Waging Peace During Raging U-R War
Summary: Scott Ritter retired intel is on a mission of cultural and political diplomacy because the U.S. is not willing to undertake the role of peace-maker for Ukraine. Is he a Manchurian candidate for a diplomat?
Scott Ritter, retired U.N. Weapons inspector, has been touring Russia to film a “Waging Peace” documentary. The documentary will probably include material from several of at least six book talks that he has given so far. Those viewable for free now at the U.S. Tour of Duty Podcasts (YouTube and Rumble) include events at St. Petersburg, Kazan, Yekaterinburg, and Novosibirsk. His talks are edgy yet open and honest. Why are we canceling Russian culture? What is the purpose of Russophobia? Are we at the lowest point in Russian relations in American history? What can we do to repair our international relationship with Russia? Why is the U.S. intent on its war with Ukraine (which is essentially a proxy war against Russia)?
These are just a few of the questions he tries to answer based on his book, international work, and personal experience, plus with the help of his American fans and new Russia friends. In his stop at Kazan, he tells the audience how he was not free to write his latest book Disarmament in the time of Perestroika about the background of the INF Treaty until it was cancelled outright under President Trump. As an ex-Marine, he repeats his motto during his stops: “I love my country, but not my government…The government is not the country’s authority. Its authority comes from the American Constitution and the Bill of Rights.”
In Scott’s view, the country has been hijacked by those who are compromised by corruption—it’s a view that his compatriots such as Phil Giraldi or Col Douglas MacGregor, featured at Judge Napolitano’s “Judging Freedom” (YouTube), tend to agree with. As a result of this war, the country is being robbed of the security that was supposed to be used for Biden’s Build Back Better campaign priorities. The Congress is defatigated and sidelined by debates about overseas campaigns and manufacturing consent for the new war against China. The media is pretty much operating under static hype, a government-controlled apparatus dispensing the preferred somatic perspectives.
While NPR has promoted John Yang to primetime anchor, definitely a sign of racial progress; the diversity is accompanied by more bland news scripts than ever. News that belongs buried deep in the A-Section of the print newspaper is the topic for in-depth news investigations. Rather than devote prime-time on topics such as insomnia or depression, how about an in-depth look at third-party candidates hoping to run for president in 2024, such as Andrew Yang of the Forward Party? (Andrew Yang popping-up from May 8, 2023 in #Seattle.)
Deeper Questions
One thing that Scott Ritter brings up (by questions from the audience) is whether or not he faces retaliation for his courage and unconventionalism in traveling to Russia on publicized “Waging Peace” tour in the middle of the proxy war. Again the former Marine is honest: “Am I afraid? No! Am I anxious? Yes!” Ritter is trained to not be afraid of anything, especially as a combat soldier, but he does understand that he may face repercussions, yet according to him, the risk is worth it. In his view, if he can wake people up, even one citizen at a time, each of us can spread the word, sort of like a chain-letter. This is the stuff he used to mention on his independent YouTube Channel, where he used to have his own live broadcasts.
Scott mentions that neither he nor his family are just randomly trekking about in Russia; they are under the escort of Russian protective services. On his programs, he has mentioned the sort of threats he faces from having been placed on the Myrotvorets List in Ukraine. This Ukrainian “Peacekeeper” is actually a watch-list maintained by the Ukrainian secret service. Except anyone who gets placed on the list is fair game for arrest or assassination. The assassinations of Russians have made the news already, but recently, for instance, popular vlogosphere correspondent, Gonzalo Lira, was arrested in Ukraine. Sadly, there is a strong likelihood he will never be heard from again.
The Ukrainian government views truth in media as punishable by death, and this kind of despotism has accelerated under President Zelensky. Ukraine’s official media outlets even boast about extrajudicial killings taking place, such as recently, Vladlen Tatarsky, a military blogger, who accepted a gift in St. Petersburg with a bomb inside that blew up the cafe. Train derailments and mysterious factory fires are happening inside of Russia, which the Ukrainians claim are the work of Russian operatives who support Ukraine. With so many emigres to Russia since 2014, it is difficult to tell how many are actual turncoats.
