The latest American strike in the South American nation and the capture of its president have renewed apprehension regarding America's designs on the Arctic territory. Supporters of the former president's base have reportedly turned their attention to the vast island in the wake of the events in South America.
Provocative Posts and Official Outrage
Merely hours after the commencement of the Caracas campaign, a prominent conservative podcaster, who is the spouse of a senior White House adviser, posted a symbolic map. The picture showed Greenland covered in the stars and stripes, accompanied by single-word caption: "SOON."
This overt suggestion to claim the resource-abundant region, which is a member of the NATO alliance, provoked swift and firm condemnation from Danish officials.
"We are strong partners and should continue to cooperate as such. American security is also Greenland’s and Denmark’s security," declared the Danish ambassador to the United States. "The Kingdom of Denmark and the US work together to guarantee security in the Arctic."
The diplomat further highlighted that Denmark had substantially boosted its defence spending recently, earmarking a substantial sum specifically for Arctic and regional defence. "And yes, we demand full respect for the territorial integrity of the our realm," he added.
Political Appointments and Strategic Interests
The situation were additionally complicated by the previous appointment of a Southern governor as a representative to Greenland. The appointee had publicly expressed gratitude to the president, saying it was an "honour" to work in a volunteer role to "bring Greenland into the US."
Following the military action in Venezuela, this representative commended the administration's actions, connecting it to the wider "war on drugs."
Since returning to office, the American leader has repeatedly unnerved European partners with his expressed interest in Greenland. The island is considered critically important for national security and potential mineral exploitation. It already houses the most northerly US military base.
Leaving the Door Open to Military Action
In a notable television appearance, the president refused to exclude the resorting to military force to gain control of Greenland. This position comes amid intensifying great-power 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 characterized Greenland as having a "tiny amount of people, which we’ll look after, and we’ll value them... But we need that for international security."
Mounting Friction and Indigenous Resistance
In response to this persistent "rhetoric" of intent, Danish intelligence service took the unprecedented step last month of labelling the United States as a "security risk."
The leaders of Denmark and Greenland delivered a unified and stern rebuke: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You cannot annex other countries."
Surveys in Greenland shows a nuanced sentiment. While a vast majority of the territory's residents desire self-rule from Denmark, there is also scant appetite to join the United States. The island has had the legal right to declare independence for over a decade.
Analyst View: A Credible Scenario?
Military experts are now reconsidering the likelihood of such a move. One thinktank director focusing in defence 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 few hundred or a couple thousand soldiers on Greenland, and it's not clear to me which power could intervene about it," she concluded.
