Stemjaar, beloftejaar

In ‘n stemjaar moet kiesers van meet aan die kaf versigtig van die koring skei.Die Landless People’s Movement (LPM) is nou amptelik as politieke party geregistreer en sal waarskynlik binnekort sy aanslag op die stembus begin verhewig. Groter diversiteit is goed vir die politiek, behalwe as die opposisie verder gaan fragmenteer sonder om Swapo se houvas te toets.Sekere ontleders het reeds opgemerk die toets vir dié nuweling sal wees om nie streekgebonde aan die Suide te bly nie en meer as net grondhervorming deel van sy manifes te maak.In ‘n onderhoud met The Namibian het mnr. Bernadus Swartbooi as aanvoerder van die LPM enkele opmerkings gemaak wat sommige kiesers mag ontstel. Byvoorbeeld dat geregtigheid belangriker as beide versoening en die oppergesag van die reg is.Sy dreigement van grootskaalse burgerlike onrus as die LPM nie die verkiesing wen nie, klink soos die retoriek van ‘n uitgediende soort Afrika-politiek.Kommersiële landbougrond staan vierkantig in die LPM se visier. As die LPM net 13 ministeries wil vorm, wonder ‘n mens hoe hulle duisende afgelegde staatsamptenare se woede gaan bestuur.Verbale grofgeskut soos die is kenmerkend van verkiesings. Die toets sal egter by die stembus wees.Soos ander opposisiepartye sal die LPM werklike, prakties uitvoerbare alternatiewe moet bied wat die land se beste belang eerste stel. Histories het die meeste partye hierin gefaal.Kiesers moet ewe versigtig vir die opposisie as die regerende party se beloftes wees.So sê ander11 Februarie 2019No Winner in a New Arms RaceMr. Trump is right to blame the Russians for beginning to unravel the I.N.F. treaty during the Obama administration by testing and then deploying a cruise missile banned by the treaty.But he was wrong to assert in his State of the Union address that he had “no choice” other than to withdraw from the treaty, a move that takes effect in August.His threat to “outspend and out-innovate all others by far” in the production of weapons of mass destruction was chilling, particularly given Mr. Putin’s vow of a “symmetrical” response.It’s unlikely the treaty will be revived, given the deterioration of Russian-American relations, despite Mr. Trump’s promises of warmer ties and a coziness that has drawn the scrutiny of the special counsel Robert Mueller.The pact’s imminent collapse has intensified concerns that the United States and Russia will let the 2010 New Start Agreement expire in 2021.It has been over seven years since the two powers held serious nuclear arms reductions talks. The United States, its allies, even the Russians will be less safe if that process atrophies.If Mr. Trump continues to push for an expanded nuclear arsenal and abandons the strategic arms accord, Congress should freeze the nuclear modernization budget and block funding for new weapons.Outspending Russia on a nuclear arms race, as Mr. Trump has bragged he would do, or abandoning an arms control regime that has helped forestall nuclear war for decades, is a foolish game of chicken, with no possible winners.• THE NEW YORK TIMES

Stemjaar, beloftejaar

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