Welcome to the 19th century of gunboat diplomacy, Trump style - Vladimir McTavish
Over a week into 2026, I wonder how many people consider the world to be a safer place. No, me neither.
The year began with the USA’s attempted overthrow of the government of Venezuela, arresting President Maduro on a charge of “narco terrorism”, whatever that means.
Of course, this kind of thing has happened several times before. History is littered with incidents of Washington throwing its weight around and meddling in the affairs of Latin America. But this feels a little different.
For a start, “narco terrorism” isn’t even a real word, let alone an actual crime. Let alone a genuine excuse to invade a sovereign nation and grab their natural resources to “protect US security”. This feels like 19-century gunboat diplomacy or just plain old- fashioned piracy.
More worrying, is the fear that this is only the start for Trump’s global expansion. A year ago, we all assumed his designs on Greenland were an exercise in sabre-rattling or a very bad joke. Now, things are less clear. And while Europe has done little so far, the UK and EU insist that the future of Greenland should be left up to the government of Denmark. Hang on. Denmark? Should it not be up to the people of Greenland?
Trump has suggested that this huge island in the North Atlantic could be taken by military action, because America needs it for national security and international security.
Apparently, the North Pole is a very dangerous place now that invasion from Russia has been made easier due to the melting of the polarice cCap. Which is rich coming from a president who has constantly denied climate change and done nothing about global warming.
Anyway, we live in a world now where a superpower feels it has the right to grab any oil-rich patch of land in a strategic location. Norway should be very worried indeed.
And it might not end there. There are other smaller nations in the North Atlantic within striking distance of Russia with reserves of crude oil. We happen to live in one of them.
I’m not suggesting the USA is planning to invade Scotland but who knows what the future holds with this maniac in the White House?
Trump has also offered up the possibly that he might buy Greenland. Scotland could always sell him St Kilda if he really wants to own a large patch of rock in the frozen North Atlantic.
But do we threaten America’s national interest? I don’t know. Does that national interest extend to building wind farms in the view of golf courses?
I am, of course, indulging in pure fantasy. One can hardly picture John Swinney being shackled and bundled onto a US Air Force jet, then frog-marched in handcuffs to face trial in a court in New York City.
He hardly bears the demeanour of one to condone “narco terrorism”. Few political leaders look more respectable than our First Minister,
But then we are talking about America here. These are unpredictable times when the world has to deal with a country run by a dangerous psychopathic monster. Nothing is too fantastic in his world, not even invading Scotland.
It would never happen, of course. But then, a year ago, we all thought he was bluffing about Greenland.