August 19, 2025 • 38 mins
Bradley Jay Fills in on NightSide
Following an Alaska meeting between President Trump and Russian Pres. Putin, Trump says he’s setting up a second meeting between Putin and Ukrainian Pres. Zelenskyy. Will anything be accomplished because of the meeting? Can Russia and Ukraine find peace and put an end to the war? Russia appears to be taunting Ukraine in a new viral propaganda video that shows a Russian military vehicle flying a U.S. flag. Political expert Dan Snell joined us to discuss.
Following an Alaska meeting between President Trump and Russian Pres. Putin, Trump says he’s setting up a second meeting between Putin and Ukrainian Pres. Zelenskyy. Will anything be accomplished because of the meeting? Can Russia and Ukraine find peace and put an end to the war? Russia appears to be taunting Ukraine in a new viral propaganda video that shows a Russian military vehicle flying a U.S. flag. Political expert Dan Snell joined us to discuss.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
It's Night Side with Dan Ray on WBZ Cooston's Need Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Thank you, Dan Watkins. This is Bradley Jay in for
Dan Ray tonight on Night's Side. The following topic is
not an excuse to criticize or to praise the president.
It is not an excuse to praise or criticize conservatives
or progressives are moderates. It's not an opportunity to.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
Share your political views.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
This is an opportunity to talk about one policy and
one policy only, and it's an opportunity to concentrate on policy.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
This will be a good exercise.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
If we can get through this and do this, maybe
you can see how it's done and go through your
life doing things this way a little bit, and maybe
you'll be able to talk about issues in your workplace
or in your family with your family without everything, without
everything degenerating into a fight.
Speaker 3 (01:04):
The policy we.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Want we are going to speak about and discuss, and
I suppose debate but not argue, is foreign to the
foreign policy, related to the US foreign policy and actually
other foreign policy, EU foreign policy, Chinese foreign policy. When
(01:26):
it comes to the Russia Ukraine situation, it's an extremely
important thing. And while I know that foreign policy in
general is not a popular top radio topic. This transcends
that because it's Russia is a nuclear power, Russia has
attacked Europe. Russia has attacked and is attempting to conquer
(01:50):
a sovereign nation. And well that's problematic if you you know,
it's just problem if you believe in democracy, if you
believe in sovereign nations having self determination, if you believe
that one country shouldn't just take over another country. And
(02:12):
we have a guest why, Because I'm not an expert
on foreign policy. I am extremely caught up on what's
going on in Ukraine. I have watched many sources every
day since they get going. But as I say, I'm
not an expert on foreign policy. I'm not an expert
on every conspiracy theory, etc. So that's why we have
(02:35):
an expert named Dan Snell. And I'm so grateful that
you're with us.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
Dan, How do you do I'm doing, Dandy Bradley, great
to be with you and your Boston listeners, as well
as many states across the country listen to this program.
So happy to be with you. And you set it
up pretty good. I think we'll have fun because I say,
with a smile that in America today, sadly people you
(02:59):
were put to get so eloquent that we need to
not get after one another, but try to be kind
and we will see. I sure welcome if people want
to call in, you give them how to do that
on iHeart app. But it's great to be with you.
And always been a Boston fan. This will date me,
but I grew up a John Havlicek fan, and so
that's going to age me. But it also gives me
(03:21):
seeing a few sins a few decades of politics in
America great.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
So there are a couple of ways, and I do
urge you in this case to call in. I want
to hear from you. I want to know how you
feel about this foreign policy. Maybe you like it, maybe
you don't. And I'm a talk show host that if
you make a good point, you can change my mind.
I think that's more interesting than you calling in and
just beating your head against my wall and me refusing
(03:49):
to change even in the face of really good information.
Speaker 3 (03:52):
You present me with good information, I could change my mind.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
As I said, a couple of ways to get through
to us six one, seven, two, five, four, ten, thirty
or six one seven, nine, three, one, ten thirty. The
other way is this new way. It's a talkback feature
on the iHeartRadio app. Make sure you download the app.
It's ezy, and then you open it up and you'll
(04:18):
see a red microphone talk back button. Record a little message.
It comes into us. We see it and if it's appropriate, well,
well maybe we'll er it. It might be for for
folks that don't have an opinion, but maybe you're shy
to call a radio station. So Dan, but let's start
by giving getting some background from you.
Speaker 3 (04:40):
Where are you from? You know, what have you been doing? What?
Speaker 4 (04:44):
What?
Speaker 3 (04:45):
What gives you cred to be talking about this?
Speaker 1 (04:50):
Well? I live currently in Kansas Overland Park, Kansas. It's
a suburb of Kansas City. But I grew up and
I'm very proud of small town America, USA. Born in
David City, Nebraska. It's a small town of about twenty
three hundred and it's the kind of community. And there's
a lot of listeners listening right now to night Side
that are in a small town, maybe in Massachusetts or
(05:12):
maybe in Nebraska, whatever states. They're listening and they feel
that sense of home, the place we call home, and
they want to make it better, and so I got
involved in politics at a young age of thirty two.
I ran for elective office and one and served five
terms ten years, and along with that had been fairly
(05:35):
successful in sales, and so a few years ago I
wrote my first book called The Winsome Way. Winsome is
a twelve hundred year old word. You're certainly a winsome guy, Bradley.
It means upbeat, cheerful, positive looks for the good guys
kind of tries to discover the extraordinary in the world
around them, and certainly with your travel podcasts and your
(05:57):
travels and the things you do, certainly have discovered the extraordinary.
Then I wrote a second book, and it actually was
more popular, and that's kind of why I was asked
to be on It's called The Winsome Candidate. I took
my ten years in elective office and actually had been
involved in helping people seek office and win office outside
(06:18):
of those ten years, and I took the concepts of
the Winsome Way and tied them into how can you
be a public servant? Because public service is about what's
supposed to be going on in Washington, DC, or Boston
or wherever. People are trying to lead. It's not politics,
because politics is the ugly side of public service. So
(06:41):
I wrote that book. Gush. I've been doing radio and
TV now and talking about that because I kind of
take the stance that I'm not the type of guy
that points the finger and says, look how bad they are,
Look how ugly they are. They're horrible. They're so bad.
That's why you need to vote for me. I talk
about in my book and in life, let's let's try
(07:03):
to find as leaders the solutions. The s of Winstom
stands for be a solutioneer, and so throughout my book
I talk about it the positive approach to leadership. A
lot of people don't understand that, but we will talk
about that some more tonight. But this whole thing going
on in Ukraine and Russia, I mean, we shift real
(07:24):
quick to what that concept of trying to get a
piece deal. If we look at you know, the world
is happy and a plotting President Trump for his efforts,
and when they went to Alaska there was momentum. There
wasn't anything definitive or a consensus of what's going to happen.
But this week, you know, yesterday continued it the positive
(07:49):
things are that we're moving in the right direction, I
say with a smile. And perhaps President Trump should hire
me for a million dollars to just sit around, because
sometimes the words that come out of his mouth aren't wins.
And if he would not say things and make promises
or attack people or say that he's going to do things,
they don't come about. Because what happens is we take
(08:12):
nine steps forward and good things are happening. But then
sometimes he has a tendency to communicate a little exuberantly
let's just call it that way, in a polite way,
but then that puts him five steps back. So instead
of having a very positive scenario, now America in the
(08:32):
world is watching what's going to happen next because President
Trump said he's going to put severe sanctions and things.
If Putin doesn't go along, Now he has to do
that or it puts it puts him and the whole
situation in turmoil.
Speaker 2 (08:50):
Right, Ultimatums are a problematic. We're going to take a
quick break. Thank you for setting us up, and I'm
going to tell you how I feel about it, and
you can everyone can either agree or disagree on this issue.
