🔗 Share this article US Military Operation on Venezuela Stokes Anxieties of Future Danish Territory Takeover. The recent US-led bombardment in the South American nation and the detention of its president have ignited apprehension regarding America's ambitions on the Arctic territory. Supporters of the ex-president's political movement have allegedly set their sights on the vast island following the events in South America. Inflammatory Posts and Official Outrage Merely a short time following the initiation of the Venezuelan campaign, a well-known conservative commentator, who is married to a high-ranking presidential aide, posted a symbolic map. The picture showed Greenland covered in the stars and stripes, with the single-word message: "SOON." This overt suggestion to claim the resource-abundant region, which is a part of the NATO alliance, provoked immediate and firm criticism from Denmark's representatives. "We are strong partners and should keep work together as such. US security is equally Greenland’s and our security," stated the Copenhagen's envoy to the United States. "Our nation and the US work together to ensure security in the Arctic." The ambassador further pointed out that the kingdom had substantially boosted its military budget recently, earmarking a large sum expressly for Arctic and regional defence. "And yes, we demand complete respect for the sovereign borders of the Kingdom of Denmark," he emphasized. Administrative Appointments and Geopolitical Goals The situation were further exacerbated by the recent naming of a US state governor as a special envoy to Greenland. The governor had openly thanked the commander-in-chief, stating it was an "honour" to work in a volunteer capacity to "bring Greenland into the US." After the military action in Venezuela, this envoy praised the president's actions, connecting it to the broader "war on drugs." Since returning to office, the American leader has consistently unnerved transatlantic allies with his stated desire in Greenland. The island is viewed as vitally strategic for defence and potential mineral exploitation. It already hosts the most northerly US air base. Refusing to Rule Out Force In a significant television interview, the leader refused to rule out the use of armed action to acquire Greenland. This stance comes amid growing global 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 "very small amount of people, which we’ll look after, and we’ll value them... But we need that for global security." Growing Tensions and Indigenous Resistance In reaction to this persistent "drumbeat" of threats, Danish security agency took the unprecedented step last month of classifying the United States as a "security risk." The leaders of Denmark and Greenland issued a joint and stern rebuke: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You cannot take over other countries." Public opinion in Greenland shows a complex sentiment. While a vast majority of the territory's inhabitants desire independence from Copenhagen, there is also little to no desire to become part of the United States. The island has had the legal right to declare independence for over a decade. Analyst View: A Credible Scenario? Some analysts are now reconsidering the possibility of such a move. One thinktank analyst specializing 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 soldiers on Greenland, and it's unclear to me who could do anything about it," she observed.
The recent US-led bombardment in the South American nation and the detention of its president have ignited apprehension regarding America's ambitions on the Arctic territory. Supporters of the ex-president's political movement have allegedly set their sights on the vast island following the events in South America. Inflammatory Posts and Official Outrage Merely a short time following the initiation of the Venezuelan campaign, a well-known conservative commentator, who is married to a high-ranking presidential aide, posted a symbolic map. The picture showed Greenland covered in the stars and stripes, with the single-word message: "SOON." This overt suggestion to claim the resource-abundant region, which is a part of the NATO alliance, provoked immediate and firm criticism from Denmark's representatives. "We are strong partners and should keep work together as such. US security is equally Greenland’s and our security," stated the Copenhagen's envoy to the United States. "Our nation and the US work together to ensure security in the Arctic." The ambassador further pointed out that the kingdom had substantially boosted its military budget recently, earmarking a large sum expressly for Arctic and regional defence. "And yes, we demand complete respect for the sovereign borders of the Kingdom of Denmark," he emphasized. Administrative Appointments and Geopolitical Goals The situation were further exacerbated by the recent naming of a US state governor as a special envoy to Greenland. The governor had openly thanked the commander-in-chief, stating it was an "honour" to work in a volunteer capacity to "bring Greenland into the US." After the military action in Venezuela, this envoy praised the president's actions, connecting it to the broader "war on drugs." Since returning to office, the American leader has consistently unnerved transatlantic allies with his stated desire in Greenland. The island is viewed as vitally strategic for defence and potential mineral exploitation. It already hosts the most northerly US air base. Refusing to Rule Out Force In a significant television interview, the leader refused to rule out the use of armed action to acquire Greenland. This stance comes amid growing global 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 "very small amount of people, which we’ll look after, and we’ll value them... But we need that for global security." Growing Tensions and Indigenous Resistance In reaction to this persistent "drumbeat" of threats, Danish security agency took the unprecedented step last month of classifying the United States as a "security risk." The leaders of Denmark and Greenland issued a joint and stern rebuke: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You cannot take over other countries." Public opinion in Greenland shows a complex sentiment. While a vast majority of the territory's inhabitants desire independence from Copenhagen, there is also little to no desire to become part of the United States. The island has had the legal right to declare independence for over a decade. Analyst View: A Credible Scenario? Some analysts are now reconsidering the possibility of such a move. One thinktank analyst specializing 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 soldiers on Greenland, and it's unclear to me who could do anything about it," she observed.