The recent American strike in the South American nation and the detention of its president have sparked worry regarding Washington's ambitions on the Arctic territory. Followers of the former president's base have reportedly focused on the vast island in the wake of the events in South America.
Provocative Posts and Diplomatic Outrage
Merely a short time after the commencement of the Venezuelan operation, a well-known conservative podcaster, who is the spouse of a high-ranking presidential adviser, posted a suggestive map. The graphic showed Greenland draped with the stars and stripes, with the cryptic message: "COMING."
This overt suggestion to absorb the resource-abundant region, which is a part of the NATO alliance, triggered swift and strong condemnation from Danish officials.
"We are close allies and should keep cooperate as such. US security is also the Arctic's and our security," stated the Copenhagen's envoy to the United States. "The Kingdom of Denmark and the US work together to ensure security in the North."
The diplomat further highlighted that the kingdom had substantially boosted its military budget recently, earmarking a substantial sum specifically for Arctic and North Atlantic defence. "Furthermore, we demand full respect for the sovereign borders of the our realm," he emphasized.
Administrative Appointments and Strategic Goals
The situation were further exacerbated by the previous naming of a Southern governor as a representative to Greenland. The governor had publicly expressed gratitude to the commander-in-chief, stating it was an "honour" to serve in a volunteer role to "make Greenland a part of the US."
After the military action in Venezuela, this representative praised the president's decisive move, linking it to the wider "war on drugs."
Since assuming office, the US president has repeatedly unnerved European partners with his stated interest in Greenland. The island is viewed as critically important for national security and potential mineral exploitation. It already hosts the northernmost US air base.
Leaving the Door Open to Force
In a significant television interview, the president declined to rule out the resorting to military force to gain control of Greenland. This position comes amid growing great-power 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 "tiny amount of people, which we’ll look after, and we’ll cherish them... But we need that for global security."
Growing Tensions and Indigenous Opposition
In reaction to this constant "drumbeat" of threats, Danish intelligence service took the extraordinary step last month of classifying the United States as a "security risk."
The leaders of both Greenland delivered a joint and forceful statement: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You cannot annex other countries."
Surveys in Greenland shows a nuanced picture. While a overwhelming percentage of the island's inhabitants desire self-rule from Denmark, there is simultaneously scant desire to join the United States. The island has had the option to seek independence for many years.
Analyst View: A Plausible Scenario?
Some analysts are now re-evaluating the possibility of such a move. One thinktank analyst specializing in defence conceded she had once discounted the rhetoric but was "now not so sure."
"Logistically, it would be feasible for the US to station a couple hundred or a few thousand soldiers on Greenland, and it's not clear to me who could intervene about it," she observed.
