{"id":31706,"date":"2024-12-25T05:00:28","date_gmt":"2024-12-25T10:00:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/orionscoldfire.com\/?p=31706"},"modified":"2024-12-24T22:50:18","modified_gmt":"2024-12-25T03:50:18","slug":"canada-greenland-panama-canal-deal-or-no-deal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/orionscoldfire.com\/index.php\/2024\/12\/25\/canada-greenland-panama-canal-deal-or-no-deal\/","title":{"rendered":"Canada, Greenland, Panama Canal.\u00a0 Deal or No Deal?"},"content":{"rendered":"

When I was a kid one of my best friends was crazy.\u00a0 He was wired so that whenever the opportunity arose, he was ready and willing to poke a beehive (metaphorically).\u00a0 He possessed a razor-sharp wit that had only one track; hilariously cruel mockery.\u00a0 He could mimic and belittle anyone or anything.\u00a0 The problem was he never selected his targets based on the blowback he could expect.\u00a0 And so there were very serious consequences; beatings, expulsions from schools and youth organizations and vendettas of various sorts.<\/p>\n

I think Donald Trump has a similar knack.\u00a0 Going all the way back to the days of \u201cLittle Marco\u201d Rubio and \u201clow energy\u201d Jeb, Trump has demonstrated that making his opponents look ridiculous is completely in his wheelhouse.\u00a0 Does this explain his recent statements about annexing or buying Canada, Greenland and the Panama Canal Zone?<\/p>\n

I guess we\u2019ll have to try and sort these things out.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s start with Canada.\u00a0 For starters, geographically speaking Canada is the second largest country on planet Earth.\u00a0 With a population of about 40,000,000 it\u2019s only slightly more populous than California and it is mostly quite cold.\u00a0 But it obviously has plenty of natural resources and potential.\u00a0 But it is kind of a real country so how exactly does it become part of the United States?\u00a0 Well, obviously it doesn\u2019t.\u00a0 Right now, the Justin Trudeau and his Liberal Party are the extremely unpopular majority party with him as prime minster.\u00a0 After the various COVID debacles and the following downturn in the economy, the Conservatives are expected to win the 2025 elections and send Trudeau packing.\u00a0 Now I have to assume that any Canadian politician who gave a positive response to this suggestion by Trump would be voted out of office during the next election.\u00a0 Who knows, maybe the Canadian parliament might vote to impeach him immediately just to punish such a thing.\u00a0 But I don\u2019t think there\u2019s a chance in the world of Canada agreeing to join the United States unless the Gates of Hell opened up in Ottawa and it was the only way to prevent their annihilation.\u00a0 So why would Trump say such a thing.\u00a0 Of course, because he was taunting Trudeau.\u00a0 And in this case what could be the consequences to him?\u00a0 None.\u00a0 Canada has no leverage over the United States and serves as the impotent straight man to any jibes that Trump cares to make.\u00a0 So, let\u2019s just say this one is just rhetoric.\u00a0 It\u2019s just like my boyhood friend exhibiting a penitent for cruel mockery.<\/p>\n

Then how about Greenland?\u00a0 Now this is a totally different animal.\u00a0 It is the largest island in the world but only about 50,000 people live there, mostly Inuit.\u00a0 Apparently, Denmark; the current owner of the island doesn\u2019t know what to do with it.\u00a0 They have white guilt over colonizing it a thousand years ago and want to give it back to the Inuit.\u00a0 So, Trump talking about buying it is actually a doable thing.\u00a0 Currently most of it is covered by glaciers.\u00a0 But if the ice continues to melt the way it is going someday this could be a very valuable piece of real estate.\u00a0 Also, the probable quantities of natural resources (including fresh water) are almost incalculable.\u00a0 So, let\u2019s call this one more than just rhetoric.\u00a0 Let\u2019s attribute it to Trump\u2019s love of a good deal at a good price.\u00a0 I think he\u2019s serious about this one.<\/p>\n

Now, what about the Panama Canal Zone?\u00a0 I think we can call this saber rattling against the Chinese.\u00a0 Chinese commercial interests in Panama may be related to very large increases in the cost of using the canal for shipping.\u00a0 Saying we should take it back may be Trump\u2019s way of threatening the Chinese with a fight they can\u2019t win if they take advantage of American companies using the canal.\u00a0 Does that mean he wouldn\u2019t actually take back the canal by force?\u00a0 Well, nothing is impossible but I would rate it as extremely unlikely.\u00a0 Blockading it, on the other hand, might be something he would do.\u00a0 So, let\u2019s call this one a special case where the rhetoric has some basis in reality.<\/p>\n

And finally, what other bargains remain out there for Donald Trump to annex?\u00a0 Mexico?\u00a0 Australia?\u00a0 Japan?\u00a0 Well, who can say?\u00a0 Mexico would actually make some sense.\u00a0 Not as a state but as a protectorate.\u00a0 We could crush the drug gangs and rebuild Mexico as a client state with our own puppet government installed to allow for its people to live decent lives.\u00a0 But honestly it would be more work than it would be worth to us.\u00a0 Better to build a wall four hundred feet tall and a hundred feet deep with laser-armed drones guarding it.<\/p>\n

And the rest of the world?\u00a0 Look we have enough problems with our own people.\u00a0 Mr. Trump, I know you like a deal but how about just reclaiming our own country.\u00a0 Is it a deal?<\/p>\n

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Which Place Will Trump Add to the United States?<\/strong><\/p>