This weekend we have the military analyst Scott Ritter on the show– the man now widely credited and famed for his ability to make sense of the concrete reality and geopolitics of the NATO-Russia proxy war in Ukraine, cutting across the Western media narrative. Moreover, Scott’s background and expertise can bring us closer to grips with the meaning of war in terms of its socio-moral dimensions, which is an angle the hosts could not wait to discuss with Scott on this recording. The hosts of “On the Barricades,” Maria Cernat and Boyan Stalinslavsky, begin with Scott on what’s coming next in Ukraine: some conditional predictions for how the dynamics of the war in Russia could evolve, and the latest view on what the endgame is. Since we last spoke with Scott in September, there have been some significant turns– for instance Putin’s decisive break with attempts to integrate Russia with the West, and it becoming an open fact that the prospect of the Minsk Agreements was a sham from the start. Will there be a major Russian escalation to secure a Russian victory, and if so when and how could that look? How far has Russia gone towards destroying the Ukrainian state and military, and is it prepared to do so? What kind of partitioning of Ukraine or state formation could be conceivably established, under Russia’s thumb, for Western Ukraine? Then there are the concerns raised about the impact of the war on the rest of Europe and the huge cost that would be paid if Romania and Poland acted on their illusions of military might and mobilized against Russia. On the other side of the analysis, there is the philosophical but also practical question of humanity and war– whether the two are not diametrically opposed. Scott explains the sense in which honour might exist on the battlefield and in military conduct, as well as the sense in which the Ukrainian general Valery Zaluzhny, who is suspected as the Putin regime’s pick for future leadership in West Ukraine leadership, is “honourable” in contrast to the politicians. Scott Ritter became a critic of US foreign policy after serving as US Marine intelligence officer and a UN weapons inspector. He recently authored a book called “Disarmament in the Time of Perestroika: Arms Control and the End of the Soviet Union”. (source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n49NUh7jMEs)

(source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ld7vWt0LO8)

While Saudi Arabia and Syria agreed to restore diplomatic ties after negotiations mediated by Russia, the peace deal leaves the U.S. again on the sidelines after a dramatic shift in the Middle East’s geopolitics. (source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=il1yVSy0R6g)

музыка и слова SHAMAN Автор сценария: SHAMAN Креативный продюсер: Иван Шелаханов music and lyrics SHAMAN Screenwriter: SHAMAN Creative Producer: Ivan Shelahanov ИСПОВЕДЬ Дай, попросил я у Бога, дай мне Жизни осилить дорогу, дай мне Дай, все преграды разрушить Дай, не продать свою душу И мне уйти, если нужно Дай мне Дай мне Дышать и верить израненным сердцем Дай мне Нести свой тяжкий крест и не падать Дай мне Это всё пережить И до смерти любить Слышишь, дай мне, дай мне… Дай не ослепнуть от боли, дай мне Просто остаться собою, дай мне Дай, словно птице, свободу Дай, мне понять чего стою И два крыла за спиною Дай мне Дай мне Дышать и верить израненным сердцем Дай мне Нести свой тяжкий крест и не падать Дай мне Это всё пережить И до смерти любить Слышишь, дай мне, дай мне… А знаешь Когда я падал Когда я оставался совсем один Я всегда поднимал голову вверх и видел, как ты смотришь на меня и улыбаешься Я знаю, ты всегда со мной рядом Дай мне Это всё пережить И до смерти любить Слышишь, дай мне, дай мне… CONFESSION Allow me, I asked the Lord, allow me To cope with the path of life To break down the barriers To not sell my soul And to depart if I need to Allow me this Allow me To breathe and keep my faith with a wounded heart To carry my heavy cross and not fall To live through all this And to love until my death Can you hear me? Allow me this Let me not go blind from the pain Let me simply be myself Let me be as free as a bird Let me understand my worth With two wings on my back Allow me this Allow me To breathe and keep my faith with a wounded heart To carry my heavy cross and not fall To live through all this And to love until my death Can you hear me? Allow me this You know when I fell When I was left completely alone I've always raised my head up high And seen how you look at me and smile I know you are always beside me Allow me To live through all of this And to love until my death Can you hear me? Allow me this (source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLh9WlHp13U)