On Wednesday's edition of MSNBC's "Morning Joe," retired Gen. Barry McCaffrey slammed former President Donald Trump and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for their recent remarks appearing to praise Vladimir Putin's tactical skill over the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
"This is the world turned upside down," said McCaffrey. "There is no question about nations of NATO, who we extend Article V protection to, are apprehensive about the next steps. Putin has invaded Georgia, seized Crimea, invaded eastern Ukraine, fought and attacked U.S. troops in Syria, killed his opponents domestically and abroad. These are dangerous people. So Poland and Romania and the Baltic states and Europe are looking with apprehension. They remember the devastation of combat from the Nazi regime in the '40s. They're looking at Russia now, rearmed with strategic threats from nuclear weapons."
"At the end of the day, the only thing the Russians have that anybody cares about are nuclear weapons and oil and gas," said McCaffrey. "We're trying to unite NATO to deter further violence. We have a visible — 60 percent of the Russian armed forces are parked around Ukraine. They're probably a three-day attack from encircling the capital of Kyiv, which I've been in and out of over the years. We're in great danger. We need to speak with one voice. Right now, we've got former President Trump and my fellow West Pointer Mike Pompeo being played on Russian TV as supportive of this political genius Putin, who is a murderous thug, essentially."
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