Dear CCI Friends,

CCI Board member Krishen Mehta offers his analysis of the emerging capability of the Global South to counter the impacts of the Western Corporate Tax Structure.  This Tax Structure is, in and of itself, a form of sanction and as such, many countries in the world understand how significant it is that Russia has been able to withstand those sanctions, albeit in a different form, levied on it.  

Krishen is a former partner at PwC, and now a Senior Global Justice Fellow at Yale University. He is also a co-editor of a book, Global Tax Fairness, published by Oxford University Press. 

Please let us know your thoughts.

Respectfully,

The Directors
Center for Citizen Initiatives

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The Blunt Instrument of Western Sanctions

ACURA EXCLUSIVE  July 9, 2024

By Krishen Mehta 

As of this writing, the US has placed sanctions on over 30 countries, close to one-third of the world’s population. When the pandemic started, the US vetoed the $ 5 Billion emergency loan that Iran had requested from the IMF to buy equipment and vaccines from the foreign market. The Caesar sanctions against Syria, put in place in 2020, have caused a tremendous humanitarian crisis, with 80% of the population having fallen below the poverty line. Studies show that the sanctions on Iraq in the 1990’s caused the death of almost half a million children. The US has repeatedly sanctioned Venezuela’s food distribution program, CLAP, in an effort to bring about the overthrow of the Government of Nicolas Maduro.

Assets being frozen is another extension of Western sanctions. In 2021, about $ 9 Billion of reserves held by Afghanistan in banks across the US and Europe were frozen when the Afghan government fell to the Taliban that year. Since the Revolution in 1979, Iranian assets blocked by the West and which remain in Western financial institutions are estimated at about $ 100 Billion. Venezuela’s gold remains frozen in the Bank of England in spite of repeated appeals by the Government of Nicolas Maduro to have the gold returned. And more recently, Russia’s sovereign wealth of about $ 300 Billion has been frozen by the collective West.

[Continue to Read Full Article]

Dear CCI Friends,

The NATO Summit is over and the official word on its deliberations and conclusions has been released.  A link to the full text of the “Washington Summit Declaration issued by the Heads of State and Government participating in the meeting of the North Atlantic Council in Washington, D.C. 10 July 2024,” is included below.

For those interested in pursuing a path to peace in this world it is not edifying but it is, we would suggest, essential reading. We have selected a few noteworthy passages to give you a feel for the atmosphere of fear NATO inhabits. Nothing in it indicates that anyone in NATO is contemplating anything other than war with Russia.

“Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has shattered peace and stability in the Euro-Atlantic area and gravely undermined global security.  Russia remains the most significant and direct threat to Allies’ security.”

“We cannot discount the possibility of an attack against Allies’ sovereignty and territorial integrity.  We have strengthened our deterrence and defense posture to deny any potential adversary any possible opportunities for aggression.  We continue to enhance NATO’s deterrence and defense against all threats and challenges, in all domains, and in multiple strategic directions across the Euro-Atlantic area. We have deployed in-place combat-ready forces on NATO’s Eastern Flank …”

” (We are) Investing in our Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear defense capabilities required to effectively operate in all environments.”

“To help Ukraine defend itself today, and deter Russian aggression in the future, we have:

Decided to establish the NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU) to coordinate the provision of military equipment and training for Ukraine by Allies and partners.  Its aim is to place security assistance to Ukraine on an enduring footing, ensuring enhanced, predictable, and coherent support.  NSATU, which will operate in Allied states, will support Ukraine’s self-defense in line with the UN Charter.  NSATU will not, under international law, make NATO a party to the conflict.  It will support the transformation of Ukraine’s defence and security forces, enabling its further integration with NATO.

Announced a Pledge of Long-Term Security Assistance for Ukraine for the provision of military equipment, assistance, and training to support Ukraine in building a force capable of defeating Russian aggression.  Through proportional contributions, Allies intend to provide a minimum baseline funding of €40 billion within the next year, and to provide sustainable levels of security assistance for Ukraine to prevail.

Taken forward the establishment of the NATO-Ukraine Joint Analysis, Training, and Education Centre (JATEC), an important pillar of practical cooperation, to identify and apply lessons from Russia’s war against Ukraine and increase Ukraine’s interoperability with NATO.

Welcomed the Secretary General’s decision to appoint a NATO Senior Representative in Ukraine.”

[Continue to NATO Document]

Sabre rattling?  Hyperbole?  Wishful thinking? Meaningful threats? All of the above?

We are also providing links to our favorite commentators on the subject of Russia, Ukraine, NATO and the US who have weighed in on the significance of this Summit.  

Gilbert Doctorow on Russia’s perception of the NATO threat:

[Continue to Watch Gilbert Doctorow Interview on Judging Freedom Streamed Live on July 11th, 2024]

Stephen Bryen on NATO’s chances of living up to the level it has committed to at the Summit:

[Continue to Read Article posted on Weapons and Strategy July 10th, 2024]

John Mearsheimer on the utter recklessness of the Biden administration/NATO position: 

[Continue to Watch John Mearsheimer Interview on Judging Freedom Streamed Live on July 11th, 2024]

This is a lot to consider and to ponder, friends, but we are in deep and dark waters.  Please let us know your thoughts.

Sincerely,

The Directors
Center for Citizen Initiatives

Dear CCI Friends,

The article below describes, and reflects on, what could be an emerging trend, the return of ex-pats and tourists to Russia.  Several people describe their personal experiences and reasons.  

