Scott Ritter denied departure from the USA

Former UN weapons inspector Scott Ritter, a US citizen, was prevented from leaving his own country at the behest of the US State Department. Shocking news.

Peter Hanseler

The US State Department on Monday refused to allow former US Marine Corps intelligence officer and UN Special Commission weapons inspector Scott Ritter to board a flight from New York to Istanbul, a stopover on his journey to Russia where he was due to attend the SPIEF International Economic Forum in St Petersburg as a guest speaker.

“As I was boarding my flight out of New York, I was pulled aside by three CBP [Customs and Border Protection] officers, who seized my passport. When asked why, they said orders of the State Department. No further information was provided. My bags were removed from the flight, and I was escorted out of the airport,”

Source: Scott Ritter auf Sputnik News

The US State Department on Monday refused to allow former US Marine Corps intelligence officer and UN Special Commission weapons inspector Scott Ritter to board a flight from New York to Istanbul, a stopover on his journey to Russia where he was due to attend the SPIEF International Economic Forum in St Petersburg as a guest speaker.

Thoughts

The SPIEF economic forum is being ignored across the board in the Western media in an attempt to silence Russia.

The US State Department’s action against Scott Ritter and Judge Napolitano, now internationally known critics of Western policy against Russia, alone gives the lie to this attempt.

Do you remember when the USSR refused to allow regime critics to leave the Soviet Union during the Cold War? Old habits from times gone by? Something like that would never happen in the West? Many EU citizens still wrongly think so.

It looks like it’s time for a rethink in this area too.

Scott Ritter is a well-known critic of US foreign and security policy. In his well-founded analyses, he pays particular attention to the war in Ukraine and the genocide in Gaza led by Israel and supported by the USA. Among other things, he is a frequent guest on the YouTube channel “Judging Freedom” by Judge Napolitano, one of the most famous publicists in the USA. Like Scott Ritter, Judge Napolitano intended to take part in the forum in St. Petersburg. Scott Ritter called Judge Napolitano after this incident and advised him against travelling. Judge Napolitano then decided against travelling.

At the time of writing, an interview between Judge Napolitano and Scott Ritter has just been broadcast:

We are somewhat dumbfounded by the actions of the US State Department. The fact that no reason was given for the refusal to leave the country is a clear indication that there should be none under US law. We are waiting with bated breath to see what justification the US government will concoct.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has already found clear words:

“This is just another example in addition to many that confirms that the United States, which calls itself the leader of democracy throughout the world, has long become a police state” 

Sergei Lawrow, June 4, 2024

René Zittlau is on his way to St. Petersburg

We are delighted to announce that our author René Zittlau has managed to leave Germany and is on his way to St. Petersburg. He will be reporting from the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) for Weltwoche and VoicefromRussia.