Bangladesh, Feb. 10 -- When President Donald Trump proposed the idea of the United States purchasing Greenland in 2019, he was met with widespread ridicule. Politicians and media outlets dismissed it as an absurd and unrealistic proposition. However, history has repeatedly demonstrated that visionary leaders often recognize strategic opportunities before the political class catches up. Trumps instinct was correct: Greenland is a vital asset that the United States needs now more than ever, both for its military importance and its vast reserves of critical rare earth elements (REEs).

The idea of the US acquiring Greenland is not a novel one. As early as 1868, Secretary of State William Seward proposed acquiring Greenland and Iceland, recog...