Are we reaching a point of a growing interest in peace, or a growing detachment from the war?  As always we welcome your thoughts on this subject.

Sincerely,

The Directors
Center for Citizen Initiatives

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MEDUZA: WHY ARE WESTERN TOURISTS AND EXPATS RETURNING TO RUSSIA?

June 6, 2024, Meduza

July 7, 2024, Natylie’s Place: Understanding Russia 

By Alex Mitchell

New Year’s Eve 2023. My friends and relatives in Russia were dejected. Nobody felt like celebrating. It was my first time back since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and the war fatigue was palpable everywhere.

In 2022, few foreign tourists came from the West — except small numbers of curious “war tourists” who wanted to capture the Russian reality for social media. Official figures show that tourism fell by about 30 percent year-on-year, with the number of people entering the country on tourist visas dwindling to 200,000 (one tour operator estimated that organized tourism fell by 90 percent).

[Continue Reading]

Dear CCI Friends,

If the author featured below is correct, we are waiting in vain for state sponsored diplomatic solutions to the critically dangerous situations facing us.  

And that raises the question:  if not us, who?

Please let us know your thoughts.

Sincerely,

The Directors
Center for Citizen Initiatives

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 “The Funeral of Old School Diplomacy”

May 15, 2024
Valdai Club/Literaturnaya Gazeta

Translated by Geoffrey Roberts

Will Russia return to dialogue with the West? Or is humanity sliding from a cold war to a “hot” one? What is the essence of the Ukrainian crisis? Will we arrive at a multipolar world? Can Russia be split by inter-ethnic differences? We talk about these pressing political topics with politologist, Richard Sakwa, the leading British expert on Russia, Emeritus Professor at the University of Kent, and a member of the Valdai international discussion club.

[Continue Reading]

Dear CCI Friends,

We are all acutely aware of the constant provocations that have reached dire and potentially catastrophic escalation.  In the midst of this however, life continues and people refuse to stop living.   In that light, we would like to share a brighter story with all of you.

In Yakutsk, although geographically far from the front lines, people await word of family and friends on the front lines.  While doing so, people continue their day-to-day lives as well as enthusiastically prepare for hosting the 8th Children of Asia International Sports Games, Yakutsk 2024.

Pete Clark currently resides in Yakutsk, Sakha Republic (Yakutia) and shares the mood and the history of this event in the article below.  He has lived in Russia since 2004. He was born in Peoria, IL, and is a dual U.S. and Russian citizen. Pete and his wife Katerina own and operate a 12 room bed and breakfast in Yakutsk and are actively engaged in supporting cancer survivors in Yakutsk. More information about the bed and breakfast can be found on https://bravo-hotel.ru. More information regarding the cancer support group can be found on https://antirak-ykt.ru (only in Russian).

Sincerely,

The Directors
Center For Citizen Initiatives

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VIII Children of Asia Games 2024
Yakutsk, Sakha Republic (Yakutia), Russia

June 15, 2024

By Pete Clark

The first Children of Asia Games were held in Yakutsk in 1996.  The first President of the Sakha Republic, Mikhail Nikolaev, was the initiator of the games to commemorate the 100^th anniversary of the modern Olympic games.

The opening ceremony of the games will be held in Yakutsk on June 26, 2024.  The first day of competition actually will start on June 25, and the last day and closing ceremony will be on July 7, 2024.

The summer games are held every four years, just prior to the Summer Olympic games.  In the past, at least some of the athletes who compete in the Children of Asia Games go on to the Olympic games, so these athletes are using the Children of Asia Games as a kind of “tune-up”.  However, since Russian athletes are not being allowed to compete in the Olympic games under the National Flag, I am not sure how many, if any, Russian athletes from the Children of Asia Games will go on to Paris.  Some of them will no doubt compete at the World Friendship Games in Moscow and Ekaterinburg that will take place from September 15, 2024 to September 29, 2024.

According to the official news releases, more than 1,000 athletes from 40 countries are expected to compete in 24 sports during the competition.  The city of Yakutsk has prepared 16 venues for the competition.  Tickets for the popular opening ceremony are already on sale, but I think the ticket sales for the closing ceremony won’t begin until May 26, 2024.  I have not yet seen any announcement regarding the sale of tickets to individual events yet, but I anticipate that these will be on sale soon if not already.

Anyone interested in knowing more about the Children of Asia Games can get more information at the official web site, which does have an English version:  Yakutsk2024
 
Ysyakh, or the Yakutian New Year, will be celebrated on different dates in different regions of the Sakha Republic from June 10 to June 25.  The traditional date for the celebration is on June 21, which is the summer solstice, but local government authorities have “moved” the date, usually to a weekend near the June 21 date.  I am expecting that the biggest Ysyakh celebration will be near Yakutsk, but outside the city, and most likely will be on the weekend of June 22-23.  So the Children of Asia Games will be immediately following the Ysyakh celebrations.

The native people of the Sakha Republic have a number of Shamanistic rituals and mythology as part of the culture.  A lot of the cultural rituals and mythology is actually also part of Native American culture as well, and the similarities, for those who are familiar with Native American culture, will be quite striking.  For Northern people, where the sun plays such an important role in every day life, the summer solstice is the obvious event demarking the end of one cycle and the beginning of another.

Both Ysyakh and the Children of Asia Games will bring in a lot of people to the city, and hotel rooms are already hard to find for this period.  I think our bed and breakfast was 100% booked over 6 months ago.  However, if any CCI members do want to come to Yakutsk during this period, I will do what I can to help.