Dear CCI Friends,

In the following interview, Glenn Diesen discusses the current Russian military planning and its on-ground execution with a man with a unique perspective.  Born in Russia, Stanislav Krapivnik’s father was a dissident who emigrated with his family to the United States in the 1970’s.  Stanislav grew up here and became a US Army officer – now he is back in Russia.  What he gives us is an account of the war, and what we may expect relations between Russia and the West to be in the foreseeable future, from a Russian point of view absent in our press.  

Fallout for Generations to Come

https://glenndiesen.substack.com/p/stanislav-krapivnik-dangerous-endgame

While we contemplate the ramifications of the disastrous war in Ukraine we might also ask ourselves how and why the fiasco came about.  Kautilya the Contemplator (again!) provides a deeply thoughtful analysis of the situation.

Why Is US Foreign Policy an Embarrassing Mess?

https://substack.com/inbox/post/177609722

Looking forward to your thoughts!

Sincerely,
Center for Citizen Initiatives

Dear CCI Friends,

There is an article by a new (to us) commentator circulating on the internet titled, “The Soul That Cannot Be Conquered: Endurance and Destiny In the Russian Spirit,” by Kautilya the Commentator.  We have no idea who the author is but he or she has produced a thoughtful, respectful and eloquent analysis of the character of the Russian population as it has been molded by history.  

The piece also paints a slightly romanticised version of the Russian ‘national character’  so we asked a long-time friend of CCI who lives in southern Russia for her opinion – on the subject, the author, and whether we should share it with you.

Here’s the article:

https://substack.com/inbox/post/176381076

– and here’s our friend’s take on it.  I hope you enjoy them both and let us know your thoughts.

Dear Paula!

Of course the article is written in too pretentious and metaphorical language. However, it’s interesting to read. Besides, I can’t say that I agree with all the conclusions and statements, but I do agree with many points.

What I didn’t like and don’t agree with:

• With the conclusion that “Russian culture transfigures suffering into meaning”. It used to be like that in the past, but nowadays nobody wants to suffer. The idea that people must suffer is promoted by the authorities and elite who benefit from keeping the ordinary people for unrequited, long-suffering slaves and trailer trash;
• With the idea that «suffering binds generations, turning history itself into a form of strength» – This is an excuse for interested parties. Besides, not everyone in modern Russia accepts Dostoevsky’s philosophy that every person should suffer. Why would that be?
• With that part  – “Russia endures because she draws her strength from realms the West has long forgotten – faith, destiny and the collective memory of suffering. Her people do not live for comfort but for meaning.” Again reference to suffering. Enough of suffering! Stop suffering already!
• As far as I remember the lives of my parents, grandparent,  and mine own – all the time we were told and taught to think that we need to be patient a little more, suffer, tighten our belts tighter a little more, and very soon we’ll live a great life! However, everything, including patience and willingness to suffer, sooner or later comes to an end.  How long can they feed people with fables?
• With the installment,  “The Song of the Plains” – it seemed to me that this part was superfluous.

I liked it and I agree :

• With the description of  “the morality, the values of the Russian person”
• With the idea explaining the essence of “Russian aggression,” – they forget that most of Russia’s wars have been defensive – wars of survival against foreign coalitions”
• With that concept – “Two Romes have fallen,” wrote the monk Philotheus in the early 16th century, “the third stands, and a fourth there shall not be”.
• With the contents and descriptions of the Chapter “History as Teacher and Witness”

My father participated in the Stalingrad Battle, where he was seriously wounded, so I heard a lot of truth from him about those times. My grandfather went through the whole war and returned home only in the fall of 1945, he liberated Hungary from the Nazis.

My grandmother and my mother survived the horrible famine in the USSR in 1933. Also, they survived the occupation of Krasnodar by the Nazis in 1942, they even spent some time in the basements of the Gestapo, as their neighbor who served as a polizei after German fascists invaded their town, informed the Germans that my grandfather served in the Cossack Army Сorps of the renowned General Pliev and fought at the front. (Sure, there were traitors during the war). After that betrayal, they were captured by the Gestapo. That’s why I know a lot about those times from people who witnessed those events.

• With that statement, “The soldier who falls at the front does not die for ideology but for the Rodina, the mother who gave him life”. Similarly, when Western commentators interpret Russian patriotism as propaganda, they miss its spiritual dimension. To a Russian, love of country is not performative; it is a sacred duty’.
• You can’t but agree with this statement – “To understand Russia is to understand that it carries its history as a living presence, a memory passed from grandmother to grandson, from soldier to student. The dead are not forgotten, they walk beside the living. Every village has its war memorial, every family its story of loss”

My Dad told me that the Soviet soldiers, including him, shouted For the Motherland, for Stalin, when they got up from the trenches to attack fascists. That’s true.

