Conflicts in Russia-Ukraine and the Middle East are causing an appalling loss of life
13 November 2024 - 15:10
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Russian President Vladimir Putin. Picture: SPUTNIK/SERGEI GUNEEV/REUTERS
Since Donald Trump became the US president-elect, the media talking heads have had a field day trying to decide how this will affect the US and the rest of the world.
The two most important issues are the Russia-Ukraine war and the Middle East. Both are causing an appalling loss of life and infrastructure that will take years to rebuild.
Trump is famous for his instant solutions to complex problems so we must be careful that the baby doesn’t disappear with his bath water. If the West thinks Vladimir Putin will be happy with what he already has of Ukraine, they’re being naive. He wants all of it and doesn’t mind waiting. Letting him keep Crimea will be fatal as it controls the Black Sea and the choke points of Ukrainian grain exports to Europe.
Russia’s fleet has been shut down in Sevastopol by Ukraine’s drones and it should stay that way. The quid pro quo will be giving up the Donbas, painful as it may be.
If Trump can fix the Gaza war, even I would vote for him. It will be difficult for him to come down hard on his friend Benjamin Netanyhau, but if he doesn’t, we’ll see another year of this senseless slaughter. The finesse of secretary of state Antony Blinken has had no effect, so perhaps a Trump hammer might do the trick.
Bernard Benson Parklands
JOIN THE DISCUSSION: Send us an email with your comments to letters@businesslive.co.za. Letters of more than 300 words will be edited for length. Anonymous correspondence will not be published. Writers should include a daytime telephone number
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
LETTER: Trump famous for instant fixes
Conflicts in Russia-Ukraine and the Middle East are causing an appalling loss of life
Since Donald Trump became the US president-elect, the media talking heads have had a field day trying to decide how this will affect the US and the rest of the world.
The two most important issues are the Russia-Ukraine war and the Middle East. Both are causing an appalling loss of life and infrastructure that will take years to rebuild.
Trump is famous for his instant solutions to complex problems so we must be careful that the baby doesn’t disappear with his bath water. If the West thinks Vladimir Putin will be happy with what he already has of Ukraine, they’re being naive. He wants all of it and doesn’t mind waiting. Letting him keep Crimea will be fatal as it controls the Black Sea and the choke points of Ukrainian grain exports to Europe.
Russia’s fleet has been shut down in Sevastopol by Ukraine’s drones and it should stay that way. The quid pro quo will be giving up the Donbas, painful as it may be.
If Trump can fix the Gaza war, even I would vote for him. It will be difficult for him to come down hard on his friend Benjamin Netanyhau, but if he doesn’t, we’ll see another year of this senseless slaughter. The finesse of secretary of state Antony Blinken has had no effect, so perhaps a Trump hammer might do the trick.
Bernard Benson
Parklands
JOIN THE DISCUSSION: Send us an email with your comments to letters@businesslive.co.za. Letters of more than 300 words will be edited for length. Anonymous correspondence will not be published. Writers should include a daytime telephone number
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Most Read
Published by Arena Holdings and distributed with the Financial Mail on the last Thursday of every month except December and January.