The President's Daily Brief - June 7th, 2024: Biden Urges Israeli Restraint, Putin Threatens To Arm Western Adversaries, & The Balloon Wars Intensify On The Korean Peninsula

Episode Date: June 7, 2024

In this episode of The President's Daily Brief:     The U.S. is warning Israel against escalation regarding their campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon, fearing it could provoke Iranian intervention and a wider regional war. Russia dictator Vladimir Putin is upping his threats against the west, saying Russia may begin arming allies to attack western targets in response to perceived NATO escalation in Ukraine. The U.S. just carried out a precision-guided bombing drill using live munitions for the first time in more than seven years on the Korean peninsula, in what officials describe as a “show of force” against the North. In our 'Back of the Brief' segment, the "balloon wars" between North and South Korea are heating up, as North Korean defectors float balloons into the hermit kingdom containing information leaflets, U.S. dollar bills, and flash drives loaded with K-pop music. To listen to the show ad-free, become a premium member of The President’s Daily Brief by visiting PDBPremium.com. Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of The President's Daily Brief.     Email: [e-mail] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode is brought to you by Patriot Gold Group. Protect your retirement assets. Speak to the experts at Patriot Gold. They've been the top-rated gold IRA dealer for seven years in a row. That's seven years in a row. Go to Patriot Gold Group.com or call 1-88-621-3-8-56 for a free investor guide. It's Friday, 7 June. Welcome to the President's Daily Brief.

I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage. Let's get briefed. We'll begin today's show in the Middle East, where the U.S. is warning Israel against escalation regarding their campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon, fearing that it could provoke Iranian intervention and a wider regional war. Later on, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, you probably have heard of him, while he's upping his threats against the West, saying Russia may begin arming allies to attack Western targets in response to perceived NATO escalation in Ukraine.

Plus, the U.S. just carried out a precision-guided bombing drill using live munitions for the first time in more than seven years on the Korean Peninsula, in what officials described as a show of force against the North. You get the impression everyone just needs to chill just a slight bit. And finally, in today's back of the brief, the balloon wars between North and South Korea are heating up, as North Korean defectors float balloons into the Hermit Kingdom, containing information leaflets, U.S. dollar bills, and flash drives,

loaded with K-pop music. Talk about escalation. I mean, although at least it wasn't pan flute music. But first, today's PDB spotlight. As Israel faces mounting international calls to curtail their operations in Gaza, the Biden administration is also intensifying the pressure on Israel regarding their strategy to counter the threats along their northern border with Lebanon. It's like everyone's favorite Abbey telling Israel how to deal with the Iranian terror proxies

that are jonesing to destroy Israel. An exclusive report from Axios has revealed that the Biden administration has been quietly cautioning Israel against an expanded offense of or limited war against Iranian-backed Hezbollah militants in Lebanon, fearing that it could prompt Iran to intervene in the conflict, which would all but guarantee a direct confrontation between Jerusalem and Tehran, which of course means a confrontation between the U.S. and Iran. Hezbollah began lobbing rockets into Israel's northern territory following the 7 October attacks

and have been exchanging near daily cross-border fire with Israel ever since. As we discussed earlier this week on the PDB, tensions have significantly escalated between Israel and Hezbollah over the past two weeks, causing tens of thousands of residents to evacuate Israel's northern region. Hezbollah has increased the rate of their rocket attacks, and they've begun using 1,000 to 2,000-pound bombs, which have caused extensive damage to Israeli military bases along the northern border. They've also been increasingly striking deeper into Israeli territory using attack drones. Some of those drones have made it as far as 30 miles into Israel.

Israel, meanwhile, has been ramping up tariffing up. targeted strikes on Hezbollah fighters and allied Lebanese militants deeper inside Lebanese territory. The situation was further inflamed following rocket attacks by Hezbollah earlier this week that sparked massive wildfires in northern Israel, prompting a public outcry for Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to take decisive action against the terror outfit. With that in mind, two U.S. officials and one Israeli official, all speaking anonymously to Axios. said there is mounting concern in the Biden administration that the situation in the north is rapidly reaching a point of no return. U.S. officials recently told Israeli leaders that a limited

ground offensive against Hezbollah would not be, quote, realistic, arguing it would likely draw in militants from pro-Iranian proxy groups operating in Syria, Iraq, and Yemen, and could even prompt an intervention by Iran. A spokesman for the U.S. State Department reiterated those warnings publicly on Wednesday, saying, quote, we've been engaged in intense diplomatic conversations and intense diplomatic negotiations to try to avoid that conflict from escalating beyond control. Netanyahu, however, said Wednesday that Israel was, quote, prepared for a very intense operation along the border with Lebanon, adding that one way or another, we will restore

security to the north. On Thursday, Israel's War Cabinet met to discuss the situation with the IDF presenting several military options, including a ground invasion to target Hezbollah's elite Radwan force. No decision was made, however, as Israeli leaders try to balance the fighting in the North with their ongoing operations in Gaza and the latest round of ceasefire negotiations being mediated by Egypt and Qatar. An anonymous Israeli official told Axios, that they were alarmed that the War Cabinet was even considering ground operations in the North.

