Blog Posts - Russia & America Goodwill Association

Jocko Podcast 155 w/ Jordan Peterson on Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn and The Gulag

12/31/2018

Retired Navy SEAL commander Jocko Willink and psychology professor Jordan Peterson discuss the works of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, The Gulag and the nature of evil. Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

All statements in this report are an opinion of the author. Act at your own risk. Russia & America Goodwill Association (RAGA) is not responsible for the content of the article. Any views or opinions presented in this report are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of RAGA. Any liability in respect to this communication remain with the author.

RAGA News
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Russia Testing New Hypersonic Nuclear Missile | NBC

12/31/2018

Russia has said the new missile system, one of several new weapons Putin announced in March, is highly maneuverable, allowing it to easily evade missile defense systems.

What are your thoughts on this development?
Please comment below.

All statements in this report are an opinion of the author. Act at your own risk. Russia & America Goodwill Association (RAGA) is not responsible for the content of the article. Any views or opinions presented in this report are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of RAGA. Any liability in respect to this communication remain with the author.

RAGA News
www.RAGA.org

Yale: Vladimir Pozner - How US Created Putin

12/27/2018

On Sep. 27, 2018, Yale's Program in Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies, and the Poynter Fellowship for Journalism hosted Vladimir Pozner, the acclaimed Russian-American journalist and broadcaster. Pozner spoke on the impact of US foreign policy towards Russia after the Soviet Union has been disbanded, and shared his opinions on a range of issues raised by the audience, from the alleged Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential elections, to Skripal poisoning, to the state of independent media in Russia and the US.

DEBATE: It’s time to bring Russia in from the cold? Rapprochement is in the West's best interests...

All statements in this report are an opinion of the author. Act at your own risk. Russia & America Goodwill Association (RAGA) is not responsible for the content of the article. Any views or opinions presented in this report are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of RAGA. Any liability in respect to this communication remain with the author.

RAGA News
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VIDEO: Full 2018 Putin's Year-End Press Conference

12/21/2018

Vladimir Putin's full Year-End Press conference.
December 20,2018

All statements in this report are an opinion of the author. Act at your own risk. Russia & America Goodwill Association (RAGA) is not responsible for the content of the article. Any views or opinions presented in this report are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of RAGA. Any liability in respect to this communication remain with the author.

RAGA News
www.RAGA.org

RAGA Antidote 48 : Solzhenitsyn's Relevance Today, The Letter to the People of Russia, JON WOLFSTHAL, LARRY WILKERSON, Robert Legvold, Jean Ranc, Krasnov (2nd time) on Radio Radonezh

12/21/2018

Dear friends of the Russia & America Good Will Association (www.raga.org) and antiwar colleagues!

In my previous newsletter RAGA Antidotes 46 and 47, I let you know about an International scholarly conference "Reading Solzhenitsyn" that was held under the auspices of Northern Vermont University on September 7-8, 2018 in Lyndon, Vermont.

After returning to Russia I was able to observe some of the Solzhenitsyn Centennial festivities here too, especially, in Moscow. Now I have summarized my impressions, as well as my own friendship with the Russian writer who, after being forcibly exiled from the USSR, enjoyed the hospitality of American people in Cavendish, Vermont. Then, in 1994, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn and his family triumphantly returned to his beloved Russia as he had predicted he would.

Here is my long essay that was just carried by The Unz Review, one of the most open-minded, peace-loving and user-friendly webzines in the States.
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn’s Relevance Today

International “Reading Solzhenitsyn” Conference in Lyndon, Vermont, September 7-8, 2018 VLADISLAV KRASNOV • 15 COMMENTS • 13 NEW
http://www.unz.com/tcategory/history/

Before you link to the long essay, please read below its conclusion, the letter penned by Margo Caulfield on behalf of the people of Cavendish

To the People of Russia:

For 18 of the 20 years he was exiled from Russia, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn and his family lived with us in Cavendish, Vermont. The Solzhenitsyns were then, as they are now, good neighbors, respected and valued members of our community.

While we are sad when residents choose to leave, we were glad that Solzhenitsyn was able to return to his “motherland,” as he predicted he would at our 1977 Cavendish Town Meeting. No matter how much our countryside may have reminded him of Russia, and allowed him the time to write, it would never compensate for the country he cared so deeply about.

Solzhenitsyn’s values were a good match for our Yankee way of life-hard work and the ability to speak freely and openly, yet also respectful of others and their privacy. While he learned from us how grass-roots democracy works, we in turn were reminded of the importance of providing sanctuary to those in need and the value of having courage and strong beliefs.