And again I would prefer it if I couldn't even
tell if you were conservative or liberal, I would love
you to focus so much on the issue and take
(09:12):
a look at the the pros and cons of the
issue that I didn't I couldn't even tell what you're
overall know you well, And I'm talking to the folks
who hopefully will call in and I'll do the same
because I feel it's very sad that any discussion of
(09:38):
any issue can't really be done very well because it
always devolves into a fight between progressives and and maga
or something of that nature.
Speaker 3 (09:54):
So let's try to.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
Keep it on the issue and figure out what the
best way to go is and if our current foreign
policy foreign policy lines up with the best way to go.
Speaker 3 (10:06):
So we'll continue in a moment on w b Z
It's Night Side with Dan Ray on Boston's news radio.
Rather J for Dan.
Speaker 2 (10:15):
Now, we're going to dig dig in here, and I
occur encourage your participation on this one. Are you pleased
with the current policy, the US foreign policy regarding the
Russia Ukraine Ukraine conflict? And again I'm going to be
a strict referee. We're going to talk about the policy,
not the man, not the people involved.
Speaker 3 (10:36):
Unless it's necessary.
Speaker 2 (10:37):
Of course, if you have to reference Putin or President Trump,
that's okay, But the purpose of that will not be
to either attack or praise.
Speaker 3 (10:48):
I don't want ad hominem arguments. I don't want.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
You know, I don't want you making your case for
your political stance. I want you to make your case
for how you think this should be handled. We have
Dan Snell as.
Speaker 3 (11:00):
A guest, and that's good. Let me start by.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
Giving my opinion on this, and that is, you know,
I have to start somewhere, and that is that Russia
is a longtime enemy of the US, Cold War, etc.
And then they were defeated or to some degree defeated
themselves by going into Afghanistan, and anyway, at any rate,
(11:25):
they collapsed. According to a Putin, that was the greatest
geopolitical disaster of all time. And his primary goal is
to burnish his legacy by restoring the Soviet Union. He
doesn't care how many thousands of people in other sovereign
countries he has to kill, displace, make homeless, and he
(11:51):
doesn't care how many of his own people he has
to do the same to which is evidenced by the
meat waves of people attacking barely armed at all, with
the sole purpose of using up bullets of the Ukrainian
They're just trying to send more people than the Ukrainians
have bullets. And as far as this thing being justified
(12:17):
at all by some I know, people get off on
conspiracy theories. Ukraine sovereign country. That's the beginning and the
end of it. Were they going to join NATO? Probably not,
but there's still a sovereign country.
Speaker 3 (12:36):
Did they provoke No, that's my opinion.
Speaker 2 (12:41):
Did NATO ever promised not to expand that's a myth.
Speaker 3 (12:47):
They did not not in writing.
Speaker 2 (12:49):
There was a situation where they said they said maybe
in East Germany, you know, we won't expand from on
that end. That was never written down, and that certainly
was not overall NATO. So from where I see, you know,
where I sit, a terrible dictator is murdering people in
(13:14):
a sovereign country in attempt to conquer that country. And
we have to decide, well, how in the US I suppose,
how does that affect us?
Speaker 3 (13:25):
Should we just let it happen.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
We don't want to go broke arming them, We don't
want to use up our arms arming them.
Speaker 3 (13:33):
We do have to take a look at.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
The whole geopolitical chess game and see how it affects us.
But as I see it now, we have sided. Our
policy is to side with our mortal, longtime enemy, a
war criminal, against our allies whom we fought side by
(13:56):
side within World War II, etc.
Speaker 3 (14:00):
Is it worth it for.
Speaker 2 (14:03):
The United States to back Russia as they seem to
be doing, at least cyclically, to throw our European allies,
our longtime allies, our allies who are on the same
page as we are ideologically, throw them under the bus. Yes,
(14:23):
it's true that they have been skating defense wise, and
they need to step up to We're at three, We're
three point five percent GDP, they're like two. I think
they need to be five for the next five years
and catch up, because I mean, they're gonna get get
it together. We can't be expected to foot the bill
for this whole thing. But I'd like, I believe as
(14:48):
a solution, if putin saw that, you know what, the
United States is definitely in this for long haul.
Speaker 3 (14:55):
Maybe they're not gonna, you know.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
Continue to be the primary five this, but they're going
to really help and make it happen over the.
Speaker 3 (15:02):
Long haul if they knew we were in for the
long haul.
Speaker 2 (15:07):
Their society, their infrastructure, their military, their economy.
Speaker 3 (15:13):
Is on the brink of burning out, and.
Speaker 2 (15:18):
I don't think it's going to take that much longer
for that regime to fall. So I think we need
to hang in there. But I also think that Europeans
need to step up big time for their own defense.
Speaker 5 (15:30):
There.
Speaker 3 (15:30):
That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
Speaker 1 (15:34):
Well Well, said Bradley. Well said, you know what one
thing I just learned today in getting ready for this
is you actually spent some time. Actually you were one
of the first Americans to do a radio program in Moscow,
so you actually tell us about that you were actually
in Moscow on air.
Speaker 2 (15:53):
Well, good for you, Thanks, thanks for giving me that opportunity. Yes,
it was a PARASTROI hit gorbachovs president during that the
boss and during that brief time, there was an effort
to attract Western businesses, including Budweiser. So Budweiser sponsored this
(16:13):
Rolling Stones concert and brought four people from each of
twenty five radio markets, including my market in Boston with
my station WBCN, and I went with my program director
named Oedipus and two listeners and twenty five groups of
four went there and got to go to Moscow, and we.
Speaker 3 (16:34):
Actually partied with the party leaders because.
Speaker 2 (16:37):
We were considered even if we weren't really celebrities, as
far as they were concerned, we were celebrities, so they
wanted to meet with us. And there are all kinds
of stories involved with it. But part of the event
was we went to that.
Speaker 3 (16:51):
Extremely tall needle.
Speaker 2 (16:54):
Of a radio tower and we broadcast to all eleven
time zones of Russia and we broadcast to the United
States as well.
Speaker 1 (17:04):
What an experience that must have been. Wow, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (17:07):
And we got this. It was a we got to
see how it was the wild West.
Speaker 2 (17:12):
Because if you wanted a cab ride, they didn't want
rubles Man. They wanted Marlborough cigarettes. And my boss was
smart enough to bring over a few cartons of those
and we used them as money and.
Speaker 3 (17:22):
They were they were worth a lot. I have a
lot of stories about that.
Speaker 2 (17:26):
I don't want to get too far off the beaten
path here, so in a three or four minutes, respond
to what I said, and then we'll go to Jay
and Brookline. After the break, go to j and Brookline
and Jane and Shrewsbury and anybody else wants.
Speaker 3 (17:41):
To give us a shout. At six one seven, it's
Night Side with Dan Ray on Boston's news Radio.
Speaker 2 (17:53):
We're talking about US policy regarding the Russia Ukraine War.
Our guest is Dan Snell, and as you may, you
may have heard my position on it prior. I don't
have time to go through it again. Dan, can you
give us a quick response to.
Speaker 3 (18:09):
Where I'm at?
Speaker 2 (18:10):
And you tell me where you're at, and then we'll
find out what Jay, what Jay and Brookline and Jane
and Shrewsbury feel and anyone else At six one seven.
Speaker 3 (18:17):
Two ten thirty.
Speaker 1 (18:20):
Yeah, well, I look forward to here to the listeners
and their thoughts. But you know, as you said, if
we study, if we look back at history, and you
were you mentioned you were there during Gorbachev when the country,
when Russia as a country was somewhat turning to a
little different approach to global relationships. And Ronald Reagan had
a big part in that in building a relationship with Gorbachev.
