Space Force that he’s going to carry on a legacy that started under President Trump one in twenty nineteen as a separate military service, bringing.

6:33 Speaker 1 You a General Tiger otherwise known as Dragon. Thank you for everything you’ve done for our country and continue to do for our country, and we’ll catch up again real soon.

6:42 Speaker 2 John, I always love being on with you. Keep having me back anytime.