Former UN chief weapons inspector partners with musicians for war discussion

COLUMBIA — Over the next week, Columbia musicians Lizzie West and Baba Buffalo will take to the road in Missouri and Kentucky in a 1975 tour bus with Scott Ritter, former UN chief weapons inspector, for the event “Real Intelligence.”

Ritter will lead a discussion on the War on Terror and Iran as a possible target of a U.S. military strike. The husband-and-wife team of West and Buffalo will perform music from their upcoming album “Tumbleweed Cabaret (Dream #1).”

The tour is part of West and Buffalo’s vision for their nonprofit, Holy Road Tours Union in Columbia, which supports artists and provides them a place to live. Holy Road’s Web site stresses a theme of social activism and peace creation. Their collaboration with Ritter promotes their organization by combining their philosophy with his ideas.

The three of them are making presentations in Kansas City on Saturday, Columbia on Sunday, St. Louis on Wednesday and Louisville, Ky., on Thursday.

“Holy Road Tours Union brought Scott Ritter to Kansas City, Columbia, St. Louis, and Louisville as a way to create peace and stop the war machine,” West said. “It’s inspirational and informational peace revival.”

Following each event, Ritter will sign his books and advance copies of West and Buffalo’s new album will be available.

“We’re honored to be sharing our days with such a courageous voice of Iran,” West said. “He warned us about Iraq in 2003, and now he’s sending us the same message about Iran. This time we need to listen.”