(18:44):
But then when Putin got back in, he is as
a leader, strong in his background in the KGB. He
he is an aggressive, military based man. And you, as
you stated, Europe should be the one that's leading the charge. However,
I believe as America that our policy should be as
(19:06):
it's been for decades, that we are the shining city
on a hill, so to speak, and that we are
that person that when we see a bully on the
streets of Boston, or let's say, let's say if someone
from the Montreal Canadians punches David Pasternek, I think that's
his name. You're a hockey player for the Bruins. If
(19:26):
they punch him, what's going to happen His teammates and
the crowd is going to rally around him, and so
tying that in what we're talking about here in world affairs,
I still believe in America that we are the strongest
and the most worldwide respected and the one that's looked to.
We are America, even when you say the word around
(19:49):
the world America, we are that power. And I believe
we should stand with Ukraine and in no way should
we back off. In fact, if this joint meeting between
Zelenski and Putin doesn't go well, and in no way
do I believe that we as a country again will
(20:11):
keep politics out of it. But the leadership from the
White House to the outhouse wherever that out house is
across America, everyone should be saying we need to stand
with Ukraine. In fact, the most recent poll, seventy three
percent of Americans, including now it's gone over fifty percent
of Republicans nationwide are saying we need to stand with Ukraine.
(20:31):
So I think we're on the right track. My hope
and prayers that things go good and it'll be good
for the world. Cost As Ronald Reagan said, he's one
of my heroes I write about in my book. I'm
cautiously optimistic.
Speaker 2 (20:46):
Okay, let's find out what Let's see what Jane Brookland says.
Speaker 3 (20:52):
Jay, what do you say? How do you do? Jay?
Speaker 5 (20:55):
Hey, Bradley, fancy to find you on the radio again.
I'm surprised. I'm glad to hear you. You are one
of the best. You know you mentioned going to Moscow
and there in the Parestroika and Glasnow when Reagan made
the agreement with Gorbachev, they promised that the NATO will
(21:16):
not go one inch toward their border.
Speaker 3 (21:19):
Who promised that?
Speaker 5 (21:20):
Huh?
Speaker 3 (21:21):
Who promised that?
Speaker 5 (21:22):
Around Reagan? And that's an agreement, by the way, Jim
Baker wrote on his book called The Politics of Democracy.
Speaker 2 (21:33):
Has never been a written agreement that says no NATO expansion.
Speaker 5 (21:37):
No, there is, according to James Baker, but I'm trying
to say that day. Since that time, they have gone
two hundred miles toward their border. Now back to the
recent William Byrne, who was the CIA director, he was
American ambassador in Moscow during the first time in put
(22:00):
him became president, and he met me putting and putting
told him that if you ever decided any of this country,
we know that splendid country we be part of NATO,
especially the one that attactually the Russia, like Ukraine, and
that will be the red line. And he sent a
(22:22):
secret cable back to Washington to George Bush, the George
Bush's son junior, and told him that, but they ignored it.
William Burns obviously opinion about this. Now back to the
recent incident. See Russia started this thing and they're going
(22:43):
to win. And the reason that President Trump is working
on it as a peace agreement, not cease fire, because
ceaes fire doesn't get Nobel peace fries.
Speaker 2 (22:54):
By the ways, that's kind of the real reason.
Speaker 5 (23:00):
They don't want to because they want to have a
peace agreement. And then obviously President putting in, President Trump
wants the same thing. He's hoping to get the Nobel
peace price.
Speaker 2 (23:11):
Do you believe Russia wants a peace agreement? I couldn't
disagree more peace agreement offers.
Speaker 5 (23:19):
No, No, they want peace agreement. They want to become
a victor. They're not going to leave a loser. No way, this,
this will never happen. This is not any republic right
the way, they have a nuclear power. And then they are,
by the way, fighting in NATO anyway right now, but
not directly but indirectly.
Speaker 3 (23:40):
Let's keep it narrow. Let's keep it narrow.
Speaker 2 (23:41):
What is the justification for Russia to conquer Ukraine?
Speaker 3 (23:49):
Very because one sentence.
Speaker 5 (23:51):
One sentence, because they don't want NATO in their neighborhood
period as a security reason. Just like America didn't want
Soviet Union to be at their border in Cuba. That's
obvious example.
Speaker 2 (24:07):
Well, it didn't work out for him because then now
they have more NATO up on their border up north.
Speaker 5 (24:15):
They don't they don't want expansion. That's the reason.
Speaker 3 (24:18):
Okay, all right, all right, fair enough, thank you very.
Speaker 5 (24:21):
Much, Thanks Brede.
Speaker 3 (24:23):
Keep it up, So Dan, it's.
Speaker 2 (24:27):
My understanding that and I've researched it today. In fact,
there's no actual written agreement that NATO overall would not
expand there was talk about it, but nothing written down
when it came to East Germany.
Speaker 1 (24:42):
Do I have that right right, Yeah, to the best
of my knowledge that that's right. There hasn't been anything
in written. It sounds like Jay is very well read
a couple of books there he mentioned I know I
have on my shelf, but it's one of those. It's
on the shelf, So he may be drawing from something
in the in the book. And but I believe that
(25:03):
NATO in itself has not made any commitments, or the
United States has not ever made commitments. It sounds like
there was a document sent to the Bushes, but that
doesn't necessarily mean just because they received a document that
that's what Russia wants, but that we said yes to it.
So I believe, and my thought would be that Russia
(25:24):
wants to expand because Putin wants to. Part of his
goal is to and you mentioned it or maybe someone
today in another show, but he wants to return Russia
to its once great ussr I know when they arrived
in Alaska. One of Putin's right hand man or a
sweater that said USSR to draw back to the days
(25:47):
when they actually owned owned Alaska.
Speaker 3 (25:50):
Which means we're not stopping at Ukraine.
Speaker 1 (25:54):
Yeah, that's right, and that My concern is that why
we need to stand strong is that Buten wants to
rebuild the Soviet Union to its borders that it once
had and however long it takes him, and we need
to stop that now, so he recognizes that no more,
(26:16):
no moss.
Speaker 3 (26:18):
Okay, Jane and Shrewsbury. Hi, and thanks for being with us.
Speaker 6 (26:22):
Hi, good evening. So I probably agree with a lot
of what you were saying, Bradley. I have a few comments,
but I do have a question too. So yeah, I
think we need to defend Ukraine. Absolutely, it's an ally.
I hope they do end up joining NATO at some point,
even if it's after the Trump administration. And I think
(26:43):
it's an issue that conservatives and liberals can get behind
because Dan Ray was supporting Ukraine, and I think if
Ronald Reagan was around, he would be supporting Ukraine. Of course,
he's given credit, given credit for the idea that the
Soviet Union was taken apart, which probably isn't really fair,
(27:05):
but it makes a good story. But he uh, I
think he would absolutely object to the wishy washiness of
the current administration. And when you say about the policy,
it seems like it flip flops every day depending on
who's the latest person talking to the people in Washington.
Speaker 3 (27:22):
Well, there's a cycle, right, There's a cycle that goes
like this.
Speaker 2 (27:26):
It goes ultimatum from us and then nothing happens. Putin's
the time, the end of the ultimatum draws near, and
Putin says, oh, let's have a meeting, which will kind
of diffuse the ultimatum. They have the meeting, nothing and
then during after that meeting with Putin jump feels pro Russia.
(27:53):
And then after a while he sees that, oh, I
got played.
Speaker 3 (27:57):
I got played again.
Speaker 2 (28:00):
It doesn't seem to bother him as much as I
would think, because he believes, who knows, he may be
a good negotiator, but in this case, a president kind
of gets played and then nothing happens, and then TikTok
tick we get back to the top of the cycle again.
Ultimatum meeting siding with Russia got played again, and this
(28:23):
happens over and over again, and what it is is inconsistency,
and that's problematic. If the Russians consistently knew that, look, man,
we're in this for the long haul. Even if that
long haul means we're just going to insist and help
you Europe arm up themselves, then they know it was
(28:43):
hopeless and they'd go home.
