The latest US-led strike in the South American nation and the capture of its leader have ignited worry regarding Washington's ambitions on Greenland. Members of the former president's political movement have allegedly focused on the strategically important island following the events in the southern hemisphere.
Provocative Posts and Official Outrage
Merely a short time after the commencement of the Venezuelan campaign, a prominent conservative commentator, who is married to a senior White House aide, shared a suggestive image. The picture showed Greenland covered in the stars and stripes, accompanied by cryptic message: "SOON."
This blatant suggestion to claim the mineral-rich land, which is a part of the North Atlantic alliance, triggered swift and strong criticism from Danish officials.
"Denmark and the US are close allies and should keep work together as such. American security is equally the Arctic's and our security," stated the Danish ambassador to the United States. "Our nation and the United States work together to ensure security in the Arctic."
The ambassador additionally pointed out that Denmark had significantly increased its defence spending this year, allocating a large sum expressly for Northern and regional defence. "And yes, we demand full recognition for the territorial integrity of the our realm," he emphasized.
Administrative Appointments and Strategic Interests
The situation were additionally complicated by the recent naming of a US state governor as a special envoy to Greenland. The appointee had publicly expressed gratitude to the commander-in-chief, saying it was an "honour" to work in a volunteer capacity to "make Greenland a part of the US."
After the military action in Venezuela, this envoy commended the president's actions, connecting it to the wider "fight against narcotics."
Ever since returning to office, the American leader has repeatedly unnerved transatlantic partners with his expressed interest in Greenland. The territory is considered critically important for national security and potential resource extraction. It currently houses the most northerly US air base.
Refusing to Rule Out Force
In a significant television interview, the leader declined to exclude the resorting to military force to gain control of Greenland. This position comes during intensifying 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 "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 Opposition
In reaction to this persistent "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 Denmark and Greenland delivered a unified and forceful rebuke: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You must not take over other countries."
Surveys in Greenland shows a complex sentiment. While a vast majority of the territory's residents desire independence from Copenhagen, there is simultaneously little to no desire to join the United States. The territory has had the option to seek independence for many years.
Analyst View: A Credible Threat?
Military experts are increasingly re-evaluating the possibility of such a action. One policy analyst specializing in military analysis admitted she had previously discounted the sabre-rattling but was "now not so sure."
"Logistically, it would be feasible for the US to deploy a couple hundred or a couple thousand troops inside of Greenland, and it's unclear to me who could do anything about it," she observed.
