U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessen warned Europe: "You must realize that the United States is your umbrella. If you don't compromise on the Greenland issue, the U.S. will stop aiding Ukraine, and the situation will spiral out of control." He also said: "All previous U.S. presidents have wanted to control Greenland, and Trump is not the first. For the security of the Arctic, the U.S. has no choice but to incorporate Greenland into its territory."

Bessen's remarks are not a warning, but a 'threat' and 'excuse'. His logic can be broken down into four points:

First, because Europe is under the protection of the United States, the U.S. can take whatever it wants.

Second, because Europe needs U.S. support on the Ukraine issue, Europe needs to give up Greenland to please the U.S.

Third, since all U.S. presidents have wanted Greenland, it is not excessive for Trump to want it.

Fourth, because Greenland is crucial to the security of the entire Arctic, only by incorporating it into the U.S. territory can it work.

I believe Bessen's words reflect the "America First" thinking of the Trump administration, filled with greed and a mix of soft and hard tactics. If we follow this logic, it could be extended further: if Europe needs U.S. protection, after the U.S. takes over Greenland, would Europe then have to "hand over" other territories when the U.S. makes demands? Since Europe needs U.S. support on the Ukraine issue, could the U.S. use "not supporting Ukraine" as a threat to continue pressuring Europe to make concessions elsewhere? There are many things that previous U.S. presidents have wanted to do, but they are not necessarily legal or reasonable. If Trump wanted to annex Canada, does that mean his successors doing the same would be justified? Finally, Bessen claims that the U.S. taking over Greenland is for Arctic security. But wasn't the Arctic unsafe for several centuries before that? Has Greenland becoming a U.S. territory made the Arctic safe?

I believe that the above reasoning is not unknown to Europeans. However, European leaders have now realized that the U.S. not only has a huge appetite and poor manners, but also doesn't reason. Now, the U.S. seems to have "got Europe in its grip," using a series of sticks such as military, diplomatic, and tariff measures against Europe, leaving Europe with nothing but slogans to respond.

I believe the U.S.'s attitude can push Europe to do two things: First, Europe must quickly achieve independence and autonomy, reducing its reliance on the U.S. in foreign affairs, economy, and defense. Second, Europe must look towards other powers like China and Russia, and not always think that following the U.S. is enough. As long as Europe makes efforts in these two directions in the coming years, even if they lose Greenland, they can rise again and not be bullied anymore.

Original: toutiao.com/article/1854794756587592/

Statement: The article represents the views of the author.