Speaker 3 (28:45):
I think that's those are my thoughts on it. How
about how about you, Dan?
Speaker 5 (28:52):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (28:52):
Yeah, good, good thoughts there. I think this really is
for President Trump at defining moment in this where he
stands on this, because he has made strong statements about
he's going to do this and and sanctions or repercussions,
and he's talked strong, and as you said, what happens
is he gets with Putin and he backs down a
(29:16):
little bit.
Speaker 5 (29:16):
Now.
Speaker 1 (29:16):
He said off mic or with a hot mic the
other day to President Marcona France, he said, I think
Putin's going to do this for me, and that was
kind of caught on air. I don't know if he
believes either Putin really said that or if he didn't.
It doesn't make President Trump or good. But in this case,
especially if we look back, how America is going to
view him because this is defining moment because of what
(29:39):
was going on with the tariffs. You know, he got
and I say as a smile to the taco term
because he kept change. He kept changing the dates of
the terriffs. But his style of negotiation is talk strong,
talk big, and then tried to work things out. But sometimes,
especially in this case, when you're dealing with a world
(30:01):
piece and a situation as big as this, he's got
to stand strong with Bouten or else he's gonna lose.
Speaker 2 (30:10):
There seems all of you, Jane, Dan, have you both
answered this briefly? Perhaps you can help me understand what
is the fascination with the current administration on being pals
with Trump? Why do they want so desperately to have
to actually be buddies, true, true buddies like you, my pal,
(30:33):
I like you. I'm gonna come visit you. I want
to be buddies. He they are the bad people. They're
the complete enemy. There've been our enemy for a long time.
Speaker 3 (30:46):
What is the fascination this sort.
Speaker 2 (30:49):
Of almost a like romance, bro okay bromance.
Speaker 3 (30:59):
What what is it.
Speaker 2 (31:01):
That the president wants so badly to be buddies with
the bad guy that he throws our allies under the bus,
and you know it's probably not going to be great
for him if he keeps the cycle of code dependent
relationship right, it has to stay together. It's like he
(31:25):
gets abused but keeps coming back. It's a code dependent
relationship and it's not good.
Speaker 3 (31:33):
Like thirty seconds, thirty seconds to each of you, Jane
and Dan on that.
Speaker 1 (31:37):
Yeah, Jane, go ahead, Jane, Okay, Bradley.
Speaker 6 (31:39):
Yeah, I have a question at the end, but I
think he wants to be friends with all these power
what he sees as powerful people, even though he's the
most powerful person, and we don't. I don't think we
need a more powerful president because of the role of
president of the US is already the most powerful person
in the whole world. So we need the checks in place.
But my question is, and maybe you can answer apt
to your break. Very little is talked about CRIMEA for
(32:03):
the most part as to what happened. And I did
ask a different radio show once why did it wasn't
there more fight against Putin when he invaded? And I
was told that Obama wanted to do something, but that
the European allies weren't really motivated. I have no idea
if that's accurate, but if his guests could comment on that,
that would be interesting. And I'd love to see more
(32:25):
sanctions and more weapons, maximum everything against Putin.
Speaker 2 (32:29):
Okay, can you give me a quick thirty seconds dan
on why the fascination with being POWs with the You know.
Speaker 1 (32:38):
Yeah, I think I think if you study, i'd try
to be a student of leadership or student of leaders in.
Donald Trump likes to associate with powerful, wealthy or people
that he feels is the type of circle he wants
to run in and Putin when it comes to world leadership,
is the tough guy, and so I think he wants
(33:00):
to study models like that. I disagree that as a
style of leadership. To me, that's not very winsome, but
I think that's where he likes to be. I would
prefer to have him take the tack and act like hey,
I've already like he act like he's already been there,
like it's not his first rodeo and not you know,
ride the horse, ride this bull and stay on it
(33:20):
and don't get off, and say I want a different bowl,
and keep trying to change so that he looks good,
be strong, be Donald Trump strong American President.
Speaker 2 (33:29):
Well, yes, the you know, dealing from a position of
strength and projecting strength is a way to negotiate, and
he does that in almost everything else, but this one
it seems to be his Achilles heel. Thank you, Jane,
and we'll continue with Paul and Ed and Geo and
our guest dance now on TEWD b Z.
Speaker 3 (33:49):
Right after this, you're.
Speaker 1 (33:50):
On Night Side with Dan Ray on WBZ, Boston's News Radio.
Speaker 2 (33:55):
Bradley for Dan, and we're talking about US farm and
probably say when it comes to and Ukraine, and I
agree with both Dan and folks have called in. I'd
like to see this administration adopt the Reagan stance and
say putin, dude, we are going to bleed you dry
and do it. And there's one other thing about our
(34:17):
administration before we continue, just very quickly, I believe I
start a mistake from an administration that tries themselves on
deal making and negotiation.
Speaker 3 (34:29):
They when you.
Speaker 2 (34:31):
Give up anything, you get something. And we gave up
a meeting on American soil to our enemy. We gave
that up for nothing. That's huge. That legitimizes that regime.
And you don't give that up without getting something huge.
(34:55):
And look what they did most recently. They took that
cap should military vehicle and kept the US flag on
it and flew it right beside the Russian flag.
Speaker 3 (35:09):
And that's after all.
Speaker 2 (35:10):
This good will once again co dependent relationship. We play
nice and we get burned over and over again. How
long is that going to go on? So I guess
Dan quickly, we have a short time. I'll get as
many calls as I can in before the break. What
do you think about that? Do you think that's a
(35:32):
faux pas giving up the Alaska meeting for nothing?
Speaker 1 (35:37):
Yeah, you know, it's difficult situation. I think the week
leading up to that there was too much bravado and
too many tough words about what's going to happen or
else by the administration. And if that wouldn't have been said,
that meeting would have come off a lot better, or
(35:57):
as an outcome, that meeting would have looked like, okay,
definitely momentum, we're getting there. But it does just as
you and I are wondering, why is there all the
big powerful words, strong words? And then afterwards Putin looked
like hey, you got to ride, you got to ride
in the beast the presidential limousine, he got all kinds
of red carpet, and he got all everything Putin wanted.
(36:23):
But quite frankly, President Trump got the meeting arranged and
he started this going. I wish he wouldn't have said
all those things before that how tough he's going to be,
because now if he isn't tough, then Putin learns I
can push Donald Trump around, and I don't want that
for our country or our president.
Speaker 2 (36:39):
And that's another thing. Even I know, you don't go
handing out these ultimatums because they can they will haunt you.
Let's go to Paul in Plymouth. Hi, Paul, what do
you think about all this?
Speaker 6 (36:49):
Well?
Speaker 4 (36:50):
I think regular nothing. You know when they at the
end of that, it was like they you know, at
first they thought, oh, nothing's happened, and then all of
a sudden, all kinds of things happened out of regularly.
So I think we had to just hold on and
(37:13):
consider this sort of an icebreaker between company. Putin and
you know, if you look back at the claps of
the Soviet Union in nineteen ninety, what I think we
should have done is gone in there with a Marshall plan,
We should have had more dealings with Yelton at that time,
(37:34):
but unfortunately, you know, we were engaged with the Gulf
War and so on at that time. So anyways, those
are myself.
Speaker 3 (37:42):
That's great. Well, thank you so much, paulin Plymouth.
Speaker 2 (37:45):
I really appreciate you coming in and chatting with us
GEO and reading Geez. You got like thirty seconds, can
you what can you do with it?
Speaker 5 (37:55):
That's too bad.
Speaker 4 (37:56):
I hope you'll take me back after the break because
I have ten or twenty things.
