Many people have been understandably astonished by Donald Trump’s recently proclaimed desires to “take back” the Panama Canal “in full, quickly and without question” and to take over the self-governing Danish territory of Greenland.
While Trump has written that “For purposes of National Security and Freedom around the world, the United States feels that the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity,” he would at least appear to be willing to pay Denmark for Greenland, as the U.S. paid Denmark for the Danish West Indies, renamed the U.S. Virgin Islands, in 1917.
On the other hand, asserting that the United States is “being ripped off” by Panama, he does not appear to contemplate paying any compensation to Panama for taking back the “United States Canal”.
Indeed, at a press conference on January 7, a day on which his son Don Jr. flew into Greenland on a “TRUMP” jet for a one-day “tourist” visit, Trump doubled down, refusing to rule out the use of military force or economic coercion to force Panama to give up the canal and Denmark to transfer Greenland to the United States, saying, “I’m not going to commit to that. You might have to do something.” He even cast doubt on whether Denmark has any legitimate claim to Greenland at all.
Is Trump crazy or is he clever?
Two of the five countries which started two-year terms as non-permanent members of the UN Security Council on January 1 are Denmark and Panama.
Since Trump has a prior history of casting lustful eyes on the Panama Canal and Greenland, his making these proclamations at this time may simply represent a recurring real estate speculator’s dream and a convenient coincidence.
However, it is also possible that Trump may be seeking to reduce the number of embarrassing public displays of the United States standing completely alone in opposition to the will and moral conscience of the rest of mankind, most notably on issues relating to Palestine, by frightening Denmark and Panama into trying to protect themselves from his imperial pretensions and potential wrath by voting with the United States on all issues in the Security Council.
Just a thought.