Upon his departure, Solzhenitsyn left the town not only autographed copies of his books, but more importantly, a homestead which allows his children to remain an integral and important part of our community. The lessons he instilled in his sons are shared with us as we work together to resolve the thorny issues of 21st-century life.
Every town needs a secret, such as the one we kept: “No directions to the Solzhenitsyn’s home,” as it united us for a common good. We still do not give out directions, but we do welcome visitors from around the world.

On this the 100th birthday of Solzhenitsyn, the people of Cavendish extend our best wishes to the people of his homeland.

On behalf of the people of Cavendish,

Margo Caulfield, Director, Cavendish Historical Society

Brendan McNamara, Cavendish Town Manager

This Letter was read during the Solzhenitsyn's Centennial Conference at the Russian State Library in Moscow on December 10, 2018 by Natalia Solzhenitsyn, the writer's widow. She got a resounding applause of Russia's best scholars and lovers of literature.

On a personal level, and as the RAGA's founder, I want to thank Margo for reflecting the best attitudes toward Russia that I have always noticed among Americans of all walks of life. This letter has reaffirmed my faith in America which once gave me a refuge and hospitality but now appears to be less civil at home and more war-like abroad than it was when my native Russia was in the grip of totalitarian Communism. I am re-affirmed that RAGA is needed in both countries. I also feel that Solzhenitsyn, more than anybody else, unites Russia and the USA in their urgent task-- and duty-- to secure a peaceful, free, fair, and harmonious global commonwealth in which every nation is a proud member.

Please read his 1973 essay
REPENTANCE AND SELF-LIMITATION IN THE LIFE OF NATIONS
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn (1973) *

Selected excerpts: "It is in our human nature to … apply ordinary, individual, human values and standards to larger social phenomena and associations of people, up to and including the nation and the state as a whole...We seem to have forgotten that we have been entrusted with the great task of transforming the world. … We need new creative efforts, we need a new language. We must speak of what is beyond modernity, of what is eternally living and absolute in this world of the relative,of what is simultaneously both eternally old and eternally young. It must mean not only a breakthrough into eternity but the presence of eternity in our own time. … It must lead not to a reformation but to a transformation of Christian consciousness and life, and through it to a transformation of the world.”

http://my.ilstu.edu/~jguegu/ALEKSANDRSOLZHENITSYN.pdf

Because of the holidays, I don't want to overburden you with sorry political news. Just a few of them, alerting the world to the growing risk of accidental war.

SHADOW GOVERNMENT
It’s Not Too Late to Save the INF Treaty
No one should dismiss lightly an agreement that has helped keep the United States and its allies safe for a generation.
BY JON WOLFSTHAL | DECEMBER 7, 2018

The United States is on the verge of withdrawing from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, which bans the United States and Russia from having nuclear or conventional ground-based missiles with ranges between 500 and 5,500 kilometers (300 to 3,400 miles)....

Jon Wolfsthal is director of the Nuclear Crisis Group. He was President Barack Obama’s special assistant and senior director at the National Security Council for arms control and nonproliferation. @JBWolfsthal

https://foreignpolicy.com/2018/12/07/its-not-too-late-to-save-the-inf-treaty/

GREG WILPERT: Joining me now to analyze this flareup in tensions between Russia and the Ukraine is Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson. He’s a retired U.S. Colonel and former chief of staff to Secretary of State Colin Powell. Currently he’s a distinguished professor at the College of William and Mary. Thanks for joining us again, Larry.

GREG WILPERT: But now turning, actually, to the West, the conflict between pro-Russian separatists and pro-European government in the Ukraine has been all about an international conflict already, with constant intervention from NATO, as well as from Russia. Now, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg issued a declaration, actually, where he declared, quote, full support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. However, the Ukraine is not yet part of NATO, and thus there’s no obligation to defend the Ukraine. But Stoltenberg’s statement makes it sound like NATO would do just that, defend the Ukraine should a conflict escalate. Now, what do you think? Is that a wise position for the West to take, considering the potential forescalation and outright war?

