On Trump's Neo-Imperialism

On Trump’s Neo-imperialism

On Friday, United States President Donald Trump had a phone call with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen which has been characterized as “fiery” and “horrendous.” This comes after Trump has repeatedly stated his intentions of acquiring the territories of Greenland and the Panama Canal from Denmark and Panama, respectively. What is worse, he will not rule out the use of force in taking these areas. This is blatant imperialism. Both Greenland and the Panama Canal sit at strategic focal points for American security, and Greenland in particular contains plentiful resources which could be extracted for energy production and consumption as well as semiconductor manufacturing. Trump and his Republican supporters do not even hide this amoral reasoning, claiming the policies are necessary for international security and the economic well-being of the United States, but nothing could be further from the truth.

Power politics has only ever resulted in injustices and the worst acts in human history, and as such must be condemned in the strongest possible terms. Even looking from a purely strategic point of view, the coerced acquisition of territories owned by allies would be a drastic misstep. Denmark, for starters, is a NATO ally of the United States, and worsening relations amongst its members only serves to weaken any hope for a united front against actual threats. It is another example of Trump dismissing America’s alliance structure in favor of unilateral action. True security for the United States regarding Greenland and the Panama Canal would be based on diplomacy and a respect for the laws and norms of sovereignty and self-determination. By ensuring strong relations with Copenhagen and Panama City, Washington could limit its own expenditure of resources, increase its influence with strategic partners, and take a step in legitimizing international law, not to mention avoid hypocrisy when it employs the slogan “rules-based international order.”

So, what is to be done? Atlas strives for a world in which individuals seek the common interest when differences appear, for political actors to reach across the borders of nations for collaboration, and for a democratic global governance architecture which can stifle such acts of aggression. This requires having Atlas members sitting in parliaments and other positions of power to steer states toward more ethical courses of action. We, therefore, encourage anyone who reads this statement to consider joining our cause and stand with us in elections, regardless of the level of government. There are other ways to apply pressure on policymakers, of course. By staying up to date on such issues we can call, write, and demonstrate so our lawmakers know they will face consequences if they go along with aggressive and illegal policies which will only make the world less safe and place the most vulnerable in even more desperate circumstances. Such acts are not inevitable, and it is worth reminding ourselves of the progress we have already made. Our forebears had to fight to secure that progress, and we owe it to them, to ourselves, and to those who come after us to do the same.

By Trent Trepanier

Picture: UN News