Speaker 2 (38:00):
To talk about two, but I let you come after
the call me back right. I'm sorry, I just connected you,
but I don't want to cheat you out of that
ten or twenties a little much.
Speaker 3 (38:10):
Maybe two take your top two. This is great.
Speaker 2 (38:13):
You're a great guest, Sir Dan Snell, and I hope
you'll stick with us a bit because we are nowhere
near done. I have some straightforward questions for you after
about this whole topic and life in Russia, et cetera.
Now let's go to the news WBZ News Radio ten
thirty
It's Night Side with Dan Ray on WBZ Cooston's Need Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Thank you, Dan Watkins. This is Bradley Jay in for
Dan Ray tonight on Night's Side. The following topic is
not an excuse to criticize or to praise the president.
It is not an excuse to praise or criticize conservatives
or progressives are moderates. It's not an opportunity to.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
Share your political views.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
This is an opportunity to talk about one policy and
one policy only, and it's an opportunity to concentrate on policy.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
This will be a good exercise.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
If we can get through this and do this, maybe
you can see how it's done and go through your
life doing things this way a little bit, and maybe
you'll be able to talk about issues in your workplace
or in your family with your family without everything, without
everything degenerating into a fight.
Speaker 3 (01:04):
The policy we.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Want we are going to speak about and discuss, and
I suppose debate but not argue, is foreign to the
foreign policy, related to the US foreign policy and actually
other foreign policy, EU foreign policy, Chinese foreign policy. When
(01:26):
it comes to the Russia Ukraine situation, it's an extremely
important thing. And while I know that foreign policy in
general is not a popular top radio topic. This transcends
that because it's Russia is a nuclear power, Russia has
attacked Europe. Russia has attacked and is attempting to conquer
(01:50):
a sovereign nation. And well that's problematic if you you know,
it's just problem if you believe in democracy, if you
believe in sovereign nations having self determination, if you believe
that one country shouldn't just take over another country. And
(02:12):
we have a guest why, Because I'm not an expert
on foreign policy. I am extremely caught up on what's
going on in Ukraine. I have watched many sources every
day since they get going. But as I say, I'm
not an expert on foreign policy. I'm not an expert
on every conspiracy theory, etc. So that's why we have
(02:35):
an expert named Dan Snell. And I'm so grateful that
you're with us.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
Dan, How do you do I'm doing, Dandy Bradley, great
to be with you and your Boston listeners, as well
as many states across the country listen to this program.
So happy to be with you. And you set it
up pretty good. I think we'll have fun because I say,
with a smile that in America today, sadly people you
(02:59):
were put to get so eloquent that we need to
not get after one another, but try to be kind
and we will see. I sure welcome if people want
to call in, you give them how to do that
on iHeart app. But it's great to be with you.
And always been a Boston fan. This will date me,
but I grew up a John Havlicek fan, and so
that's going to age me. But it also gives me
(03:21):
seeing a few sins a few decades of politics in
America great.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
So there are a couple of ways, and I do
urge you in this case to call in. I want
to hear from you. I want to know how you
feel about this foreign policy. Maybe you like it, maybe
you don't. And I'm a talk show host that if
you make a good point, you can change my mind.
I think that's more interesting than you calling in and
just beating your head against my wall and me refusing
(03:49):
to change even in the face of really good information.
Speaker 3 (03:52):
You present me with good information, I could change my mind.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
As I said, a couple of ways to get through
to us six one, seven, two, five, four, ten, thirty
or six one seven, nine, three, one, ten thirty. The
other way is this new way. It's a talkback feature
on the iHeartRadio app. Make sure you download the app.
It's ezy, and then you open it up and you'll
(04:18):
see a red microphone talk back button. Record a little message.
It comes into us. We see it and if it's appropriate, well,
well maybe we'll er it. It might be for for
folks that don't have an opinion, but maybe you're shy
to call a radio station. So Dan, but let's start
by giving getting some background from you.
Speaker 3 (04:40):
Where are you from? You know, what have you been doing? What?
Speaker 4 (04:44):
What?
Speaker 3 (04:45):
What gives you cred to be talking about this?
Speaker 1 (04:50):
Well? I live currently in Kansas Overland Park, Kansas. It's
a suburb of Kansas City. But I grew up and
I'm very proud of small town America, USA. Born in
David City, Nebraska. It's a small town of about twenty
three hundred and it's the kind of community. And there's
a lot of listeners listening right now to night Side
that are in a small town, maybe in Massachusetts or
(05:12):
maybe in Nebraska, whatever states. They're listening and they feel
that sense of home, the place we call home, and
they want to make it better, and so I got
involved in politics at a young age of thirty two.
I ran for elective office and one and served five
terms ten years, and along with that had been fairly
(05:35):
successful in sales, and so a few years ago I
wrote my first book called The Winsome Way. Winsome is
a twelve hundred year old word. You're certainly a winsome guy, Bradley.
It means upbeat, cheerful, positive looks for the good guys
kind of tries to discover the extraordinary in the world
around them, and certainly with your travel podcasts and your
(05:57):
travels and the things you do, certainly have discovered the extraordinary.
Then I wrote a second book, and it actually was
more popular, and that's kind of why I was asked
to be on It's called The Winsome Candidate. I took
my ten years in elective office and actually had been
involved in helping people seek office and win office outside
(06:18):
of those ten years, and I took the concepts of
the Winsome Way and tied them into how can you
be a public servant? Because public service is about what's
supposed to be going on in Washington, DC, or Boston
or wherever. People are trying to lead. It's not politics,
because politics is the ugly side of public service. So
(06:41):
I wrote that book. Gush. I've been doing radio and
TV now and talking about that because I kind of
take the stance that I'm not the type of guy
that points the finger and says, look how bad they are,
Look how ugly they are. They're horrible. They're so bad.
That's why you need to vote for me. I talk
about in my book and in life, let's let's try
(07:03):
to find as leaders the solutions. The s of Winstom
stands for be a solutioneer, and so throughout my book
I talk about it the positive approach to leadership. A
lot of people don't understand that, but we will talk
about that some more tonight. But this whole thing going
on in Ukraine and Russia, I mean, we shift real
(07:24):
quick to what that concept of trying to get a
piece deal. If we look at you know, the world
is happy and a plotting President Trump for his efforts,
and when they went to Alaska there was momentum. There
wasn't anything definitive or a consensus of what's going to happen.
But this week, you know, yesterday continued it the positive
(07:49):
things are that we're moving in the right direction, I
say with a smile. And perhaps President Trump should hire
me for a million dollars to just sit around, because
sometimes the words that come out of his mouth aren't wins.
And if he would not say things and make promises
or attack people or say that he's going to do things,
they don't come about. Because what happens is we take
(08:12):
nine steps forward and good things are happening. But then
sometimes he has a tendency to communicate a little exuberantly
let's just call it that way, in a polite way,
but then that puts him five steps back. So instead
of having a very positive scenario, now America in the
(08:32):
world is watching what's going to happen next because President
Trump said he's going to put severe sanctions and things.
If Putin doesn't go along, Now he has to do
that or it puts it puts him and the whole
situation in turmoil.
Speaker 2 (08:50):
Right, Ultimatums are a problematic. We're going to take a
quick break. Thank you for setting us up, and I'm
going to tell you how I feel about it, and
you can everyone can either agree or disagree on this issue.
And again I would prefer it if I couldn't even
tell if you were conservative or liberal, I would love
you to focus so much on the issue and take
(09:12):
a look at the the pros and cons of the
issue that I didn't I couldn't even tell what you're
overall know you well, And I'm talking to the folks
who hopefully will call in and I'll do the same
because I feel it's very sad that any discussion of
(09:38):
any issue can't really be done very well because it
always devolves into a fight between progressives and and maga
or something of that nature.
