US Military Operation on Venezuela Stokes Concerns of Potential Danish Territory Acquisition.
Recent American military action in Venezuela and the detention of its leader have ignited apprehension regarding America's designs on the Arctic territory. Supporters of the ex-president's base have allegedly focused on the resource-rich island following the events in the southern hemisphere.
Inflammatory Posts and Official Outrage
Merely a short time following the initiation of the Venezuelan operation, a prominent conservative commentator, who is married to a high-ranking White House aide, shared a symbolic image. The picture depicted Greenland draped with the stars and stripes, with the single-word message: "COMING."
This blatant threat to annex the resource-abundant land, which is a part of the NATO alliance, triggered swift and strong criticism from Danish officials.
"Denmark and the US are strong partners and should keep cooperate as such. American security is also the Arctic's and Denmark’s security," declared the Danish ambassador to the United States. "The Kingdom of Denmark and the United States work together to guarantee security in the North."
The diplomat additionally pointed out that the kingdom had substantially boosted its military budget recently, allocating a large amount specifically for Northern and regional security. "And yes, we expect complete respect for the sovereign borders of the our realm," he emphasized.
Political Appointments and Strategic Interests
The tensions were further exacerbated by the previous appointment of a Southern governor as a representative to Greenland. The appointee had publicly thanked the commander-in-chief, saying it was an "privilege" to work in a volunteer capacity to "bring Greenland into the US."
Following the events in Venezuela, this envoy commended the administration's actions, linking it to the wider "war on drugs."
Ever since returning to office, the US president has consistently alarmed European partners with his expressed interest in Greenland. The island is viewed as critically important for defence and potential resource extraction. It currently houses the most northerly US air base.
Leaving the Door Open to Military Action
In a notable media appearance, the president refused to rule out the resorting to armed action to acquire Greenland. This stance 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 stated.
He described Greenland as having a "very small amount of people, which we’ll look after, and we’ll cherish them... But we need that for international security."
Growing Tensions and Indigenous Resistance
In response to this persistent "rhetoric" of threats, Denmark's intelligence service took the extraordinary step last month of labelling the United States as a "potential threat."
The leaders of Denmark and Greenland delivered a unified and forceful statement: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You cannot annex other countries."
Public opinion in Greenland shows a complex picture. While a vast majority of the territory's residents seek independence from Copenhagen, there is also scant desire to become part of the United States. The island has had the option to declare sovereignty for many years.
Analyst View: A Plausible Threat?
Some analysts are now re-evaluating the likelihood of such a action. One policy analyst focusing in military analysis admitted she had previously dismissed the rhetoric but was "currently not so sure."
"Logistically, it would be feasible for the US to station a few hundred or a few thousand troops inside of Greenland, and it's unclear to me who could do anything about it," she observed.
