For some, Greenland might have only entered their consciousness when US President Trump offered to buy it. But there’s much more to the story, even beyond its history with the United States.

In today’s episode, Liz Buchanan gives Stop the World listeners a useful crash course on Greenland, from the mysterious disappearance of the Vikings in the 1400s, to Greenland’s pivotal role in World War II and the Cold War, and its continued – and increasing – strategic importance today.

Liz covers everything from Arctic shipping routes and how they impact Australia despite our geographical distance, Greenland’s ideal positioning for prospective polar space launches, to the Cold War's “Project Iceworm”, a US-built underground ice city complete with a barber shop and bowling alley.

As Liz explains, Greenland is far from an Arctic afterthought, and if you’ve only ever considered it as a desolate blob on top of the Mercator map, this episode will be sure to change that.

Images used in this episode are credited to So You Want to Own Greenland? Lessons from the Vikings to Trump by Elizabeth Buchanan.

Find Elizabeth’s book here https://www.hurstpublishers.com/book/so-you-want-to-own-greenland/.

The Indo-Pacific is a strategic theatre named after two oceans, but according to retired US four-star general Charles Flynn, land forces would be crucial in any conflict, including over Taiwan.

In today’s episode, David Wroe speaks with Charles, who retired last year as commanding general of the US Army Pacific, about the often misunderstood and overlooked importance of land power. They consider scenarios including a Chinese full-scale invasion of Taiwan and the crucial hard power that only armies could deliver in such a conflict. Charles, who is also a senior advisor at Palantir explains the technology lessons that China and North Korea are learning from Russia’s war on Ukraine, and the challenges for large organisations including militaries to reorientate themselves around new and transformative technologies.

And to those worried about US reliability in the Indo-Pacific, he has a message: don’t panic.

Editor’s Note: In the introduction, Olivia mentions that ASPI last hosted General Flynn in 2021. ASPI hosted him in February 2022.

Stop the World is hosting a short series of conversations with Australian politicians that transcend daily politics and breaking news to get to the fundamental strategy and security challenges Australia faces.

In the first of the series, we speak with Shadow Finance Minister, Senator James Paterson. James shares frank views on Australia’s strategic risks, the need to deter authoritarian powers, his advocacy for higher defence spending—despite his instinctive fiscal prudence—and the role technology can play in boosting the economy so Australia doesn't get left behind by the transformative power of artificial intelligence.

He talks about balancing his classical liberal support for an open economy with the need to safeguard strategic industries and technologies, the responsibilities of the tech industry, the maintenance of the Australia-US alliance under the unconventional Trump administration, and the need to prioritise future generations so young people don’t become disillusioned with politics.

James has been a Senator for Victoria since 2016 and has previously served as Shadow Minister for Home Affairs and Cyber, and chair of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security.