Speaker 3 (09:54):
So let's try to.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
Keep it on the issue and figure out what the
best way to go is and if our current foreign
policy foreign policy lines up with the best way to go.
Speaker 3 (10:06):
So we'll continue in a moment on w b Z
It's Night Side with Dan Ray on Boston's news radio.
Rather J for Dan.
Speaker 2 (10:15):
Now, we're going to dig dig in here, and I
occur encourage your participation on this one. Are you pleased
with the current policy, the US foreign policy regarding the
Russia Ukraine Ukraine conflict? And again I'm going to be
a strict referee. We're going to talk about the policy,
not the man, not the people involved.
Speaker 3 (10:36):
Unless it's necessary.
Speaker 2 (10:37):
Of course, if you have to reference Putin or President Trump,
that's okay, But the purpose of that will not be
to either attack or praise.
Speaker 3 (10:48):
I don't want ad hominem arguments. I don't want.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
You know, I don't want you making your case for
your political stance. I want you to make your case
for how you think this should be handled. We have
Dan Snell as.
Speaker 3 (11:00):
A guest, and that's good. Let me start by.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
Giving my opinion on this, and that is, you know,
I have to start somewhere, and that is that Russia
is a longtime enemy of the US, Cold War, etc.
And then they were defeated or to some degree defeated
themselves by going into Afghanistan, and anyway, at any rate,
(11:25):
they collapsed. According to a Putin, that was the greatest
geopolitical disaster of all time. And his primary goal is
to burnish his legacy by restoring the Soviet Union. He
doesn't care how many thousands of people in other sovereign
countries he has to kill, displace, make homeless, and he
(11:51):
doesn't care how many of his own people he has
to do the same to which is evidenced by the
meat waves of people attacking barely armed at all, with
the sole purpose of using up bullets of the Ukrainian
They're just trying to send more people than the Ukrainians
have bullets. And as far as this thing being justified
(12:17):
at all by some I know, people get off on
conspiracy theories. Ukraine sovereign country. That's the beginning and the
end of it. Were they going to join NATO? Probably not,
but there's still a sovereign country.
Speaker 3 (12:36):
Did they provoke No, that's my opinion.
Speaker 2 (12:41):
Did NATO ever promised not to expand that's a myth.
Speaker 3 (12:47):
They did not not in writing.
Speaker 2 (12:49):
There was a situation where they said they said maybe
in East Germany, you know, we won't expand from on
that end. That was never written down, and that certainly
was not overall NATO. So from where I see, you know,
where I sit, a terrible dictator is murdering people in
(13:14):
a sovereign country in attempt to conquer that country. And
we have to decide, well, how in the US I suppose,
how does that affect us?
Speaker 3 (13:25):
Should we just let it happen.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
We don't want to go broke arming them, We don't
want to use up our arms arming them.
Speaker 3 (13:33):
We do have to take a look at.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
The whole geopolitical chess game and see how it affects us.
But as I see it now, we have sided. Our
policy is to side with our mortal, longtime enemy, a
war criminal, against our allies whom we fought side by
(13:56):
side within World War II, etc.
Speaker 3 (14:00):
Is it worth it for.
Speaker 2 (14:03):
The United States to back Russia as they seem to
be doing, at least cyclically, to throw our European allies,
our longtime allies, our allies who are on the same
page as we are ideologically, throw them under the bus. Yes,
(14:23):
it's true that they have been skating defense wise, and
they need to step up to We're at three, We're
three point five percent GDP, they're like two. I think
they need to be five for the next five years
and catch up, because I mean, they're gonna get get
it together. We can't be expected to foot the bill
for this whole thing. But I'd like, I believe as
(14:48):
a solution, if putin saw that, you know what, the
United States is definitely in this for long haul.
Speaker 3 (14:55):
Maybe they're not gonna, you know.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
Continue to be the primary five this, but they're going
to really help and make it happen over the.
Speaker 3 (15:02):
Long haul if they knew we were in for the
long haul.
Speaker 2 (15:07):
Their society, their infrastructure, their military, their economy.
Speaker 3 (15:13):
Is on the brink of burning out, and.
Speaker 2 (15:18):
I don't think it's going to take that much longer
for that regime to fall. So I think we need
to hang in there. But I also think that Europeans
need to step up big time for their own defense.
Speaker 5 (15:30):
There.
Speaker 3 (15:30):
That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
Speaker 1 (15:34):
Well Well, said Bradley. Well said, you know what one
thing I just learned today in getting ready for this
is you actually spent some time. Actually you were one
of the first Americans to do a radio program in Moscow,
so you actually tell us about that you were actually
in Moscow on air.
Speaker 2 (15:53):
Well, good for you, Thanks, thanks for giving me that opportunity. Yes,
it was a PARASTROI hit gorbachovs president during that the
boss and during that brief time, there was an effort
to attract Western businesses, including Budweiser. So Budweiser sponsored this
(16:13):
Rolling Stones concert and brought four people from each of
twenty five radio markets, including my market in Boston with
my station WBCN, and I went with my program director
named Oedipus and two listeners and twenty five groups of
four went there and got to go to Moscow, and we.
Speaker 3 (16:34):
Actually partied with the party leaders because.
Speaker 2 (16:37):
We were considered even if we weren't really celebrities, as
far as they were concerned, we were celebrities, so they
wanted to meet with us. And there are all kinds
of stories involved with it. But part of the event
was we went to that.
Speaker 3 (16:51):
Extremely tall needle.
Speaker 2 (16:54):
Of a radio tower and we broadcast to all eleven
time zones of Russia and we broadcast to the United
States as well.
Speaker 1 (17:04):
What an experience that must have been. Wow, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (17:07):
And we got this. It was a we got to
see how it was the wild West.
Speaker 2 (17:12):
Because if you wanted a cab ride, they didn't want
rubles Man. They wanted Marlborough cigarettes. And my boss was
smart enough to bring over a few cartons of those
and we used them as money and.
Speaker 3 (17:22):
They were they were worth a lot. I have a
lot of stories about that.
Speaker 2 (17:26):
I don't want to get too far off the beaten
path here, so in a three or four minutes, respond
to what I said, and then we'll go to Jay
and Brookline. After the break, go to j and Brookline
and Jane and Shrewsbury and anybody else wants.
Speaker 3 (17:41):
To give us a shout. At six one seven, it's
Night Side with Dan Ray on Boston's news Radio.
Speaker 2 (17:53):
We're talking about US policy regarding the Russia Ukraine War.
Our guest is Dan Snell, and as you may, you
may have heard my position on it prior. I don't
have time to go through it again. Dan, can you
give us a quick response to.
Speaker 3 (18:09):
Where I'm at?
Speaker 2 (18:10):
And you tell me where you're at, and then we'll
find out what Jay, what Jay and Brookline and Jane
and Shrewsbury feel and anyone else At six one seven.
Speaker 3 (18:17):
Two ten thirty.
Speaker 1 (18:20):
Yeah, well, I look forward to here to the listeners
and their thoughts. But you know, as you said, if
we study, if we look back at history, and you
were you mentioned you were there during Gorbachev when the country,
when Russia as a country was somewhat turning to a
little different approach to global relationships. And Ronald Reagan had
a big part in that in building a relationship with Gorbachev.
(18:44):
But then when Putin got back in, he is as
a leader, strong in his background in the KGB. He
he is an aggressive, military based man. And you, as
you stated, Europe should be the one that's leading the charge. However,
I believe as America that our policy should be as
(19:06):
it's been for decades, that we are the shining city
on a hill, so to speak, and that we are
that person that when we see a bully on the
streets of Boston, or let's say, let's say if someone
from the Montreal Canadians punches David Pasternek, I think that's
his name. You're a hockey player for the Bruins. If
(19:26):
they punch him, what's going to happen His teammates and
the crowd is going to rally around him, and so
tying that in what we're talking about here in world affairs,
I still believe in America that we are the strongest
and the most worldwide respected and the one that's looked to.
