"DON'T BE AFRAID TO SEE WHAT YOU SEE"
"DON'T BE AFRAID TO SEE WHAT YOU SEE"
Ronald Reagan said the words you see in this blog headline on January 11, 1989 in his Farewell Address, televised from the Oval Office. Reagan used his speech to thank the American people for eight years in the White House to accomplish what many would say a great deal many things. But, as he left, he admonished Americans – and the apparatus he left behind in DC – call it the deep state if you want, to keep a clear eyed view on the Soviet Union and its leader President Gorbachev. He commented that during a recent summit, which later helped clear the way for the dissolution of the Soviet Union, he and his wife Nancy went shopping on the streets of Moscow in a surprise detour. He said that the people immediately recognized them and surrounded them saying welcoming things and shaking their hands. But, he warned, then came the KGB pushing the people out of the way. Reagan drew the distinction between the people and the government. Reagan said, "What it boils down to is this: I want our closeness to continue. And it will, as long as we make it clear that we will continue to act in a certain way as long as they continue to act in a helpful manner. If and when they don't, at first, pull your punches. If they persist, pull the plug. It's still, 'Trust but Verify.' It's still play, but cut the cards. It's still watch closely, and don't be afraid to see what you see." This message isn't so very different from what we are called to do with America's current relationships abroad. You didn't hear this kind of tough talk until President Trump came a long. It's this kind of clear-eyed thinking that Raven does in dealing with another nemesis, Iran's mullahs, in Raven's Run: A Cybertech Thriller. Standing up for yourself, your country and countrymen never goes out of style. Enjoy the audiobook. https://www.audible.com/pd/Ravens-Run-A-Cybertech-Thriller-Audiobook/B07MR4DXRH