Trump has asked aides if it's possible to buy Greenland, sources say

Discussion in 'Latest US & World News' started by Thedimon, Aug 16, 2019.

  1. Spim

    Spim Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    Nov 11, 2016
    Messages:
    7,664
    Likes Received:
    6,183
    Trophy Points:
    113
    I totally would like to buy Greenland, I want in on the bidding.
     
    Last edited: Aug 16, 2019
  2. Thedimon

    Thedimon Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 17, 2018
    Messages:
    12,121
    Likes Received:
    8,714
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    Such things are never for sale unless you ask.
    Currently Greenland is a drain on Danish economy. So, for Denmark, spinning off Greenland is already a positive thing. Getting a few bucks in the process is even better.
    If we guarantee to Denmark some special treatment to inhabitants of Greenland (like US citizenship, aid, representation in Congress) then we might be able to get them to agree.
    But as I mentioned in the OP, we’d probably need to get at least some formal OK from Greenlanders themselves.
     
    Blaster3 likes this.
  3. Thedimon

    Thedimon Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 17, 2018
    Messages:
    12,121
    Likes Received:
    8,714
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    You don’t understand how American debt works.
    That’s OK, though, not everyone does.
     
  4. Thedimon

    Thedimon Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 17, 2018
    Messages:
    12,121
    Likes Received:
    8,714
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    No.
    Most of Greenland is covered by ice sheet like 1km thick. Alaska is not covered by ice, and still the permafrost does not make it ideal for agriculture. It would take hundreds, if not thousands of years for Greenland to become friendly to agriculture.
    Also, because most of Greenland is covered by ice, most of its ground is literally rock and dust, like on an alien planet. You would need to make or import a heck of a lot of dirt to make land arable.
     
  5. Steady Pie

    Steady Pie Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    Oct 15, 2012
    Messages:
    24,506
    Likes Received:
    7,247
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    I think democracy is best realised in local communities where politicians are accountable to the individual and a one size fits all policy isn't crushed over 300,000,000 people.

    55,000 is too many, too centralised. I'd break it into a confederation of 6 or 7 states, with a unanimity rule in place.
     
  6. Imnotreallyhere

    Imnotreallyhere Well-Known Member Donor

    Joined:
    Apr 8, 2014
    Messages:
    2,881
    Likes Received:
    1,396
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    The Constitution would grant them 2 senators and 1 representative.
     
  7. wombat

    wombat Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 6, 2017
    Messages:
    1,245
    Likes Received:
    482
    Trophy Points:
    83
    Gender:
    Male
    Its not what you earn, its what you spend...and with no shops?
     
  8. Woogs

    Woogs Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 6, 2011
    Messages:
    8,382
    Likes Received:
    2,556
    Trophy Points:
    113
    The US is desperate for rare earth minerals and Greenland has large deposits. That's why Trump is bringing it up.

    China currently controls 90% of rare earths (not has, but controls).
     
    scarlet witch likes this.
  9. LangleyMan

    LangleyMan Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 14, 2017
    Messages:
    44,677
    Likes Received:
    12,448
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    The Inuit get a lot of help from the government in Canada. Do they get enough help? Probably not.
     
  10. APACHERAT

    APACHERAT Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    Jun 23, 2013
    Messages:
    38,026
    Likes Received:
    16,042
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    Puerto Rico is borderline shithole.

    Puerto Rico is one small step above Los Angeles.

    The only thing Puerto Rico has contributed to mankind is a talking horse who goes by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

    upload_2019-8-16_7-37-25.jpeg
     
  11. APACHERAT

    APACHERAT Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    Jun 23, 2013
    Messages:
    38,026
    Likes Received:
    16,042
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    kazenatsu likes this.
  12. modernpaladin

    modernpaladin Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    Apr 23, 2017
    Messages:
    27,703
    Likes Received:
    21,102
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    That's what satelites are for. I think the natural resources argument is better, (though I question if they're so abundant, why aren't their more/wealthier people in Greenland...?)
     
