Talk about MAGA neo-imperialism prompted my letter to The Economist, published in this week’s issue, January 18th, 2025.
Donald Trump says he wants to gain Greenland to bolster the security of the United States, so focusing on the commercial value of the island is off the mark. This is not a commercial transaction, but an existential strategy, so the value of Greenland should not be based on its resources, but on those of the United States. That’s not easy to calculate, but one estimate puts the net wealth of the US at around $137trn. And since that takes no account of human happiness and welfare, isn’t that the absolute minimum-starting point from which to consider the proportion that is worth paying as insurance?
Bill Young
Arlesheim, Switzerland