Dear CCI Friends,

I’ve been asked by Paul Grenier of the Simeon Weil Center for Political Philosophy to pass the word about this webinar on Thursday, October 28. This is short notice because Paul has just returned from travel to Russia.

“Is Russia Fascist” is a terrific topic to explore. More interesting to me, “Is Russia Post Liberal?” Having just read Grenier’s announcement, I conclude that I am Post-Liberal. Labels never interested me much, but I want to explore this one.  At last I can see where I’ve come from as a protesting teenager into long years of adult life to where I find myself today at age 85. “Post-liberals seek to build constructive alternatives that combine greater economic justice with more social solidarity,” the material says. That fits with where I am. How about you?

Please attend the following if you can, and let’s discuss further.

Sharon Tennison
Center for Citizen Initiatives

Webinar, Thursday, Oct. 28
(3 PM – 4:15 PM, EST)

What is Russia’s National Idea?

A discussion with Marlene Laruelle, author of Is Russia Fascist?

Discussants:

Anatol Lieven

Nicolai Petro

Paul Robinson

Paul Grenier (moderator)

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Dear CCI Friends,

What’s happening today, in the shadow of our mostly disastrous 20-year Afghanistan occupation and pullout, is creating a volcano of realizations that we in America have been at war for six decades … all for less than decent motives.

Those who suspected or knew what was happening thought this current situation would be covered up again, per usual. But no … military brass, foot soldiers and ordinary Americans  are opening up painful truths as we move forward. A mass catharsis looks to be underway. NATO nations normally subservient to U.S. policy are splintering off to make decisions for themselves. In this short period of a month or two, we have forever lost our #1 place in the world. Too dramatic you might say? I don’t think so.

Meanwhile, two rising giants stand by watching it all. Apparently the Presidents of China and Russia have been quietly advising Afghans for months, trying to reduce tensions and increase positive possibilities … but letting it be known that good behavior will be rewarded to help Afghans with economic development if they follow a sensible course.

As it turns out Afghanistan has a wealth of subsoil minerals needed by the rest of the world, thus allowing them to drop opium production to survive. China’s Belt and Road Initiative will provide much needed trade and economic support going forward. Too good to be true? Maybe not. While America is trillions of dollars in debt from fighting wars across the Middle East, China and Russia have been figuring out how to avoid wars and build economic alliances to benefit themselves and smaller nations across half of the world.

So where are we headed as a nation? Is a financial crisis coming? Will we have to face what other nations have suffered in the past? Fortunately China and Russia won’t go to war with us; but they are putting in motion quite different solutions for the world in which we will live. Beside these two countries, our U.S. solutions and actions of the past thirty years look quite paltry.

Articles such as the one below are just part of what we must change. There are no quick fixes. There seem to be no serious solutions in either U.S. political party unless we rethink everything in our existing lexicon. What can we do? For starters we can stop putting money where we have spent it during the past few decades.

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Dear CCI Friends,

You may have received this notice below from the Quincy Institute, but just in case you didn’t, Google the Institute to learn about this series, it promises to be very important. Bacevich is identifying Quincy and himself to the U.S. public unlike any other person/group in the field. Let’s hope he has a grand design in mind for 2024.

Sharon Tennison
Center for Citizen Initiatives

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Dear CCI Friends,

I want to make a new site available to you. I’ve been watching it for several months now and find that much of their articles and researchers are quite good. They write toward the younger crowd but essentially give basic facts dressed up in today’s language and morality.

Let me know if  The Conversation seems valuable to you. If so, subscribe yourself.

Sharon Tennison
Center for Citizen Initiatives

The Conversation

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Dear CCI Readers,

How is it that you and I watch over our personal expenditures and assets like hawks while our government spends outrageously on major equipment that piles up in country after country. Thousands of tanks, jeeps, etc., are left behind when our kids can’t get proper educations and many Americans now go to bed hungry at night in tents or under freeway overpasses.

This is happening in Democrat and Republican administrations alike. Our Congress members vote in these outrageous sums of money. At the root is the Military Industrial Complex, supported by Congress, and our high-end media (New York Times, Washington Post, Financial Times, Wall Street Journal, CNN, MSNBC). They all build the case for ever-more military spending.

Is it too late? Do we let this current situation take our country down? Or do we revolt and demand totally different politics from our Congress? It’s up to you and me … and a number of risk-taking NGOs and the new Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft. Please support these institutions and pass their honest articles to your friends and colleagues!

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