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With America taking a leadership role in opposition to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, our opponents and friends across the world view us in a quite different light to that of only a month ago. It is, as our guest this week, former US Senator Bob Kasten, Jr. says, “Leadership, peace through strength works.” Sen. Kasten explained in our interview:
“We have now interrupted a whole process that’s been taking place beginning with the Obama administration. Russia took over Georgia with barely a fight. Russia took over Crimea with no fight at all. Russia greatly assisted Assad in Syria with barely a peep from the Obama administration except for a speech that Obama made ‘if they cross this red line, ever use chemical weapons against their own citizens, we will act.’ Well, you all remember what happened on that non-action after the Syrians crossed that red line and used chemical weapons on their own citizens, and the United States did nothing. The free world did nothing. So, you had this pattern going.
“Now, finally, after 20 years, we’ve broken the pattern. And by breaking that pattern, it changes activities; it changes the opinions of the Chinese on Taiwan, but it is also going to change the opinions of other countries like North Korea, Iran, and others. It looks as though the United States has gotten a little more common sense, … has become more aware of the importance of leading from a position of strength, and it looks as if the United States and NATO, the free world, has come together now like they haven’t been together recently.”
Our guest, Bob Kasten, served as a Wisconsin State Senator and represented Wisconsin in both the US Senate and in the House of Representatives. He served on both the Senate Appropriations Committee and Senate Budget Committee and was the Ranking Member on the Surface Transportation Subcommittee of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee.
Bob played a pivotal role in the development of US humanitarian and military assistance programs, including foreign military sales. In 1985, President Reagan appointed Senator Kasten to the President’s Export Council. Today, Bob is President of Kasten & Co., an international business consulting firm. He is also a Managing Member of Talos Partners, a merchant bank with offices in Salt Lake City, and is a Senior Associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Join Jay, Tom, and Bob to learn about how, with the firm resolve of NATO members to oppose the invasion of Ukraine, is the only way forward!
Reference relevant to this show:
- “Putin Sees NATO as the Threat and Gambles Everything,” by Dr. Jay Lehr and Tom Harris