The latest American bombardment in Venezuela and the detention of its president have ignited apprehension regarding Washington's ambitions on the Arctic territory. Members of the former president's base have reportedly focused on the strategically important island following the operations in the southern hemisphere.
Inflammatory Posts and Diplomatic Outrage
Merely hours following the initiation of the Caracas campaign, a well-known conservative commentator, who is the spouse of a high-ranking White House aide, shared a suggestive map. The picture showed Greenland covered in the American flag, with the cryptic message: "COMING."
This overt threat to annex the mineral-rich region, which is a part of the North Atlantic alliance, provoked swift and firm criticism from Danish representatives.
"We are close allies and should continue to cooperate as such. American security is equally Greenland’s and our security," declared the Danish ambassador to the United States. "The Kingdom of Denmark and the US collaborate to guarantee security in the North."
The ambassador additionally pointed out that the kingdom had significantly boosted its military budget recently, earmarking a substantial sum specifically for Arctic and regional defence. "Furthermore, we demand full respect for the sovereign borders of the our realm," he added.
Political Moves and Geopolitical Goals
The situation were further exacerbated by the recent naming of a Southern governor as a special envoy to Greenland. The appointee had publicly expressed gratitude to the commander-in-chief, stating it was an "privilege" to work in a volunteer role to "make Greenland a part of the US."
Following the events in Venezuela, this envoy commended the president's decisive move, connecting it to the wider "war on drugs."
Since assuming office, the US president has consistently unnerved European partners with his expressed interest in Greenland. The territory is considered vitally strategic for defence and potential mineral exploitation. It already houses the northernmost US air base.
Leaving the Door Open to Military Action
In a notable media appearance, the leader declined to rule out the resorting to military force to acquire Greenland. This stance comes amid growing global competition 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 described Greenland as having a "tiny amount of people, which we’ll look after, and we’ll value them... But we need that for global security."
Mounting Friction and Local Resistance
In reaction to this constant "rhetoric" of threats, Danish security agency took the extraordinary step last month of labelling the United States as a "potential threat."
The prime ministers of both Greenland delivered a joint and stern statement: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You cannot take over other countries."
Public opinion in Greenland reveals a nuanced picture. While a vast majority of the island's inhabitants desire self-rule from Copenhagen, there is also little to no appetite to join the United States. The island has had the option to declare sovereignty for many years.
Analyst View: A Plausible Scenario?
Military experts are increasingly reconsidering the possibility of such a action. One thinktank director focusing in military analysis conceded she had once discounted the sabre-rattling but was "currently 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 not clear to me who could intervene about it," she observed.