Sophisticated drone attacks are also increasing, but whether they are launched from within or just across the Ukrainian border is anyone’s guess. Most of this is not covered in legacy media, but reported in outlets such as at Hal Turner Radio. The situation is so dire that in Moscow that in January they erected air defense systems on the roofs of government buildings. Can Americans not appreciate what will happen if Moscow is seriously attacked? Can they not heed the warnings of Moscow officials, such as former president Dmitry Medvedev, that Russia views the West as an existential threat, and will fight back instantaneously when the time comes?
Of course the foibles of puppet-President Zelensky is always conveniently overlooked by the West, which often paints the U-R war as a crisis of democracy for Ukrainians. Bear in mind that the working population of Ukraine is now less than 20 million, down over fifty percent from several years ago. (This might be seen per World Bank data on economic assistance for Ukrainians but is quoted from Col Douglas Macgregor in his interview with Judge Napolitano in “Ukraine War Latest” from May 18, 2023). Another sad fact on the war is that one of the first casualties is truth in media, which the American public learned about from the relentless push for Covid-19 experimental mRNA gene therapies. Noam Chomsky comments on what is hidden from public is the enormous profit awaiting the American industrial complex from the war in “Advanced US Weaponry in Ukraine is Sustaining Battlefield Stalemate“:
“Meanwhile the U.S. is gaining enormously in multiple ways: geopolitically by Putin’s self-destructive decision to drive Europe into Washington’s pocket by ignoring very real possibilities for avoiding criminal aggression, but also in other ways. It is not, of course, the U.S. population that is gaining. Rather, those in charge: fossil fuel industries, financial institutions that invest in them, military producers, the agribusiness semi-monopolies, and masters of the economy generally, who can scarcely control their euphoria over bulging profits (which are feeding inflation with markups) and greater prospects for moving on to destroy human society on earth more expeditiously.”—-Truthout.org, Dec 22, 2022
Whether it is Germany, Belgium, or the U.K., the position from the G7 is “we will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes.” The “let’s fight to the last Ukrainian” mentality leaves the will of the people out of the formula, as if they are expendable. The West also overlooks other signs of Ukraine’s oppression such as President Zelensky cancelling national elections, enforcing cancel culture on all-things Russian, and practicing wide-spread corruption with ultimate tiebacks to U.S. corruption (such as the FTX scandal).
Who is Really Behind The Curtain
An interesting facet of conversation was brought up while Mr. Ritter was giving his book talk in Kazan and taking questions. He mentions the U.N. and how powerless it has become to end the war in Ukraine. He mentions that the Security Council is mired in wrangling and cannot act because of the veto-powers of the permanent council members. Also how the U.N. has transformed into a tit-for-tat political handling, with the Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov being held up in tedious permission-seeking to visit New York, and lobbying by Zelensky for rescinding Russia veto-power at the Security Council.
In any event, the perception of weakness in foreign intervention and peacekeeping has long existed at the United Nations. Even when they are sent as peacekeepers to countries, such as in Haiti or in Africa, the misbehaviors of the soldiers are well-known. They have a record of bullying the local populations and sexual harassment and even child-trafficking takes place. Whether or not His Excellency is Antonio Guterres or Ban Ki-Moon or Kofi Annan, the Press Secretary has an inordinate amount of access and power. And that is not by accident: key positions in the United Nations, such as Press Secretary, are descendants of founders of the world’s banking class elite.
The role of the banks in funding of wars is rarely mentioned in alt-media podcasts, perhaps an indication that this is a gate-keeped topic. At least WSWS.org has published several articles by Patrick Martin on the role of the “CIA Democrats in the 2020 elections.” Thanks to twenty years of militarism and wars since 9/11, it is now a bragging point in one’s vitae to mention that one served extensively in military or federal intelligence services (where formerly for the skeptical public it was not such a hot selling point). Martin gave an extensive run-down on a number of candidates and elected officials in the Congress who have served in uniform because today it is the Democratic Party that is definitively pro-war.
