The recent American strike in Venezuela and the capture of its president have sparked worry regarding America's ambitions on Greenland. Followers of the ex-president's base have reportedly turned their attention to the resource-rich landmass following the events in the southern hemisphere.
Inflammatory Messages and Diplomatic Outrage
Merely a short time after the start of the Caracas operation, a prominent right-wing podcaster, who is the spouse of a senior White House adviser, posted a suggestive map. The picture showed Greenland covered in the American flag, accompanied by single-word caption: "SOON."
This blatant suggestion to annex the resource-abundant land, which is a member of the NATO alliance, triggered swift and strong condemnation from Danish officials.
"We are strong partners and should continue to cooperate as such. US security is also the Arctic's and our security," declared the Copenhagen's envoy to the United States. "The Kingdom of Denmark and the US work together to ensure security in the Arctic."
The ambassador further pointed out that the kingdom had substantially boosted its defence spending recently, earmarking a substantial amount expressly for Northern and North Atlantic defence. "And yes, we demand full respect for the sovereign borders of the Kingdom of Denmark," he emphasized.
Administrative Appointments and Strategic Goals
The situation were additionally exacerbated by the previous appointment of a Southern governor as a special envoy to Greenland. The governor had publicly expressed gratitude to the commander-in-chief, stating it was an "privilege" to work in a unpaid capacity to "make Greenland a part of the US."
Following the events in Venezuela, this envoy commended the president's actions, linking it to the broader "fight against narcotics."
Since returning to office, the US president has consistently unnerved transatlantic partners with his expressed interest in Greenland. The island is considered vitally important for defence and potential mineral exploitation. It currently hosts the most northerly US military base.
Leaving the Door Open to Military Action
In a significant television appearance, the president refused to exclude the resorting to military force to acquire Greenland. This position comes amid growing global rivalry in the Arctic. "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 described Greenland as having a "very small amount of people, which we’ll look after, and we’ll value them... But we need that for international security."
Mounting Friction and Indigenous Opposition
In reaction to this constant "rhetoric" of intent, Danish intelligence service took the extraordinary step last month of classifying the United States as a "potential threat."
The prime ministers of Denmark and Greenland issued a unified and stern statement: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You cannot take over other countries."
Surveys in Greenland reveals a nuanced picture. While a vast majority of the territory's inhabitants seek independence from Denmark, there is also little to no desire to join the United States. The territory has had the legal right to declare sovereignty for many years.
Analyst View: A Credible Threat?
Some analysts are now re-evaluating the likelihood of such a action. One thinktank director focusing in military analysis conceded she had once dismissed the sabre-rattling but was "currently not so sure."
"Logistically, it would be feasible for the US to station a couple hundred or a couple thousand troops on Greenland, and it's unclear to me who could intervene about it," she observed.
