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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Dear CCI Friends,

Below is a Russian translation of my article, Russia Report: Putin, which we invite our Russian-speaking readers to share with their friends and colleagues. It is also available on Facebook for easy sharing with your Russian-speaking Facebook friends and relevant groups.

The link to the original English text is provided below.

All the best,

Sharon Tennison
Center for Citizen Initiatives

English: https://ccisf.org/another-assessment-putin/

Шэрон Теннисон (Sharon Tennison)

ЦЕНТР ГРАЖДАНСКИХ ИНИЦИАТИВ

9 февраля 2018 г.

Четыре года назад, в полном отчаянии от происходящего, я написала статью о своих впечатлениях от общения с Владимиром Путиным, и о личном опыте людей, которые когда-либо сталкивались с ним. Причина?  Путин явно был в центре внимания саботированных олимпийских игр в Сочи и кровавого Майдана на Украине, поддержанных внешними силами, противостоящими России и Путину.

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Dear CCI Readers,

The below article by Robert Merry is a MUST to read …and to study. He so clearly enunciates our reality.

So much conflicting news, so many horrid accusations, so many unknowns for those of us who are mere onlookers to the dangerous drama unfolding at high and secretive levels!

Regardless of what the truth is, on the level where we live, it’s clear that if the Russians have been meddling in the U.S. elections, so has the U.S. been meddling in elections and the fates of countries all over the world for decades.  As they say in mid-USA, this is “the pot calling the kettle black.”

Conservative and liberal journalists alike are forcing us to see the whole truth: How can we impose demonizing trade sanctions and war-making on Russia while being masters of what we accuse them?

And how can we as citizens roll the double standards back, retrieve basic honesty and begin to build a relationship that works between these two nuclear superpowers? Whether we want to admit it or not, we

have been the aggressors for the past several years, and Russia has been defending itself and trying to find ways to deal with our aggression. We have placed military on their surrounding borders; they have not put military in Canada or Mexico. We Americans would have never tolerated Russia destabilizing Mexico and pulling it into Russia’s orbit, or giving them lethal weapons with which to fight each other or us, or destabilizing countries near their homeland. This is unthinkable. We would have never permitted such actions to happen.

How in the world can we citizens begin to act and register with our decision makers that we aren’t dummies, we see what is going on –– and we want no part of it?

We Americans at the core are good people, patient with others, treat others fairly, are honest and expect honesty back. Visit any Rotary, Kiwanis or civic club across America and it can be seen what America is composed of at the grassroots. We deserve to live in a country whose leaders respect the same values, live by the same instincts and expectations that we do.

We reject the notion of perpetual intrigue, perpetual aggression, perpetual killing, perpetual refugees pouring out of these countries and destabilizing our allies in Europe and the Middle East. Those countries and peoples would have been better off had we never gotten involved in ousting their dictators.

When will we wake up and work for change––and replace, by the vote, those who have instigated all of this pain and suffering across the world?!

Citizen support to end the Vietnam debacle happened, and policy makers were replaced in a democratic fashion––it can happen again.

All the best,

Sharon Tennison
Center for Citizen Initiatives

The American Conservative
February 19, 2018

Russia’s Election Meddling: Worse Than a Crime; a Blunder

U.S.-Russian hostility is now inevitable, and the results could be tragic.

By Robert W. Merry, Journalist and Editor of The American Conservative

When Napoleon Bonaparte executed the Duc d’Enghien in 1804 for what seemed like trumped-up treason charges, the implications extended far beyond questions of French justice and even beyond the borders of France. European leaders were shocked, and the episode helped crystallize anti-Bonaparte sentiment throughout the Continent and in Britain. The famous French diplomat Charles de Talleyrand captured the moment when he said: “It was worse than a crime; it was a blunder.”

That might well be said now about the Russian effort to manipulate the 2016 presidential election by using social media to undermine Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, promote the candidacy of Donald Trump, and generally sow discord throughout the American body politic. Three Russian companies and 13 Russian citizens were indicted by U.S. authorities Friday on charges of engaging in a three-year, multimillion-dollar effort to interfere in the election. Americans naturally are shocked at this brazen effort to unravel the political fabric of their country.

