Just a question from an idiot. Aka me.

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4. supposedly,

a) we can use that land as part of our "golden dome" missile defense system and project power into russia and europe;
b) easier and cheaper access to minerals is helpful for lots of things, including national defense; and
c) it gives us a land route from the homeland to east prussia und lebensraum.

i might be getting things confused with that last one, but then maybe not....