US Government shutdown is a good distraction from the Russia investigation

Do the US Democrats not get it? Trump has danced them into a government shutdown for one reason and one reason only. He thinks it will disrupt the Russia investigation.

If they think he cares about anything else or anyone but himself, they have not been paying attention.

Amanda Baker

Edinburgh

Make the politicians pay

The use of the threat to shut down government-financed projects by Washington politicians of both parties seems bizarre to us this side of the pond. However, the political system in the US is impenetrable to most people outside of America anyway, unless they have made a special study of US politics. It seems that the effect of the shutdown will mostly affect projects aimed at vulnerable people and “non-essential” activities such as parks and the like. If the first effect of the shutdown was to stop paying the salaries of White House employees, including the President, and all the other politicians in Washington, perhaps that would focus the minds of those that use such threats to achieve political ends.

Patrick Cleary

Devon

Shutdown does not bode well for our ‘special relationship’

Given the nature of his support base, it is clever but utterly wicked of Donald Trump to unnecessarily link Congressional agreement on US federal funding to an issue which, although obviously important to the Republicans, is not an immediate budgetary matter. As that is the way he does deals, we should definitely not rely on a trade deal with the US to provide a way forward if Brexit does ever happen. Does our Government really think that what’s left of the fading Special Relationship can protect us from such tactics?

Patrick Cosgrove

Bucknell, Shropshire

Trump has inflicted tremendous damage upon the world

One asks, a year on, whether President Trump is America’s worst president in history. For us Arabs and Muslims, Trump has personified racism, white supremacy, discrimination and bigotry. His statements are often littered with prejudice and serve to stoke cultural and religious animosities in a region already plagued with violence and insecurity. Sadly, Trump has exceeded terrorists in inflicting tremendous damage to America’s interests and reputation across the globe.

Munjed Farid al Qutob

London

We need solutions in North Korea other than sanctions

I am a great admirer of Partrick Cockburn’s reporting and do not disagree with his article on the effects of sanctions [in North Korea]. It is a pity he doesn’t suggest what would be effective and not have dire effects on innocent populations. Perhaps tougher actions against the higher echelons in society should be undertaken. This would involve international arrest warrants issued, bank accounts frozen or seized, children stopped from attending schools abroad and third parties dealing with named individuals also suffering sanctions.

David Aldworth

London