Above, a scene from Operation Musketeer.
In previous posts I have commented upon the annexationist desires of President elect Trump.
In this post (https://british-gazette.com/an-americans-dream/) I set out the legal and practical ways in which Mr Trump could achieve his aims. You will note that these require the consent of the people of Greenland (and the other territories he has his eyes on) expressed in the form of a referendum.
In other words, were Denmark to legislate for Greenland’s independence and were Greenland to vote to cease to be an independent state and to become a state or a territory of the USA there are absolutely no problems!
However achieving a state of affairs that result in the voters of an independent Greenland voting to become a state or a territory of the USA and then the subsequent treaty of joining being ratified by both Greenland’s and the USA’s legislature will take time and IF it does take place before Mr Trump leaves office for the last time it will very late in his presidency.
In this post (https://british-gazette.com/the-calm-before-the-storm-2/) I speculate upon the details of a hypothetical annexation by the use of the US military.
However, I did NOT comment upon the legal and political hurdles Mr Trump would be presented with if he sought to annex Greenland by force.
You see, the military chiefs of staff of the US armed forces would require a legal basis for the order that their Commander-in-Chief would be issuing.
This explains the infamous “dodgy dossier” that was issued before the invasion of Iraq to unseat Saddam Hussein.
In other words, IF Mr Trump was to decide that he wished to have the US military annex Greenland by invasion he would have to come up with a legal reason. This not only to satisfy the USA’s friends and allies but also the elected members in the House of Representatives and the Senate.
You see, were Mr Trump to order the US service chiefs to embark on an invasion of Greenland without a legal basis and IF (doubtful) the service chiefs followed his orders, the international and domestic (US) reactions would be severe. It is a racing certainty that the Democrats would seek his impeachment and it is entirely possible that the US Senate would convict him and thus he would be out of office.
It is far more likely that what we will see beginning on the afternoon of Monday 20 January is a large number of Executive Orders being issued to impose tariffs on a broad range of goods and services. Particularly affected will be Canada, the EU and the UK!
Insofar as the UK is concerned Mr Trump’s Executive Orders might not be limited to the importation of goods and services. He might terminate the UK’s participation in intelligence sharing and even cancel the US support for the UK’s so-called independent nuclear deterrent! You see, for legal reasons aka the Official Secrets Act, I cannot be specific, but I do feel that I can state this: The UK’s Trident nuclear deterrent is independent TO that of the USA’s but is NOT independent FROM the USA’s. I will NOT elaborate further as I do NOT want Devon & Cornwall Police to be knocking on my door!
Yesterday’s post (https://british-gazette.com/waiting/) commented that Two Tier Keir should be worried. This because Mr Trump may very well become more involved in the internal UK politics than any US President has done since President Eisenhower during the Suez Crisis (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suez_Crisis).
During the Suez Crisis we had petrol rationing. I was a baby at the time and as such was not aware of this but my parents were!
Here are some FACTS: The UK’s Drax Power station imports its fuel (wood pellets) from the USA. The UK imports “fracked gas” from the USA. IF Mr Trump cuts off these supplies by Executive Order or imposes other restrictions then the likelihood of steep increases in gas and electricity prices and power cuts is a racing certainty!
The effects on the UK economy – which is heavily weighted on the health of the financial services industry and the stock market and other exchanges such as commodities – will be severe.
The UK would be plunged into a deep crisis!
What could Mr Trump demand in concessions – in other words what would the UK government have to do to have the restrictions lifted?
They could be wide ranging and extensive.
They might include a release from prison of certain named individuals.
They might include the repeal of legislation relating to freedom of expression (the Public Order Act and later amendments). There might be repeal of additional legislation that Labour politicians would describe as anti-discrimination legislation.
Two Tier Keir and his colleagues would be placed into an unenviable situation!
Were he to resist the demands the UK economy would tank!
Were he to capitulate many on the centre and the left of politics would be radicalised and furious and many members of certain “communities” that might deem themselves to be adversely affected would be outraged.
Now, certain persons might speculate that the supporters of Reform UK and the MP’s associated with it would be pleased and would see their political fortunes enhanced.
I doubt it!
Why?
Because we would have a situation where a foreign government is extorting a UK government to make legislative changes it wants! Many Britons who deem themselves patriotic would be outraged – even if they were not in favour of let us say, “wokery”!
The Unfortunate Farage would be in a “no win” situation! If he supported Mr Trump he would be condemned as a collaborator and a Quisling. If he sought to make a public appeal to Mr Trump he would be humiliatingly denounced and thus would appear to be weak.