US Attack on Caracas Fuels Anxieties of Future Greenland Takeover.
The recent US-led strike in the South American nation and the capture of its leader have sparked unease regarding Washington's ambitions on Greenland. Members of the ex-president's political movement have reportedly focused on the vast landmass in the wake of the operations in South America.
Inflammatory Messages and Official Backlash
Merely hours after the commencement of the Caracas campaign, a well-known conservative commentator, who is the spouse of a senior White House aide, shared a suggestive map. The picture depicted Greenland draped with the American flag, with the cryptic message: "SOON."
This blatant suggestion to annex the resource-abundant land, which is a part of the NATO alliance, triggered immediate and firm criticism from Danish officials.
"We are strong partners and should keep cooperate as such. US security is also the Arctic's and Denmark’s security," stated the Danish ambassador to the United States. "Our nation and the US collaborate to ensure security in the Arctic."
The ambassador further pointed out that Denmark had significantly boosted its defence spending recently, earmarking a large sum expressly for Arctic and regional defence. "Furthermore, we demand complete respect for the territorial integrity of the our realm," he added.
Political Appointments and Strategic Interests
The situation were further exacerbated by the previous appointment of a US state governor as a special envoy to Greenland. The governor had openly expressed gratitude to the president, saying it was an "privilege" to work in a volunteer capacity to "bring Greenland into the US."
Following the military action in Venezuela, this representative commended the administration's decisive move, connecting it to the wider "war on drugs."
Ever since assuming office, the American leader has consistently alarmed transatlantic partners with his expressed desire in Greenland. The island is viewed as vitally strategic for defence and potential resource extraction. It already houses the northernmost US air base.
Leaving the Door Open to Military Action
In a notable television appearance, the president declined to exclude the use of military force to acquire Greenland. This stance comes amid intensifying great-power rivalry in the polar region. "I don't rule it out. I don't say I'm going to do it, but I don't rule out anything... We need Greenland very badly," he remarked.
He characterized Greenland as having a "tiny amount of people, which we’ll take care of, and we’ll value them... But we need that for global security."
Mounting Tensions and Indigenous Opposition
In response to this persistent "drumbeat" of intent, Denmark's security agency took the extraordinary step last month of classifying the United States as a "potential threat."
The leaders of both Greenland issued a unified and forceful rebuke: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You cannot annex other countries."
Surveys in Greenland shows a nuanced picture. While a vast majority of the territory's inhabitants desire self-rule from Copenhagen, there is also little to no appetite to become part of the United States. The island has had the legal right to seek sovereignty for over a decade.
Expert Assessment: A Credible Threat?
Some analysts are now reconsidering the possibility of such a move. One policy analyst focusing in military analysis conceded she had once discounted the rhetoric but was "now not so sure."
"Logistically, it would be feasible for the US to deploy a few hundred or a couple thousand soldiers inside of Greenland, and it's unclear to me which power could intervene about it," she observed.
