Mark Jakobsen
Appearances
Global News Podcast
First deaths as wildfires wreak havoc in LA
First of all, it's important to emphasise that the US actually already have military control over Greenland. So what Trump wants in extension of that, that's a really good question. But To your question, what are the reasons the U.S. has an immense interest in Greenland? There are two main reasons.
Global News Podcast
First deaths as wildfires wreak havoc in LA
One is Greenland's geostrategic location located in the middle of the Arctic, exactly in the middle between North America and Russia. So if Russia were to send missiles towards the North America area, towards Washington, they would fly via the North Pole over Greenland.
Global News Podcast
First deaths as wildfires wreak havoc in LA
And therefore, the Thule Air Base, which is today named the Bitufik Airspace in respect of the Greenlandic name of the place, is strategically important to the defense of U.S. national security.
Global News Podcast
First deaths as wildfires wreak havoc in LA
The second reason is the immense natural resources which Greenland holds in its underground, especially rare earth elements, which are important for all kinds of modern technologies from wind farms to cell phones to weapons and so on and so forth. The chips you use in that. And on a global scale, China has a near monopoly on rare earth elements.
Global News Podcast
First deaths as wildfires wreak havoc in LA
So in the great power competition with China and in order to secure technological development in the U.S., rare earth elements are important to secure.