Free Republic

The Monroe Doctrine, established in 1823, was originally drafted to protect U.S. interests against European powers that could try to recolonize South American countries gaining independence from Spain and to ward off Russian moves into the Pacific Northwest. Czarist Russia bloodlessly desisted from attempts to colonize the West Coast and Alaska. However, U.S. hemispheric dominance has proved more difficult to enforce in Latin America, involving the U.S. in local conflicts that have led to past military interventions. President Obama’s secretary of state, John Kerry, declared before the Organization of American States in 2013 that “the Monroe Doctrine is over.” But...

Greenland Prime Minister Mute Egede said on Friday he was ready to speak with US President-elect Donald Trump, who has said he wants control over the Arctic island, and urged respect for the island’s independence aspirations. Trump, who takes office on Jan. 20, has described US control of Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory, as an “absolute necessity.” He did not dismiss the potential use of military or economic means, including tariffs against Denmark. At a Copenhagen press conference, when asked if he had had contact with Trump, Egede responded: “No, but we are ready to talk.” Danish Prime Minister Mette...

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen emphasized that Greenland is not for sale, as President-elect Trump has ramped up calls for the U.S. to acquire the island. Frederiksen's comments to a Danish TV station come as the president's son, Donald Trump Jr., paid a visit to Greenland on Tuesday. The trip is a personal one and Trump Jr. is not expected to meet with any government officials. The Danish prime minister said in an interview that Greenlandic Prime Minister Múte Egede "has been very, very clear – that there is a lot of support among the people of Greenland that Greenland...