Dear CCI Followers,
Putin made Russia’s position on Ukraine clear and known in his State of the Nation speech yesterday. Do Joe Biden and the Democrat Party want to risk WWIII? This is the decision they have before them.
What can we do to offset this insanity? We can call and email the White House, call and email our Congress members, write short, passionate letters to our newspapers, discuss this issue with your neighbors, friends, fellow workers, VIPs in your network.
Do we care enough about our families and ourselves to make our concerns known to others? We at CCI base, will do all of these recommendations above this weekend. Please help us by doing the same!
Until now we in America have been a quiet populace, going along with whatever Washington says or does. This may be our last chance to speak out to our elected officials and each other.
Please … please, over the weekend, send this email to all whom you know, write brief letters to officials and create a ground-level outpouring of angst that we want our families and all life to survive on this planet!
See below: Raymond McGovern, top U.S. CIA analyst from 1963 to 1990, and in the 1980s chaired National Intelligence Estimates and prepared the President’s Daily Brief (for each President). He received the Intelligence Commendation Medal at his retirement … and then returned it in 2006 to protest the CIA’s involvement in torture.
Sharon Tennison
Center for Citizen Initiatives
Putin Isn’t Bluffing on Ukraine
April 22, 2021
By Ray McGovern
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s stern warning earlier today not to cross what he called Russia’s “red line” needs to be taken seriously. The more so, as Russia builds up its military capability to respond to any provocations from hotheads in Ukraine and from those in Washington telling them they can give Russia a bloody nose and escape retaliation.
Putin prefaced his his unusually pointed remarks by saying Russia wants “good relations … including, by the way, those with whom we have not been getting along lately, to put it mildly. We really do not want to burn bridges.” In a clear effort to caution provocateurs not only in Kiev, but also in Washington and other NATO capitals, Putin added this warning:
“But if someone mistakes our good intentions for indifference or weakness and intends to burn down or even blow up these bridges, they should know that Russia’s response will be asymmetrical, swift and tough.” Those behind provocations that threaten the core interests of our security will regret what they have done in a way they have not regretted anything for a long time.
At the same time, I just have to make it clear, we have enough patience, responsibility, professionalism, self-confidence and certainty in our cause, as well as common sense, when making a decision of any kind. But I hope that no one will think about crossing the “red line” with regard to Russia. We ourselves will determine in each specific case where it will be drawn.