They warned of grave consequences for Israel if they significantly changed their current wartime policy, which thus far has focused on routing Hamas in Gaza while containing fighting with Hezbollah to the north. The anonymous officials said a ground offensive would cost significant lives and drain Israel's resources, but would likely do little to change the reality on the ground. A spokesman for the State Department echoed these concerns on Wednesday, saying any escalation in the north would, quote, lead to further loss of life from both Israelis and the Lebanese people and would greatly harm Israel's overall security and stability in the region, end quote. Now, the U.S. and France have reportedly been desperately working to find a diplomatic solution

to reduce tensions, but to no avail, at least thus far. France, which has historic ties to Lebanon, even proposed a ceasefire in February that would have included negotiations regarding disputed portions of the border, but Hezbollah leaders immediately poured cold water on the notion, vowing to continue fighting until Israeli operations in Gaza ended. U.S. officials told Axios

that they don't see a viable path to de-escalation with Hezbollah until there is a ceasefire in Gaza. All right, coming up after the break, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin is upping his threats against the West, saying Russia may begin arming allies to attack Western targets in response to perceived NATO escalation in Ukraine. It's almost like Putin has forgotten who started this war. Plus, the U.S. just carried out a precision-guided bombing trail using live munitions for the first time in more than seven years on the Korean Peninsula, and what officials described as a show of

force against the north. Those stories when we come back. If you used Spatheutsch? If you used Babbel, you would. Babel's conversation-based techniques teaches you useful words and phrases to get you speaking quickly about the things you actually talk about in the real world, with lessons handcrafted by over 200 language experts and voiced by real native speakers. Babel is like having a private tutor in your pocket.

Start speaking with Babel today. Get up to 55% off your Babel subscription right now at Babel.com. slash Spotify. Spelled BABB-B-B-E-L.com slash Spotify. Rules and restrictions may apply. Welcome back. Okay, let's turn the spotlight onto Eastern Europe as Russian President Putin threatens to begin arming his allies with military weapons to attack the West, which begs the question, how many allies does he have? Speaking at the International Economic Forum in St. Petersburg on Wednesday, Putin lashed out at the West over their expanded involvement in his war against Ukraine while also issuing a fresh nuclear threat. Oh, the dude loves to pull his nuclear saber out

whenever possible and shake it at folks. It was the Russian dictator's first public response to several Western countries, including the U.S., giving the green light to Kiev last week, to use Western-made weapons against targets inside Russia, according to a report from the BBC. As you may recall, While the U.S. has loosened restrictions on weapons sent to Ukraine, their use is currently limited to striking Russian targets along the northeastern border, which are engaged in active attacks on the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv. Still, Putin said that given the actions of the West, it's only fair for Russia to start arming countries to hit Western targets as well, because, as we know, Putin's all about what's fair. Putin said, quote, if someone thinks it's possible to supply

such weapons to a war zone to attack our territory and create problems for us, why don't we have the right to supply weapons of the same class to regions of the world where there will be strikes on sensitive facilities of those countries? That is, the response can be asymmetric. I don't think that word means what he thinks it means. We will think about it, he said. Well, Vlad, and look, follow me on this one. You started the war in Ukraine, and you're relentlessly attacking Ukraine from launch sites inside your country. So, you've opened yourself up to retaliation, because you're a tool. It was not immediately clear if Putin's ramblings represented more of the usual saber-rattling

from Russia, or if the regime is seriously considering such an escalation. Putin added that, quote, if we see that these countries are being drawn into a war against us, and this is their direct participation in the war against the Russian Federation, then we reserve the right to act in a similar. way, end quote. Putin warned, however, that this was a path towards, quote, very serious problems, implying NATO should back off their policy shift regarding Western weapons, or Putin could level out his medications. He also suggested Western countries were naive to think that Russia's nuclear threats are empty. Putin said Russia was prepared to use all the means at their disposal to protect their

and territorial integrity, which includes nuclear options. Putin said, quote, for some reason, the West believes that Russia will never use it. You can't take this lightly, superficially, he said, end quote. Now, President Biden clapped back, as the kids say, in a statement to ABC News on Thursday, describing Putin as a flailing despot, who is struggling to keep the population unified amid his meat grinder tactics in Ukraine. Biden said, quote, He's not a decent man. He's a dictator. Oh, thanks for that info. And for that, President Biden wins today's PDB statement of the obvious award.

