“NOT FOR SALE”: GREENLAND’S REACTION TO TRUMP”S INTEREST IN BUYING THE ISLAND

…A Massive iceberg threatens the remote village of Innaarsuit in Greenland.

Greenland is a self-governing country that is part of the kingdom of Denmark.

The president must think we are back in the Thomas Jefferson’s era when as president, he managed the Louisiana Purchase in 1808.  I say that because our real estate developer president has pushed his top aides to investigate whether the US government can purchase the giant ice-smothered island of Greenland.

This presidential request has cause much head-shaking for his  aides, but Trump has mentioned it for weeks. As usual, the people with knowledge of the presidential demand spoke on the condition of anonymity.  That’s because they weren’t authorized to reveal this latest White House planning.

As with many of Trump’s internal requests, the aides are waiting for more direction before from him before they decide how seriously they should look into it.

The aides also said that they are not sure whether it is even legal, or what the process would be for acquiring an island that has its own government and population.  In addition, where would the money come from to purchase such a giant landmass?.

In addition, a record-setting heat wave hit Greenland, causing a major melt on 60% of its ice sheet.  Trump’s interest in acquiring Greenland was first reported by the Wall Street Journal.

As expected, the Greenland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Friday that the island is “not for sale”.  “Greenland is rich in valuable resources such as minerals, the purest water and ice, fish stocks, seafood, renewable energy and is a new frontier for adventure tourism,” the ministry said in a tweet. “We’re open for business, not for sale.”

According to the World Factbook, Greenland is 2.2 million square kilometers, with 1.7 million of that covered in ice. It has many natural resources, such as coal and uranium, but only 0.6% of the land is used for agriculture.  It has about 58,000 residents, which makes it one of the world’s smallest countries by population.

As stated, it is a self-governing country that is part of the kingdom of Denmark, and Trump is scheduled to visit Denmark in two weeks.

The idea of a sale of Greenland to the United States was ridiculed by politicians in Denmark, including Lars Løkke Rasmussen, who was the country’s prime minister until June.  Rasmussen now serves as the leader of the opposition party.  “It must be an April Fool’s Day joke ... but totally out of season!” he wrote on Twitter.

Trump has bragged about his career as a real estate developer and he made it clear that he has retained his eye for real estate opportunities during his tenure in the White House.  For example, you must remember that he had said that North Korea could build famous hotels and resorts along its oceanfront properties.  But most foreigners are too afraid to even visit the country out of fear for their lives.

The big heat issue this year has grounded the huge iceberg just outside the Village of Innaarsuit, Greenland, and it is threatening the coastal homes of the town's 169 residents.

Typically, Congress must appropriate money before the White House can use it, but Trump has shown a willingness to get around those restrictions.

It was unclear exactly why Trump might want the United States to buy Greenland, though his administration has identified the Arctic as an area of great importance to US national security interests.  This is interesting as the president has already done many things that have increased negative issues of national security for the country.

“This is America’s moment to stand up as an Arctic nation,” our lackey Sec. of State, Pompeo said in May during a speech in Finland. “The region has become an arena of global power and competition.”

With melting ice making the region more accessible, the United States has been firm in trying to counter any moves by Russia and China in the Arctic.  China declared itself a “near-Arctic nation” last year and has defended its desire for a “Polar Silk Road” in which Chinese goods would be delivered by sea from Asia to Europe.

China recently sought to bankroll the construction of three airports in Greenland, drawing concern from then-Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and prompting the US Pentagon to make the case to Denmark that it should fund the facilities itself rather than rely on Beijing.

The US military had a presence on Greenland during World War II as a means to protect the continent if Germany ever tried to attack.  After the war, the Truman administration offered Denmark $100 million to buy Greenland.  This is according to the academic tome “Exploring Greenland: Cold War Science and Technology on Ice.”

Since then, the Danish people have been wary of the United States’ continued use of Greenland.  The land was critical territory during the Cold War because of its location halfway between the United States and Northern Europe and its proximity to the former Soviet Union.  The Pentagon built its northernmost military installation, Thule Air Base, on Greenland in 1951, as a means for missile defense.

“Exploring Greenland,” co-written by academics from Denmark and the United States, says that the US military’s “extensive activities in northern Greenland” was seen by Danish citizens and some politicians as “a violation of their national sovereignty."

“This idea isn't as crazy as the headline makes it seem,” Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.) said in a tweet. “This a smart geopolitical move. The United States has a compelling strategic interest in Greenland, and this should absolutely be on the table.”

Most of those in the know, however, responded with absolute mockery.

Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) shared a news story about Trump’s idea and mused: “[This would be] A Great place for Trump’s ‘presidential’ library.”

Jonah Goldberg, a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, tweeted that MAGA — the acronym for Trump’s “Make America Great Again” campaign slogan, is “an anagram of Make Greenland American Already.”

Makes sense to me!

Copyright G. Ater 2019