Greenland

“Everyone is in favor of free speech,” said Winston Churchill.  “Hardly a day passes without its being extolled, but some people’s idea of it is that they are free to say what they like, but if anyone else says anything back, that is an outrage.”  

The idea of the United States purchasing the largest island in the world called Greenland is not a new idea.  It is not a stupid idea.  China would like to purchase the island too.  Greenland, in spite of the glacier meltdown, has economic possibilities with its natural resources of coal, iron, copper and zinc.  Strategically, Greenland is now providing new shipping lanes in the North Atlantic due to the melting polar caps, which is of significant maritime value.  It is also of importance militarily.  Thule Air Base has operated there since 1943 and provides a ballistic missile early warning and satellite tracking system.  It is could and would be valuable to any nation to have Greenland in its pocket.  

Harry Truman wanted to buy the island in 1946 for $100 million dollars (1.3 billion today)..  Greenland has had  self-rule since 1979 , but remains part of the sovereign kingdom of Denmark, a U.S. ally.  Just think what we might say if Denmark suggested buying the Eastern seaboard of the United States.  Would we not call such an offer “absurd?”  That’s exactly how Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen responded to Trump’s desire to buy Greenland.  Okay, no deal, let it go.  But then Trump says he is postponing his trip to Denmark, “because she would have no interest in discussing the purchase of Greenland.”  He went on to say that the Prime Minister “was nasty” because she called his proposal absurd.  Denmark’s response was, quite naturally, to say:  “It’s an insult” and Trump is like a “spoiled child,” and he must live “on another planet.”

But that’s not the end of the ongoing saga.  Mr. Trump responds to Denmark by saying “you don’t talk to the United States that way,” as if, any criticism of Trump is a criticism of America. (He also says any criticism of Israel is anti-semitism).  

In the same breath, Mr. Trump declares, looking heavenward, that he “is the Chosen One” to deal with China.  Oh, my, oh, my!  Enough said.