A man, a plan, a canal, Panama. Do schoolchildren even learn that famous palindrome anymore?

And do they know the history of the Panama Canal, at the time of its building one of the greatest feats of engineering ever undertaken?

We’ll leave those questions to others to answer.

Instead, here’s our Question of the Week for readers: Is President-elect Donald Trump being serious when he says that once in office next month he will “demand that the Panama Canal be returned to the United States of America, in full, quickly and without question”?

That’s what he told a group of conservative activists during a campaign rally-like speech over the weekend.

In the early years of the 20th century, the United States built the canal to facilitate shipping between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Our country controlled a narrow zone surrounding the canal for decades. Then, in 1999, the U.S. ceded control of the canal to Panama in a treaty signed by President Jimmy Carter. Trump said in his Phoenix speech that we “foolishly” gave control of the canal to our Central American ally, alleging that shippers are charged “ridiculous” fees to pass through the key transportation channel . “We’re being ripped off at the Panama Canal,” he said. “If the principles, both moral and legal, of this magnanimous gesture of giving are not followed, then we will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to the United States of America, in full, quickly and without question.”

Is he correct? Should the U.S. retake the canal? What right do we have to “demand” the return of another nation’s sovereign territory? If his demand were not met voluntarily, would Trump try to take it back by force? How would that fit into his campaign pledge to limit use of our military overseas?

“I’m not going to stand for it,” Trump said. “So to the officials of Panama, please be guided accordingly.”

In response, Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino said “every square meter of the canal belongs to Panama and will continue to belong” to his country. How will this end?

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