Posted on 12/25/2024 5:02:09 AM PST by karpov
Forgive us if we missed it, but we don’t recall Donald Trump campaigning to invade Panama and retake its famous canal. But there was the President-elect on the weekend, threatening our Central American ally with punishment if it doesn’t meet his demands.
“Our Navy and commerce have been treated in a very unfair and injudicious way. The fees being charged by Panama are ridiculous, highly unfair, especially knowing the extraordinary generosity that has been bestowed to Panama—I say, very foolishly, by the United States,” Mr. Trump told a crowd in Phoenix. “This complete ripoff of our country will immediately stop.”
He added: “We will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to the United States of America in full, quickly and without question. I’m not going to stand for it. So to the officials of Panama, please be guided accordingly.”
Where did that come from? Did some shipping magnate whisper in Mr. Trump’s ear? Panama’s President José Raúl Mulino quickly rebutted Mr. Trump and said Panama will defend its interests. Mr. Trump replied on Truth Social, “We’ll see about that.”
So what is Mr. Trump proposing to do—invade? Make the Americas in the image of William McKinley and Teddy Roosevelt again?
If we can introduce a few facts, Mr. Trump’s claim that Panama is gouging Americans is unfounded. Every vessel, regardless of its flag, pays the same rate according to tonnage and type. Container ships, which carry finished goods, pay more than bulk carriers. About 75% of the total price is a toll and 25% is for services like tugboat or locomotive escorts.
When the U.S. ceded the canal to Panama in 1999 under a treaty negotiated in the 1970s by Jimmy Carter, there was concern that the country couldn’t run the vital transit way.
(Excerpt) Read more at wsj.com ...
Nothing will come of this, but Trump makes himself and the country look bad when he threatens to grab territory from other countries. He ought to focus on what is within his powers.
I agree.
I never thought adding Canada would be enough. Canada was just the beginning.
It is really about protecting the free world. The canal was quickly turned over to China. Not a good thing.
I think Trump’s message is actually intended for China - meaning “Keep your hands off the canal”.
He’s only stating the obvious. The US fill fight over the canal. Who didn’t know that?
Chill your roll. There is such a thing as the Art of the Deal. Only spineless republicans cringe at strong negotiations. These threats will get us better deals throughout the world and be treated more fairly. It’s called America First.
“He ought to focus on what is within his powers.”
My understanding is that there are clauses that allow the US to take back the canal if it not run properly, and that case can now be made due to the 3 route being opened, but no increase in the water supply - which has led to recent reports of the canal running out of water. Also, it doesn’t help that Panama sold-off the ports on both ends of the canal to what now is China.
I’d say they blew their chance.
Maybe Trump knows something about Panama (and China) that you don’t.
Trump is simply undoing the giveaway of the canal by commie Carter gave it away for nothing. An extremely strategic asset just given away. Anytime anyone tries undo with the communist done they go all “compassionate conservative” on us. The time for that is over. We have been in constant retreat because of attitudes like yours.
> I think Trump’s message is actually intended for China… <
That’s probably it. Sometimes Trump’s manner of speaking is a good thing. Sometimes it’s not.
Still better than anything we could have heard about the canal from Obama, Biden, Harris, etc.
Having lived there in the mid-1980s...I’ll make 4 observations:
1. Since the Chinese took over the operation of the canal...adding the larger locks, the drought business for the last three years has made crossings expensive and difficult. The dry season starts in the next week or two...so it’ll be curious how things run for the next 4 months.
2. Mexico is already adding rail capability to get containers from the Pacific to the Atlantic. There’s talk that Nicaragua is surveying a canal project (I expect the same drought issue to hinder this concept). Even Columbia is talking over a canal.
3. Even if the US steps in....then what? You can’t resolve the drought issue.
4. All of this slowing traffic down? You could pull up and be standing there for 10 days before your number ‘comes up’. It adds to the shipping cost for each container.
You must be Chinese or a Commie?
Let's work on OUR border. We do not need to expand them.
But looking for a new route is a possibility. I believe 5 were originally proposed.
The media is no help.
Obvious you have no clue what is going on. Stop getting all your propoganda from msm state outlets.
Try learning why Trump said that he said.
No, not wanting to invade other countries doesn’t make me either.
Why are you buying the left’s hyperventilating fear mongering and speculations?
This likely will end up with the US getting a very large discount on the transit charge for US flag ships, and ships carrying US petroleum products. As well as reasonably less transit charges for ships bound for US ports with cargo or those leaving US ports carrying US produced cargo.
**The media is no help.**
Hypothetical. The Journal is another Gateway. The canal would be easy to sabotage. If the Chicoms now control both ends we can blame whoever was in office when it happened. Same with Long Beach. Trump will come and go. The next POTUS will back down.
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