Dear CCI Friends,

If the first lesson of history is, ‘those who cannot remember it are condemned to repeat it,’  the second might be, ‘those who never knew it may be in for a shock someday.’

The intricate details of the histories of Ukraine, Poland and Russia are terra incognita to many Americans and the current blow-up in Ukraine/Polish relations may be indecipherable to many of us.  Please consider the explanations – very personal in one respect – of Andrew Korybko, an American of Polish extraction living and writing on current geopolitical affairs in Moscow – as he exposes us to history with a direct impact on current affairs.

Is Ukraine An Anti-Polish State?

https://korybko.substack.com/p/heres-why-im-a-proud-volhynia-genocide

https://korybko.substack.com/p/will-putin-benefit-from-the-volhynia

https://korybko.substack.com/p/ukraine-is-now-indisputably-an-anti

And if history is opaque to us, can we imagine the future?

The Future of Trans-Atlantic Security

https://glenndiesen.substack.com/p/the-future-of-trans-atlantic-security

Best regards from,
The Center for Citizen Initiatives

Dear CCI Friends,

The assault on our nerves never ends.  Are we being pushed into another war – or a bigger war – by our ‘allies’?

Great Britain and Europe seem to be following a path, or pushing a narrative, that indicates that they are not just anticipating a war with Russia but that they are delighted at the prospect.  It’s too absurd to believe, isn’t it?

You be the judge and let us know, please.

Does Germany Bear the Blame . . . 

https://glenndiesen.substack.com/p/jeffrey-sachs-the-baltic-states-are

. . . Or Does the ‘Honor’ Go to Great Britain?

https://scottritter.substack.com/p/terror-and-mental-war

The Center for Citizen Initiatives

Dear CCI Friends,

Observing the governments of Europe – Germany, France and the United Kingdom in particular – as they clamor for war with Russia must leave a sane person speechless.  Germany??  After two horrifically devastating World Wars launched by Germany in the 20th century, the collective West now seems content to quietly sit by while Chancellor Joachim-Frederich Martin Joseph Merz, and others, howls for a third.  Can this truly be happening?

Former CIA Director of Russia Analysis George Beebe explores this phenomenon with remarkable aplomb – no emotional fear mongering here.  What should be our reaction?   

“Diplomacy Is Anathema to Europeans…

…an escalatory spiral that can get out of hand.”

https://glenndiesen.substack.com/p/george-beebe-europe-russia-war-as

Investigative journalist Kit Klarenberg digs deep into the history of Britain’s deceitful relationship with the Russians and what it means in today’s dangerous atmosphere.  

Perfidious Albion

“Both Major and his successor Tony Blair explicitly pledged in person to Kremlin officials that NATO wouldn’t move up to Russia’s borders.”

https://www.kitklarenberg.com/p/declassified-uk-knew-nato-expansion

We are dumbfounded at the behaviour of supposed allies.  How about you?

The Directors
Center for Citizen Initiatives

Dear CCI  Friends,

If you have followed Simplicius,  the anonymous military and geopolitical Thinker on substack who has been providing deep-dive technical analysis of  the situation in Ukraine for the last four years, you will be familiar with his style – pithy and opinionated, to say the least.  Some loathe his conclusions but it must be admitted that he has been consistently accurate in his technical analysis and equally consistent when his analysis leads to his rational opinions.

Toward the end of the article, he makes a comparison between the American positions in Ukraine and in Iran.  Take a look and let us know what you think, please.  Is he on or off the mark?

Zelensky Steps Down From The Ledge

“It’s remarkable how many of the same propaganda notes are recycled by Western press for both Russia and Iran.”

https://simplicius76.substack.com/p/zelensky-again-steps-down-from-ledge

Thank you to all of our followers for staying with us through these dark times. 

The Center for Citizen Initiatives

Dear CCI Friends,

Russophobia or ‘Irrussianality’ is so much a part of American culture now that attempting to counter it with something as simple as critical thinking or rational argument seems hopeless.  How can a mere citizen dare to argue with an “Official Narrative?”

That being the case, the article below from Patrick Lawrence and Christian Muller comes as a refreshing surprise.  It seems the generalized fear of imminent invasion by the Russians is not a threat, the Russians aren’t coming, not to the United States and not even to Europe.  And we are assured of this by the ultra-conservative Rand Corporation, of all unlikely sources.

Take a look at their assessment and see what you think.

“The Myth of Russian Aggression”

“RAND was as Cold War-ish as any think tank serving the U.S. government was bound to be during those decades, and this makes its conclusions here all the weightier. The Russians are not coming, to turn the title of the old Alan Arkin comedy upside down. They pose no military threat either to Europe or the United States and do not pretend to do so. As history shows, it is essentially reactive and acts defensively. We have had this from RAND for six years.”

https://thefloutist.substack.com/p/the-myths-of-russian-aggression

Scott Ritter has produced a summation of his journey on the road to peace and civilized relations with Russia – the other exceptional super power in the world today.  His dedication is an inspiration to us all.

“I traveled to Russia to prevent a Third World War.”

https://scottritter.substack.com/p/the-fifth-year

This week marks the anniversary of the end of World War II.   Russians remember that war vividly; do we?  

Does ‘Never Again’ Mean Anything Anymore?

https://leonvermeulen.substack.com/p/victory-day-and-europes-strategic

Best wishes to all in the CCI community.

The Center for Citizen Initiatives