If Donald Trump is a broken clock only right twice daily, then one of those truths might be US policy toward Greenland. According to the Australian based geo-strategist Elizabeth Buchanan, Trump is correct to be preoccupied with American influence over, and perhaps even ownership of Greenland. In her new book, So You Want To Own Greenland, Buchanan argues that the 57,000-person continental super-sized island is becoming central to 21st Century geopolitics. From the Vikings to the (yes) colonizing Danes, she argues, Greenland has always been an important piece of the North Atlantic strategic jigsaw. Today, however, with the melting polar ice cap and its vast mineral resources, Greenland is becoming essential - not just to native Greenlanders, the United States, Denmark and Canada, but also to Russia, China and even India.
1. America's Greenland Interest Predates Trump by 160 Years US interest in Greenland dates back to 1867 and the Seward Purchase ("Seward's Folly"). Trump's fixation isn't erratic - it reflects longstanding American strategic thinking about North American geography that transcends partisan politics.
2. Denmark is a Colonial Power, Not a Progressive Beacon Contrary to its reputation for happiness and human rights, Denmark runs Greenland as a modern colony. This includes a forced contraception program targeting 12-13 year old Inuit girls and economic control where 50%+ of working-age Greenlanders work for the government.
3. Climate Change is Creating the "New Panama Canal" The melting Arctic ice cap is opening new shipping routes between Europe and Asia through the North. Any cargo passing this route must go through Greenlandic/Danish waters, making Greenland a critical chokepoint for 21st-century global trade.
4. Greenland Wants Independence, But Denmark Won't Let Go Greenlanders voted for independence in a referendum, but Danish law requires the Danish Parliament to approve any independence - a catch-22. Without Greenland (and the Faroe Islands), Denmark ceases to be a "kingdom" and becomes just Denmark.
5. China and India Are the Real Wild Cards While focus remains on US-Denmark tensions, China and India are rapidly expanding their Arctic presence through "research" missions and shipping investments. For every American business jet landing in Greenland, there are Chinese and Indian interests as well.
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