LARRY WILKERSON: Well, I don’t think it’s been a wise position for the West...
https://therealnews.com/stories/moscow-nato-playing-a-dangerous-tit-for-tat-game-in-the-ukraine

Robert Legvold on Russia: Insights and Recommendations
November 20, 2018
Whatever muddled hopes Russian President Vladimir Putin and his entourage may have had for better times with Trump in the White House and whatever obscure intentions President Trump may have had of improving relations, the two sides remain mired in the new Cold War into which they had plunged in the last years of the Obama administration. (ISS Forum, 09.06.17)
https://www.russiamatters.org/analysis/robert-legvold-russia-insights-and-recommendations

Last, but not the least is an article by a fellow participant in The Solzhenitsyn Conference in Vermont, Jean Ranc
The Sun Does Not Revolve Around the US
August 28, 2018 • 41 Comments

While visiting Galileo’s house in Florence, Jean Ranc reflected on how America thinks the world revolves around it, as it was once falsely thought the sun revolves around the earth.

Special to Consortium News
https://consortiumnews.com/2018/08/28/the-sun-does-not-revolve-around-the-us/

Before I switch to Russian, let me wish you all A Very Merry Christmas and Joyous Holidays! (Now the Russians celebrate them too but 13 days later)

Since the Russian speakers among you may want to listen to the 2nd part of my interview about Solzhenitsyn for RADIO RADONEZH, an independent Christian radio station broadcasting globally 24 hours a day, below are links to both 45-minutes parts.

А.И. Солженицын в Америке. Писатель, который изменил мир. Беседа В.Г. Краснова, главы Общества русско-американской дружбы "Добрая воля" 11.12.2018 22:08 ВЛАДИСЛАВ ГЕОРГИЕВИЧ КРАСНОВ

11 декабря 2018 года исполняется 100 лет со дня рождения русского писателя, драматурга, публициста, поэта, общественного и политического деятеля, лауреата Нобелевской премии по литературе (1970 г.) Александра Исаевича Солженицына. Сколько бы не спорили сегодня о месте Александра Солженицына в русской литературе, пришла пора понять: нет ему равных – не по таланту художественному, которыми IX век, да и начало XX мировую культуру стороной не обошёл, - равных нет ему крепостью противостояния. Не зря же писателем и повторено: слово правды весь мир перетянет. Солженицын – писатель с мировым именем. Это выдающийся социальный мыслитель, одна из ключевых фигур в истории XX века. В.Г. Краснов был лично знаком с писателем, посвятил ему одну из своих книг, тем убедительнее его свидетельство о пребывании Солженицына в Америке в развенчании мифа о " предательстве" Солженицына.

If you missed the 1st part of my interview, its is accessible in the archives below

К 100-летию со дня рождения А.И. Солженицына. Беседа А. Арендаренко с писателем и общественным деятелем В.Г. Красновым 30.10.2018 22:13

I confess I do admire Solzhenitsyn, especially as far as US-Russia relations are concerned, RAGA stands with him. But occasionally I disagree with him, as you can see in my recent article

Emperor Michael II in the Solzhenitsyn House - Author: Vladislav Krasnov
http://www.raga.org/news/emperor-michael-ii-in-the-solzhenitsyn-house-author-vladislav-krasnov

Владислав Краснов. Император Михаил II в Доме Солженицына -
http://www.raga.org/novosti/imperator-mikhail-ii-v-dome-solzhenitsyna

Finally, for Holidays entertainment a romantic Russian song

KATYUSHA (КАТЮШA) - Dmitri Hvorostovsky (2016)
Sung by the incomparable Dmitri Hvorostovsky
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VN8AQ0gl52o

SUBTITLES (Lyrics): Русский, Српски, Arabic, Čeština, Slovenščina, Ελληνική, Français, English, Nederlands, Italiano, Català, Magyar, Deutsch, Persian, Polski, Português, Español, Svenska, Norsk, Türk, Indonesian (Bahasa Indonesia), Vietnamese (Tiếng việt).

Backing choir: MVD Ensemble.
Песни военных лет - 09. 05. 2016. - The songs of the war years - 09. 05. 2016.

Sincerely,
W George Krasnow (http://wiki-org.ru/wiki/Краснов,_Владислав_Георгиевич)
President, RAGA
www.raga.org
Peace and Justice to the World.
миру мир и благоволение в сердцах

From RAGA site:
"We are an association of Americans who believe it is in the U.S. national interests to foster friendship with Russia on the basis of mutual Good Will and non-interference in each other's affairs. RAGA is a gathering of people who share common interests in Russia's history, culture, religion, economy, politics and the way of life. We feel that Russian people have made outstanding contributions to humankind and are capable of greater achievements. We envision Russia as a strong, independent, proud and free nation and as a partner in achieving peace in the world."