We are America, even when you say the word around
(19:49):
the world America, we are that power. And I believe
we should stand with Ukraine and in no way should
we back off. In fact, if this joint meeting between
Zelenski and Putin doesn't go well, and in no way
do I believe that we as a country again will
(20:11):
keep politics out of it. But the leadership from the
White House to the outhouse wherever that out house is
across America, everyone should be saying we need to stand
with Ukraine. In fact, the most recent poll, seventy three
percent of Americans, including now it's gone over fifty percent
of Republicans nationwide are saying we need to stand with Ukraine.
(20:31):
So I think we're on the right track. My hope
and prayers that things go good and it'll be good
for the world. Cost As Ronald Reagan said, he's one
of my heroes I write about in my book. I'm
cautiously optimistic.
Speaker 2 (20:46):
Okay, let's find out what Let's see what Jane Brookland says.
Speaker 3 (20:52):
Jay, what do you say? How do you do? Jay?
Speaker 5 (20:55):
Hey, Bradley, fancy to find you on the radio again.
I'm surprised. I'm glad to hear you. You are one
of the best. You know you mentioned going to Moscow
and there in the Parestroika and Glasnow when Reagan made
the agreement with Gorbachev, they promised that the NATO will
(21:16):
not go one inch toward their border.
Speaker 3 (21:19):
Who promised that?
Speaker 5 (21:20):
Huh?
Speaker 3 (21:21):
Who promised that?
Speaker 5 (21:22):
Around Reagan? And that's an agreement, by the way, Jim
Baker wrote on his book called The Politics of Democracy.
Speaker 2 (21:33):
Has never been a written agreement that says no NATO expansion.
Speaker 5 (21:37):
No, there is, according to James Baker, but I'm trying
to say that day. Since that time, they have gone
two hundred miles toward their border. Now back to the
recent William Byrne, who was the CIA director, he was
American ambassador in Moscow during the first time in put
(22:00):
him became president, and he met me putting and putting
told him that if you ever decided any of this country,
we know that splendid country we be part of NATO,
especially the one that attactually the Russia, like Ukraine, and
that will be the red line. And he sent a
(22:22):
secret cable back to Washington to George Bush, the George
Bush's son junior, and told him that, but they ignored it.
William Burns obviously opinion about this. Now back to the
recent incident. See Russia started this thing and they're going
(22:43):
to win. And the reason that President Trump is working
on it as a peace agreement, not cease fire, because
ceaes fire doesn't get Nobel peace fries.
Speaker 2 (22:54):
By the ways, that's kind of the real reason.
Speaker 5 (23:00):
They don't want to because they want to have a
peace agreement. And then obviously President putting in, President Trump
wants the same thing. He's hoping to get the Nobel
peace price.
Speaker 2 (23:11):
Do you believe Russia wants a peace agreement? I couldn't
disagree more peace agreement offers.
Speaker 5 (23:19):
No, No, they want peace agreement. They want to become
a victor. They're not going to leave a loser. No way, this,
this will never happen. This is not any republic right
the way, they have a nuclear power. And then they are,
by the way, fighting in NATO anyway right now, but
not directly but indirectly.
Speaker 3 (23:40):
Let's keep it narrow. Let's keep it narrow.
Speaker 2 (23:41):
What is the justification for Russia to conquer Ukraine?
Speaker 3 (23:49):
Very because one sentence.
Speaker 5 (23:51):
One sentence, because they don't want NATO in their neighborhood
period as a security reason. Just like America didn't want
Soviet Union to be at their border in Cuba. That's
obvious example.
Speaker 2 (24:07):
Well, it didn't work out for him because then now
they have more NATO up on their border up north.
Speaker 5 (24:15):
They don't they don't want expansion. That's the reason.
Speaker 3 (24:18):
Okay, all right, all right, fair enough, thank you very.
Speaker 5 (24:21):
Much, Thanks Brede.
Speaker 3 (24:23):
Keep it up, So Dan, it's.
Speaker 2 (24:27):
My understanding that and I've researched it today. In fact,
there's no actual written agreement that NATO overall would not
expand there was talk about it, but nothing written down
when it came to East Germany.
Speaker 1 (24:42):
Do I have that right right, Yeah, to the best
of my knowledge that that's right. There hasn't been anything
in written. It sounds like Jay is very well read
a couple of books there he mentioned I know I
have on my shelf, but it's one of those. It's
on the shelf, So he may be drawing from something
in the in the book. And but I believe that
(25:03):
NATO in itself has not made any commitments, or the
United States has not ever made commitments. It sounds like
there was a document sent to the Bushes, but that
doesn't necessarily mean just because they received a document that
that's what Russia wants, but that we said yes to it.
So I believe, and my thought would be that Russia
(25:24):
wants to expand because Putin wants to. Part of his
goal is to and you mentioned it or maybe someone
today in another show, but he wants to return Russia
to its once great ussr I know when they arrived
in Alaska. One of Putin's right hand man or a
sweater that said USSR to draw back to the days
(25:47):
when they actually owned owned Alaska.
Speaker 3 (25:50):
Which means we're not stopping at Ukraine.
Speaker 1 (25:54):
Yeah, that's right, and that My concern is that why
we need to stand strong is that Buten wants to
rebuild the Soviet Union to its borders that it once
had and however long it takes him, and we need
to stop that now, so he recognizes that no more,
(26:16):
no moss.
Speaker 3 (26:18):
Okay, Jane and Shrewsbury. Hi, and thanks for being with us.
Speaker 6 (26:22):
Hi, good evening. So I probably agree with a lot
of what you were saying, Bradley. I have a few comments,
but I do have a question too. So yeah, I
think we need to defend Ukraine. Absolutely, it's an ally.
I hope they do end up joining NATO at some point,
even if it's after the Trump administration. And I think
(26:43):
it's an issue that conservatives and liberals can get behind
because Dan Ray was supporting Ukraine, and I think if
Ronald Reagan was around, he would be supporting Ukraine. Of course,
he's given credit, given credit for the idea that the
Soviet Union was taken apart, which probably isn't really fair,
(27:05):
but it makes a good story. But he uh, I
think he would absolutely object to the wishy washiness of
the current administration. And when you say about the policy,
it seems like it flip flops every day depending on
who's the latest person talking to the people in Washington.
Speaker 3 (27:22):
Well, there's a cycle, right, There's a cycle that goes
like this.
Speaker 2 (27:26):
It goes ultimatum from us and then nothing happens. Putin's
the time, the end of the ultimatum draws near, and
Putin says, oh, let's have a meeting, which will kind
of diffuse the ultimatum. They have the meeting, nothing and
then during after that meeting with Putin jump feels pro Russia.
(27:53):
And then after a while he sees that, oh, I
got played.
Speaker 3 (27:57):
I got played again.
Speaker 2 (28:00):
It doesn't seem to bother him as much as I
would think, because he believes, who knows, he may be
a good negotiator, but in this case, a president kind
of gets played and then nothing happens, and then TikTok
tick we get back to the top of the cycle again.
Ultimatum meeting siding with Russia got played again, and this
(28:23):
happens over and over again, and what it is is inconsistency,
and that's problematic. If the Russians consistently knew that, look, man,
we're in this for the long haul. Even if that
long haul means we're just going to insist and help
you Europe arm up themselves, then they know it was
(28:43):
hopeless and they'd go home.
Speaker 3 (28:45):
I think that's those are my thoughts on it. How
about how about you, Dan?
Speaker 5 (28:52):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (28:52):
Yeah, good, good thoughts there. I think this really is
for President Trump at defining moment in this where he
stands on this, because he has made strong statements about
he's going to do this and and sanctions or repercussions,
and he's talked strong, and as you said, what happens
is he gets with Putin and he backs down a
(29:16):
little bit.
