>> THE FIGHTING GOING ON BETWEEN
THE UKRAINIAN ARMIES AND PEOPLE
OF UKRAINE AND THE RUSSIAN ARMY
OF COURSE GOES ON THOUSANDS OF
MILES FROM US AND YET THE
RAMIFICATIONS FOR THOSE OF US
HERE AT HOME ARE MANY FOLD AND
FOR THAT REASON I’VE BEEN WANTED
FOR A COUPLE WEEKS NOW TO HAVE O
ON MICHIGAN SENATOR BARRY GARY
PETERS WHO IS THE HOME WITH
HOMELAND SECURITY AND ABLE TO
JOIN US FROM WASHINGTON THIS
MORNING.
AND HE WAS ALSO AT VICING US
THAT WE MIGHT BE ON THE BRINK OF
CYBER CONCERNS FROM RUSSIA.
GIVE ME A LITTLE BIT OF THE LAY
OF THE LAND WITH WHAT YOU THINK
OUR DOMESTIC WORRIES ARE RIGHT
NOW.
>> WELL, CERTAINLY WE HAVE TO
HAVE OUR GUARD UP.
WE KNOW THAT THE RUSSIANS ARE
ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN CYBER
ATTACKS AGAINST THE UNITED
STATES.ON A REGULAR BASIS.
THEY ARE CONSTANTLY HITTING
SYSTEMS, PROBING SYSTEMS.
NOT JUST THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT
BUT ALSO CRIMINAL ENTITIES THAT
OPERATE OUT OF RUSSIA WITH QUITE
FRANKLY A WINK AND A NOD FROM
MR. PUTIN THAT ARE ENGAGED ON
ATTACKS ON OUR BUSINESSES BUT
GIVEN WHAT IS HAPPENING IN
UKRAINE, WE EXPECT THAT ACTIVITY
TO WRA RAM UP.
QUITE FRANKLY WE’RE SURPRISED WE
HAVEN’T SEEN A RAM UP OF THAT
ACTIVITY IN UKRAINE FOR EXAMPLE
BUT WE NEED TO BE PREPARED AS
THE PRESIDENT MENTIONED.
THAT’S WHY IT’S CRITICAL WE HAVE
OUR GUARD UP TO THE FULLEST
EXTENT POSSIBLE.
IF WE’VE BEEN WATCHING WHAT
CERTAINLY SEEMS TO BE A STRUGGLE
FOR THE RUSSIAN MILITARY
EVERYTHING FROM THE WAY THAT
SUPPLY CHAINS ARE WORKING TO THE
WAY ACTUAL COMMAND IS WORK.
THEY LOST A NUMBER OF GENERALS.
IF THEY ARE STRUG LINGS ON THE
MILITARY FRONT, I DON’T EXPECT
THEY WILL HAVE AS MUCH
STRUGGLING ON THE CYBER FRONT.
THIS IS SOMETHING THEY SEEM GOOD
AT DOING, CORRECT?
>> ABSOLUTELILY. AS I MENTIONED
THEY HAVE BEEN ACTIVELY ENGAGED
IN THE SPACE FOR SOME TIME.
IT’S CURIOUS WHY WE HAVEN’T SEEN
MORE THAN.
THAT SOME FOLKS ARE SPECULATING
BECAUSE THEY HAVE THEIR HANDS
FULL ON THE GROUND WITH KINETIC
ATTACKS.
ACTUAL BOMBS EXPLODING AND TANKS
MOVING AND THEY MAY BE
PREOCCUPIED FROM IT BUT I WOULD
NOT FIND COMFORT IN THAT.
WE HAVE TO BE READY AND WE’RE
ALSO ASSISTING THE UKRAINIAN
GOVERNMENT AND THE UKRAINIAN
MILITARY BECAUSE WE EXPECT TO
SEE A RAMP OF ACTIVITIES THERE
AS WELL.
BUT CERTAINLY THAT IS WHY IT’S
IMPORTANT FOR US TO MOVE THINGS
LIKE LEGISLATION THAT I WAS ABLE
TO PASS AND REQUIRE CRITICAL
INFRASTRUCTURE TO REPORT TO OUR
CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE SECURITY
AGENCY WHY THERE IS A CYBER
ATTACK.
RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF A VARIETY
OF REASONS, WE BELIEVE WE ONLY
KNOW 25 TO 30% OF ATTACKS WE’RE
RECEIVING IN THIS COUNTRY AND
THAT’S UNACCEPTALBE.
WE HAVE TO HAVE A BETTER SENSE
OF THAT AND WHEN YOU GO INTO
WOOR, ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS IN
WARFARE IS YOU HAVE TO HAVE
SITUATION NAL WEARNESS.
YOU HAVE TO KNOW WHY THE ENEMY
IS AND WHERE THE WEAPONS O ON IN
ORDER TO DEFEND.
THAT SAME STRATEGY, THAT SAME
NECESSITY IS IN THE CYBER REALM
AS WELL.
>> AND WE HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT
WHAT THE PENTAGON REFERS TO AS A
CRISIS OF IMAGINATION.
