No negotiations to end the Second World War
Re: “If not negotiations, what is the solution?” letter, Feb. 15.
Prof. William S. Geimer presents some interesting possibilities and asks numerous questions.
Let me respond to his first question: “Won’t the war have to end by negotiation at some point?”
To this I would respond: not necessarily. In the 80 years of my lifetime I am aware that the Second World War ended with the unconditional surrender of Germany followed a few months later by the unconditional surrender of Japan. No negotiations there.
The Korean war ended in an armistice and to all intents and purposes the war is continuing. A massively fortified demilitarized zone with North Korea continually threatening the south (and the U.S.) whilst busily developing its nuclear and goodness knows what other weapons.
Perhaps if the United Nations had forced an unconditional surrender things would be different.
The Russians invaded Afghanistan, leaving 10 years later in defeat, then the Americans did the same thing in Vietnam. No negotiations in either case.
Let the conversation continue, and it would be interesting to have Geimer’s thoughts on what negotiation outcomes might exist with Vladimir Putin. Even more important is the question: How would the West respond if/when Putin reneges?
Brian Summers
Victoria
Four key questions triggered by Putin’s war
Re: “If not negotiations, what is the solution?” letter, Feb. 15.
As he seeks to restore the lost Russian Empire, what will Vladimir Putin’s takeaway be from a negotiated settlement that grants him Ukrainian territory he didn’t hold prior to his February 2022 invasion?
What will Xi Jinping conclude about the West’s resolve in defending Taiwan against a Chinese occupation?
What will current nuclear-armed expansionist autocracies learn about threatening to play the nuclear card?
What will non-nuclear armed expansionist autocracies learn about acquiring them in order to play the nuclear card?
John Farquharson
Victoria
Russian bear demands the right response
Re: “If not negotiations, what is the solution?” letter, Feb. 15.
Prof. William S. Geimer asks how the war in Ukraine might end, if not by negotiation. He has also previously suggested that negotiations should take the place of military actions in order to bring an earlier and less deadly end to the conflict.
Negotiations have been taking place long before Russia invaded Crimea, and have continued in spite of the invasion of Ukrainian territory. They have had some successes — not the least of which has been the movement of grains and other foods out of Ukrainian ports and the exchange of prisoners.
But history has shown that negotiations alone cannot stop a determined aggressor. That was made clear to former British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain when he left Munich in 1938 with a paper surrendering the Sudetenland in exchange of “peace in [his] time.”
It should have been clear to former German chancellor Angela Merkel with the failure of the Minsk agreements and her humiliation at the hands of Russian President Vladmir Putin in Sochi in 2007.
Merkel, who no doubt better understands Putin than any other Western leader, has observed the Russian leader is intractable in his world views and will only respond to military power. Diplomatic, economic and political suasion has proven to be unsuccessful.
As a law professor, one suspects Geimer understands the difference between demonizing one’s opponent and having a factual assessment of character. When a Russian bear has chewed off one’s leg, it might be wiser to reach for a gun than to appeal to its better nature.
Gerry Klein
Maple Bay
All this development needs fitness facilities
Interesting to read of all the development proposals for Victoria in recent issues of the Times Colonist.
Although housing is badly needed in Victoria and all the surrounding areas, I believe it is impossible to separate housing from amenities.
There is another development/densification proposal for the former Mayfair Lanes site in addition to the recently reported Harris Green with a silo building of 31 floors.
Once again commercial space, including a grocery store, is mentioned. However, there is no mention of indoor fitness facilities.
As we house more and more people, what will people do for recreation, which is intrinsically tied to mental health? Not every one likes to or can ride a bike or hike in the hills or get to beaches. What about a swimming pool?
The City of Victoria has one swimming pool for a population of nearly 100,000 people. Oak Bay has a beautiful swimming/ice rink/fitness/community facility for approximately 20,000 people in addition to a separate fitness facility/gym at Henderson Park.
Victoria is talking again about possibly shutting down their only swimming pool and rebuilding on the site or elsewhere.
This pool was built by a renowned architect in 1971. Yet the public are continually told it is “failing/structurally unsound/impossible to upgrade.”
Strange then that Ottawa has a swimming pool built in 1924 called Champagne Baths. This original bathing facility in Lower Town was built to serve lower income people. It was renovated and restored in 1990.
My friend swims there three times a week and says it is a lovely place to swim. Why do we have to tear everything down to make things better? Or do we? And where is Victoria’s commitment to health and well-being outside of bike lanes?
Ann Wilmut
Oak Bay
As population rises, we will need rail
The dilemma is this: Our politicians are convinced of a climate apocalypse, and at the same time want a Canadian population of 100 million by the end of the century.
By that time, who knows what the population of Vancouver Island will be, but one certain fact is that a railway system will be a must. But again, who knows, and who will do what?
G.R. Greig
Victoria
We need to build more homes to meet demand
Re: “Before we look for housing solutions, check the math,” commentary, Feb. 11.
Mark McInnes asks what the timeline is for achieving housing affordability. If more supply is the answer, how much more do we need to build?
Helpfully, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. released a report in June 2022 that estimates how much housing B.C. needs to build over the next 10 years or so to get back to 2003-2004 levels of home-ownership affordability, taking into account both population growth and income growth. (As people get richer, they want more space.)
The CMHC estimate is that we need 2.5 times the amount of housing under business as usual. The business-as-usual rate is 400,000 more homes over the next 10 years; we need 600,000 more homes on top of that.
Russil Wvong
Vancouver
Get to the bottom of all those UFOs
Everybody is wondering about the UFOs being shot down over Canada and the United States.
Has anyone thought about talking to Elon Musk? The objects in question could just be the new flying Teslas being tested pre-production. Or they could be very large orders of Chinese food from Skip the Dishes. But quite likely they are the most recent Amazon delivery vehicles.
Steven Spielberg probably knows.
Cheera J. Crow
Brentwood Bay
We’ve seen low-Earth satellites before
I find using the word “balloon” to describe the lighter-than-air flying objects currently the source of much furor to be inaccurate.
I prefer labels such as “Very Low Earth Orbit Spy Satellite” or “Earth Atmospheric Orbit Spy Satellite.” We are assured by the Chinese government that they are merely weather balloons — perhaps that is true and they are just checking as to whether we are awake or not.
During the Second World War, the Japanese Imperial Armed Forces did much the same thing, sending over balloons on favourable wind currents, armed with incendiary devices suspended beneath.
The idea was to cause catastrophic forest fires on the West Coast of North America. As I understand it, only a few reached our shores and no great harm was done. History repeating itself?
John Wiznuk
Saturna Island
After a good mooning, it’s time for streaking
Re: “One good mooning deserves another,” letter, Feb. 11.
Wow, a letter on mooning!
Some of the celestial bodies actually streak across the sky. Perhaps a reader recalls a “streaking” episode they could describe.
Grant Maxwell
Nanaimo
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