We'll send the gift bag to the White House. All right. We turn now to the escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula, where the U.S. just carried out a precision-guided bombing drill using live munitions for the first time in more than seven years. The exercise conducted on Wednesday in coordination with the South Korean military was reportedly designed as a, quote, show of force against an increasingly belligerent North Korea, which continues to ramp up threats against their southern neighbor, and that's according to a report from the Air Force Times. The drill was led by a supersonic long-range B-1B bomber stationed out of

Anderson Air Force Base in Guam, which was escorted by a pair of South Korean F-15 fighter jets. It flew across the Korean Peninsula, dropping live precision-guided bombs on mock target. at a South Korean military range, the bomber has the capability to deliver a range of munitions, including bunker busters and large conventional weapons payloads. We should note that North Korean leaders have a particular concern over bunker buster explosives, as they could be used to strike the North's network of underground military tunnels and facilities meant to protect the Hermit Kingdom's leadership. It was the first live drill for a U.S. bomber on the Korean Peninsula since 2017. Officials said it was designed to clearly demonstrate to North Korea that the U.S. has South

Korea's back. Following the drill, officials with the South Korean military said they and their allies were ready to, quote, respond immediately, forcefully and fully to any provocation by North Korea. The statement added that the drills also underscored their, quote, unwavered. capability to deter and respond to North Korea's nuclear and missile threats. As we've been discussing on the PDB for some time now, tensions have been escalating on the Korean Peninsula as Kim Jong-un pivots to an antagonistic, almost wartime footing, and works to build up Pyongyang's offensive military capabilities. Since November, North Korea has been conducting frequent ballistic and cruise missile tests

and regularly threatening South Korea with nuclear annihilation. That's not very neighborly. Earlier this year, Kim moved to cut off all diplomatic ties with South Korea. Now, while it's unclear what their long-term aims are, some analysts have suggested that their weapons build up is part of a broader strategy to pressure the U.S. into accepting North Korea as a legitimate nuclear power. They also say that the Kim regime wants to strengthen their negotiating position

regarding economic and security sanctions, if and when diplomacy with the West resumes. All right, finally, coming up in today's back of the brief, the balloon wars between North and South Korea were back on the Korean Peninsula while they're heating up as North Korean defectors float balloons into the Hermit Kingdom, containing information leaflets, U.S. dollar bills, and flash drives loaded with, you guessed it, K-pop music. I'll be right back. It's Mushrooms with me, Maddie Matheson. You know what's better than thinking about dinner too hard?

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Stop stressing at mushroomcouncil.com. In today's back of the brief, we turned once again to the so-called balloon wars taking place on the Korean Peninsula. As you may recall, last week, South Korea warned rest of the rest of the week. near the border to remain vigilant after accusing North Korea of sending nearly 1,000 balloons filled with trash and reportedly poop into their territory. Well, citizens in the South retaliated

on Thursday with their own balloon assault, although the payload was very different. South Korean media reported that the Free North Korea movement comprised of North Korean defectors led by Park Seng Haq flew ten massive balloons over the heavily fortified border, carrying some 200,000 leaflets, criticizing the regime of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. The balloons also contained U.S. dollar bills and flash drives loaded with K-pop music. According to a report from The Guardian, Park, the group's leader, said in the statement, quote, we sent the truth and love, medicines, $1 bills, and songs. but a barbaric Kim Jong-un sent us filth in garbage, and he hasn't made a word of apology over that.

Our group will keep sending our leaflets, which are the letters of truth and freedom for our beloved North Korean compatriots, end quote. North Korea agreed to pause balloon flights after Seoul-threatened unendurable measures, including potentially resuming frontline military activities and propaganda broadcasts through loudspeakers along the DMZ, the demilitarized zone. But fears are now rising in the South that North Korea might restart its crap campaign in response to the activists. The regime had previously warned of sending even more trash and poop to the South. Now the South Korean president addressed the situation in a speech on Thursday saying, quote, North Korea carried out a despicable provocation that would make any normal country ashamed of itself. The government will never overlook the threat from North Korea,

will maintain an ironclad readiness posture and respond to provocations resolutely and overwhelmingly, end quote. Now, the Korean adversaries, frankly, they may actually be onto something. I mean, reducing warfare to mixtape battles, right? Lobbing bad tunes and airdropping sick beats into your adversary's turf instead of missiles and drones. It should be how we wage war going forward. I mean, imagine it. It starts with attacking your foes with, easy listening, maybe then moving on to smooth jazz, and if things really get heated, you end up launching the nickel back. It's just a thought. And that, my friends, is the president's daily brief for Friday, 7 June. If you have any questions or comments, please reach out to me at PDB at

thefirstTV.com. And to listen to the show ad free, become a premium member of the president's daily brief by visiting pdb premium.com. And of course, don't forget our latest edition to the PDB juggernaut. It's our extended weekend version of the PDB, which we cleverly call the PDB Situation Report. New episodes featuring excellent guests drop every Friday evening at 10 p.m. Eastern on the first TV. And you can also catch the episodes on our YouTube channel

at President's Daily Brief, as well as the audio version on all major podcast platforms. I'm Mike Baker. I'll be back later today with the PDB afternoon bulletin. Until then, stay informed. Stay safe. Stay cool.