But it isn’t really all that shocking. To understand why it was more of a blunder than a crime—and a blunder with likely tragic consequences—it is important to absorb five fundamental realities surrounding this important development in U.S.-Russian relations.

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Dear CCI Friends,

Sensational allegations along with fake news stories erupt daily, sometimes hourly, from both parties — it’s nearly impossible to figure out what’s really happening. This could be by intention. Stephen Cohen, writing below, brings up some very disconcerting observations: one, what all of this is revealing about America’s current elites and, secondly, what this is doing to our national institutions.

Further, the field of potential leaders looks decimated. I wonder if anyone sees a candidate they could feel comfortable voting for president in 2020, which is just a short time away. Certainly I couldn’t vote for anyone taking PAC funding. But how can anyone run for the highest office without it? And what does this say about us as a nation?

All the best,

Sharon Tennison
Center for Citizen Initiatives

TheNation
February 21, 2018

‘Russiagate’ Is Revealing Alarming Truths About America’s Political-Media Elites

Its allegations and practices suggest disdain for American institutions, principles, best interests, and indeed for the American people.

By Stephen F. Cohen

Stephen F. Cohen, professor emeritus of Russian Studies and Politics at NYU and Princeton, and John Batchelor continue their (usually) weekly discussions of the new US-Russian Cold War. (Previous installments, now in their fourth year, are at TheNation.com.) [Ed: Audio available at end of article.]

The nearly two-year-long series of allegations and investigations now known as “Russiagate” was instigated by top American political, media, and (probably) intelligence elites (mostly Democratic or pro-Democratic, but not only). What they have wrought suggests profoundly disturbing characteristics of people who play a very large role in governing this country. Cohen specifies six such barely concealed truths, which he and Batchelor then discuss.

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Dear CCI Friends,

Much misinformation is circulating about U.S.-Russia relations these days. Feast your eyes and mind on this article written by Peter Loukianoff, a board member of CCI who has unique insights and considerable experience in Russia – certainly more than most pundits opining on this subject today.

His article provides useful historical context for events and actions affecting U.S.-Russia relations to this day and argues why there’s hope for the future with the new generation of Russians – the kind we’ll be bringing to the U.S. as part of our Russians Meet Middle America (RMMA) program.

Peter is a first-generation American from an immigrant family. He earned an engineering degree and MBA from UC Berkeley and is an entrepreneur and venture capitalist. Since 1990, Peter has worked on various ventures and diplomatic efforts related to Russia. He was part of a group that hosted the former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev in Silicon Valley and worked on the Gore/Chernomyrdin Commission.

Please resend this article to as many of your friends and colleagues as possible. Perhaps it will open their minds to points of view larger than what is in our mainstream media today. Follow The Center for Citizens Initiative on Facebook.

Warmly,

Sharon Tennison
Center for Citizen Initiatives

EastWest.ngo
December 14, 2017

Re-imagining Russian-American Relations: A Pragmatic Business Perspective

BY: P.N. LOUKIANOFF

This year represents the centennial of the communist takeover of Russia, which indelibly marked the transition from Tsarist Empire to the Soviet Union. The U.S.S.R. was a menace not only to the free world, but also to its own people. Despite its collapse and Russia’s independence over 25 years ago, many in Washington still cannot allow themselves to imagine, let alone manifest, a productive relationship with Russia.

Prior to 1917, Russia was the only major power in the world with which the United States had neither a war, nor serious diplomatic dispute. It even supported and defended America during its formative and most vulnerable years—the American Revolution1 and Civil War. Thus, President Jefferson declared, “Russia is the most cordially friendly to us of any power on earth” and President Lincoln’s Secretary of State stated, “[Russia] has our friendship, in preference to any other European power.”2 Notwithstanding constitutional differences between the Russian monarchy and American democracy, their relationship blossomed.

In our current political climate, each nation blames the other for meddling in domestic and international affairs. Foreign malfeasance cannot be tolerated, but should the United States not seek bona fide deals with Russia for the sake of America’s national interests? Meanwhile, recurring sanctions against Russia have forced it to align with China versus the United States. Continued hostilities only increase the chances of direct confrontations—be they political, economic, cyber or nuclear. Arguably, America has more at stake in these scenarios long-term.

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