Mm, sounds interesting! And yeah, I remember reading somewhere that the interest in Greenland isn't recent either. But then, maybe there aren't that many things (including grand rabid visions) new under the Sun :) - and there must be some historians and military historians in Trump's entourage, as there must have been Cold War veteran bureaucrats and hawks under previous administrations too :) (let us not forget that the American people voted against Clinton in 2016 because they thought she was a hawk - as opposed to Trump).

Best Wishes,

Haris

Harus

Interesting thoughts. But there are elements of the past in the present. Trump di d not arrive out of nothing.

Of course I agree, Trump was the result of a rot - however I've been really surprised by my own feelings of insecurity and of a rapidly changing world since the 21st January (when he was sworn in).

Best Wishes,

Haris

Trump is no doubt the stupidest president the US has unfortunately chosen, indicating a similar capacity amongst the general American public, most certainly the members of MACA. A broadcaster and academic has observed that America cut down on teaching Humanities in schools and therefore took away ethical programmes and ethical teaching.

Dear Stanley Wilkin , not that surprised about cutting down on teaching Humanities, from what I've seen they're also cutting research even in the natural sciences, and the list of banned words on official documents even includes the word 'woman'. Scary stuff!

Best Wishes,

Haris

The MAGA group seem largely uneducated, like Trump. Although he has a degree in business or economics there is no evidence that he studied. The rumour is his degree was bought by his father, another crook.

There are several beginnings for MAGA. One is the 1812 invasion of Canada by America, which failed miserably. Another I suggest is the anti evolution movement largely in the mid-West in the 1920s and the famous trial of a teacher who taught evolution.

One of my points is that the US was not favourable to the UK until WW2 and myths have since grown on the happy connection.

I will make one additional point that undermines the so called special relationship. Myths are constantly made, especially in history.

After WW2, which needed American involvement to bring it to a halt as the UK could only perfect a stalling action (I do not minimise Russian involvement which was the main or final effect, but do not deal with it here as Russia tends to deny the necessity of American and UK involvement in the outcome). Nevertheless, after the war Britain and Russia were the only legitimate economic and political rivals, but Britain's cities had been ruined and Russia had its reward (sic)by obtaining Eastern Europe.

America was not the UK's natural ally as it had an empire (but so did US and Russia) which America was against. After the war's end the money given to the UK by America was demanded back (Trump should think on this except I have employed an operative verb uncommon in his make-up), further holding Britain back from recovery while other countries like Germany and Japan, aggressor states, were given help to recover. A very wise action!

The United States wanted to weaken the UK as a rival. And forced thereby its demise. The US century was made on its extinguishing rivals or preventing their immediate recovery except as part of US economic supremacy.

Dear Stanley Wilkin ,

Very interesting stuff!! Just two brief comments/questions:

a) What do you think of the recent AUKUS alliance, or was is there evidence that this was more of a Biden plan and won't go ahead?

and

b) I always thought that Americans proudly celebrate the 4th July, and when they do, they must somehow remember against who they rebelled. What do you think?

Best Wishes,

Haris

Under Trump the AUKUS plan is unlikely as these relationships have been ground under Trump's newly created billions.

I imagine many do remember. France was their first ally for awhile but awareness of what US did after WW2 is not that well known there, I suspect that like Russia thinks they fought alone, US does too.

Its constantly claimed that Americans are poorly educated and they seem to be. Trump did not know where Congo was and he thought the children's toy manufacturer , Mattel, was a country.

Dear Stanley Wilkin ,

Many many thanks for this! Interesting! Also a bit shameful about Mattel - though Congo I wouldn't be able to locate it apart from knowing it's in South Africa - but then I suppose I'm not running for president any time soon, hehe :)

Best Wishes,

Haris

I recently placed an answer to China/North Korea and Ukraine whereby in the past, before the expansion of Russia, in the 16th century, Ukraine was a customary. route for Far Eastern groups, from China, Mongolia, etc, to break into or conquer parts of Europe. The Hun, Mongolians, but earlier Eastern peoples who stayed to populate Easter Europe. This were part of ancient dynamics and it should not be assumed these routes will not be refresh or that present dynamics do not reflect them.

History itself has echoes.

Dear Stanley Wilkin , I agree to a certain extent I think that history may have echoes, however I also think that it's more of a spiral rather than a circle - my conceptualisation of history, in order to sit on the fence between linear and circular, was the notion of the slinky. Linear and circular at the same time. Though I also think of it often as a random walk (this was suggested to me many years ago from a Mentor of mine, the discussion was about whether there's progress, and the random walk of course implies a negative answer to that).

Best Wishes,

Haris

Trump, little more than illiterate, deals in echoes and is often indiscriminate about what he plucks and where he plucks t from. Many of his ideas, like tariffs, are based in the American past, deprived of understanding.

Dear Stanley Wilkin , i think i agree with you, i may have already stated here that for example the Greenland idea as well was an old idea. And I think the accusation of him being little more than illiterate, or let's say not too knowledgeable of the art, science and philosophy of politics, is also accurate, as it probably prevents him from understanding what he's doing and its consequences on the world, and not realise the power he yields as the president of the USofA. However, that may make him a sort of Kuhnian outsider as well, you never know how history will unfold (imagine if he does manage to get his hands on that Nobel Peace Prize!!).