WHAT WE HAVEN’T THOUGHT OF.
CYBER IS ONE WORRY DOMESTIC
LIRKS WHAT IS THE OTHER ONES YOU
HAVE YOUR EYES ON AND WE ALL
SHOULD BE PAYING ATTENTION TO?
>> WELL, CYBER IS THE NO. 1
THREAT RELATED TO WHAT IS
HAPPENING IN RUSSIA BUT CLEARLY
FRAI HOMELAND SECURITY
PERSPECTIVE, WE HAVE TO WORRY
ABOUT THINGS SUCH AS DOMESTIC
TERRORISM.
WE HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE OF
DOMESTIC TERRORIST ATTACKS IN
RECENT YEARS.
WE STILL NEED TO BE FOCUSED ON
FOREIGN TERRORISM.
THAT’S NOTHING YOU CAN TAKE YOUR
EYE OFF BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE
TERRORIST ATTACKS IN RECENT
YEARS, THEY’VE BEEN HOME GROWN,
THEY’VE BEEN DOMESTIC AND
UNFORTUNATELY MANY OF THOSE
ATTACKS HAVE BEEN ON PLACES OF
WORSHIP.
I WAS IN TOWN JUST THE PREVIOUS
WEEK WITH SECRETARY MIE MIAMI OR
CUSS TALKING ABOUT OUR SECURITY
GRANTS THROUGH FEMA.
SOMETHING I WORKED TO INCREASE
THE AMOUNT OF RESOURCES
AVAILABLE IN GRANTS THAT ARE OUR
PLACES OF WORSHIP CAN APPLY FOR
TO MAKE THEIR SANK ARIES SAFER
FOR FOLKS WHO ARE GOING THERE TO
PRAY.
SENATOR, LET’S MOVE NOW, I’M
WONDERING WHERE YOU THINK OUR
LEVEL AND ABILI TO HELP IS
RIGHT NOW?
I THINK THAT THE EXPECTATION
FROM SO MANY WAS THAT THE
RUSSIAN ARMY WAS GONE TO RUN
THROUGH UKRAINE LIKE A HOT KNIFE
THROUGH BUTTER.
IT’S BEEN EXTRAORDINARY TO WATCH
THE RESOLVE AND RESILIENCY OF
THE UKRAINIAN PEOPLE AND ARMIES.
THIEF EVEN BEEN ABLE TO TAKE
BACK TERRITORY THE LONGER THIS
GOES ON, DO YOU FEEL ANY CHANGE
IN YOUR CALL CUE LUST OF WHAT
OUR ABILITY IS TO DO TO HELP AND
DOES THAT HELP BECOME IN A WAY
MORE CRITICAL AS WE LISTEN TO
PRESIDENT ZELENSKY BEGGING FOR
MORE ASSISTANCE?
>> ACTUALLY, IT DOES LOOK LIKE
THIS IS GOING TO GO LONGER THAN
FOLKS ANTICIPATED AND IT’S
DIRECTLY THE RESULT OF THE
INCREDIBLE COURAGE AND TA MASS
TI OF THE UKRAINIAN PEOPLE AND
UKRAINIAN MILITARY AND THEIR
EFFECTIVE USE OF WEAPONS THAT
THE UNITED STATES AS WELL AS OUR
ALLIES HAVE PROVIDED TO THE
UKRAINE MILITARY.
PARTICULARLY IN THEIR ANTIARMOR
AND GROUND TO AIR DEFENSE
SYSTEMS.
>> SO THIS COULD DRAG ON MUCH
LONGER AND THAT’S GOING TO BE A
TREMENDOUS STALEMATE FOR
MR. PUTIN.
CLEARLY HE MISCALCULATED.
>> AND THE HUMANITARIAN CRISIS.
WE’RE SEEING A HUMAN CARIAN
CRISIS SOMETHING NOT SEEN SINCE
WORLD WAR II, THOSE PEOPLE
CROSSING THE BOARDER TO ESCAPE
THE WAR THAT PUTIN STARTED AS
WELL AS THE UKRAINIANS COME
TOGETHER COUNTRY.
AND THAT WILL BE A CONTINUED
FOCUS FOR ME AND MY COLLEAGUES
TO MAKE SURE THE RESOURCES ARE
THERE TO HELP THE UKRAINIAN
PEOPLE.
>> ABSOLUTELY AND WE HAVE A HUGE
UKRAINIAN POPULATION HERE IN
MICHIGAN AS WELL AS POLISH.
WE’RE WATCHING SO MANY WRINKEL
EFFECTS IMPACTING US LOCALLY ON
THIS.
BUT CAN YOU SEE ANY
CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH YOU
WOULD SUPPORT A NO FLY ZONE OVER
UKRAINE?
HELPING THEM MAKE JETS?
ANYTHING MORE THAT SOME PEOPLE
ARE FEARING WOULD BE A BRIDGE
TOO FAR?
>> WELL, I THINK IT’S IMPORTANT
FOR US TO LISTEN TO OUR MILITARY
ADVISER AS TO WHAT IS THE BEST
COURSE OF ACTION.
