Posted on 08/21/2019 11:40:32 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
The moment The Wall Street Journal article appeared revealing President Trump was mulling over the idea of the United States buying Greenland, the autonomous Danish territory in the Atlantic, ankle-biters began to mock the idea.
But this usual panic from the jealous chattering class once again reveals the Democrats and envious Trump haters’ biggest unforced error — constantly underestimating Donald Trump. This requires deliberately maintaining a remarkable ignorance about the economic and national security issues we face as a nation.
One of those issues is the vital importance of Greenland, its horrible mismanagement as the Danish elite virtue signal about their environmentalism, condemning its 55,000 residents to poverty-stricken lives, and the national security risks economic dereliction invite. The incompetence ruining Greenland, in fact, compelled Greenlandic officials to reach out to China as they searched for a Sugar Daddy to fund infrastructure projects.
A thread in The Journal report presents a story that implies the president isn’t serious about Greenland.
The newspaper reported it was at a “dinner with associates last spring” when Mr. Trump brought up the idea and asked people at the table what they thought.
“The person described the question less as a serious inquiry than as a joke meant to indicate ‘I’m so powerful I could buy a country,’ noting that since Mr. Trump hadn’t floated the idea at a campaign rally yet, he probably wasn’t seriously considering it,” The Journal reported, quoting someone who obviously has contempt for the president.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
Reports indicate this action was triggered by Denmark refusing to help.
Then-Secretary of Defense James N. Mattis was not happy and convinced Danish officials to fund the infrastructure, sidelining China. This was an effort by China starting in 2018 and only ending when they officially withdrew in June of this year. For those who look past their shallow view of the United States and the administration, one would know it’s no coincidence that the president’s remarks on Greenland became public just two months after we successfully fought off China in their latest swing at the North American island.
I wonder if Mongolia would be willing to sell? Or even North Korea ?
Oh, how they misunderestimate Our President!
Trump made his BILLIONS in real estate. Don’t underestimate his acumen.
So, why are China ( and Trump ) interested in Greenland?
Consider what the world’s biggest island has:
* At 836,330 square miles, Greenland is almost precisely the size of Alaska and California put together. It is rich in coal, zinc, copper, and iron ore.
* It could be a significant strategic military value by providing bases in the North Atlantic and particularly in the Arctic, where Russia repeatedly makes territorial claims (including to the North Pole itself)
* The USA already has the Thule Air Base in Greenland, which (to quote the Wall Street Journal) “includes a radar station that is part of a U.S. ballistic missile early-warning system. The base is also used by the U.S. Air Force Space Command and the North American Aerospace Defense Command.” There seems no danger of Denmark abrogating the treaty that gives the U.S. the right to operate Thule. But still, ownership makes things permanent, and of course it would allow the U.S. to create other bases in Greenland if needed.
* Denmark right now spends nearly $600 million annually in subsidies to Greenland’s government. Ridding itself of those costs, plus getting a big lump-sump payment from its American allies to boot, could be a good deal for the Danes.
* Each major time the U.S. has bought territory — the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, Alaska in 1867, what are now the U.S. Virgin Islands in 1917 — has proved to be a good investment. This one might be just as wise.
And yes, the price would need to be negotiated. The wishes of Greenland’s current population should be considered. The structure of territorial governance would need to be worked out. These and other considerations might argue against the deal even if Denmark were willing to sell.
Whilst the Dummyrats are battling each other to get their latest fart on that hours News, Trump is thinking in epochs, looking at the world 200-300 years from now.
Trump is the greatest strategic genius the world has known in 2 millennia
The Danes spend under $4 billion a year on defense.
What would they defend it with?
Access to more oil and minerals,
Basing station for anti-missile systems,
etc...
How the hell does little Denmark have control over such vast territory ?
Viking days ?
As a part of the consideration and to reduce the cash outlay, there could be a 50 year royalty to Denmark derived ffrom the sale of extracted minerals. That would assure Denmark a steady income and freedom from the burdensome $600 million per year albatross.
Lief Ericson
RE: Trump is the greatest strategic genius the world has known in 2 millennia
The idea to buy Greenland did not come out of the blue -— IT RELATES TO -— CHINA.
What the MSM did not emphasize is Greenland’s untapped natural resources like oil, minerals and valuable rare earth elements that China, the United States and other major tech economies covet.
A Chinese government-backed group’s offer last year to build three new international airports on Greenland sparked alarms in Copenhagen and Washington.
The Chinese plan was finally nixed in exchange for Danish funding and a pledge of support from the Pentagon.
In other words, Trump’s administration has awoken to the Arctic as a geostrategic issue.
And BTW, this is not the first time a real estate purchase was struck with Denmark. In 1917 Denmark sold off the then Danish West Indies islands for US$25 million to the United States, which renamed them the United States Virgin Islands.
Greenland has been essential to US defense since that war when it was a base for monitoring Nazi ships and submarines passing through the “Arctic Avenue”, the sea gateway to the north Atlantic.
In 1943 the US Air Force built its farthest-north airbase at Thule, Greenland.
Thule was crucial in the cold war, a first line of monitoring against a potential Russian attack.
With a population of 600, the base today is part of the NATO mission, operating satellite monitoring and strategic missile detection systems and handling thousands of flights a year.
Sling shots and spit balls
We defend Demark and they know it
Trump should just go put up a flag and offer every resident millions in cash and they keep their homes.
They could all move to the Virgin Islands as US citizens with lots of green :-)
Who says acumen?
This deal needed to get done under the table with Denmark.
Now, if it sells at all, there will inevitably be a price war over it with China.
If Trump really wanted it, which I still doubt, he never would have outed his intentions like this. Perhaps someone sabotaged it then? I don’t know. But this isn’t the best way to work it if you do
RE: The Danes spend under $4 billion a year on defense.
What would they defend it with?
The Danes should be wary of — THE YELLOW DRAGON OF THE EAST.
China began sending scientific missions in 2004. In the past several years, a Chinese company has gained mining rights for rare earths, partnering with an Australian company in the Kvanefjeld project.
In January 2018 Beijing unveiled its “Polar Silk Road” strategy to extend its economic footprint through the Arctic.
To gain favor in Greenland’s capital of Nuuk, Chinese have wined and dined government officials.
There is a GEO-STRATEGIC component to this that the mainstream press has not emphasized at all.
China could send 100,000 workers there, and then they could agitate for independence
Thanks for the post.
POTUS needs to buy Greenland and kick the Chinese out ASAP!
Does it even work nowadays that you just sell 50 thousand people? One huge eminent domain case.
bttt
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