All statements in this report are an opinion of the author. Act at your own risk. Russia & America Goodwill Association (RAGA) is not responsible for the content of the article. Any views or opinions presented in this report are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of RAGA. Any liability in respect to this communication remain with the author.

RAGA News
www.RAGA.org

Human rights activist and former Soviet dissident Lyudmila Alexeyeva has died at the age of 91.

12/11/2018

On behalf of RAGA for Peace I am sad to announce the news below.

I met Lyudmila Alexeyeva briefly in New York around 1985. We had a great rapport: both graduated from Moscow State University, both had to flee from the USSR. I was a defector, but she warmly took me under the wing of human rights. She new that a huge majority of Soviet defectors had no secrets to betray, they just wanted to keep their integrity intact. Eternal Briss, my dear friend Lyudmila! Vladislav Krasnov

***********

Russian human rights champion Lyudmila Alexeyeva dies
By Robert Hackwill • 09/12/2018
A leading Russian rights activist and former Soviet dissident has died at the age of 91.
Lyudmila Alexeyeva passed away in a Moscow hospital after a long illness.

https://www.euronews.com/2018/12/09/russian-human-rights-champion-lyudmila-alexeyeva-dies

Born Lyudmila Mikhaylovna Alexeyeva
20 July 1927
Yevpatoria, Crimea, Soviet Union
Died 8 December 2018 (aged 91)
Moscow, Russia
Nationality Russian
Citizenship Soviet Union (1927–1977)
United States (1982–2018)
Russia (1991–2018)

Lyudmila Mikhaylovna Alexeyeva (Russian: Людми́ла Миха́йловна Алексе́ева,20 July 1927 – 8 December 2018)[1] was a Russian historian and human rights activist who was a founding member of the Moscow Helsinki Watch Group,and one of the last Soviet dissidents active in modern Russia.

In April 1968, Alexeyeva was expelled from the Communist Party and fired from her job at the publishing house.[4] Nonetheless, she continued her activities in defense of human rights. From 1968 to 1972 she worked clandestinely as a typist for the first underground bulletin The Chronicle of Current Events devoted to human rights violations in the USSR.

In February 1977, Alexeyeva fled from the USSR to the United States following a crackdown against members of The Chronicle by Soviet authorities.[6] In the US Alexeyeva continued to advocate for human rights improvements in Russia and worked on a freelance basis for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Voice of America.[6] She became a US citizen in 1982.[7] She wrote regularly on the Soviet dissident movement for both English and Russian language publications in the US and elsewhere, and in 1985 she published the first comprehensive monograph on the history of the movement, Soviet Dissent (Wesleyan University Press).

https://www.euronews.com/2018/12/09/russian-human-rights-champion-lyudmila-alexeyeva-dies

Людмила Алексеева будет похоронена в Вашингтоне
Дата похорон станет известна позднее

МОСКВА, 11 декабря 2018, 17:16 — REGNUM Российская правозащитница Людмила Алексеева будет похоронена в США — там же, где и другие члены её семьи. Об этом 11 декабря сообщил агентству «Москва» её сын, профессор Университета Индианы в Блумингтоне Михаил Алексеев.

«Здесь, в Москве, состоялось прощание, а похороны пройдут на кладбище церкви Сент-Джон в Вашингтоне. Там похоронены её мама, муж и старший сын», — сообщил Алексеев.

Подробности: https://regnum.ru/news/2535635.html

Любое использование материалов допускается только при наличии гиперссылки на ИА REGNUM.

Sincerely,

W George Krasnow (http://wiki-org.ru/wiki/Краснов,_Владислав_Георгиевич)
President, RAGA
www.raga.org

Peace and Justice to the World.
миру мир и благоволение в сердцах

From RAGA site:
"We are an association of Americans who believe it is in the U.S. national interests to foster friendship with Russia on the basis of mutual Good Will and non-interference in each other's affairs. RAGA is a gathering of people who share common interests in Russia's history, culture, religion, economy, politics and the way of life. We feel that Russian people have made outstanding contributions to humankind and are capable of greater achievements. We envision Russia as a strong, independent, proud and free nation and as a partner in achieving peace in the world."

All statements in this report are an opinion of the author. Act at your own risk. Russia & America Goodwill Association (RAGA) is not responsible for the content of the article. Any views or opinions presented in this report are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of RAGA. Any liability in respect to this communication remain with the author.

