Yes, last week was exceptionally bizarre which, given the past couple of years, is saying a lot.
First we had Congresswomen Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib wanting to go all Thelma and Louise on Israel. The two Muslim members of the lower house weren't entirely clear on why they were planning to travel there, although Tlaib's grandmother does live in a West Bank settlement. Suspicions however were this particular half of, "The Squad," wanted to raise some hell at the very source of their political ire. Hey, there is nothing quite as headline grabbing as demanding a boycott of Israel from Israeli soil.
Don Trump, who knows a thing or two about headline snatching, suspected as much. He let Israel know, via Twitter, they would be considered weak--he said by the world, but he really meant by him alone--if they let the two women in. The Israelis took the bait and banned both Omar and Tlaib.
The shit, as it were, immediately hit the fan. Everyone not named Donald J. Trump began to criticize the Jewish State. Within hours, it seemed, the Israeli government said, Ms. Tlaib could come, but only to visit her grandmother and only if she promised not to say anything about her proposed boycott of the nation. Omar, not having a relative anywhere near the West Bank, remained persona non grata.
The Congresswoman from Michigan, wildly indignant about the restrictions, immediately refused the offer. By passing on the visit to dear old Grandma she confirmed what every right wing hack had believed all along, that her trip was going to be nothing more than political theater. Plus she turned a possible victory of sorts into what can best be described as a cynical ploy gone awry.
Then there was Steve King--not to be confused with Stephen King. Stephen King writes horror stories while Steve King is one. Last week, in an effort to defend a ban on abortion even in cases of rape and incest, the Iowa Congressman claimed if it wasn't for people committing those two crimes against nature throughout history humans would have gone the way of the Neanderthal by now.
That's right, according to Steve King, without rape and incest there would no longer be a human race, because apparently not even the Chinese and Indians do enough fucking to sustain it. Of course knowing King's past remarks we can assume he was referencing Caucasians rather than everyone else because in his mind they're the only ones who count.
Then we come to the President's latest obsession. Last week the news broke Mr. Trump wants to buy Greenland. You know, the world's largest island, that one which has an incredibly thick layer of ice covering over three fourths its surface.
Okay it isn't a new idea. Right after the United States purchased Alaska in 1867 a proposal was floated in the Senate to buy Greenland and Iceland--although Senators were warned the Icelanders probably wouldn't go along with the idea without a fight. The idea was with Alaska in the west and Greenland in the east our old foe, those dangerous Canadians, would be nearly surrounded and therefore more apt to give up the British Crown to join us. The proposal was literally laughed out of the chamber.
In 1946, knowing the Russkies were up to no good, Harry Truman offered the Danes $100 million in gold for the island. Denmark refused the offer, but let the U.S. build Thule AFB there free of charge. It remains the northernmost American military facility in the world and we're still not paying anyone a dime for it.
There are currently 56,480 people who are citizens of Greenland. To put that in perspective, if they all, each and every man, woman, and child, were to take a seat in the University of Oklahoma's football stadium, there would still be right at 30,000 empty spaces.
That doesn't mean Donald John Trump is the only one with designs on the island. There are theories the place is loaded with minerals and there is the possibility of oil and natural gas deposits. Among others the Canadians, Russians, and Chinese are interested in developing those resources.
However, Trump's main problem is, even though Denmark subsidizes Greenland, the island obtained home rule in 1979 and in 2008 the act was expanded even further. In other words, as the Danish Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen said today, "Denmark doesn't own Greenland, Greenland owns Greenland." She also said any talks about the purchase of Greenland would be, "absurd."
After the news hit last week the Prime Minister of Greenland, Kim Kielsen took to Twitter himself and wrote, "Greenland is open for business, but not for sale."
Subtleties such as national sovereignty have never bothered Trump though. He keeps blathering on about Greenland being a, "great real estate deal," and maintains, "a lot of things can be done." Then he said, "Greenland is hurting Denmark, they pay $700 million a year to support it."
The President then then said his next European excursion might include Denmark, although talks about buying Greenland wouldn't be on the agenda if he does make a stop there.
Right. Then why bring this nonsense up at all, which is exactly what Trump's people did, especially when you're close to visiting the place?
Some have speculated Donald Trump wants to buy Greenland to enhance his presidential legacy. The rest of us aren't so sure since we suspect his true legacy will be to nullify next years election if he loses. If he wins it will be suspending the constitution four years further down the road so he can run for a third term. It isn't like he hasn't, "joked," about both during his rallies.
Whatever the case, be careful Denmark. The guy in the Oval office is increasingly erratic and now he is starting to act like a Michael Corleone telling Moe Green The Family wants to buy him out of the ice bound island business.
And--way back then we all saw what happened to Moe before the end credits ran.
8-19-19
M
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