Greenland Grab: Not a Trump Anomaly, But Empire's Playbook
📰 THE STORY: The Independent paints Donald Trump’s interest in acquiring Greenland as a chaotic manifestation of his 'dangerous global power-grab,' asserting it exemplifies how 'only one rule applies in his world' regarding resource acquisition and strategic positioning – implying a break from established norms. 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context: The idea of the US acquiring
Greenland is hardly new or unique to Trump's 'chaos.' The U.S. first tried to buy Greenland in 1867 under President Andrew Johnson, and again in 1946 under President Harry S. Truman for $100 million. This was part of a broader pattern of US expansionism, including the 1867 purchase of Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million (approx. $140 million today) and the 1898 annexation of Hawaii, following a
1893 coup against Queen Liliʻuokalani by US sugar planters, with explicit US government support. This isn't Trump's unique 'rule,' it's the imperial rulebook. Double Standard: The Independent frames Trump's 'pursuit' of Greenland as an alarming departure from global norms, yet this desire for strategic territories and resources is entirely consistent with the historical actions of Western powers,
including the UK itself. When France, the UK, or the US establish military bases across the Pacific or Indian Ocean – like the UK's forcible removal of the Chagos Islanders from Diego Garcia between 1968 and 1973 to lease the island to the US for a military base – it's framed as 'strategic,' 'defensive,' or 'upholding international law.' When a leader simply asks to buy territory rich in rare