Speaker 5 (29:16):
Now.
Speaker 1 (29:16):
He said off mic or with a hot mic the
other day to President Marcona France, he said, I think
Putin's going to do this for me, and that was
kind of caught on air. I don't know if he
believes either Putin really said that or if he didn't.
It doesn't make President Trump or good. But in this case,
especially if we look back, how America is going to
view him because this is defining moment because of what
(29:39):
was going on with the tariffs. You know, he got
and I say as a smile to the taco term
because he kept change. He kept changing the dates of
the terriffs. But his style of negotiation is talk strong,
talk big, and then tried to work things out. But sometimes,
especially in this case, when you're dealing with a world
(30:01):
piece and a situation as big as this, he's got
to stand strong with Bouten or else he's gonna lose.
Speaker 2 (30:10):
There seems all of you, Jane, Dan, have you both
answered this briefly? Perhaps you can help me understand what
is the fascination with the current administration on being pals
with Trump? Why do they want so desperately to have
to actually be buddies, true, true buddies like you, my pal,
(30:33):
I like you. I'm gonna come visit you. I want
to be buddies. He they are the bad people. They're
the complete enemy. There've been our enemy for a long time.
Speaker 3 (30:46):
What is the fascination this sort.
Speaker 2 (30:49):
Of almost a like romance, bro okay bromance.
Speaker 3 (30:59):
What what is it.
Speaker 2 (31:01):
That the president wants so badly to be buddies with
the bad guy that he throws our allies under the bus,
and you know it's probably not going to be great
for him if he keeps the cycle of code dependent
relationship right, it has to stay together. It's like he
(31:25):
gets abused but keeps coming back. It's a code dependent
relationship and it's not good.
Speaker 3 (31:33):
Like thirty seconds, thirty seconds to each of you, Jane
and Dan on that.
Speaker 1 (31:37):
Yeah, Jane, go ahead, Jane, Okay, Bradley.
Speaker 6 (31:39):
Yeah, I have a question at the end, but I
think he wants to be friends with all these power
what he sees as powerful people, even though he's the
most powerful person, and we don't. I don't think we
need a more powerful president because of the role of
president of the US is already the most powerful person
in the whole world. So we need the checks in place.
But my question is, and maybe you can answer apt
to your break. Very little is talked about CRIMEA for
(32:03):
the most part as to what happened. And I did
ask a different radio show once why did it wasn't
there more fight against Putin when he invaded? And I
was told that Obama wanted to do something, but that
the European allies weren't really motivated. I have no idea
if that's accurate, but if his guests could comment on that,
that would be interesting. And I'd love to see more
(32:25):
sanctions and more weapons, maximum everything against Putin.
Speaker 2 (32:29):
Okay, can you give me a quick thirty seconds dan
on why the fascination with being POWs with the You know.
Speaker 1 (32:38):
Yeah, I think I think if you study, i'd try
to be a student of leadership or student of leaders in.
Donald Trump likes to associate with powerful, wealthy or people
that he feels is the type of circle he wants
to run in and Putin when it comes to world leadership,
is the tough guy, and so I think he wants
(33:00):
to study models like that. I disagree that as a
style of leadership. To me, that's not very winsome, but
I think that's where he likes to be. I would
prefer to have him take the tack and act like hey,
I've already like he act like he's already been there,
like it's not his first rodeo and not you know,
ride the horse, ride this bull and stay on it
(33:20):
and don't get off, and say I want a different bowl,
and keep trying to change so that he looks good,
be strong, be Donald Trump strong American President.
Speaker 2 (33:29):
Well, yes, the you know, dealing from a position of
strength and projecting strength is a way to negotiate, and
he does that in almost everything else, but this one
it seems to be his Achilles heel. Thank you, Jane,
and we'll continue with Paul and Ed and Geo and
our guest dance now on TEWD b Z.
Speaker 3 (33:49):
Right after this, you're.
Speaker 1 (33:50):
On Night Side with Dan Ray on WBZ, Boston's News Radio.
Speaker 2 (33:55):
Bradley for Dan, and we're talking about US farm and
probably say when it comes to and Ukraine, and I
agree with both Dan and folks have called in. I'd
like to see this administration adopt the Reagan stance and
say putin, dude, we are going to bleed you dry
and do it. And there's one other thing about our
(34:17):
administration before we continue, just very quickly, I believe I
start a mistake from an administration that tries themselves on
deal making and negotiation.
Speaker 3 (34:29):
They when you.
Speaker 2 (34:31):
Give up anything, you get something. And we gave up
a meeting on American soil to our enemy. We gave
that up for nothing. That's huge. That legitimizes that regime.
And you don't give that up without getting something huge.
(34:55):
And look what they did most recently. They took that
cap should military vehicle and kept the US flag on
it and flew it right beside the Russian flag.
Speaker 3 (35:09):
And that's after all.
Speaker 2 (35:10):
This good will once again co dependent relationship. We play
nice and we get burned over and over again. How
long is that going to go on? So I guess
Dan quickly, we have a short time. I'll get as
many calls as I can in before the break. What
do you think about that? Do you think that's a
(35:32):
faux pas giving up the Alaska meeting for nothing?
Speaker 1 (35:37):
Yeah, you know, it's difficult situation. I think the week
leading up to that there was too much bravado and
too many tough words about what's going to happen or
else by the administration. And if that wouldn't have been said,
that meeting would have come off a lot better, or
(35:57):
as an outcome, that meeting would have looked like, okay,
definitely momentum, we're getting there. But it does just as
you and I are wondering, why is there all the
big powerful words, strong words? And then afterwards Putin looked
like hey, you got to ride, you got to ride
in the beast the presidential limousine, he got all kinds
of red carpet, and he got all everything Putin wanted.
(36:23):
But quite frankly, President Trump got the meeting arranged and
he started this going. I wish he wouldn't have said
all those things before that how tough he's going to be,
because now if he isn't tough, then Putin learns I
can push Donald Trump around, and I don't want that
for our country or our president.
Speaker 2 (36:39):
And that's another thing. Even I know, you don't go
handing out these ultimatums because they can they will haunt you.
Let's go to Paul in Plymouth. Hi, Paul, what do
you think about all this?
Speaker 6 (36:49):
Well?
Speaker 4 (36:50):
I think regular nothing. You know when they at the
end of that, it was like they you know, at
first they thought, oh, nothing's happened, and then all of
a sudden, all kinds of things happened out of regularly.
So I think we had to just hold on and
(37:13):
consider this sort of an icebreaker between company. Putin and
you know, if you look back at the claps of
the Soviet Union in nineteen ninety, what I think we
should have done is gone in there with a Marshall plan,
We should have had more dealings with Yelton at that time,
(37:34):
but unfortunately, you know, we were engaged with the Gulf
War and so on at that time. So anyways, those
are myself.
Speaker 3 (37:42):
That's great. Well, thank you so much, paulin Plymouth.
Speaker 2 (37:45):
I really appreciate you coming in and chatting with us
GEO and reading Geez. You got like thirty seconds, can
you what can you do with it?
Speaker 5 (37:55):
That's too bad.
Speaker 4 (37:56):
I hope you'll take me back after the break because
I have ten or twenty things.
Speaker 2 (38:00):
To talk about two, but I let you come after
the call me back right. I'm sorry, I just connected you,
but I don't want to cheat you out of that
ten or twenties a little much.
Speaker 3 (38:10):
Maybe two take your top two. This is great.
Speaker 2 (38:13):
You're a great guest, Sir Dan Snell, and I hope
you'll stick with us a bit because we are nowhere
near done. I have some straightforward questions for you after
about this whole topic and life in Russia, et cetera.
Now let's go to the news WBZ News Radio ten
thirty
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