Friends,

The whole of “non-mainstream media” and the investigative journalists are questioning the legitimacy of this latest scare tactic. It doesn’t make sense. Please read below.

Sharon Tennison
Center for Citizen Initiatives

The BlogMire
March 20, 2018

30 Questions That Journalists Should be Asking About the Skripal Case

by Rob Slane

There are a lot of issues around the case of Sergei and Yulia Skripal which, at the time of writing, are very unclear and rather odd. There may well be good and innocent explanations for some or even all of them. Then again there may not. This is why it is crucial for questions to be asked where, as yet, there are either no answers or deeply unsatisfactory ones.

Some people will assume that this is conspiracy theory territory. It is not that, for the simple reason that I have no credible theory — conspiracy or otherwise — to explain all the details of the incident in Salisbury from start to finish, and I am not attempting to forward one. I have no idea who was behind this incident, and I continue to keep an open mind to a good many possible explanations.

However, there are a number of oddities in the official narrative, which do demand answers and clarifications. You don’t have to be a conspiracy theorist or a defender of the Russian state to see this. You just need a healthy scepticism, “of a type developed by all inquiring minds!”

Below are 30 of the most important questions regarding the case and the British Government’s response, which are currently either wholly unanswered, or which require clarification.

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Sputnik International
March 20, 2018

Putin, Trump Stress Importance of Limiting Arms Race, Will Meet Soon

US President Donald Trump has congratulated Vladimir Putin on his win in Sunday’s presidential election in Russia. In addition, the presidents held a phone conversation on a number of burning issues in world politics.

On Russia-US Relations

“The presidents spoke in favor of developing a practical interaction in various areas, including the issues of strategic stability and combating international terrorism. In particular, the sides emphasized the importance of coordinated efforts in limiting the arms race,” Kremlin said, commenting the phone conversation held by Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.

Trump congratulated Vladimir Putin on his victory in the presidential elections in Russia. The phone conversation took place at the initiative of the American side, according to Moscow.

Following the phone call Donald Trump said that he was going to meet with the Russian president in “not too distant future.”

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Dear Friends,

An extremely significant event took place on Thursday, March 8.

Four senior Senators (Bernie Sanders, Dianne Feinstein, Jeff Merkley and Edward Markey) must have sweat blood over their decision to go against the grain of their colleagues and the backdrop of ever-present Neocons to request Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to jump start new Strategic Arms Talks with Russia.

This is HUGE, and no doubt, in response to Putin’s unveiling of Russia’s new class of weaponry. He says that these weapons will not be used unless Russia’s territory is hit first. So, are these new weapons defensive or offensive? Putin says defensive, which makes little difference at this point. He’s got them, which must make war profiteers shake in their boots about any notion of a ‘first strike.’

The request from the Senators must have caused a ‘chasm in the psyche’ of the powers behind U.S. leadership, such that it hasn’t even been mentioned in the mainstream media.

I just checked the Internet at 9 pm on the 10th, two full days later, and there is still NO MENTION of the urgent Senatorial request. It seems any trivial word about Mueller, Comey, Clapper, etc., gets rehearsed ad nauseam. Yet when top lawmakers of America make a sound request which could save the planet from nuclear war, the idea is verboten and not mentioned at all to the American people.

What does this mean to those of us who are citizens of this land? What is it about such negotiations that makes them off limits to even mention? What are we to draw from this – that negotiations are bad and war is good? God forbid … What have we come to?

All the best,

Sharon Tennison
Center for Citizen Initiatives

Senator Ed Markey Press Release
March 8, 2018

Amid Heightened Tension, Markey, Merkley, Feinstein, and Sanders Press Trump Administration to Jumpstart New Strategic Talks with Russia

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Amid heightened tension with Russia, U.S. Senators Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), and Bernie Sanders (I-VT) today urged Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to begin a new round of strategic talks with Russia without delay.

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Dear CCI Friends,

Putin spoke for two hours today providing an outline of Russia’s future plans—mostly about Russia’s domestic economy. He also unexpectedly unveiled Russia’s new breakthrough in defensive nuclear weaponry.

If one studies history on a timeline basis, one understands that U.S./NATO actions have been responsible for each Russian reaction over the past two decades. In 1990, Russia readily opened itself up to the west expecting a friendly response after having rejected communism. Yeltsin and Putin both offered to join NATO hoping to be part of the west. Washington ignored, but promised not to expand NATO—but then did … saying expansion was not directed against Russia. Race forward past many other such events up to today. Presently, the U.S. and NATO conduct hostile exercises on Russia’s immediate borders while enacting tough economic sanctions on the whole of Russia. Current Washington leaders and mainstream media continuously demonize Putin and Russia … then last week, announced our new tactical nukes. What did we expect Russia to do?

These asymmetrical provocations have benefited some entities, but not Russia. A lot more money is flowing from taxpayers to the Pentagon and the Military Industrial Complex as a result. Does this make American citizens any safer? I think not, but it has forced Russia to prepare against a nuclear strike into its very heartland––which was announced today.

Why on earth did we miss so many opportunities to work cooperatively with Russia––

rather than face this state of affairs today?

All the best,

Sharon Tennison
Center for Citizen Initiatives

Russia Insider
March 1, 2018

Putin’s Remarkable, Historic March 1 Speech in Moscow – Video Excerpts, Full Transcript, Moscow

President of Russia Vladimir Putin:

Citizens of Russia, members of the Federation Council and State Duma,

Today’s Address is a very special landmark event, just as the times we are living in, when the choices we make and every step we take are set to shape the future of our country for decades to come.

It is at such turning points that Russia has proven, time and again, its ability to develop and renew itself, discover new territories, build cities, conquer space and make major discoveries. This unwavering forward-looking drive, coupled with traditions and values, ensured the continuity in the thousand-year-long history of our nation.

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