The recent American bombardment in the South American nation and the capture of its president have ignited unease regarding America's designs on Greenland. Members of the former president's base have allegedly focused on the strategically important landmass following the events in the southern hemisphere.
Provocative Messages and Official Outrage
Only a short time after the commencement of the Venezuelan campaign, a well-known conservative podcaster, who is the spouse of a high-ranking White House aide, shared a symbolic map. The graphic showed Greenland draped with the American flag, accompanied by single-word message: "COMING."
This blatant threat to annex the resource-abundant land, which is a member of the NATO alliance, triggered swift and strong criticism from Danish representatives.
"Denmark and the US are strong partners and should keep work together as such. US security is also the Arctic's and Denmark’s security," stated the Copenhagen's envoy to the United States. "Our nation and the US work together to ensure security in the Arctic."
The diplomat additionally pointed out that Denmark had substantially boosted its military budget recently, allocating a substantial amount expressly for Arctic and North Atlantic defence. "Furthermore, we expect complete recognition for the sovereign borders of the Kingdom of Denmark," he added.
Political Appointments and Strategic Interests
The situation were further exacerbated by the previous appointment of a Southern governor as a special envoy to Greenland. The appointee had openly expressed gratitude to the president, saying it was an "privilege" to serve in a volunteer capacity to "bring Greenland into the US."
After the military action in Venezuela, this envoy praised the president's decisive move, connecting it to the wider "fight against narcotics."
Ever since assuming office, the American leader has repeatedly alarmed transatlantic partners with his stated desire in Greenland. The territory is viewed as critically strategic for defence and future resource extraction. It currently houses the most northerly US air base.
Leaving the Door Open to Military Action
In a notable television interview, the president declined to rule out the resorting to military force to acquire Greenland. This position 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 stated.
He described Greenland as having a "very small amount of people, which we’ll look after, and we’ll cherish them... But we need that for international security."
Growing Friction and Local Resistance
In reaction to this constant "drumbeat" of intent, Denmark's security agency took the extraordinary step last month of labelling the United States as a "security risk."
The prime ministers 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."
Public opinion in Greenland reveals a complex picture. While a overwhelming percentage of the territory's residents desire independence from Copenhagen, there is also scant appetite to become part of the United States. The island has had the option to seek sovereignty for over a decade.
Expert View: A Plausible Scenario?
Military experts are now reconsidering the likelihood of such a move. One thinktank analyst focusing in defence admitted she had previously dismissed 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 soldiers on Greenland, and it's unclear to me which power could intervene about it," she concluded.
