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Military hardware as a signpost
Jan 28, 2026
It is hard not to equate military spending and purchasing with diplomatic or strategic plans being made, for reasons otherwise unknown. Keeping an eye out for the physical stuff can often begin to shine a light on what’s coming. – good and possibly very bad.
Without Congressional specific approval, the Pentagon has awarded a contract to Boeing for $8,600,000,000 (US taxpayer dollars) for another 25 F-15A attack fighters to be given to Israel. Oh, and there’s another 25 more of the F-15EX variant on option, free to Israel as well.
Meanwhile, many European countries have switched their purchases of the F-35 fighters to the French Rafale or the Joint European Fighter as well as Saab’s advanced concept fighter Gripen.Turkey and Airbus, meanwhile, have sold the Hurjet trainer to Spain and other countries over the US trainer. And France is about to begin laying the keel for a new aircraft carrier (though that will take almost a decade). Meanwhile, Airbus is now, since 2024, the primary supplier to all EU countries for military helicopters… Saab is making GlobalEye airborne aircraft for France, Italy and Germany… France’s Rafale Company is making and delivering Iron Beam high-energy laser weapons… Airbus has ramped up delivery to all its new EU customers of 18 new C295 tactical transports.
Some may wonder why EU leaders as well as the UK, have been so soft tongued when it comes to this Administration’s recent diplomatic transgressions over Greenland (oops, Iceland?). The reason is simple: For decades the US has been the cheapest and best supplier of the finest military hardware – planes, tanks, weapon systems, and defense capability. What every nation understood was that the US held the controls of the safe operation of those aircraft. For example, the electronics of every F-35 can be controlled remotely from the US. Go against us? We can pull the plug. That was never an issue before, where we had trust and mutual goals. The current rush to re-prioritize local EU manufacture and longer term self reliance in the EU is a direct consequence of this Administration’s changing of priorities and allied trust.
It is true that DJT can take credit for EU and UK increased military budgeting and preparedness, his actions have forced them to that reality. It is also true that his long term damage to American jobs and industry are just now becoming evident as less of our hardware is attractive to foreign buyers and our military oversight will be slowly eroded to a position where nations no longer feel the need for diplomatic or industrial reliance on America.
Peter Riva, a former resident of Amenia Union, New York, now lives in Gila, New Mexico.
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What’s with Greenland?
Jan 28, 2026
As I noted here in an article last spring entitled “Hands off Greenland”, the world’s largest island was at the center of a developing controversy. President Trump was telling all who would listen that, for national security reasons, the United States needed to take over Greenland, amicably if possible or by force if necessary. While many were shocked by Trump’s imperialistic statements, most people, at least in this country, took his words as ill-considered bluster. But he kept telling questioners that he had to have Greenland (oftenechoing the former King of France, Louis XIV who famously said, “L’État c’est moi!”.
Since 1951, the U.S. has had a security agreement with Denmark giving it near total freedom to install and operate whatever military facilities it wanted on Greenland. At one point there were sixteen small bases across the island, now there’s only one. Denmark’s Prime Minister has told President Trump that the U.S. should feel free to expand its installations if needed. As climate change is starting to allow a future passage from thePacific Ocean to the Arctic, many countries are showing interest in Greenland including Russia and China but this hardly indicates an international crisis as Trump and his subordinates insist.
Researchers believe that, buried beneath the mammoth glaciers covering most of the land are rich deposits of various rare earth minerals including those needed for modern batteries and other hi-tech devices. Trump has already made a deal with Ukraine to supply them more arms in return for rights to its underground “rare earth” deposits. Some have called this extortion but to Trump it was business as usual. Greenland’s buried treasures could be a much bigger deal.
But perhaps Trump’s lifelong obsession with size is the dominant reason he feels he must have the world’s largest island; like his planned White House ballroom, for him this is essentially an ego trip.
