US Military Operation on Caracas Fuels Anxieties of Future Danish Territory Takeover.
Recent American bombardment in the South American nation and the capture of its leader have sparked apprehension regarding America's ambitions on Greenland. Supporters of the ex-president's base have reportedly set their sights on the resource-rich landmass in the wake of the events in South America.
Provocative Posts and Diplomatic Outrage
Merely a short time after the start of the Caracas campaign, a prominent right-wing commentator, who is married to a high-ranking presidential adviser, posted a symbolic image. The picture showed Greenland covered in the American flag, accompanied by single-word message: "COMING."
This blatant suggestion to annex the resource-abundant land, which is a member of the North Atlantic alliance, triggered swift and strong criticism from Danish officials.
"We are strong partners and should keep cooperate as such. US security is also the Arctic's and Denmark’s security," declared the Copenhagen's envoy to the United States. "The Kingdom of Denmark and the United States collaborate to ensure security in the Arctic."
The ambassador additionally highlighted that Denmark had significantly boosted its defence spending this year, earmarking a substantial sum expressly for Arctic and North Atlantic security. "Furthermore, we expect full respect for the sovereign borders of the our realm," he emphasized.
Political Appointments and Strategic Goals
The situation were additionally complicated by the previous naming of a Southern governor as a representative to Greenland. The governor had openly expressed gratitude to the president, stating it was an "honour" to serve in a volunteer capacity to "make Greenland a part of the US."
After the events in Venezuela, this representative praised the president's decisive move, linking it to the wider "fight against narcotics."
Ever since returning to office, the American leader has consistently unnerved European allies with his expressed interest in Greenland. The island is considered vitally important for defence and potential mineral exploitation. It already hosts the most northerly US military base.
Refusing to Rule Out Force
In a notable media interview, the president refused to exclude the resorting to armed action to acquire Greenland. This stance comes amid growing great-power 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 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."
Growing Tensions 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 "security risk."
The prime ministers of both Greenland issued a unified and forceful statement: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You must not take over other countries."
Public opinion in Greenland reveals a complex sentiment. While a overwhelming percentage of the territory's inhabitants seek self-rule from Copenhagen, there is also little to no appetite to join the United States. The territory has had the option to seek independence for many years.
Analyst View: A Credible Scenario?
Some experts are increasingly reconsidering the possibility of such a move. One thinktank director specializing in military analysis conceded she had once discounted the sabre-rattling but was "currently 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 unclear to me which power could intervene about it," she observed.