“The Democratic Party establishment welcomes such candidates as a demonstration of the party’s unshakeable devotion to the interests of American imperialism; and military-intelligence operatives are choosing the Democratic Party over the Republican Party in large numbers because they are attracted by the Democrats’ non-stop campaign against the Trump administration as too ‘soft’ on Russia and too willing to pull out of the Middle East war zone.” —-WSWS.org, “The CIA Democrats”
Increasingly, ex-intel and ex-military officer ideologues are re-branding themselves as America politicians, media spokespersons, academic professors, expert lecturers, scholars at think-tanks, and even tapped as key sources in independent media. A lucrative cottage industry in war and an information-hungry public on secrets are doled out as ex-officios. As Scott Ritter himself jokes, perhaps ex-intel is not really so “ex.”
This is not to say that experts such as Ray McGovern of Veterans for Peace doesn’t catch flak or never has to sit in jail for a short period. Other approved spokespersons, such as perhaps Code Pink, are gifted with uncommon access and syndicated privileges. Looking back, it was the night in jail which motivated essayist Henry David Thoreau, who protested against slavery by not paying his taxes, to pen his “Civil Disobedience” lectures. Today, according to Dr. Chris Martenson of Peak Prosperity, so much money has been printed and offshored, so much money has been wasted, that the ratio in inflated to actual value has grown beyond anyone’s reckoning. This is also tied to the shale revolution—which will end by around 2035—according to some fossil fuel experts. Capitalism’s quest for hard assets upon which it may base its liquidity has reached the point that either it swallows its tail, embarks on the Great Reset, or both.
Multipolarism Inevitable?
The U.S. petro-dollar system would remain the dominant hegemony if so many nations had not become alienated. Thanks to the Information Age, global understanding of the dynamics behind the West’s political and economic machinations is widespread. The question is whether or not various whistleblowers (eg. Confessions of an Economic Hit Man by John Perkins) were not themselves controlled opposition. The banking cabal knows that it is moving to a Centralized Bank Digital Currency system and must use some predictive-programming. The essential question is who will control the various digital currencies? We know from Scott Ritter that he really and sincerely believes that the U.S. is headed for a collapse (under the current regime) and that a multipolar world is inevitable.
“I think we are looking at the end of the unipolar world, right now. The U.S. position as the global hegemony is collapsing. So you see what kind of unions [are emerging]. We already see a certain union taking place, BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) has expanded to other nations including Argentina, Iran. So we’re seeing a union already of people who are coming up with a common vision of how they want to operate in the world today. So that’s one union we are seeing.” —-Scott Ritter, Waging Peace, U.S. Tour of Duty
Scott, who has paid dearly for the privilege of continuing to speak, is not operating from a pay-grade any longer but as a free U.S. citizen acting patriotically. To be a good American today frequently is interpreted as dwelling in ignorance and being proud of that; where in reality, ignorance is a form of laziness. (Spiritually it is a mortal sin, that also breeds hubris, contempt, immorality, and narcissism). This was not how our Founding Fathers envisioned Americans to become; the self-appointed diplomat is not afraid to inform outside of our comfort zones things planned and being executed by the global cabal.
“The current state of relations between the U.S. and Russia are such that there is no dialogue taking place about either preserving the sole remaining arms control treaty in existence today—the New START [Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty] treaty, set to expire in 2026—or negotiating new treaties, such as a new INF [Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces] Treaty that could reduce the threat of nuclear war emanating from the extremely tense situation in Europe today.” —-Scott Ritter, “Trust, but Verify”
Another “Waging Peace” theme is how much harm is caused against the advancement of mutual understanding when there is cancel-culture, particularly the deeply embedded Russophobia in the United States due to fear-mongering and misinformation.