The U.S. has lately lost moral authority in foreign affairs by its illegal invasion of Venezuela and the kidnapping of its President; a military invasion and takeover of Greenland, a territory of Denmark, one of its staunchest allies, would place us in a category with Putin’s Russia, an enemy of the Free World. And moreover it would encourage Russia, China or other authoritarian states to move against their neighbors in endless power grabs.
Greenlanders and Danes have made it clear from the beginning that they do not wish to become American and are not for sale, Trump’s subordinates have tried to advance a scheme whereby Elon Musk might buy a majority of the individual Greenlanders’ votes to sell their country to the U.S.; however Denmark has the last word and is not about to agree to selling Greenland to anyone.
Although Greenlanders have largely been in favorof eventual independence, since Trump’s intemperate demands they have locked arms with Denmark. Recently, large demonstrations in both places have expressed anger, but even more, sadness that their staunch ally would turn against them.
The reaction of Denmark’s NATO allies has been clear; at least eight, with likely others to follow, have denounced the U.S. stance and several have sent token national military forces to Greenland. This was immediately followed by Trump issuing severe specific tariff threats (even though the legality of even his existing tariffs is currently being adjudicated in the Supreme Court). All these actions could be a death blow to most current American alliances with Europe.
Other than Trump’s appointees those who support the President’s claim to Greenland are hard to find in the U.S. or elsewhere. While most Republican political leaders have avoided speaking out on the matter, a few have including Senators Thom Tillis of North Carolina and former Majority leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, both condemning the possible “taking” in no uncertain terms . Seasoned diplomat, Michael McFaul has called Trump’s insistence on “owning” Greenland as “the worst idea in American history.”
After speaking to the assembled crowd of political leaders and industrialists at Davos, Trump began discussions with Mark Rutte, secretary General of NATO and others after which, in a striking turnaround,he announced that they had put together the basis of a “deal” regarding Greenland.
But neither Greenland nor Denmark had been involved in those discussions; both rejected the agreement’s proposal that the United States would have sovereignty over the military bases both new and existing. Another facet of the proposal giving the U.S. control of underground mineral rights may proveexcessive to both Greenland and Denmark.
Although everyone seems relieved that the crisis appears to be largely over, the rupture between Europe and the U.S. remains. Considering President Trump’s erratic state of mind (in his speech at Davos he referred to Greenland as Iceland at least 3 times), who knows what he may demand tomorrow?
Architect and landscape designer Mac Gordon lives in Lakeville.
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Kent Town Hall
Leila Hawken
KENT — The town board formerly known as the America 250 subcommittee is to change its name due to a federal wordmark on the phrase. The recently discovered legal snag will also require the rebranding or discontinuation of any merchandise or fundraising materials bearing the title, announced subcommittee chair Matt Frasher during the Board of Selectmen’s Jan. 20 meeting.
The group, which includes town officials, cultural institution leaders and members of the public, was formed in 2023 to plan Kent’s participation in the national celebration of the country’s 250th anniversary this summer. Frasher explained that although the federal government had apparently copyrighted the name in 2019 — both with and without a space in between “America” and “250” — that information did not reach many Connecticut commission chairs until an inter-committee meeting earlier that afternoon with other municipal chairs in the state chapter.
Frasher said that a slew of legal actions had sprung up across the country recently in response to America 250 merchandise being sold or distributed.
While programming and activities notices bearing the “America 250” title will be allowed via a sublicensing agreement that the BOS eventually voted to sign, any fundraising efforts or materials that use the phrase risk copyright infringement.
Frasher recommended the BOS change the name to “United States 250” or “250th,” while Selectman Lynn Harrington suggested “U.S.A. 250” instead, which Frasher said would work.
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Riley Klein
North Canaan’s ball will feature beer made from Washington’s own recipe, as well as other drinks enjoyed by founding fathers, food from Martha Washington’s cookbook, dancing and appearances by some of the prominent persons from that era.
NORTH CANAAN — As part of the yearlong celebration marking the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, North Canaan will kick off its observance with a Washington’s Birthday Ball on Feb. 21.
The town is deeply rooted in Revolutionary-era history, and the spirit of several notable figures from that period will come alive at the event.
