US Attack on Venezuela Stokes Fears of Future Danish Territory Takeover.
The latest American bombardment in Venezuela and the capture of its president have renewed worry regarding Washington's ambitions on the Arctic territory. Supporters of the former president's base have allegedly set their sights on the strategically important island in the wake of the operations in the southern hemisphere.
Inflammatory Messages and Official Outrage
Merely a short time after the initiation of the Venezuelan operation, a prominent right-wing commentator, who is married to a high-ranking presidential adviser, shared a suggestive image. The graphic showed Greenland covered in the American flag, with the cryptic caption: "SOON."
This blatant threat to absorb the resource-abundant land, which is a part of the North Atlantic alliance, triggered immediate and firm condemnation from Denmark's representatives.
"Denmark and the US are strong partners and should continue to cooperate as such. US security is equally Greenland’s and Denmark’s security," stated the Copenhagen's envoy to the United States. "Our nation and the US collaborate to guarantee security in the North."
The ambassador additionally pointed out that Denmark had significantly boosted its military budget this year, allocating a substantial amount expressly for Arctic and regional defence. "And yes, we demand complete recognition for the sovereign borders of the Kingdom of Denmark," he emphasized.
Administrative Appointments and Geopolitical Goals
The situation were further complicated by the recent naming of a Southern governor as a special envoy to Greenland. The governor had openly thanked the commander-in-chief, saying it was an "honour" to work in a volunteer capacity to "make Greenland a part of the US."
After the events in Venezuela, this envoy commended the administration's decisive move, linking it to the wider "war on drugs."
Ever since assuming office, the US president has consistently unnerved transatlantic allies with his expressed interest in Greenland. The island is viewed as critically strategic for national security and future mineral exploitation. It currently hosts the most northerly US military base.
Leaving the Door Open to Military Action
In a notable media interview, the president declined to rule out the resorting to military force to gain control of Greenland. This stance comes during 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 stated.
He described 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 reaction to this persistent "rhetoric" of threats, Denmark's intelligence service took the extraordinary step last month of labelling the United States as a "potential threat."
The prime ministers of both Greenland issued a joint 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 vast majority of the island's inhabitants desire independence from Denmark, there is simultaneously little to no desire to join the United States. The island has had the legal right to seek independence for many years.
Expert View: A Plausible Scenario?
Some analysts are now re-evaluating the likelihood of such a move. One policy analyst focusing 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 few thousand soldiers inside of Greenland, and it's not clear to me which power could do anything about it," she observed.