“One of the greatest roadblocks facing Americans today when it comes to generating broad-based support for nuclear disarmament is the fact that most have been poisoned by the incessant Russophobia promulgated by the mainstream media at the behest of the US government. This Russophobia takes hold because of the level of the ignorance that exists amongst most Americans regarding the reality of Russia, both in terms of the nation, but especially its people. From ignorance comes fear, and it is this fear that fuels the current state of Russophobia in America today. I believe that a tour of Russia built around themes derived from my book would engender a dialogue between myself and the Russian audience that would be eye-opening for most Americans, so much so that if they were to bear witness to such, they might become empowered with the kind of knowledge and information that could overcome the fear-based ignorance that currently serves as blinders about the real state of affairs.” —-Scott Ritter, ScottRitterExtra.com
The failing state of the U.S. grows due to internal leadership ineptitude. Foreign mercenaries and gangs from any country around the globe can cross the border and they do not have to report to court. The homelessness situation is treated with band-aid fixes. Open drug use is now tolerated because there are so few work programs that pay a living wage. The price of housing continues to soar due to speculation, while corporations continue to buy up foreclosed homes, businesses, and farms. Yet the Biden administration is doubling down on the war. Slowly but surely the evidence is mounting that the U.S. is openly backing Ukraine which is not at all averse to shelling the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power plant according to RT.com.
“I have, for some time now, promoted Disarmament in the Time of Perestroika as more than simply a unique work of history, but also as a template of success that would bring hope to those who believed that the current state of US-Russian affairs was beyond repair. I would deliver that pitch, and then speak of the importance of engendering a national debate, dialogue and discussion on the importance of disarmament, before leaving the audience to wonder just how such a debate was going to come about.” —-Scott Ritter, “Trust, but Verify”
Regardless of intelligent design by the cabal, a global world order envisioned by the World Economic Forum, sacrifice zones, or a technocratic over-class controlling the farmlands, resources, and preserves, at least Mr. Ritter is doing his best to speak truthfully and fraternally for the sake of the greater good of humanity. Seeking peace requires the ability to reach both sides in the conflict. Because of his early training in Russian language, history, plus discipline and maturity, Scott has developed the skill to produce solid investigative reporting. This is the type of foreign correspondence that speaks for itself. And it is what recently Pope Francis refers to as “communicating by meeting people where they are and as they are.”
On the 57th Anniversary of World Communications Day on May 21, 2023, the Pope applauds journalists and offers this advice [translated]:
“May your work always be in service of the common good..Speak from the heart, in truth and love…Promote truthful and beneficial communication…It is heart that moves us to open and welcoming communication…Work responsibly…combatting indifference and the exploitation of truth…Communication is not just a tool but a reflection of one’s inner values…Reject non-peaceful propaganda and promote communication that resolves conflicts between nations.” —Pope Francis’s Message to the Media, World Communications Day, Rome Reports
Even though the Pope Francis speaks on peace, the peace-process must be so incredibly slow and careful because each nation has its deep state operations. Surely no one can forget that President Zelensky’s peace envoy was murdered on his way to broker a peace agreement last year, nor how any longed-for peace-talks continue to be undermined by the West. When Zelensky speaks of peace it is using a 10-point plan that demands that President Putin step down, and that Russia be tried at the International Criminal Court. Meanwhile, according to Canadian journalist Eva K. Bartlett reporting from Ukraine, “the Ukrainian military has also been saturating the Donbass with PFM-1 ‘petal’ mines, insidious devices designed not to kill but to maim victims by blowing off their hands or feet. Children are particularly susceptible to these devices.“
On Eva K Bartlett’s (Odysee, Rumble) channel in “Western Silence As Ukraine Targets Civilians in Donbass” the documentary describes how the innocuous looking butterfly mines blend among fallen leaves and can be mistaken for rocks or stones. The mines are picked up by curious children and their hands are blown off. “Since 2014, 12,500 civilians have been killed by sniping and shelling with NATO weapons in both the Lugansk People’s Republic and Donetsk People’s Republic, with over 4,500 killed since mid-February of 2022,” she reports. The facts still omit that for every person affected, further tragedy strikes behind the family-unit, with more people injured or suffering severely as a result. Her channel also includes interviews such as statements by elderly villagers in the Donbass, people who for various reasons have stayed in place despite the relentless shelling taking place almost every day.