• I believe in the idea that “the Russian soul remains the nation’s central armory”. That’s correct!!!

However, patriotism in Russia was greatly shaken after the betrayal of Yeltsin and Gorbachev, who destroyed the USSR. And it is sad.

PS It’s up to you to decide whether to send it out but I think — WHY NOT?

Sincerely,
Love,
N

We are looking forward to hearing from you as always.
 The Center for Citizen Initiatives

Dear CCI Friends,

Well, why does the West hate Russia? It’s a conundrum that can’t be answered with anything as simplistic as, “Because Putin……..!” although that’s all we usually get.

Here is an in depth look into some history that we rarely encounter, and it explains a lot.  Enjoy the dive!  And let us know what you think.

Sincerely,
The Center for Citizen Initiatives

“The Myth of the Russian Nemesis”

Dear CCI Folks,

I am the newest director of CCI so please allow me to introduce myself.  My name is Charles Heberle.  I am a retired COL of the US Army who was heavily involved in the goings on in the 1989 to 1992 time frame which resulted in the Soviet Union voluntarily closing shop.  This was and probably will be an unprecedented event in world history for which Russia, unbelievably, gets no credit right now.  I know about the negotiations first hand as I became a friend of GEN John Shalikashvili after he retired.  He related the whole story to me as he was the key negotiator.  Later on I developed a democracy training program for the USA which empowers the people so both parties hate it and shot it down.  The Russians however found it and hired me to teach it there which I did for 5 years living in the provincial capital of Karelia, Petrozavodsk.  I am now a past president and current member of the Russia-USA Intercountry Committee of Rotary International.  I also accompanied Sharon, who I have known since 2006, on the 2015 and 2016 CCI trips.  I am unapologetically pro-Russia in all these latest goings on.  Particularly with regard to welcoming them back to our world as a regular member which was the original intent.  This has not happened regrettably.

A lot of this has to do with our, in my view, needless continuation of the Cold War for what appear to be various and often nefarious reasons.  As a result we have continued our support of organizations in Ukraine, which while useful to us in the Cold War are now, in my view, detrimental to what is obviously in our national interest – having normal diplomatic relations with Russia.  From a military standpoint driving the biggest nuclear power into the arms of the 3rd biggest nuclear power is idiotic at best.  In this light I give you two things that support my contention.  One an article by Harrison Berger and another a video interview of MIke Benz by Glen Diesen. 

I give you these with the reservation that I don’t necessarily agree with all the views of Harrison Berger at least in tone.  Plus there was a lot in the Mike Benz interview that came as a surprise to me.   

Both of these raise two questions in my mind:

1.  Why are “non-governmental organizations” being funded by our government?
2.  Why are we continuing a Cold War after we successfully negotiated a settlement? 

Hopefully we in CCI can rectify some of this by our people to people diplomacy efforts which we hope will commence soonest.

Charles Heberle, COL, USA (Ret)

Dear CCI Friends and Colleagues,

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth gave a brief presentation  in the oval office recently where he spoke of renaming the Department of Defence. Henceforth, it is to be the Department of War.  Mr. Hegseth enthusiastically endorsed the name change and, in truth, offensive as it may seem, his honesty is welcome.  We may now officially drop any illusions we might have had that our military consists of citizen soldiers with a duty to defend the USA.  They are now officially acknowledged as global ‘war fighters.’  

Further, Hegseth defines the purpose of his department as “maximum lethality, minimum tepid legality.”  Presumably he wants us to join him and celebrate backsliding into barbarity.  Let us consider the consequences. 

Most of us who favor peace prefer the rule of law to the ruthlessness of war when it comes to dispute resolution. Ellen Tracy, who traveled to Russia with CCI in 2016, writes of the critical importance of respect for the law in the article below.  Her observations and analysis are insightful, beautifully articulate and steeped in history. 

“The Importance of International Law to Human Survival”

https://www.counterpunch.org/2022/06/03/war-crimes-from-nuremberg-to-ukraine/

I have just recently made Ellen’s acquaintance, thanks to the internet, and I am very happy to reprint her piece.  I  hope you will give it your thoughtful attention.  

Sincerely,
Paula Day
Center for Citizen Initiatives