CERTAINLY A NO FLY ZONE IS VERY
COMPLICATED THING AND IT
BASICALLY MEANS THAT WE ARE
ENGAGED WITH RUSSIANS IN ORDER
TO PUT FORWARD A NO FLY ZONE,
THE FIRST THING HAVE YOU TO DO
IS TAKE OUT AIR DEFENSE SYSTEMS
TO PROTECT U.S. AIRCRAFT THAT
ARE ENFORCING THAT NO FLY ZONE
AND THAT MEEKS MEANS YOU’RE
ATTACKING FOLKS ON THE GROUND.
WILL YOU KILL RUSSIAN SOLDIERS
IN THE PROCESS.
SOME OF THESE AIR DEFENSE
SYSTEMS AREN’T IN UKRAINE.
THEY MAYBE IN RUSSIA PROPER.
THAT WOULD INCLUDE GOING INTO
RUSSIA PROPER.
SO CLEARLY THAT IS A SIGNIFICANT
ESCALATION.
RIGHT NOW I BELIEVE OUR BEST
COURSE IS TO MAKE SURE THE
UKRAINIAN MILITARY HAS THE
RESOURCES THEY NEED AND YOU LOOK
AT HOW EFFECTIVE THEY HAVE BEEN.
JAF LYNN MISSIELS HAVE BEEN
DEVASTATED AGAINST THE RUSSIAN
ARMOR VEHICLE AND THEY KNOW HOW
TO USE THOSE VERY EE EFFECTIVELY
AND THEY HAVE BEEN ABSOLUTELY
INCREDIBLE TO THE POINT TO WHERE
WE’RE SEEING COUNTER OFFENSIVE
AND THAT SNOT SOMETHING WE WOULD
HAVE ANTICIPATE OOD WHEN IT
COMES TO SANCTIONS, THERE HAVE
BEEN THOSE CRITICIZING PRESIDENT
BIDEN FOR WHAT HAS BEEN A VERY
SLOW WALK FROM ZERO TO 60 AND
SOME ARGUE WE SHOULD OF BEEN AT
100 MILES PER HOUR FROM THE GET
GO, WHY IN THE WORLD DO WE KEEP
ADDING SANCTIONS WHEN WE SHOULD
BE USING EVERYTHING POSSIBLE AT
OUR DISPOSAL FROM THE VERY
STARTING GATE?
>> WELL, WE DID GO VERY QUICK
AND I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT
VIEWS OR THE BIGGEST STRETCH I
SHOULD SAY, THE STRONGEST THE
SANCTIONS WILL BE WHEN YOU GET
THE WORLD COMMUNITY INVOLVED IN
SANCTIONS AND YOU’RE BRINGING
EVERYBODY ALONG MAKES THEM
INCREDIBLY POWERFUL AND WE DID
SEE.
THAT WE SAW TO THE BUILD UP WITH
BEFORE THE INVASION THERE WAS A
RELEASE OF CLASSIFIED
INFORMATION INTELLIGENCE THAT
NORMALLY WOULDN’T BE RELEASE
THAT EARLY TO SHOW THE WORLD
COMMUNITY WHAT MR. PUTIN WAS UP
TO AND WHEN HE DID CROSS THE
BOARDER, YOU SAW AIR VERY QUICK
REACTION AND SWIFT REACTION FROM
OUR ALLIES.
ALLIES THAW WOULDN’T EXPECT
WOULD BE ENGAGED IN SANK
SANCTIONS, SWITZERLAND.
WE ARE ENCOURAGED WHEN THE WORLD
WORKS TOGETHERS.
WE NOW HAVE UNPRECEDENTED
SANCTIONS AND WE’LL CONTINUE TO
PUSH THOSE FORWARD AND BRING THE
RUSSIAN ECONOMY TO IT’S KNEES
BUT IT HAPPENS MOST EFFECTIVELY
WHEN YOU HAVE THE WORLD’S
DEMOCRACIES COMING TOGETHER AND
SAYING WE’LL STAND UP AGAINST
THIS AUTHOR TEARIAN AND
DICTATORSHIP AND THE FREE WILL
PREVAIL IN THE █END.
>> AND I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION.
WE SAW WHAT SEEMS TO BE AS A
RARE BIPARTISAN SUPPORT FOR YOUR
BILL THAW HOPE WILL FINALLY,
IT’S ON IT’S WAY TO THE
PRESIDENT’S DESK HERE WILL
FINALLY GET THE POST OFFICE
RIGHT SIZED AND ON A BETTER
FOOT.
I ONLY HAVE 30 SECONDS LEFT.
YOUR THOUGHTS.
>> JUST EXCITED TO GET THAT
THROUGH.
IT WAS 15 YEARS IN THE MAKING TO
DO COMMON SENSE REFORMS.
I’VE BEEN WORKING ON IT FOR THE
LAST COUPLE YEARS.
SO WE BROUGHT IT IN TOGETHER AND
PASSED THE SENATE WITH 79 VOTES.
IT WILL PUT THE POSE SAL OFFICE
ON BETTER FOOTING FOR THE
FUTURE.
>> POSTAL REFORM ACT.