RAGA News
www.RAGA.org

Abortion Rates Plummeting in Russia, Orthodox Church Helping Nation Embrace Pro-Life Values

12/10/2018

The Russian Orthodox Church has been working very, very hard to see Russia's abortion industry overturned. They push incrementally for a total ban on abortion, and in the process, they work with the government to chip away at abortion access throughout the nation.

"Let's begin with some statistics here. Last year, Russia reported the lowest abortion rate since the end of World War II, an estimated 700,000 abortions. We can see a consistent trend of decline over the course of that period. In 1965, there was an astounding 5,000,000 abortions committed in Russia. In 1990, the last, or a couple of years before the Soviet Union collapsed, there were 4,000,000 abortions in Russia. In the year 2000, the number decreased to just under 2,000,000 abortions. And then, in 2012, that number was reduced to about a million abortions. So the result is that abortions have decreased eight-fold in Russia over the past 25 years from approximately 5,000,000 annually to just over half a million. Moreover, since 2007, the number of births in Russia has exceeded the number of abortions by about two to one. This is a stunning reversal for the last few decades. By the mid-1980's, the Soviet Union had one of the highest rates of abortion among developed countries. Some estimates figure 115 abortions for every 100 births - an astonishing number! Very high."

Continue reading:
https://russia-insider.com/en/abortion-rates-plummeting-russia-orthodox-church-helping-nation-embrace-pro-life-values/ri25386

All statements in this report are an opinion of the author. Act at your own risk. Russia & America Goodwill Association (RAGA) is not responsible for the content of the article. Any views or opinions presented in this report are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of RAGA. Any liability in respect to this communication remain with the author.

RAGA News
www.RAGA.org

WORLD-RENOWNED LINGUIST AND POLITICAL DISSIDENT NOAM CHOMSKY TURNS 90

12/10/2018

Happy 90th Birthday Noam Chomsky!

He was born on December 7th, 1928 in Philadelphia.

Watch:
Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky & The Media
Produced & Directed by Mark Achbar – Directed by Peter Wintonick – 1993

This film showcases Noam Chomsky, one of America's leading linguists & political dissidents. It also illustrates his message of how government and big media businesses cooperate to produce an effective propaganda machine in order to manipulate the opinions of the United States populous.

This is Noam Chomsky at His Best.
A Must-See Film for anyone involved in the Anti-War Movement. - Frank Dorrel
https://chomsky.info

All statements in this report are an opinion of the author. Act at your own risk. Russia & America Goodwill Association (RAGA) is not responsible for the content of the article. Any views or opinions presented in this report are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of RAGA. Any liability in respect to this communication remain with the author.

RAGA News
www.RAGA.org

Vladimir Putin's Christian Faith

12/9/2018

http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/59149

Vladimir Putin visiting one of Russia’s largest and most well-known monasteries – the Holy Dormition Pskovo-Pechersky (Pskov-Caves) Monastery. During his visit, the President was accompanied by the abbot of the monastery – Metropolitan Tikhon of Pskov and Porkhov.

All statements in this report are an opinion of the author. Act at your own risk. Russia & America Goodwill Association (RAGA) is not responsible for the content of the article. Any views or opinions presented in this report are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of RAGA. Any liability in respect to this communication remain with the author.

RAGA News
www.RAGA.org

Russians everywhere! Iceland’s Miss Universe has her Siberian roots revealed | RT.com

12/5/2018

www.rt.com/news/445645-miss-universe-iceland-russian-origin

"She’s representing Iceland in Miss Universe 2018, but it turns out the stunning Katrin Lea Elenudottir comes from Russia’s Siberia. The fair-skinned, blue-eyed beauty emigrated at young age but retains a fondness for her roots.

The titleholder of ‘Miss Universe 2018 – Iceland’ is due to compete against 94 of the world’s most striking beauties on December 17. But while she’ll be representing Reykjavik in contest for the international crown, she was in fact born in the Siberian city of Omsk.

Katrin lived in Siberia until the age of nine when her mother met a man of Icelandic origin and moved to the Nordic country. Both Katrin and her mother gained Icelandic citizenship, but Russia remains near and dear to their hearts as they often return to visit family and friends."

Keep Reading...

All statements in this report are an opinion of the author. Act at your own risk. Russia & America Goodwill Association (RAGA) is not responsible for the content of the article. Any views or opinions presented in this report are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of RAGA. Any liability in respect to this communication remain with the author.

RAGA News
www.RAGA.org