Editorial ‘One way or the other’

Column By Mike Bibb

Not sure about this boast from President Trump. Normally, I’m in agreement with most of his ideas, but this one seems — at least from his statement — a little too blustery.

Or maybe it’s all part of his “Art of the Deal” tactics.

I realize my opinions on certain national and international topics are predicated upon the reliance on various media publications and broadcasts. 

Some news sources are reliable and fairly factual, many others are a bucket of misstatements, opinions, exaggerations, obvious falsehoods, and intentional lies reflecting the corporate line.

As an example, the establishment press’s continual ranting of Trump being the “New Hitler,” “King,” and his followers being obedient “Nazis” is a smear that’s been around for practically as long as Trump’s been in office.

The FBI raid on his Florida home was a total misuse of Biden’s Department of Justice. Nothing was found to be of an illegal nature or outside the authority of a former President.

Yet, a couple of dozen armed agents stormed the property, searching for some kind of fictitious evidence to entrap Trump.

As usual, the incursion was Biden-sponsored b.s., and the FBI’s forced entrance failed to produce the imaginary documents.

However, a large percentage of establishment news barely mentioned it.

After finally admitting Joe’s brain had turned to mush, he was suddenly pulled from reelection by his own political party, sent home to compose some kind of wacky autobiography, and imagine a new library filled with his voluminous achievements, awards, and global accolades.

I can’t imagine the library being much larger than his home garage — the safe location of several classified reports he had secretly purloined from the government over the years. 

Again, yesterday’s news. “Joe wasn’t cognizant enough to really recognize his blunders, so no need in harping upon it,” went the spin. “He’s just an elderly man with a poor memory,” and similar excuses were reported as the real reasons behind his muddling behavior.

Today, the “We’re gonna get Trump this time. For sure!” scheming has gone way beyond monotonous to borderline asinine. However, that’s the current state of news reporting, and many people have come to expect it.

This also accounts for the continued rise in the popularity of online news sources, podcasts, and conservative radio and TV. Folks want their news to be news — not a tirade of silly drivel and nauseating babbling over the same Trump cliches. 

Aside from the current fraudulent scams being perpetrated in Minnesota and, supposedly, several other states, the mainstream media seems to be focused on Trump’s interest in acquiring the largest island in the world — Greenland.

FYI, Greenland is approximately 836,000 square miles, three times the size of Texas and about 25% larger than Alaska.

A pretty good-sized chunk of real estate. 

Apparently, Trump’s desire to obtain the island — presently, property of Denmark — is based upon a national security issue: Its strategic location between the U.S., Europe, Russia, and China.

When looking down upon a world globe, it can be seen that Greenland is in close proximity to Northern Europe and Russia, while China is further south. Alaska is just next door to Eastern Russia.

Since modern warfare is currently a race of who-can-hit-who-first-with-a-missile and stealthy aircraft, Greenland could close the gap considerably as a location for deploying armaments over the Arctic Circle, a shorter route to intended targets in the northern hemisphere.

Not new thinking — merely a rehash of common knowledge. 

Greenland and Denmark realize this and have offered Trump an option of increasing the U.S. military presence on the island.

Then, there’s the not-so-secret fact that Greenland, because of its enormous size, possesses large accumulations of natural resources. Stuff other stuff can be made from. Which, in turn, means exploration, extraction, and development of these resources could be a profitable business endeavor.

Consequently, the combination of military and commercial purposes presents a reasonable incentive for the President to pursue his argument for obtaining Greenland. 

I’m sure the island’s 57,000 residents — about 1 person per 14.5 square miles — may have differing opinions on the subject, but the reality of the situation is Greenland is no longer an ignored part of the world. 

It may be loaded with ice, snow, and cold, but beneath its rough exterior, veins of riches are probably awaiting anyone with the wherewithal to take the chance to pursue and find them.

China and Russia may be expressing an interest in the area, but it’s questionable if they really have the economic ability and military dominance to achieve such aspirations.

Particularly, with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Europe on one side and the United States on the other.

By the way, the 32-nation NATO union is sustained, to a large extent, by the United States. Other member nations have recently increased their monetary contributions, only because of Trump’s insistence. If the United States were to withdraw its association with the group, it would probably implode from its own incompetence, financial ineptitude, and internal bickering.

After all, most of the members are European, who haven’t been able to consistently agree among themselves on practically anything for several hundred years.

World Wars and several smaller ones have started and ended in the region within the past century. It probably wouldn’t be any different now if it weren’t for the military supremacy of the United States as NATO’s ace-in-the-hole.

Denmark, Greenland, and Europe might want to keep this in mind. It hasn’t been that long ago when the real Adolph Hitler rolled over Europe with his blitzkrieg (lightning warfare).

While modern technology has significantly improved guns, bombs, and rockets, it hasn’t shortened the distance between the planet’s continents or altered the course of human greed.

Bad guys are always jealous of other people’s possessions, constantly looking for ways of stealing them — including their property, freedoms, and even their lives.

That part of human nature hasn’t changed since Cain hit Abel in the head with a rock because he thought God favored lamb more than garden-variety fruits and veggies.

The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author.