Negotiate with US over threatened visa ban

THE EDITOR: The response of our leadership, past and present, to a current problem, reflects on its quality, or lack thereof, which is likely to lead this country down an irretrievable path for the future.

I refer to the issue of our “sovereignty” now being touted by our current leadership and how vainglorious such an approach is in the face of the rampaging Trump administration which is determined to bring things in line, both foreign and domestic to “Make America Great Again.” Trump seems bent on that perceived “rampage” in achieving that goal but the harsh reality is that when it impacts us to our detriment, it is sheer vanity to envisage a “David and Goliath” scenario, for our “slingshot” falls woefully short of a giant whose arm is capable of throttling us to death.

So to talk of “sovereignty” against such a giant like the US which can hurt us at will, is to talk "foolishness" to quote a favourite word of our current leadership, instead of finding ways and means to negotiate with the Trump administration. Trump’s strategy seems to be to threaten and watch the effect of that threat and to pull back if the threat has the desired effect, as he did momentarily with tariffs against places like Mexico, and resuming military aid to Ukraine when Zelensky returned to the table ready to make a deal. Likewise, we have to "suck salt" and just hope that the Cuban situation involving the doctors is part of a wide sweep against communist Cuba and Venezuela, even Panama, and with Rubio’s visit to the Caribbean reportedly imminent, some concessions will come our way.

To try to go “toe to toe” with the mighty US, is sheer vanity, indeed foolishness, more so as to presume that we go with the “Grace of God” as David did against Goliath.

via e-mail

Dr Errol Benjamin