You can tell that the chattering classes of the West, especially on the port side, have almost no military experience. During the Cold War, a member of the Denmark parliament suggested that they abolish their military to save money, and replace it with a taped message saying “We surrender” in Russian. Not only has the West, with a few exceptions, engaged in unilateral disarmament, their populations lack the heart and will to engage in a war over much of anything.
In regard to Greenland, I think Trump will eventually arrange a buyout of the Greenland population, with a grant of American citizenship, and cut Denmark in for a share of the development deal. But if he were to simply seize Greenland, there is bang all the rest of the West could do about it. (American political opposition to such a move is another matter.
It’s interesting to see how the Canadian parliament has suddenly rediscovered its “support for the fundamental importance of respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity“. (Insert eye roll here). Imagine the concern of all the “undocumented asylum seekers”, drug smugglers, human traffickers and various undesirables that until now have been enjoying Canada’s ”Ce qui sera, sera” attitude toward policing its enormous border with the USA.
According to its 2021 census, 23% of Canada’s population are immigrants/migrants. That figure does not include foreign students nor work permit holders. The government projects that figure to rise to 29%~33% by 2041.
Ottawa had little interest in ‘territorial integrity’ re: its border with the USA until Trump started putting tariffs on Canadian goods. Glad to see that they’ve remembered their duty to their citizens, although I suspect their enforcement will be targeted less against the migrants/cartels/human traffickers and more against the USA in general and President Trump in particular.
I think it would be a poor idea to take on Greenland. After 1960, our history with overseas dependencies was a wretched one (if I’m not mistaken largely due to the Kennedy and Johnson Administration extending mainland welfare programs and labor regulations to loci where they proved very destructive. Also, shipping regulations enacted to please the unions injured the Puerto Rican economy).
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IMO, Britain, the Netherlands, the United States, Australia, and New Zealand cut loose a scrum of territories which should have remained dependencies. France did not do that and retained their insular and coastal dependencies where possible, unloading the African territories. It is also regrettable that the conversion of African states from dependencies of Britain, France, Belgium, Portugal, and Italy into notionally sovereign states quite dependent on inter-governmental agencies, nongovernmental agencies, and the governments of the affluent states was not done in a more deliberative fashion. The state of the former Belgian Congo is most distressing, as is the state of the south Sudan.
The Canadian political class is like that in the Antipodes and that in Western Europe (and that in the Blue zones of the United States). They despise their country’s vernacular population and seek to injure them.
A total takeover by the US is both unwise and unnecessary. A arrangement of Free Association similar to Palau and the Northern Marianas would be quite satisfactory for all parties. Would also provide for more development in the territory than the previous owner saw fit to do.
Whether it’s Palau or Greenland, sovereignty for a place with a five-digit population is a diplomatic courtesy.
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There may be a place in this world with a domestic product under $250 bn which has a full complement of sophisticated services – e.g. research universities, university medical centers, bourses, and forensic pathology laboratories. I’m not aware of such a country, but there may be one. Even such countries are going to have to rely on others. Switzerland and Israel may be the countries of modest dimensions who are the most thoroughly independent.
The US and Greenland have a history. Greenland played a role in WWII and was occupied by the US after Denmark was occupied by Nazi Germany. It was a place where weather stations could be setup to aid in the planning and routing of ships and shipping, among other installations. The War of the Atlantic was crucial to securing shipping routes of war fighting men, military supplies and equipment going to the European Theater of operations. There was also the mineral cryolite that was mined. From what I’ve read Greenland is still a strategically important location from which to keep tabs on Russia and China’s activities in the area. The US Space Force has Pituffik Space Base located in Greenland.
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Europe fattened Putin’s war chest with their Russian energy purchases, and had to be shamed by Trump into upping their defense spending. From what I’ve heard the American defense umbrella has allowed Europe to spend more on social welfare programs. As the article pointed out, with things being the way they are in Europe, I’m not sure how reliable Europe will be in the future. It looks like Canada is going the same way as Europe.
Canada, Denmark and Greenland ought to learn Russian as we had to do when Sputnik flew around the globe.
The Russians are Coming, The Russians are Coming, the film is a good watch.