American Military Operation on Venezuela Stokes Concerns of Future Greenland Annexation.

The latest American military action in Venezuela and the seizure of its leader have renewed unease regarding Washington's ambitions on the Arctic territory. Members of the ex-president's base have allegedly turned their attention to the vast island following the operations in South America.

Provocative Messages and Official Outrage

Merely hours following the start of the Caracas operation, a prominent right-wing commentator, who is the spouse of a high-ranking White House adviser, shared a suggestive map. The graphic depicted Greenland draped with the American flag, with the single-word caption: "SOON."

This overt suggestion to claim the mineral-rich land, which is a part of the NATO alliance, provoked swift and strong criticism from Denmark's representatives.

"We are close allies and should keep work together as such. US security is equally Greenland’s and our security," declared the Danish ambassador to the United States. "Our nation and the US work together to ensure security in the North."

The ambassador further highlighted that Denmark had significantly increased its defence spending this year, allocating a large amount expressly for Arctic and regional security. "Furthermore, we demand complete recognition for the territorial integrity of the our realm," he emphasized.

Political Moves and Geopolitical Goals

The situation were additionally exacerbated by the recent naming of a Southern governor as a special envoy to Greenland. The governor had openly expressed gratitude to the commander-in-chief, saying it was an "honour" to serve in a unpaid role to "make Greenland a part of the US."

Following the military action in Venezuela, this envoy commended the president's actions, connecting it to the broader "war on drugs."

Ever since returning to office, the American leader has repeatedly unnerved transatlantic partners with his stated interest in Greenland. The island is viewed as critically strategic for national security and potential mineral exploitation. It already houses the most northerly US air base.

Leaving the Door Open to Force

In a notable media interview, the leader refused to exclude the resorting to armed action to acquire Greenland. This position comes during intensifying 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 described Greenland as having a "tiny 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 persistent "rhetoric" of intent, Denmark's intelligence service 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 statement: "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 residents desire self-rule from Denmark, there is also little to no appetite to become part of the United States. The territory has had the legal right to declare independence for over a decade.

Analyst View: A Credible Scenario?

Military analysts are increasingly reconsidering the possibility of such a move. One policy analyst specializing in military analysis admitted she had previously discounted the sabre-rattling but was "now not so sure."

"Logistically, it would be feasible for the US to deploy a few hundred or a few thousand soldiers on Greenland, and it's unclear to me which power could intervene about it," she observed.