Dear CCI Friends,

Once more we hoped the New Start Treaty would be extended for a year. Once again the hope of curtailing nuclear weapons and lessening the prospect of nuclear war has been dashed. Why our U.S. leaders insist that China should be in this deal is inconceivable to me. They were never included previously and have few such weapons compared to the United States and Russia. Natylie Baldwin has allowed us to send you her discussion about this issue.

BTW, I’m reading Natylie’s latest book, The View from Moscow: Understanding Russia … and U.S.-Russia Relations, and I highly recommend it. Natylie’s lyrical manner of writing engages the reader. She starts in the 10th century with Russia’s earliest history and moves forward through nearly 400 pages, which include some 385 references from experts, in case you want to investigate one aspect or another for more information. This book is a perfect read for newcomers to Russia’s long historic past which is still so important to ordinary Russians walking the streets of their 11 time zones. Unlike Americans, Russians have absorbed their history all of their lives. It is in their fables and early education. Russian history continues to be an integral part of each school year of their education up to and including university level. For 75 years they were all taught from the same text books. As a nation they know and feel intimately a part of their history. We really have no comparable sense of our history.

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Dear CCI Followers,

Numerous VIP’s have written great pieces commemorating the passing of our mentor, Dr. Stephen F. Cohen. This latest is by Katrina vanden Heuvel, Steve’s wife and life partner, who gives her inside remembrance of Steve’s passion to understand Russia’s long and tortuous history and where it leads us up to today.

This interview with Katrina by Aaron Mate of The Grayzone is particularly important in that she relates how meticulously Steve researched Russia’s USSR years. He was an insider delving into the decades leading up to and then including Gorbachev, Yeltsin and finally Putin. Katrina is full of insights regarding Steve’s efforts to provide truth in a milieu where reporters and even academics have not spoken out publicly. She gives Ambassador Jack Matlock special appreciation for speaking openly across the decades regarding the USSR-U.S.-Russia field.

I hope you have time to give yourself a treat in the form of this very personal and important interview, Remembering Stephen F. Cohen: Katrina vanden Heuvel on life and love with eminent Russia scholar.

I’m back from a two-week break, more to follow in the days to come.

Sharon Tennison
Center for Citizen Initiatives

Dear CCI Friends,

Let us move our minds away from partisan politics and think of ways we can heal the gaping social wounds around us. Regardless of who wins this 2020 election, we are a nation in decline being hit by numerous plagues including isolation, homelessness, joblessness, street crimes, poor quality education for our masses, a grossly out-of-balance economy with zillionnaires on one end, while hoards of Americans with multiple illnesses and addictions are living on sidewalks and under our 8-lane highway overpasses. Our societal challenges today go on and on endlessly.

We in America are not who we thought we were!

Let’s face it.We have squandered trillions of U.S. dollars on tragic and unsuccessful wars all across the globe and have failed our own people in the process.

How can we take the power away from the Military Industrial Complex and institute programs that will heal our nation? Our problems aren’t because of Russia or China or the Middle East! Our ingrained, decades-long problems are of our own making. How can we do a turnaround and survive?

Let’s not blame the current situation on whoever wins the 2020 election. Let us all face ourselves and get to creating solutions that will pull us out of this immediate reality! What can I do? What can you do?

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Dear CCI Followers,

Trump has tried to reduce nuclear tensions between the United States and Russia in the past. Decisions made in the Deep State kept them from materializing. Will the same thing happen again? It’s hard to believe he will get away with this, given how determined the Democrats are to keep Trump from making such changes and from being re-elected.

Sharon Tennison
Center for Citizen Initiatives

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Dear CCI Friends,

After a long vacation, I am back at my desk and computer. I have greatly appreciated your personal notes and articles regarding Cold War III.

We have entered into a blizzard of insults, incriminations, threats and lies during this pre-election run-off culminating next month.  In my 84 years, I have never experienced such a display of hysteria and misinformation across both parties. Having been a Democrat all of my life, I can’t vote for either party, so I chose to write in the candidate I feel most qualified for the office.

Friends, this is an extremely dangerous time to be alive, and most Americans are not even aware of the possibility of Nuclear War. Nuclear weapons are in bombers and submarines throughout the world’s air and oceans. Why are our U.S. bombers flying war-training missions over Russia’s borders? How would we feel if Russians were doing the same over San Francisco and New York City? Why do Pentagon and other high-level officials risk accidents which could result in an all-out Nuclear War?

Now, comes this article below where Hillary Clinton presents the strange admission that our military policy is wrongly directed … after she pushed Cold War tactics against Russia for decades. Who can explain this? Pandemonium reigns!

Please forward this article to as many friends and colleagues as possible.

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