US Military Operation on Venezuela Stokes Concerns of Future Greenland Takeover.
The recent US-led bombardment in the South American nation and the capture of its president have sparked worry regarding America's ambitions on the Arctic territory. Members of the ex-president's base have allegedly set their sights on the vast island in the wake of the events in the southern hemisphere.
Inflammatory Messages and Official Backlash
Only hours after the commencement of the Venezuelan operation, a prominent conservative podcaster, who is married to a senior White House aide, shared a suggestive image. The graphic showed Greenland draped with the American flag, with the cryptic caption: "COMING."
This blatant suggestion to absorb the resource-abundant land, which is a member of the North Atlantic alliance, triggered swift and strong condemnation from Denmark's officials.
"We are close allies and should continue to cooperate as such. American security is equally the Arctic's and Denmark’s security," stated the Danish ambassador to the United States. "The Kingdom of Denmark and the United States collaborate to guarantee security in the Arctic."
The ambassador further highlighted that Denmark had significantly boosted its defence spending recently, allocating a substantial sum expressly for Arctic and North Atlantic defence. "And yes, we demand full respect for the sovereign borders of the our realm," he emphasized.
Administrative Appointments and Geopolitical Interests
The situation were further complicated by the recent naming of a US state governor as a representative to Greenland. The governor had publicly expressed gratitude to the president, stating it was an "honour" to serve in a unpaid capacity to "make Greenland a part of the US."
After the events in Venezuela, this envoy praised the president's decisive move, connecting it to the wider "war on drugs."
Ever since assuming office, the American leader has repeatedly unnerved transatlantic allies with his stated interest in Greenland. The island is considered critically strategic for defence and future resource extraction. It already hosts the most northerly US air base.
Leaving the Door Open to Force
In a significant television interview, the leader declined to rule out the resorting to armed action to acquire Greenland. This position comes during 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 take care of, and we’ll value them... But we need that for international security."
Mounting Friction and Indigenous Opposition
In response to this persistent "rhetoric" of intent, Denmark's security agency 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 rebuke: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You cannot take over other countries."
Surveys in Greenland shows a complex picture. While a vast majority of the territory's residents desire self-rule from Denmark, there is also scant desire to become part of the United States. The island has had the legal right to seek sovereignty for over a decade.
Expert View: A Plausible Scenario?
Military analysts are increasingly re-evaluating the possibility of such a move. One thinktank analyst specializing in military analysis admitted she had previously discounted 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 soldiers inside of Greenland, and it's unclear to me which power could do anything about it," she observed.
