Dear CCI Friends,
Scott Ritter, a former US arms inspector and opponent of the Iraq War, has long believed in a more constructive relationship between the US and Russia. He has had the courage to challenge the US government narrative about the origins of the war in Ukraine, the presumption that it was ‘unprovoked’, and has not only travelled to Russia but also shared his views with Western audiences about the dangers of Russophobia and the risk of escalation.
For these views, which differ from the US government and mainstream media narrative, Scott has been subjected to considerable criticism and scrutiny. Nonetheless, Scott has persisted in his beliefs and continues to work for better relations between the US and Russia.
In the article below, Scott comments on the raids on his home, the confiscation of his passport, and the suppression of dissent that has become an unfortunate reality in US politics today. For those among us who believe, like Scott does, in the right of free speech and the importance of better US Russia relations, we would like to share Scott’s article with you.
Please give it your consideration and let us know your thoughts.
The Directors
Center For Citizen Initiatives
“There Can Be No Freedom Without Free Speech”
August 22, 2024
By Scott Ritter
The Department of Justice has launched a broad investigation which implicates the First Amendment free speech rights of not only those Americans, such as me, caught up in this web, but all Americans, because if the government succeeds in silencing free speech through its unlawful application of the Foreign Agent Registration Act, it won’t stop until it silences all dissenting voices in America.
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