The Soft Landing of Eaarth
Somehow in all of this confusion of climate change, sustainability, mass migration, war, and homelessness we are reminded of Bill McKibben’s book, Eaarth, on just how will humankind resolve the confluence of its challenges over the next hundred years. Will we become the creepy post-Apocalyptic landscape depicted in so many films? Or will we somehow wisen up as a human species and make a soft landing, with enough for everyone, even if no more billionaires, or even millionaires?
Right now, while Scott continues on his great tour of Russia, I am glad that he is so honest, well grounded, even bringing his family with him. He is no slick Hollywood producer hoping to pander to this public or that; instead, he really is trying to tell the situation as it is. We have never been closer to all-out nuclear war, not since the Pershing II missile crisis of the 1980s. We have a roadmap back to negotiations if we read and study his book. Meanwhile, the U.S. and Americans will have to ponder the new emerging reality of multipolarity. If we increasingly alienate Russia and China, they will sink the dollar faster; worse may come if we continue to foolishly arm Zelensky (an inveterate actor) with gobs of money and armaments and fighter planes. Zelensky wants to reclaim Zaporizhzhia and may start a nuclear conflagration there just to draw in NATO. He is not beyond flying drones into Moscow.
In any case, Scott Ritter is playing the role that an international diplomat ought to in building bridges of peace. He is sharing with the American public valuable information from a safe distance. There is no evidence of him trying to exact any form of diplomatic kettling or straying too far from his expertise.
“Are we going to see a counter-union? Will we be mature enough to see we will no longer be sitting at the head of the table? We are going to be relegated to be like everybody else at the table, equals, instead of superior. That’s [also] a very difficult question because Americans aren’t used to being equal. We’re used to being number one. That’s one [concern]. Two: Will Russia and China put a place at the table for America? Because frankly speaking, we’ve done a lot to anger you. They have a lot of reasons to be mad at us. And so it’s not in your national inclination to say, okay, we’ll forget everything that you’ve done, sit down at the table. But if you don’t do that, we get the bipolar world, and we go back to Cold War conflict. And so we need America to learn how to be equal and we need Russia and China to have forgiveness. Then maybe we can get this multipolarity [right].” —-Scott Ritter, Lecture at St. Petersburg
Kudos for Scott Ritter in his brave undertaking and addressing for the benefit of the people of the world why it is important to start the peace process as soon as possible. There is no space here to explore China’s 12-Point Peace Plan for what it is, or Ukraine’s 10-Point Peace Plan for what it is not. There is much room for compromise should a ceasefire come to fruition. Scott hits it on the nail in his readings about human nature and forgiveness. Because of decades of exploitative wars, there is a new neofascistical mindset even among American conservatives on parsing the peace, even when love and forgiveness is so key to planetary survival. Just imagine, for instance, if Scott told the same kind of FAQs to an audience in Kyev (“I was trained to fight the Soviets, to kill Russians…until I came to recognize that they were human just like Americans”). Almost anywhere else, Scott would face harassment by the audience even, just for playing the messenger, but instead, the Russians (according to Ritter) have been wonderful hosts.
Second world nations today are growing weary of the games of extortion played by the IMF and their representatives, from incarceration threats to get-out-of-jail-free cards, depending on whether or not you are willing to sell your land rights, riperian rights, or intellectual property. It’s why there are so many economic migrants coming here to the United States today from Central America and Africa. Their lands were stolen from them for creating palm oil or cacao or coffee bean plantations by wealthy agri-industrialists and their representatives.
Scott Ritter’s “Waging Peace” tour opens the kind of international dialogue that is characteristic of what every great Nobel Peace Prize candidate ought to demonstrate, especially if they have worked so hard at mastering such great cross-cultural skills. Not only is he a good speaker and full of experience, but he is strong, has a sense of humor, and is resilient.
Cover image from U.S. Tour of DutyPodcasts channel on YouTube, if they are removed, visit ScottRitterExtra.com, also visit Scott Ritter Extra on Rumble and learn about his other books here (Thriftbooks.com).