🔗 Share this article US Military Operation on Venezuela Fuels Fears of Potential Danish Territory Takeover. The latest American bombardment in the South American nation and the capture of its leader have sparked worry regarding America's designs on the Arctic territory. Supporters of the ex-president's base have reportedly set their sights on the resource-rich landmass following the operations in South America. Inflammatory Messages and Official Backlash Only a short time after the start of the Venezuelan campaign, a prominent conservative commentator, who is the spouse of a senior presidential adviser, posted a symbolic map. The picture showed Greenland draped with the American flag, with the cryptic caption: "SOON." This blatant threat to claim the mineral-rich land, which is a member of the North Atlantic alliance, provoked immediate and firm criticism from Denmark's representatives. "We are strong partners and should keep work together as such. American security is equally Greenland’s and our security," declared the Danish ambassador to the United States. "The Kingdom of Denmark and the US collaborate to guarantee security in the Arctic." The ambassador further highlighted that the kingdom had significantly boosted its defence spending this year, allocating a substantial amount expressly for Northern and regional defence. "And yes, we expect complete recognition for the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark," he added. Political Appointments and Strategic Goals The tensions were further exacerbated by the previous appointment 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 work in a unpaid capacity to "bring Greenland into the US." After the military action in Venezuela, this envoy praised the president's actions, connecting it to the wider "war on drugs." Ever since returning to office, the American leader has consistently unnerved European allies with his stated desire in Greenland. The island is viewed as critically important for defence and potential mineral exploitation. It already houses the northernmost US military base. Leaving the Door Open to Force In a significant television appearance, the leader declined to rule out the resorting to military force to gain control of 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 stated. He characterized Greenland as having a "very small amount of people, which we’ll take care of, and we’ll cherish them... But we need that for international security." Growing Tensions and Local Opposition In response to this constant "rhetoric" of threats, Denmark's security agency took the unprecedented step last month of classifying the United States as a "security risk." The prime ministers of Denmark and Greenland delivered a unified and forceful statement: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You cannot annex other countries." Surveys in Greenland reveals a nuanced sentiment. While a vast majority of the island's residents seek self-rule from Copenhagen, there is also scant appetite to become part of the United States. The island has had the option to declare independence for many years. Analyst View: A Plausible Scenario? Military experts are now reconsidering the likelihood of such a action. One thinktank analyst specializing in military analysis admitted she had once discounted the rhetoric but was "currently not so sure." "It wouldn't be that hard for the US to deploy a few hundred or a couple thousand troops on Greenland, and it's not clear to me which power could do anything about it," she observed.
The latest American bombardment in the South American nation and the capture of its leader have sparked worry regarding America's designs on the Arctic territory. Supporters of the ex-president's base have reportedly set their sights on the resource-rich landmass following the operations in South America. Inflammatory Messages and Official Backlash Only a short time after the start of the Venezuelan campaign, a prominent conservative commentator, who is the spouse of a senior presidential adviser, posted a symbolic map. The picture showed Greenland draped with the American flag, with the cryptic caption: "SOON." This blatant threat to claim the mineral-rich land, which is a member of the North Atlantic alliance, provoked immediate and firm criticism from Denmark's representatives. "We are strong partners and should keep work together as such. American security is equally Greenland’s and our security," declared the Danish ambassador to the United States. "The Kingdom of Denmark and the US collaborate to guarantee security in the Arctic." The ambassador further highlighted that the kingdom had significantly boosted its defence spending this year, allocating a substantial amount expressly for Northern and regional defence. "And yes, we expect complete recognition for the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark," he added. Political Appointments and Strategic Goals The tensions were further exacerbated by the previous appointment 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 work in a unpaid capacity to "bring Greenland into the US." After the military action in Venezuela, this envoy praised the president's actions, connecting it to the wider "war on drugs." Ever since returning to office, the American leader has consistently unnerved European allies with his stated desire in Greenland. The island is viewed as critically important for defence and potential mineral exploitation. It already houses the northernmost US military base. Leaving the Door Open to Force In a significant television appearance, the leader declined to rule out the resorting to military force to gain control of 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 stated. He characterized Greenland as having a "very small amount of people, which we’ll take care of, and we’ll cherish them... But we need that for international security." Growing Tensions and Local Opposition In response to this constant "rhetoric" of threats, Denmark's security agency took the unprecedented step last month of classifying the United States as a "security risk." The prime ministers of Denmark and Greenland delivered a unified and forceful statement: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You cannot annex other countries." Surveys in Greenland reveals a nuanced sentiment. While a vast majority of the island's residents seek self-rule from Copenhagen, there is also scant appetite to become part of the United States. The island has had the option to declare independence for many years. Analyst View: A Plausible Scenario? Military experts are now reconsidering the likelihood of such a action. One thinktank analyst specializing in military analysis admitted she had once discounted the rhetoric but was "currently not so sure." "It wouldn't be that hard for the US to deploy a few hundred or a couple thousand troops on Greenland, and it's not clear to me which power could do anything about it," she observed.