OPINION:
In her March 2 column, Washington Times Commentary Editor Kelly Sadler launches a stark critique of America’s European allies (“Trump needs to take Greenland,” Web).
Ms. Sadler writes that these nations’ resistance to support the U.S. war against Iran justifies U.S. sovereignty over Greenland.
However, this analysis has it backward. Rather than seeing lackluster European support in the Iran conflict as a reason to go it alone, the Trump administration should ask itself why its allies are less helpful now than they have been in the past.
The administration didn’t bother to mobilize support for its actions in Iran before the attack. Also, the U.S. belittled European war deaths in Afghanistan and sent mixed messages on the war in Ukraine, a key European priority. Or maybe, just maybe, Europe’s reluctance to support the war is linked to the fact that the U.S. recently threatened to invade Greenland, a NATO ally through the Kingdom of Denmark.
Europe has traditionally contributed much to America’s dominant position in the world. It’s a key trading partner and has allowed the U.S. to have bases in its nations and beyond, including in Greenland. It has also contributed troops to U.S. wars abroad. The U.S. has always wanted more, but these contributions have been substantial.
American grievances about European defense spending are seen as legitimate in many quarters of Europe, and there is no denying that few U.S. presidents have been as successful as President Trump at getting the Europeans to boost that spending. Yet what good does that do the U.S. if Mr. Trump’s other policies simultaneously alienate Europe as an ally?
The U.S. would be well advised to consider that it is the disdain and mistrust of European allies shown by the Trump administration that is pushing the allies away.
MIKKEL RUNGE OLESEN
Senior researcher, Danish Institute for International Studies (DIIS)
Copenhagen, Denmark
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