PUTIN CREATING CHAOS ON WORLD STAGE

Re. Anti-Putin column ill-informed, Letter, May 5:

It appears that Putin has his defenders. I do respect their opinions, and I am a proud Canadian to see these opinions published.

Like William Thomas I do not share these opinions. The Russian people have my sympathies for having to live under the rule of this despot. I am sure that if a Russian were to publicly disagree with Putin it would earn him or her a jail sentence or worse.

As much as I despise Putin, I will say that he has the West/NATO at a standstill on how to react to the Ukraine situation other than sending weapons and imposing sanctions.

All Putin has to do is threaten to unleash his nuclear arsenal. Some would say that this is a brilliant strategy. To me it seems suicidal. With this threat he can do anything he wants. Syria, Crimea are examples.

I am not being critical of our Western leaders. I have no idea how I would react if I were in their position. Nor do I know how an increasingly isolationist America would react if a NATO nation was attacked. Treaties are made to be broken.

Vladimir thanks for creating so much uncertainty in the world now and in the future.

MURRAY CLUFF

BEAMSVILLE