Kathryn Boughton, the town historian and director of the history center, introduced several of the characters who will attend the ball during a talk at Douglas Library Wednesday, Jan. 21.
North Canaan, as well as other Northwest Corner towns, played a pivotal role in the Revolutionary War, remnants that still can be found today.
Among the figures Boughton highlighted was ironmaster Samuel Forbes, who provided munitions for the war effort. He and his wife, Lucy Pierce, had a daughter Abigail, who married John Adam, a principal in the successful Forbes & Adam company.
Forbes “established a powerful iron-producing dynasty in East Canaan and the family operated rolling and slitting mills, naileries and were involved with ore mines, creating a significant industrial complex,” said Boughton.
In 1762, Forbes and his brother Elisha partnered with Ethan Allen to establish a blast furnace in Lakeville, until Elisha was killed in an accident and Allen left for Vermont. In 1775, Gov. Jonathan Trumbull commandeered the furnace after Richard Smith, who was operating it, was charged with being a loyalist and fled to England. Forbes was drafted to return as ironmaster at the furnace which was producing extraordinary amounts of cannons and huge cast iron kettles for soldiers’ meals, among other items.
Isaac Lawrence is reputed to be Canaan’s second settler, arriving in 1739 and purchasing land on the banks of the Blackberry River. He was a prosperous farmer and land speculator. By the time he died in 1793, he had amassed 192 acres, including much of what is now part of the downtown. The stately house, built in 1751, and located on Route 7, is still owned by his descendants. In 1756, he opened a tavern on the southern side of the house.
Boughton relates that he appeared to be sympathetic to the Patriot cause, as were most of those in northwest Connecticut. The late James Lyles, a Lawrence descendant, said the tavern was a valued stop on stage lines coming into town. While the gentry made a stop at the tavern, “drivers and lesser folk would pass over High Street to another inn located about where the Housatonic Railroad now has its yard,” said Boughton.
“Lyles said that a frequent guest at the tavern was the tempestuous Ethan Allen...a boisterous, obstreperous man, prone to brawling, who wore out his welcome in northwest Connecticut and moved to Vermont in the late 1760s,” said Boughton.
Much is known about Col. Charles Burrall because of an autobiography he wrote at age 80. He came to Sheffield as a poor boy, who lost his father when he was young and was housed by his aunt who had married John Forbes, father of Samuel Forbes. There are descriptions of his being destitute and without clothes and shoes in wintery weather.
He was later allowed to live on a parcel of land purchased in the first division of Canaan by his stepfather, John Prindle, and his mother and became one of the wealthiest of Canaan’s early land speculators. He buried two wives.
“During all these years,” said Boughton, “he was growing in eminence, rising in rank in the local militia, until he achieved the rank of captain, serving as a selectman, justice of the peace, and as a long-time representative to the General Assembly. He was one of the delegates in 1788, to ratify the Constitution of the United States. He became renowned as a patriot in the Revolutionary War, raising and commanding some 800 area men in the second wave of the 1775-76 Canadian expedition, commanding the 14th Regiment for the victorious Americans at the Battle of Saratoga and shepherding Hessian troops captured at Saratoga through Canaan on their long march south to Virginia.”
Boughton also spoke of other key figures, including Gershom Hewitt, who was part of the expedition to capture Fort Ticonderoga, and Nathaniel Stevens, a logistics officer for George Washington.
“These are only a smattering of the Canaan veterans of the Revolution, but their service is enough to illustrate the valor and independent spirit that helped to found this nation,” concluded Boughton.
The history center will host the Washington’s Birthday Ball planned for Feb. 21 at the Colonial Theatre. These balls became a fashion in the 1780s and continued until the late 20th century. Canaan’s ball will feature beer made from Washington’s own recipe, as well as other drinks enjoyed by founding fathers, food from Martha Washington’s cookbook, dancing and appearances by some of the prominent persons from that era.
Tickets are $50 per person and can be purchased at the Canaan History Center or Douglas Library.
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