Ukraine war vs Hawaii fire
The writer is a freelancer with an interest in politics and economics. She can be reached at qurattanveer94@gmail.com
The first Republican primary debate has brought to light some very harsh realities of the United States of America. The most shocking of all is how Washington profoundly prefers national interest abroad over burning domestic issues. A look at how the war in Ukraine and the fire in Hawaii were debated by these candidates says it all.
The leading Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump skipped the debate and preferred giving interview on YouTube. Yet, all his rivals including former VP Mike Pence, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, former New Jersey Gov Chris Christie, tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and North Dakota Gov Doug Burgum enthusiastically debated Ukraine. Strikingly, they barely discussed the impact of the devastating Maui fire that has burnt to ashes, the once prized capital of the former Hawaiian kingdom.
In his 45-minute interview, Trump used the word ‘fire’ seven times for different reasons. Still, he didn’t talk about the flames that ravaged the historic Hawaiian town of Lahaina, claiming 116 lives last month, with 66 still missing.
On the other hand, the Ukraine war loomed large. Trump quipped about President Joe Biden ‘incompetence’ in stopping the war, saying: “He is supposed to be getting us out of that horrible, horrible war that we’re very much involved in with Russia and Ukraine.”
The second hour of the first Republican primary debate was solely focused on Ukraine, China, immigration and ‘elephant not in the room’, Donald Trump.
For Doug Burgum, China remained the number one threat. Vivek Ramaswamy went a step ahead, saying: “The real threat we face today is communist China and we are driving Russia further into China’s arms. The Russia-China military alliance is the single greatest threat we face.”
Chris Christie defended his visit to Ukraine, saying: “If we don’t stand up against this type of autocratic killing in the world, we will be next.” Former He got full support from Mike Pence who remarked: “I want to let the Ukrainians fight and drive Putin and the Russians back out into Russia so our troops aren’t going to have to make that fight.” Nikki Haley’s stance was also close when she said: “A win for Russia is a win for China. We have to know that. Ukraine is the first line of defense for us.”
DeSantis did declare he is not going to send troops to Ukraine. But the only candidate who clearly said he would not support more funding to Ukraine was Vivek Ramaswamy. Instead, he said: “The Russia-China alliance is the single greatest threat we face and I find it offensive that we have professional politicians on the stage that will make a pilgrimage to Kyiv, to their pope Zelensky without doing the same thing for people in Maui or south side of Chicago or Kensington.”
Miles away from Maui, one of the moderators Bret Baier asked inputs of these Republican hopefuls on the deadliest wildfire in US history. Yet, standing on the stage in Milwaukee, none opted to discuss the impact on the local population and its cultural treasure.
DeSantis took the opportunity to attack Biden, saying: “Biden was on the beach while those people were suffering. He was asked about it and he said ‘no comment’.”
DeSantis was right to some extent as Biden himself had undertaken the trip to Hawaii after criticism over his slow response.
Once there, Biden ‘carelessly compared’ a small kitchen fire to the inferno that has wiped out historical towns. Imagining his words will console Maui residents, Biden said: “Years ago, now 15 years, I was in Washington doing ‘Meet the Press’… Lightning struck… it hit the wire and came up underneath our home… I almost lost my wife, my ‘67Corvette and my cat.”
No surprise, that Biden has announced only $95 million for rebuilding Maui while his government has committed $77 billion in aid to Ukraine and asking Congress for another $24 billion.
The actions of Biden and rhetoric of all the Republican Presidential hopefuls clearly bring a harsh reality to light: when it comes to war, peace or rebuilding, the interest of the elites is secured far better than addressing miseries of masses.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 23rd, 2023.
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