American Military Operation on Caracas Fuels Fears of Future Greenland Takeover.

The recent American strike in Venezuela and the seizure of its president have ignited apprehension regarding Washington's designs on the Arctic territory. Members of the ex-president's political movement have reportedly set their sights on the vast landmass in the wake of the operations in South America.

Inflammatory Posts and Diplomatic Outrage

Merely a short time after the start of the Venezuelan campaign, a well-known right-wing commentator, who is married to a senior presidential aide, shared a suggestive image. The graphic depicted Greenland covered in the American flag, accompanied by single-word message: "COMING."

This blatant suggestion to annex the mineral-rich land, which is a member of the NATO alliance, provoked swift and strong condemnation from Denmark's officials.

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

The ambassador additionally pointed out that the kingdom had substantially increased its defence spending recently, earmarking a large sum expressly for Arctic and regional defence. "And yes, we expect full recognition for the territorial integrity of the our realm," he emphasized.

Administrative Appointments and Geopolitical Interests

The tensions were further exacerbated by the previous appointment of a US state governor as a special envoy to Greenland. The governor had publicly thanked the president, saying it was an "honour" to serve in a unpaid role to "bring Greenland into the US."

After the events in Venezuela, this envoy praised the president's actions, connecting it to the broader "fight against narcotics."

Ever since returning to office, the US president has consistently alarmed European partners with his expressed desire in Greenland. The territory is considered vitally strategic for national security and potential mineral exploitation. It currently hosts the most northerly US military base.

Leaving the Door Open to Military Action

In a significant media appearance, the leader refused to rule out the resorting to armed action to gain control of Greenland. This stance comes during intensifying great-power 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 characterized Greenland as having a "tiny amount of people, which we’ll take care of, and we’ll cherish them... But we need that for international security."

Mounting Tensions and Local Resistance

In reaction to this constant "drumbeat" 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 forceful statement: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You cannot annex other countries."

Surveys in Greenland shows a complex sentiment. While a vast majority of the territory's inhabitants desire self-rule from Denmark, there is simultaneously scant desire to join the United States. The territory has had the legal right to declare independence for over a decade.

Expert View: A Plausible Scenario?

Some experts are now re-evaluating the likelihood of such a action. One thinktank analyst specializing in military analysis conceded she had once discounted the sabre-rattling 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 on Greenland, and it's not clear to me which power could intervene about it," she concluded.