Sen. Blumenthal on CIA Dir. Ratcliffe Warning Russia Not to Attack NATO Members: It Could Be Empty Unless Backed with a Show of Strength

RUSH EXCERPT:
BLUMENTHAL: "Without going into any classified information I think the Ratcliffe mission Could well be empty and ephemeral unless it is backed with a real show of strength. Putin is a mob thug He understands only force and strength And so to send the CIA director as President Biden did Director Burns, to warn or try to persuade Putin with words actions speak louder than words largely going to be ineffective And the Europeans understand that right now what’s needed is more air defense the PAC-3 interceptors, more long-range artillery in the HIMARS and the kinds of aid that Ukraine needs to hit those launch sites and drone and missile manufacturing sites with Starlink that will really send a message to Putin that the United States and Europe means business But they sense a danger of escalation that can’t be met By just words and in fact is contradicted by Elbridge Colby’s mission He’s the chief undersecretary for policy in the Department of Defense or War when he went just last week and said we’re reducing our troop strength"