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One of the reasons would be strategic, @Dark Overlord, as Greenland is in a good geographical position in relation to European Russia should difficulties break out in that direction. Then there is his trade war with China. In the last couple of decades, China has obtained the mining rights for rare earth minerals through its investments in Africa. Rare earth minerals are essential in the manufacture of most modern technology. Trump wants his own rare earth minerals, and Greenland is said to have some of the biggest deposits in the world.

Dark Overlord said

Ron Nasty said

One of the reasons would be strategic, @Dark Overlord, as Greenland is in a good geographical position in relation to European Russia should difficulties break out in that direction.

But Alaska is so close to Siberia (about 2.5 miles at it’s closest (54 if you don’t count the Diomede islands)) that it seems more logical to come in from Siberia and enter European Russia that way.

While Greenland is far closer to what is often referred to as the “European Theatre,” central Western Europe and France, which were the centre of the two World Wars and countless European wars beforehand. If hostilities did break out with Russia the chances are that their first move would be westward, away from Siberia.

@Wigwam said

meanmistermustard said

Donald Trump is having a major sulk as he hasn’t gotten his own way in regards to buying Greenland with Denmark saying what everyone thinks which is that it’s absurd; he’s cancelled his state visit and resorted to having swipes at Denmark on twitter. He really is a pathetic man.

I think we’ve established it’s not an absurd idea……..And that it has some merits for all parties involved that are at least worth exploring.

I can see that it could be construed  that Trump was sulking over the point blank refusal to discuss the idea….Indeed that view, along with the assertion that Trump is a ‘pathetic man’ struck a chord with at least 5 other BMs….However, it could also be viewed that the Danish PM was somewhat rude and Trump felt affronted by the dismissal of the suggestion out-of-hand. 

We’ve established you can find a logic in the idea but that doesn’t mean it’s not an absurd idea without merit.

Why without merit?

Greenland is a largely self-ruled territory of Denmark that Denmark already has written into law is working its way toward independence. A country has not sold one of its territories for over 100 years because it would be frowned on. The charters that established the United Nations after World War II included the self-determination of a country’s population, which is why we saw the break-up of the European Empires after the WWII, as more and more colonised countries claimed their independence back.

It is an absurd idea without merit because the big powers no longer go around selling countries to each other like it’s some game of Monopoly.