American Attack on Caracas Raises Concerns of Potential Danish Territory Annexation.
Recent US-led strike in Venezuela and the capture of its president have renewed unease regarding Washington's designs on Greenland. Followers of the ex-president's base have allegedly focused on the vast landmass following the events in South America.
Provocative Posts and Official Outrage
Merely a short time following the start of the Venezuelan campaign, a well-known conservative commentator, who is the spouse of a high-ranking White House aide, shared a symbolic map. The graphic showed Greenland draped with the American flag, with the cryptic caption: "COMING."
This overt suggestion to claim the mineral-rich region, which is a part of the North Atlantic alliance, provoked immediate and strong criticism from Denmark's officials.
"Denmark and the US are strong partners and should keep cooperate as such. American security is also Greenland’s and our security," declared the Copenhagen's envoy to the United States. "Our nation and the United States work together to ensure security in the Arctic."
The ambassador further pointed out that Denmark had substantially boosted its defence spending recently, allocating a large sum expressly for Arctic and regional defence. "Furthermore, we expect complete respect for the territorial integrity of the our realm," he emphasized.
Political Moves and Strategic Goals
The situation were further exacerbated by the recent naming of a US state governor as a special envoy to Greenland. The appointee had publicly thanked the commander-in-chief, saying it was an "honour" to work in a unpaid role to "bring Greenland into the US."
After the military action in Venezuela, this representative praised the president's actions, connecting it to the wider "war on drugs."
Ever since returning to office, the American leader has repeatedly unnerved European allies with his stated interest in Greenland. The island is considered critically strategic for defence and potential resource extraction. It already hosts the most northerly US air base.
Leaving the Door Open to Force
In a notable media interview, the leader refused to exclude the use of armed action to gain control of Greenland. This position 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 stated.
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."
Growing Friction and Indigenous Resistance
In reaction to this constant "drumbeat" of intent, Denmark's intelligence service took the unprecedented step last month of labelling the United States as a "security risk."
The prime ministers of Denmark and Greenland issued a unified and forceful rebuke: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You must not take over other countries."
Public opinion in Greenland shows a nuanced picture. While a overwhelming percentage of the island's inhabitants desire self-rule from Denmark, there is simultaneously little to no appetite to join the United States. The territory has had the legal right to declare sovereignty for over a decade.
Expert View: A Plausible Threat?
Military experts are now reconsidering the possibility of such a move. One policy director specializing in military analysis conceded she had once dismissed the sabre-rattling but was "now not so sure."
"It wouldn't be that hard for the US to deploy a few hundred or a few thousand soldiers on Greenland, and it's unclear to me which power could do anything about it," she concluded.
