🔗 Share this article US Military Operation on Caracas Raises Concerns of Potential Danish Territory Acquisition. The recent US-led military action in Venezuela and the seizure of its president have sparked worry regarding Washington's ambitions on the Arctic territory. Members of the former president's base have allegedly turned their attention to the resource-rich island in the wake of the events in South America. Inflammatory Posts and Official Backlash Only a short time following the initiation of the Venezuelan operation, a well-known conservative commentator, who is married to a high-ranking presidential adviser, shared a symbolic map. The picture showed Greenland covered in the American flag, accompanied by cryptic caption: "SOON." This blatant suggestion to absorb the mineral-rich region, which is a member of the NATO alliance, triggered immediate and firm criticism from Danish officials. "Denmark and the US are close allies and should keep work together as such. US security is equally the Arctic's and our security," stated the Danish ambassador to the United States. "The Kingdom of Denmark and the US work together to ensure security in the Arctic." The ambassador additionally pointed out that the kingdom had significantly increased its military budget recently, allocating a substantial amount expressly for Northern and North Atlantic defence. "Furthermore, we expect complete respect for the territorial integrity of the our realm," he added. Political Appointments and Strategic Interests The tensions were additionally complicated by the previous naming of a US state governor as a representative to Greenland. The appointee had openly expressed gratitude to the president, stating it was an "honour" to work in a unpaid capacity to "make Greenland a part of the US." After the events in Venezuela, this representative praised the administration's decisive move, connecting it to the wider "war on drugs." Ever since returning to office, the American leader has repeatedly unnerved transatlantic allies with his stated desire in Greenland. The island is considered critically strategic for defence and potential mineral exploitation. It already houses the most northerly US air base. Leaving the Door Open to Military Action In a significant media appearance, the leader declined to exclude the resorting to armed action to gain control of Greenland. This stance comes amid intensifying global competition 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 described 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 Tensions and Local Resistance In reaction to this constant "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 Denmark and Greenland delivered a joint and forceful statement: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You must not annex other countries." Surveys in Greenland shows a nuanced picture. While a vast majority of the territory's residents desire self-rule from Copenhagen, there is also little to no appetite to join the United States. The island has had the option to seek independence for over a decade. Expert View: A Credible Scenario? Some 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 "currently not so sure." "Logistically, it would be feasible for the US to station a few hundred or a couple thousand troops on Greenland, and it's not clear to me which power could intervene about it," she concluded.
The recent US-led military action in Venezuela and the seizure of its president have sparked worry regarding Washington's ambitions on the Arctic territory. Members of the former president's base have allegedly turned their attention to the resource-rich island in the wake of the events in South America. Inflammatory Posts and Official Backlash Only a short time following the initiation of the Venezuelan operation, a well-known conservative commentator, who is married to a high-ranking presidential adviser, shared a symbolic map. The picture showed Greenland covered in the American flag, accompanied by cryptic caption: "SOON." This blatant suggestion to absorb the mineral-rich region, which is a member of the NATO alliance, triggered immediate and firm criticism from Danish officials. "Denmark and the US are close allies and should keep work together as such. US security is equally the Arctic's and our security," stated the Danish ambassador to the United States. "The Kingdom of Denmark and the US work together to ensure security in the Arctic." The ambassador additionally pointed out that the kingdom had significantly increased its military budget recently, allocating a substantial amount expressly for Northern and North Atlantic defence. "Furthermore, we expect complete respect for the territorial integrity of the our realm," he added. Political Appointments and Strategic Interests The tensions were additionally complicated by the previous naming of a US state governor as a representative to Greenland. The appointee had openly expressed gratitude to the president, stating it was an "honour" to work in a unpaid capacity to "make Greenland a part of the US." After the events in Venezuela, this representative praised the administration's decisive move, connecting it to the wider "war on drugs." Ever since returning to office, the American leader has repeatedly unnerved transatlantic allies with his stated desire in Greenland. The island is considered critically strategic for defence and potential mineral exploitation. It already houses the most northerly US air base. Leaving the Door Open to Military Action In a significant media appearance, the leader declined to exclude the resorting to armed action to gain control of Greenland. This stance comes amid intensifying global competition 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 described 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 Tensions and Local Resistance In reaction to this constant "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 Denmark and Greenland delivered a joint and forceful statement: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You must not annex other countries." Surveys in Greenland shows a nuanced picture. While a vast majority of the territory's residents desire self-rule from Copenhagen, there is also little to no appetite to join the United States. The island has had the option to seek independence for over a decade. Expert View: A Credible Scenario? Some 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 "currently not so sure." "Logistically, it would be feasible for the US to station a few hundred or a couple thousand troops on Greenland, and it's not clear to me which power could intervene about it," she concluded.