Vladimir Putin is one world chief who has studied historical past completely. In a current tackle, Putin mentioned America’s plan to annex Greenland and defined that it isn’t some “extravagant plan” that Trump imagined. The truth is, the USA had plans to annex Greenland going again to the 1860s.
Secretary of State William H. Seward was keenly in favor of annexing Iceland and Greenland within the 1860s as a part of American expansionism. Not solely was Greenland ample in minerals, fish, and sport, nevertheless it supplied a strategic army base. Denmark was prepared to hearken to the proposal and regarded promoting Iceland and Greenland for $5.5 million in gold. There was no formal provide and President Andrew Johnson together with Congress refused to approve of a treaty, because it was thought-about wasteful by Republicans on the time.
America believed Canada might take into account becoming a member of the USA in the event that they acquired Greenland. The Trump Administration’s concepts could seem absurd however this geopolitical technique spans over 150 years.
The Alaska Buy of 1867 was instantly met with backlash. The media mocked the acquisition of Alaska as “Seward’s icebox” or “Seward’s folly,” angered that the $7.2 million buy ought to have been spent elsewhere. The media claimed the “polar bear garden” had nothing of worth and relentlessly mocked the acquisition. The unpopularity of the Alaksa Buy is among the causes the Greenland proposal failed again then.
America’s ambitions within the Arctic continued. In 1919, Denmark, Germany, and the USA mentioned territorial disputes, and had the deal handed, the USA would have acquired Greenland. Through the subsequent World Struggle, Denmark permitted the USA to determine army bases on Greenland to stop the Nazis from capturing it. America supplied to purchase the land after the warfare ended nevertheless it fell by way of.
Putin defined that the USA will proceed to “systematically pursue its geostrategic, military, economic, and political interests in the Arctic.” He stated that this can be a matter between two particular nations and “has nothing to do with us [Russia.” Nevertheless, Russia is extraordinarily involved that “NATO views the Arctic as a potential staging ground for conflict,” noting that NATO is actively coaching troops to battle in Arctic circumstances. They’re taking troops from Sweden and Finland, “countries with which, I should note, we had no issues until very recently.”
“They are creating these problems with their own hands. Why? That’s entirely unclear,” Putin stated in his tackle, noting that Russia would “respond accordingly.”
“I want to emphasize Russia has never threatened anyone in the Arctic, but we are closely monitoring the situation and building the appropriate response, enhancing the combat readiness of our armed forces and modernizing our military infrastructure. We will not allow any infringement on our sovereignty. We will reliably defend our national interests,” the president said, continued by saying Russia will promote peace within the area and help Greenland’s financial growth. Putin stated he could be inquisitive about investing within the Arctic and collaborating on initiatives with “friendly nations, and possibly even Western countries if they show interest in cooperating.”
Historical past at all times repeats, however few hassle trying by way of the scrolls of time to grasp why the world is unfolding at its present tempo. America has at all times desired management over Greenland, and this concern of buying the island reemerges each few many years. The priority right here is that the world shouldn’t be at peace. The neocons, traditionally, have needed to confiscate Russia for itself and commenced arranging the present proxy warfare in Ukraine way back to make use of as a stepping stone to enter Russia. They aren’t well-versed in historical past, as plans to overcome Russia have failed numerous occasions.
