Buying Greenland

In 1884 German Chancellor Bismarck was worried that competition for African colonies would lead to conflict among European powers.  He sent out invitations for representatives from European counties to meet in Berlin and carve up Africa into zones of influence.  At that time only Ethiopia and Liberia were independent African nations.  The delegates got out maps of Africa and drew boundaries.  I guess I don’t need to point out that no Africans were consulted.

That kind of colonialism went out of style after World War II.  A few colonial remnants still exist (Greenland, Puerto Rico, Guam), but present conflicts are less likely to be between a colonial power and its subjugated people, than launched by internal groups (Kurds, Basques) who chafe under rule they regard as illegitimate.

Which brings us to the goofball in the White House wanting to buy Greenland.  Greenland has people living in it.  You just don’t buy them, and Denmark, the colonial country, will not sell them.  I can say with assurance that the self-governing people of Greenland would definitely not want to transfer to the U.S.

Greenland, by the way, has about the same number of people as Carbon County, Pennsylvania.  Maybe the U.S. could sell Carbon County to Denmark.