  13. Woogs

    Woogs Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 6, 2011
    Messages:
    8,382
    Likes Received:
    2,556
    Trophy Points:
    113
    China's Shenghe Resources Holding Co Ltd - the largest shareholder in Greenland Minerals Ltd - has formed a joint venture company with subsidiaries of China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) for the trading and processing of rare earth minerals. The creation of the joint venture supports the development of Greenland's Kvanefjeld Project.

    https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/New-Chinese-JV-for-rare-earth-minerals-from
     
    modernpaladin likes this.
  14. modernpaladin

    modernpaladin Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    Apr 23, 2017
    Messages:
    27,703
    Likes Received:
    21,102
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    So 'buy Greenland' to take it from China?

    Nuff said. Lets do it.
     
  15. Woogs

    Woogs Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 6, 2011
    Messages:
    8,382
    Likes Received:
    2,556
    Trophy Points:
    113
    modernpaladin likes this.
  16. zoom_copter66

    zoom_copter66 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 6, 2016
    Messages:
    16,501
    Likes Received:
    8,471
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male


    Just think of all the development that would happen if the US bought it....Disneyland of the North!!!:))
     
  17. Thedimon

    Thedimon Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 17, 2018
    Messages:
    12,121
    Likes Received:
    8,714
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    Interestingly enough, no one seem to know for sure what the locals would think of it.
    Someone should conduct a poll in Greenland to see what locals really think.
    Giving each $500k or even $1M for verified vote in favor is a viable idea.

    With GDP per capita of $37k, the payouts would be equivalent to 15 years of average earnings.
     
  18. Pro_Line_FL

    Pro_Line_FL Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    Oct 16, 2018
    Messages:
    25,631
    Likes Received:
    13,919
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    There was no such vote in 2008, but there was in 2012, but only the Congress can grant Statehood. It is not up to the president. However, the vote was not about Statehood, but:

    1. Yes, for status quo
    2. No, for independence, statehood or sovereign nation in association of US

    They voted #2, but what is Congress supposed to do with it, since it has three options? It was ignored by the Congress.

    In 2017 they held another vote with 23% turnout, and they elected Statehood, and that is where is stands now.
     
  19. Pro_Line_FL

    Pro_Line_FL Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    Oct 16, 2018
    Messages:
    25,631
    Likes Received:
    13,919
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    According to Danish law (since 2009) it is for the residents of Greenland to decide. There are only 56K residents, so they might be persuaded with money, say $1 million per person.
     
  20. Bowerbird

    Bowerbird Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 13, 2009
    Messages:
    91,873
    Likes Received:
    73,627
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Female
    Would they be a state or would they end up like Puerto Rico?
     
  21. Bowerbird

    Bowerbird Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 13, 2009
    Messages:
    91,873
    Likes Received:
    73,627
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Female
    Even then, where is America going to get the money?
     
  22. Thedimon

    Thedimon Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 17, 2018
    Messages:
    12,121
    Likes Received:
    8,714
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    We will raid Sydney and sell it’s residents to North Korea as slaves.
     
  23. zer0lis

    zer0lis Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 13, 2015
    Messages:
    677
    Likes Received:
    274
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Gender:
    Male
    I think it's a superb long term investment, pretty much like Alaska buyout.

    I don't think the Danes will sell it though and the natives of Greenland has alot in common with Danes but not so much with Americans.

    The people there are cool and would make a great addition and there are a lot of resources there, like a lot!

    Anyway, great idea, one of the few of trumps, but don't think it's feasible.
    I think he is putting his expertise at work, and can see the ROI of such a deal. Congrats to him.

    I would like to add that I like the approach of this, and of the fellow American posters(IE, giving them state status and asking them). If would be Russia instead, it will just war over it and spin the propaganda machine.
     
    Last edited: Aug 17, 2019
  24. Glücksritter

    Glücksritter Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 27, 2009
    Messages:
    1,907
    Likes Received:
    296
    Trophy Points:
    83

    There are areas in Greenland which became very good grounds for agriculture already, if thats a rather small percentage I cannot tell. However, clima change can make the resources easier to exploit as well thus making it cheaper and the investment more interesting. I would be surprised though, if Denmark even thinks about it.
     
  25. Glücksritter

    Glücksritter Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 27, 2009
    Messages:
    1,907
    Likes Received:
    296
    Trophy Points:
    83
    Can't you replace her by Mister Ed?
     
    APACHERAT likes this.

Share This Page