The recent American military action in the South American nation and the capture of its president have ignited worry regarding America's ambitions on Greenland. Followers of the former president's base have reportedly set their sights on the vast island following the events in the southern hemisphere.
Inflammatory Posts and Diplomatic Outrage
Merely hours after the commencement of the Venezuelan campaign, a prominent conservative commentator, who is the spouse of a high-ranking White House adviser, posted a suggestive map. The graphic showed Greenland draped with the stars and stripes, with the cryptic caption: "COMING."
This blatant threat to absorb the mineral-rich region, which is a part of the NATO alliance, provoked immediate and strong criticism from Danish officials.
"Denmark and the US are close allies and should keep work together as such. American security is also Greenland’s and our security," declared the Danish ambassador to the United States. "Our nation and the US collaborate to guarantee security in the North."
The ambassador further pointed out that the kingdom had significantly increased its defence spending this year, earmarking a substantial sum expressly for Northern and North Atlantic security. "And yes, we demand complete respect for the territorial integrity of the our realm," he added.
Political Moves and Strategic Goals
The tensions were further exacerbated by the previous naming of a US state governor as a representative to Greenland. The governor had publicly expressed gratitude to the commander-in-chief, saying it was an "privilege" to work in a unpaid capacity to "bring Greenland into the US."
Following the military action in Venezuela, this representative praised the administration's actions, linking it to the broader "war on drugs."
Ever since assuming office, the US president has consistently alarmed transatlantic allies with his expressed interest in Greenland. The island is considered vitally important for national security and potential resource extraction. It already hosts the most northerly US air base.
Leaving the Door Open to Force
In a significant television appearance, the president declined to exclude the use of armed action to acquire Greenland. This position comes during growing great-power competition 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 characterized Greenland as having a "tiny amount of people, which we’ll take care of, and we’ll cherish them... But we need that for global security."
Growing Tensions and Indigenous Resistance
In reaction to this constant "rhetoric" of threats, 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 forceful statement: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You cannot take over other countries."
Surveys in Greenland shows a complex sentiment. While a overwhelming percentage of the territory's inhabitants seek self-rule from Copenhagen, there is also scant desire to join the United States. The territory has had the legal right to declare independence for many years.
Expert View: A Credible Scenario?
Military experts are now re-evaluating the possibility of such a move. One thinktank analyst focusing in defence conceded she had previously discounted the sabre-rattling but was "now not so sure."
"It wouldn't be that hard for the US to deploy a couple hundred or a few thousand troops inside of Greenland, and it's not clear to me who could intervene about it," she concluded.
