In a dangerous new turn, the feud between Denmark and the United States has escalated. After recent talks about the U.S. wanting to buy or control Greenland, it is no longer a political debate but a grave security crisis. Danish leaders have since warned that they are ready to defend the Arctic island with military force if a move is made to seize it by force.
This is an alarm as the White House has recently made public statements that there is a military “option” to seize this land. For the nation’s 57,000 residents in Greenland, the danger feels more palpable than ever, especially following last week’s U.S. interventionist military action against Venezuela. Danish leaders are signalling to the Donald Trump administration that while they want to remain friends with the United States, they won’t sit idly by if their territory is threatened.
Denmark’s “Shoot First” Military Rules
The Danish Ministry of Defence has revealed that its soldiers have orders to return fire immediately if their bases in Iraq are attacked. Many had assumed the opposite to be true. They are taught from the Cold War era in 1952 to be ready to “pick up the fight” and not wait for a phone call from bosses in the capital. The ministry says that the rule is still very much in effect today.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has said an assault on a NATO member like Denmark would destroy the entire military alliance. She dismissed the idea of a U.S. takeover as “absurd,” adding that it would put an end to the peace and security, relative but absolute peace and security, that had existed in the world since World War II. Denmark has preferred to settle disputes with talk but now it seems they have a “hard line” opinion about their land.
Europe Backs Denmark in Face of U.S. Pressure
European leaders have rushed to Denmark’s support. Germany, France and the UK have all signed a joint statement that says “only the people of Greenland and Denmark could decide.” They rejected the notion that because a country is small or has few people, it is somehow permissible for a larger power to dominate it.
Nonetheless, some in the United States government are pressing the point. Top advisers have said that Greenland is a national security asset and would be an important check against Russia and China in the Arctic. They say Denmark isn’t strong enough to defend the island on its own. This “might makes right” stance has alarmed allies who believe the norms of international law are being flouted.
A Make-or-Break Meeting for the Arctic’s Future
Senior officials from the United States, Denmark and Greenland are due to meet next week in an effort to ease tensions. It is being viewed as a desperate attempt to salvage the relationship and prevent it from breaking off completely. Greenland’s own prime minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, has advised everyone to take a deep breath and stay calm, but also suggested that President Trump should give up his “annexation fantasies.”
Although some local politicians in Greenland have urged talking to the United States directly, to avoid more trouble, the official government stance is unwavering: Greenland is not for sale and it’s not up for grabs. As the world looks on, the cold waters of the Arctic have become the front line in a fight over who gets to dictate what is allowed to happen to a sovereign people
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