You can hear his voice cracking up; the pauses before several words betray the feelings of a man who is under severe strain.
But the fighting began last week without that help, and several days into the war, the amity between the nations is under severe strain.
Our child welfare system is under severe strain.
Spending on each student may come under severe strain whoever wins the next election".
The relationship between Picasso and Dora Maar was by now under severe strain.
Malaysia's reputation as a progressive modern Muslim state was put under severe strain.
South Sudan's education sector, which has found itself similarly marginalised in the latest government budget, is also under severe strain.
His job in a call centre is unfulfilling; his relationship with the girlfriend he loves is under severe strain.
Even so, health services, council morgues and crematoria, and the economy could be put under severe strain.
Labour's electoral coalition, which encompasses both pro-remain Kensington and pro-leave Ashfield – will be placed under severe strain.
But any system, however resilient, can eventually fail if it is put under severe strain.
