Scott Ritter Tells Crimeans, To Be Afraid of Speaking the Truth, Is To Be Afraid of Being an American

May 26, 2023, 2022 (EIRNS)—Former weapons inspector and Marine intelligence officer Scott Ritter was interviewed by Crimea24 TV May 22, while visiting Crimea as part of his three week book-presentation tour of Russia. When asked if he were not afraid of the consequences of what he is saying about his government’s policies, Ritter gave a lesson in real American citizenship, answering:

“The United States of America is founded on the concept of freedom, especially of free speech. So for me to be afraid of the consequences of exercising my right to free speech, would mean that I am afraid of being an American. I love my country. I’m proud to be an American, and I will defend my right to exercise free speech for as long as I live. Governments come and go. The Constitution is forever. And I took an oath to defend the Constitution, and I will do so by speaking freely, whatever the consequences.”

He believes that is why the American public—Democrats, Republicans, Communists, Libertarians, black, white, yellow, brown—listen to him. He told Crimean interviewers that Americans appreciate that he is trying to do his best to report “the fact-based truth, regardless of the consequences” to them, just as he did when he was an intelligence officer.  Ritter has taken his message, that Americans and Russians can repair relations between their nations, as they have done in the past, to audiences all over Russia, from Novosibirsk and Irkutsk in Siberia, to Grozny in Chechnya, as well as to the cities of Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kazan, and Volgograd, among others. British intelligence is not pleased.

A hit piece on Ritter May 24, quoted Ukrainian-American “journalist” Natalia Antonova, former editor of the notorious Bellingcat, titled “Why Do Disgraced Americans Like Scott Ritter Spout Pro-Putin Propaganda in Russia?” The British agent also went after Oliver Stone and Seymour Hersh, implying they are among the Americans who “see a financial and career opportunity by working for and with the Russians.”