LOS ANGELES (OC).–President Donald Trump went to the Davos Economic Forum in Switzerland knowing he was not Mr. popularity, with the European Union [EU] angry over his attempt to buy Greenland after told repeatedly it wasn’t for sale. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney took full advantage slamming Trump obliquely saying powerful nations should show more respect for less powerful ones. Canada ranks10th in world Gross Domestic Product [GDP] at $2.3 trillion compared to the United States at over $30 trillion, at least $11 trillion ahead of China, but, more importantly, ahead of the entire European Union [EU] at $21 trillion, attesting to the powerful U.S. economy under Trump. Russia ranks No. 9 in world GDP, at around $2.5 trillion, a small fraction of U.S. wealth. So, when it comes to Europe, they’re in awe of the mighty U.S. economy and world standing.
Carney delivered an underdog’s speech, asking more powerful nations, without naming names, to show more humility to middle of the road economies like Canada. Trump responded that Canada should show more gratitude to the U.S. for all it does to suppot the Canadian economy. “Canada gets a lot of freebies from us. By the way, they should be grateful,” Trump said, further irking Davos participants. “I watched you pime minister yesterday, he wasn’t so grateful,” Trump said about Carney. Finnish Prime Minister Alexander Stuff praised Carney for giving the best speech at the meeting. Stubb liked Carney’s speech because he delivered the same politically correct talking points as the EU. Carney took a swipe at the U.S. two-party system that seems to the rest of the world in chaos, with Democrats and the fake news busy pushing for Trump’s impeachment.
No member of the EU can explain their opposition to the U.S. buying Greenland from Demark at fair-market value. Carney implied that Trump wanted to continue American imperialism, when Trump has made clear owning Greenland is about prosperity and security. What would Canada or the EU do if Russia or China decided to move into Greenland? Carney knows that Canada plays a very minor role on the world stage. But when it comes to dealing with Russia, China, Iran, North Korea or other rogue states, Canada and the EU have little global influence. When it comes to Greenland, the EU sends troops to stave off what could have been a U.S. invasion. Does the EU really think of the U.S. like they do Russia and China? When it comes to containing, Russia the EU looks to the U.S. for help.
Carney’s speech was not just insulting to Washington, it showed the kind of profound disconnect that happens in the EU. Collectively, 27 of the world’s richest countries don’t come close to the U.S. economy. New York, not London or Frankfurt, is the center of world economic commerce. Trump comes to Davos with a proven economic record with Wall Street reaching record highs and U.S. GDP [43%] far exceeding the EU GDP at 1.4%, dangerously close to recession. So, when Trump says he’d like buy Greenland, Denmark should jump for joy letting the U.S. take an albatross off their neck. Demark spends about $500 million annually on Greenland, a drop-n-the-bucker of what Greenland needs for economic growth and development.. Yet the EU has collectively recoiled at Trump’s desire to buy Greenland from Denmark at fair-market value, something that would make Demark rich.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told the Munich Security Conference a year ago that Trump was not concerned about European security. Zelensky made the point that he was fighting the Kremlin to defend European democracy, a laughable proposition because he finds his country devastated after four years of war with the Kremlin. Yet Zelensky refuses to sign on to Trump’s peace plan asking him to make no sacrifices since he doesn’t control the territory now asked by Putin. Putin shows interest in ending the war as long as he gets independence for Donetsk and Luhansk in the Donbas region. Zelensky and the EU have rejected Putin’s offer, saying they can’t cede land to the Kremlin. Zelensky readily accepts billions from the U.S. and EU but doesn’t deliver any results on the battlefield, only emore carnage, destruction and lost sovereign land.
Trump told Davos participants to consider selling Greenland to the U.S. because it would provide more economic development and security to the Arctic island. Trump ruled out using force to take Greenland but told the EU that it was in Denmark’s, Greenland’s and the EU’s best interests to put Greenland into U.S. hands. EU officials, led by French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrick Meerz and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, have worried enough about a Russian takeover of EU territory to give Ukraine over 100 billion euros to keep fighting the war with Russia. If the EU has so much worry about Russia, why would they not think Russian President Vladimir Putin would not consider taking Greenland? Only the U.S. has the military capability of neutralizing a Russian threat. Greenland would be in safer hands with U.S. control.
About the Author John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bu
