Dear CCI Friends,

We live in extraordinary times.  Or perhaps, we have not ever moved on from attitudes we hoped had been long buried?

John F. Kennedy contended with the fear of nuclear war with Russia and fought what that fear might lead to forcefully.  He also confronted the grave responsibility held by a free press in keeping Americans informed of what their government was doing to face that danger.  Do we not live in similar times?

The documentary below explains eloquently President Kennedy’s efforts to improve US Russia relations that led to the peaceful resolution of the Cuban Missile Crisis, and to the nuclear test ban treaty. It also explains the resistance that President Kennedy faced from those in his own administration who were opposed to such efforts.

JFK: A President Betrayed

And please consider the following words of President Kennedy as we confront current movements to stifle and even criminalize a free press today.

“No President should fear public scrutiny of his program. For from that scrutiny comes understanding; and from that understanding comes support or opposition. 

Without debate, without criticism, no Administration and no country can succeed—and no republic can survive. That is why the Athenian law-maker Solon decreed it a crime for any citizen to shrink from controversy. And that is why our press was protected by the First Amendment—the only business in America specifically protected by the Constitution—not primarily to amuse and entertain, not to emphasize the trivial and the sentimental, not to simply “give the public what it wants”—but to inform, to arouse, to reflect, to state our dangers and our opportunities, to indicate our crises and our choices, to lead, mold, educate and sometimes even anger public opinion.

This means greater coverage and analysis of international news—for it is no longer far away and foreign but close at hand and local. It means greater attention to improved understanding of the news as well as improved transmission. And it means, finally, that government at all levels, must meet its obligation to provide you with the fullest possible information outside the narrowest limits of national security–and we intend to do it.”

JOHN F. KENNEDY, “ADDRESS: THE PRESIDENT AND THE PRESS” (27 APRIL 1961)

As always, your thoughts and responses are welcome and appreciated.

Sincerely,
Paula, Pamela and Krishen
Center for Citizen Initiatives

Dear CCI Friends,

We would like to share with our readership a recent interview with renowned scholar Dmitri Simes about the FBI raid on his home in the United States a short while ago.

Dr. Simes is a distinguished writer and thinker and was head of the Center for National Interest in Washington DC for over 30 years. This think tank was founded by former US President Richard Nixon following his detente with the Soviet Union and the signing of the ABM treaty.  It was part of the effort by President Nixon to promote better understanding and better relations between the US and Russia. 

Please review the interview and make your own judgment. In our hope for better US Russia relations, it is important that all voices be heard, dissent not be seen as a threat, and freedom of expression be honored. In this interview, you will have the opportunity to listen personally to what Dr. Simes has to say, and the challenges facing those who seek a better environment of peace and security between the US and Russia. 

As you may also be aware, Scott Ritter, another well-known spokesman for better relations between the US and Russia, and a critic of NATO expansion, was also similarly harassed and subject to confiscation of various documents and electronic records a few weeks back.   Included also is Scott’s response after the FBI raid, which he video recorded on his phone. 

Respectfully,

Krishen, Paula and Pamela
Center for Citizen Initiatives

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“From Soviet Dissident to Target of US Deep State” | Dimitri K. Simes Interview

August 30, 2024

Counter Currents: Larry Johnson Interviews Dimitri K. Simes

Dimitri K. Simes is probably the only person in the world who has faced political repression in both the USSR and the US because of his strong positions. In this episode of the Counter Currents, Simes joins host and former CIA analyst Larry Johnson to discuss his political upbringing in the Soviet Union, why he is being witch-hunted by the FBI, and what is fundamentally wrong with the Biden regime.

[Continue to Dimitri K. Simes Interview]

August 7, 2024

Scott Ritter’s “Shocking Day”

Scott Ritter reports to his “Meet the Inspector” viewers his response to the FBI raid on his home via a video recording on his phone.

[Continue to Scott Ritter’s “Shocking Day” Video]

Dear CCI Friends,

While we are deluged with news, commentary, opinions and political bombast from all sides on the subject of the war between Russia, Ukraine, NATO and the US, it is almost impossible to detect the voices of the people living in the center of the  maelstrom – the people of the Donbass.  Considering that it was their rejection of the 2014 coup in Kiev that precipitated the conflict, we feel it is important that we hear them.

Alexander Korobko, filmmaker and citizen of Donbass, has created a video – a docu-drama – based on the career of Alexander Zakharchenko, the leader of the ‘Donetsk Peoples’ Republic’ from the time of its creation immediately after the coup until his assassination in 2018.  

In describing his film Mr. Korobko has said, “The film presents an untold story of a conflict that is becoming increasingly globalised, one that is otherwise overshadowed by two opposing agendas – Russia’s and Ukraine’s/NATO’s. It might be considered politically incorrect by some on either side, but its spirit is categorically anti-war.”

We hope you will find the time to view this perspective and let us know your thoughts.

Sincerely,

Paula, Pam and Krishen
Center for Citizen Initiatives

Dear CCI Friends,

Scott Ritter, a former US arms inspector and opponent of the Iraq War, has long believed in a more constructive relationship between the US and Russia. He has had the courage to challenge the US government narrative about the origins of the war in Ukraine, the presumption that it was ‘unprovoked’, and has not only travelled to Russia but also shared his views with Western audiences about the dangers of Russophobia and the risk of escalation.

For these views, which differ from the US government and mainstream media narrative, Scott has been subjected to considerable criticism and scrutiny. Nonetheless, Scott has persisted in his beliefs and continues to work for better relations between the US and Russia. 

In the article below, Scott comments on the raids on his home, the confiscation of his passport, and the suppression of dissent that has become an unfortunate reality in US politics today. For those among us who believe, like Scott does, in the right of free speech and the importance of better US Russia relations, we would like to share Scott’s article with you. 

Please give it your consideration and let us know your thoughts.

The Directors
Center For Citizen Initiatives

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“There Can Be No Freedom Without Free Speech”

August 22, 2024

By Scott Ritter

The Department of Justice has launched a broad investigation which implicates the First Amendment free speech rights of not only those Americans, such as me, caught up in this web, but all Americans, because if the government succeeds in silencing free speech through its unlawful application of the Foreign Agent Registration Act, it won’t stop until it silences all dissenting voices in America.

[Continue to Full Article]

Dear CCI Friends,

Professor John Mearsheimer is a renowned scholar of international relations, is a graduate of the US Military Academy, and has taught extensively at the University of Chicago. He has also written on the interaction between great powers and how it affects global relations. The article below about the Ukraine war and some of its causes may be of interest to our listserv, and is being enclosed.

As always, we welcome your thoughts and feedback.

Respectfully,

The Directors
Center for Citizen Initiatives

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“Who Caused the Ukraine War?”

August 5, 2024

By John J. Mearsheimer

The question of who is responsible for causing the Ukraine war has been a deeply contentious issue since Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February 2022.

The answer to this question matters enormously because the war has been a disaster for a variety of reasons, the most important of which is that Ukraine has effectively been wrecked. It has lost a substantial amount of its territory and is likely to lose more, its economy is in tatters, huge numbers of Ukrainians are internally displaced or have fled the country, and it has suffered hundreds of thousands of casualties. Of course, Russia has paid a significant blood price as well. On the strategic level, relations between Russia and Europe, not to mention Russia and Ukraine, have been poisoned for the foreseeable future, which means that the threat of a major war in Europe will be with us well after the Ukraine war turns into a frozen conflict. Who bears responsibility for this disaster is a question that will not go away anytime soon and if anything is likely to become more prominent as the extent of the disaster becomes more apparent to more people.

[Continue to Full Article]