🔗 Share this article American Attack on Venezuela Fuels Anxieties of Future Danish Territory Annexation. The latest US-led bombardment in Venezuela and the capture of its president have ignited unease regarding America's designs on the Arctic territory. Supporters of the former president's base have allegedly turned their attention to the resource-rich island in the wake of the operations in the southern hemisphere. Provocative Messages and Diplomatic Backlash Only a short time after the commencement of the Caracas campaign, a well-known right-wing commentator, who is married to a senior White House adviser, shared a suggestive map. The picture depicted Greenland covered in the American flag, with the cryptic caption: "COMING." This overt suggestion to annex the resource-abundant land, which is a member of the North Atlantic alliance, triggered swift and firm criticism from Denmark's representatives. "We are strong partners and should keep work together as such. American security is also the Arctic's and Denmark’s security," declared the Danish ambassador to the United States. "The Kingdom of Denmark and the United States work together to ensure security in the North." The diplomat additionally pointed out that the kingdom had substantially boosted its defence spending this year, allocating a substantial amount specifically for Arctic and North Atlantic defence. "And yes, we expect complete respect for the sovereign borders of the our realm," he added. Political Appointments and Strategic Interests The tensions were additionally 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 serve in a unpaid capacity to "bring Greenland into the US." Following the military action in Venezuela, this envoy praised the administration's actions, linking it to the wider "war on drugs." Ever since returning to office, the American leader has consistently alarmed European allies with his stated desire in Greenland. The island is considered vitally strategic for defence and potential resource extraction. It currently hosts the northernmost US air base. Leaving the Door Open to Military Action In a notable media appearance, the leader refused to rule out the resorting to military force to acquire Greenland. This stance comes amid growing global rivalry 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 "very small amount of people, which we’ll look after, and we’ll value them... But we need that for international security." Mounting Tensions and Local Opposition In response to this persistent "rhetoric" of threats, Denmark's intelligence service took the unprecedented step last month of labelling the United States as a "potential threat." The prime ministers of both Greenland delivered a unified and forceful statement: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You must not take over other countries." Surveys in Greenland shows a nuanced sentiment. While a vast majority of the island's residents desire self-rule from Denmark, there is also scant desire to join the United States. The territory has had the legal right to seek sovereignty for many years. Expert View: A Plausible Threat? Military analysts are now reconsidering the possibility of such a action. One thinktank director specializing in defence conceded she had previously discounted the rhetoric but was "now not so sure." "It wouldn't be that hard for the US to deploy a couple hundred or a couple thousand soldiers inside of Greenland, and it's unclear to me which power could intervene about it," she concluded.
The latest US-led bombardment in Venezuela and the capture of its president have ignited unease regarding America's designs on the Arctic territory. Supporters of the former president's base have allegedly turned their attention to the resource-rich island in the wake of the operations in the southern hemisphere. Provocative Messages and Diplomatic Backlash Only a short time after the commencement of the Caracas campaign, a well-known right-wing commentator, who is married to a senior White House adviser, shared a suggestive map. The picture depicted Greenland covered in the American flag, with the cryptic caption: "COMING." This overt suggestion to annex the resource-abundant land, which is a member of the North Atlantic alliance, triggered swift and firm criticism from Denmark's representatives. "We are strong partners and should keep work together as such. American security is also the Arctic's and Denmark’s security," declared the Danish ambassador to the United States. "The Kingdom of Denmark and the United States work together to ensure security in the North." The diplomat additionally pointed out that the kingdom had substantially boosted its defence spending this year, allocating a substantial amount specifically for Arctic and North Atlantic defence. "And yes, we expect complete respect for the sovereign borders of the our realm," he added. Political Appointments and Strategic Interests The tensions were additionally 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 serve in a unpaid capacity to "bring Greenland into the US." Following the military action in Venezuela, this envoy praised the administration's actions, linking it to the wider "war on drugs." Ever since returning to office, the American leader has consistently alarmed European allies with his stated desire in Greenland. The island is considered vitally strategic for defence and potential resource extraction. It currently hosts the northernmost US air base. Leaving the Door Open to Military Action In a notable media appearance, the leader refused to rule out the resorting to military force to acquire Greenland. This stance comes amid growing global rivalry 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 "very small amount of people, which we’ll look after, and we’ll value them... But we need that for international security." Mounting Tensions and Local Opposition In response to this persistent "rhetoric" of threats, Denmark's intelligence service took the unprecedented step last month of labelling the United States as a "potential threat." The prime ministers of both Greenland delivered a unified and forceful statement: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You must not take over other countries." Surveys in Greenland shows a nuanced sentiment. While a vast majority of the island's residents desire self-rule from Denmark, there is also scant desire to join the United States. The territory has had the legal right to seek sovereignty for many years. Expert View: A Plausible Threat? Military analysts are now reconsidering the possibility of such a action. One thinktank director specializing in defence conceded she had previously discounted the rhetoric but was "now not so sure." "It wouldn't be that hard for the US to deploy a couple hundred or a couple thousand soldiers inside of Greenland, and it's unclear to me which power could intervene about it," she concluded.