This is actually a refreshing take for a change, it feels like you are truly in your wheelhouse on this topic. This information, and again, your service, are much appreciated. Although I suspect that my and most others appreciation matters little, suspect you did your work for greater purposes. I have a few related questions that your relevant knowledge may be able to answer and enlighten. Do you know or recall if the USA has ever been in direct OPEN conflict with the USSR/Russia before? Also curious if you dare speculate on wether or not this situation will develop into a type of Cold War 2.0, or is this the beginning match of WW3? It is my understanding that we have been in a form of covert conflict with "Ussrussia" since at least the early 1950s. Sufficient evidence exists that we fought against MIG fighter jets during the Korean Conflict. We most obviously fought against, at the least, Ussrussian designed and sometimes directly produced hardware and even methods in a form of proxy warfare in that situation, the Veitnamees/Laotian conflict, the Afghanistan conflict, and many smaller "skirmishes" scattered throughout this time frame. I am aware, as are other's with certain innate skill sets, that we have been in a form of conflict WITHIN each other's borders since at least 1950 as well. This form of direct conflict has, of course, taken on many faces and used an untold number of methods. Most notable in my mind would be the many unsuccessful and sometimes actually successful efforts to undermine, influence, and "turn" our political process. They have battled relentlessly on influencing, effecting, and compromising untold numbers of both political and military officers. I would like to believe you and most others are well aware of these realities. This long rehashing brings me to the bit I take issue with, your assumption and assertion of where our former leaders motives, and actions in practice lie. It is my and others observation and conclusion that The Donald was/is likely a compromised asset. His hubris and financial standpoint belie a certain vulnerability to these methods. His actions quite evident of where his loyalty stands. I realize this is an immensely overwhelming, potentially earth shattering, observation and assertion. I'll save my fingers the full sum of the numerous examples that highlight this belief. However I will touch on what I believe to be notable. I encourage you and others to personally research this issue with an attempt at objectivity and openness to a better understanding of the reality of the situation. One should not and will likely not want to just take the word of some faceless individual with a seemingly fictional identity. I believe it started in a significant portion of our citizens minds with the state funded arm of propaganda that is RT media. The events of the Miss Universe pageant in 2013 are at the least worthy of scrutiny under this context. The actual status of his financial standpoint and indebtedness, specifically to which financial entities, are beyond worthy of objective evaluation. Once his presidency was cemented, his actions were very telling as to what loyalties existed. The look on Lavrov and Kislyak's faces on 5-10-2017 in our oval office are what poker players would likely deem, "The tell of the century". The unrelenting approach of actually handicapping NATO objectives and missions is outright self evident. Words matter little in these realities, actions are everything. The way our president carried himself like a dog on a leash at the press conference/ meeting with former intelligence officer Vladimir on 7-16-2018 will be something history will not soon forget. In this great, hopefully strong, united nation of ours we are free to think and feel whatever we desire. It is a wonderful feeling, and affords one an amazing sense of freedom. It does come with an often unacknowledged pitfall, that the things we believe are often manipulated and are quite frankly not factual. I find it helpful when attempting to remain objective while in a mode of analysis and evaluation, to practice proper deep breathing and a form of meditation. It can be helpful and even therapeutic to listen to music, however one should be mindful of the impact of lyrical accompaniment, it can influence thinking on unrelated issues. It can be supremely effective to perform some form of physical exercise while processing newly absorbed information. If you haven't seen this performance yet Sir, I suggest it as a helpful tool. https://youtu.be/qoQtcgNSfNw