Recent American military action in the South American nation and the capture of its president have ignited worry regarding Washington's ambitions on Greenland. Members of the former president's political movement have allegedly focused on the strategically important island in the wake of the operations in the southern hemisphere.
Inflammatory Messages and Official Backlash
Merely hours after the start of the Venezuelan operation, a prominent right-wing commentator, who is married to a high-ranking presidential aide, shared a suggestive image. The picture showed Greenland covered in the American flag, accompanied by single-word message: "COMING."
This overt threat to absorb the resource-abundant land, which is a part of the North Atlantic alliance, triggered immediate and strong criticism from Denmark's officials.
"Denmark and the US are strong partners and should continue to cooperate as such. American security is equally the Arctic's and our security," declared the Copenhagen's envoy to the United States. "Our nation and the US collaborate to guarantee security in the Arctic."
The ambassador further pointed out that Denmark had significantly increased its military budget recently, earmarking a substantial sum expressly for Northern and North Atlantic defence. "Furthermore, we expect complete respect for the sovereign borders of the our realm," he emphasized.
Administrative Moves and Geopolitical Goals
The situation were further complicated by the recent naming of a US state governor as a representative to Greenland. The governor had publicly expressed gratitude to the commander-in-chief, saying it was an "honour" to serve in a volunteer capacity to "bring Greenland into the US."
Following the events in Venezuela, this representative commended the president's decisive move, connecting it to the broader "war on drugs."
Ever since assuming office, the US president has consistently unnerved European allies with his stated desire in Greenland. The territory is viewed as vitally important for national security and future resource extraction. It currently hosts the most northerly US air base.
Refusing to Rule Out Military Action
In a notable television interview, the leader refused to rule out the resorting to military force to acquire Greenland. This position comes amid growing great-power 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 remarked.
He described Greenland as having a "very small amount of people, which we’ll take care of, and we’ll value them... But we need that for international security."
Mounting Friction and Local Opposition
In response to this constant "rhetoric" of threats, Denmark's security agency took the extraordinary step last month of labelling the United States as a "security risk."
The leaders of both Greenland delivered a unified and stern rebuke: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You cannot annex other countries."
Public opinion in Greenland shows a nuanced picture. While a vast majority of the territory's inhabitants desire independence from Denmark, there is also little to no appetite to become part of the United States. The territory has had the option to seek sovereignty for over a decade.
Expert Assessment: A Credible Scenario?
Some experts are now re-evaluating the possibility of such a action. One thinktank director focusing in defence admitted she had once discounted the sabre-rattling but was "currently not so sure."
"It wouldn't be that hard for the US to station a few hundred or a couple thousand soldiers on Greenland, and it's unclear to me who could intervene about it," she observed.
