(MENAFN- AzerNews)
Elnur Enveroglu
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The US aims at expanding with Canada as the 51st state, Panama
52nd, and Greenland 53rd.
This is according to new US President-elect Donald Trump, whose
ambitious announcement caused a big resonance prior to his taking
office in the White House.
Talking about the historical background of Canada, Donald Trump
said it would be part of the USA without any military intervention.
In his recent statement, Donald trump claimed that the economic
strength of the USA would enable her to annex the abovementioned
territories under the new status of American states.
In his statement, D. Trump touched on multiple issues and he
gave insight into many complex situations. For example, he says
that military invasion in Panama and Greenland might be unavoidable
as the US sees it as a security issue.
Donald Trump calls Panama a matter of economic security as
China's interference is a stone's throw away from his country's
territory.
Why Panama is so strategically important for the
USA?
US-Panama confrontations have been since XIX centuries and it
has been finalized with the US invasion of Panama in 1989 in order
to arrest Manuel Noriega, the former dictator who ruled Panama
without being an elected president for almost 6 years.
In our days, the Panama-US relations have been high in many
aspects. The two countries cooperate in economic, political,
security, and social development through U.S. and international
agencies. Cultural ties between the two countries are strong and
many Panamanians go to the United States for higher education and
advanced training.
Besides that, according to the demographic indicator, 25,000
American citizens reside in Panama, many of which hold dual
nationality.
However, since President-elect Donald Trump's announcement of
annexing Panama, it has stood out as a focal point of huge
strategic importance.
It is clear from President Trump's statements that as the China
factor becomes a threat to the United States, it becomes necessary
for the United States to have greater immunity to protection.
Today, Chinese companies such as Landbridge Group and the Hong
Kong-based CK Hutchison Holdings now operate ports at both ends of
the canal. Moreover, the dual use of the canal also creates an
opportunity for the expansion of relations between China and Latin
American countries, which is a cause for further concern for
America.
US intention of Canada's full integration
When we say Canada, we can say that we are almost in America.
Both countries have preserved their historical roots, with their
shared economic, political, and military strengths serving common
interests. But new US President Donald Trump doesn't quite see it
that way.
His ambition to annex Canada to the USA made him known as the“new
imperialist president”. So, why Trump is so eager to see Canada as
the 51st state of America?
Trump thinks unless Canada is fully annexed the USA, its full
integration is not guaranteed, despite the economies and supply
chains of both countries being fully integrated. It is a fact that
every day, around 400,000 people and $2.7 billion in goods and
services cross the Canada-U.S. border.
The close economic partnership has been facilitated by shared
values and strong bilateral trade agreements. Due to the North
American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and its successor, the United
States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), both countries have gained
better leverage in fostering economic cooperation and integration
between the two nations. Cross-border projects, such as
communications, highways, bridges, and pipelines have led to shared
energy networks and transportation systems.
Furthermore, both Canada and the USA have established joint
inspection agencies, share data and have harmonized regulations on
everything from food to manufactured goods. Perhaps it is precisely
because of these nuances that Donald Trump's desire to include
Canada in America may be justified. There are also subtle issues
that are not visible in the background of all the economic and
political harmony. For example, disputes have included repeated
trade disagreements, environmental concerns, Canadian concern for
the future of oil exports, the issue of illegal immigration, the
threat of terrorism, and illicit drug trade.
A similar situation is reflected in the military sphere. While
everything seems glossy on the surface, some issues behind the
scenes indicate deep rifts between the two countries. Canada
cooperated closely with the United States during World War II and
the Cold War, both through NORAD and NATO. However, in the last
four decades, Canada has not been on this list. Thus, Canada has
been reluctant to participate in US military operations that are
not sanctioned by the United Nations, such as the Vietnam War or
the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Canadian peacekeeping is a
distinguishing feature that Canadians feel sets their military
foreign policy apart from the United States.
Greenland says no way to sell its territory
A massive island, which seems to many to be just a large piece
of ice, is actually home to a huge treasure. The island of
Greenland, which is almost entirely populated by Danes, is also
governed as an autonomous state.
Although it has been known as a colony of Denmark for many
centuries, today this island is counting down the days to come
under the control of the United States as Trump's remarks spark
serious concerns.
Geographically, Greenland lies on the shortest route from North
America to Europe, making it strategically important for the
USA.
It is also home to a large American space facility and has some
of the largest deposits of rare earth minerals, which are crucial
in the manufacture of batteries and high-tech devices.
While Trump's views on Greenland have been making headlines in
the media in recent days, his ambitions for the island date back to
2019. Trump had proposed purchasing the island during his first
term as president. However, other issues on the agenda temporarily
put the Greenland issue on hold.
Today, Donald Trump's return to the issue and calling it an
"absolute necessity" has begun to arouse serious interest. Trump
calls it a step taken for the security of America and the
international community.
However, Prime Minister Egede previously said Greenland was not and
would not be "for sale," while emphasising the importance of
staying open to "co-operation and trade with the whole world".
If the US to resort military intervention
Donald Trump's ambitious ideas, which are the focus of interest
of European politicians and interpreted by them in various forms,
are causing greater excitement day by day. From January 20,
decisions that can change the fate of the world map will come into
force, which will lead to a change in the political vectors of many
European countries.
Although some call these ideas of Trump rhetoric, there are many
who also assume that they will come true. But how will this happen?
Peacefully or militarily?
According to the new US president, national security cannot be
compromised under any circumstances. For example, if Panama
cooperates with the US at a high level in every field, this does
not guarantee that it is a completely reliable ally.
For example, China's presence in the Panama Canal and its
expansion policy may change relations at any moment. For this
reason, the US may resort to military intervention.
Less than a week is left, and the questions that arise are
seeking answers in the final decisions that Donald Trump will
make.
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