CODEPINK’s founder Medea Benjamin on why this is the time for Ukraine negotiations.

CODEPINK’s founder Medea Benjamin visited Politics Done Right on KPFT. She discussed her eight reasons why it is time to negotiate a Ukraine peace.

CODEPINK’s founder Medea Benjamin

Medea Benjamin’s latest book, with Nicolas Davies, entitled War in Ukraine: Making Sense of a Senseless Conflict, traces the origins of the war back to the fall of the Soviet Union and addresses Russia’s grievances as well as Ukraine’s. Understanding both is necessary to find solutions to end the conflict. Ms. Benjamin is a co-founder of CODEPINK, the women-led peace, and justice organization.

Benjamin wrote a must-read article at Common Dreams titled “8 Reasons Why Now Is a Good Time for a Ukraine Ceasefire and Peace Talks” that we must explore. Her basic tenets are:

1. The first, and most urgent reason, is the incredible daily death and suffering in Ukraine and the chance to save millions more Ukrainians from being forced to leave their homes, their belongings, and the conscripted menfolk they may never see again.
2. Neither side can achieve a decisive military victory, and with its recent military gains, Ukraine is in a good negotiating position.
3. U.S. government officials, especially in the Republican Party, are starting to balk at the prospect of continuing this enormous level of military and economic support.
4. The war is causing upheavals in Europe.
5. Most of the world is calling for negotiations.
6. The war in Ukraine, like all wars, is catastrophic for the environment.
7. The war has a devastating economic impact on countries across the world.
8. The last reason, which dramatically reinforces all the other reasons, is the danger of nuclear war.

Her article expands on each of the above-mentioned reasons. She is absolutely correct, in my humble opinion. I did want to add to the rationale for item 4. I think we too easily buy into the following statement, which our corporatocracy is selling.

Sanctions on Russian energy have sent inflation in Europe skyrocketing and caused a devastating squeeze on energy supplies that is crippling the manufacturing sector.

The war in Russia as well as other mistakes by the corporatocracy were the excuses for inflation. I appeared on Muslim Network TV recently to dispute the oil shortage lie. We also constantly discuss with fact-based information about inflation mostly caused by corporate greed.

Madea’s take on Ukraine is one that must be taken seriously. Her book