US Military Operation on Venezuela Fuels Anxieties of Potential Greenland Takeover.

The latest American strike in Venezuela and the detention of its president have sparked apprehension regarding America's designs on Greenland. Members of the former president's political movement have reportedly turned their attention to the strategically important island in the wake of the operations in the southern hemisphere.

Inflammatory Messages and Diplomatic Outrage

Merely a short time after the initiation of the Caracas campaign, a prominent conservative commentator, who is married to a senior presidential aide, shared a suggestive image. The graphic showed Greenland covered in the stars and stripes, accompanied by single-word message: "COMING."

This blatant suggestion to absorb the resource-abundant land, which is a member of the North Atlantic alliance, triggered immediate and firm criticism from Danish representatives.

"We are close allies and should continue to work together as such. American security is equally Greenland’s and Denmark’s security," stated the Copenhagen's envoy to the United States. "The Kingdom of Denmark and the United States collaborate to guarantee security in the Arctic."

The diplomat additionally highlighted that the kingdom had substantially boosted its military budget recently, earmarking a substantial sum specifically for Northern and regional defence. "Furthermore, we expect complete respect for the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark," he added.

Political Appointments and Geopolitical Interests

The tensions were further complicated by the recent naming of a US state governor as a special envoy to Greenland. The governor had publicly thanked the president, saying it was an "privilege" to serve in a unpaid capacity to "make Greenland a part of the US."

Following the events in Venezuela, this representative praised the president's actions, linking it to the wider "fight against narcotics."

Ever since returning to office, the American leader has consistently alarmed European allies with his expressed interest in Greenland. The territory is considered critically strategic for national security and potential resource extraction. It already hosts the most northerly US air base.

Leaving the Door Open to Force

In a significant media interview, the leader declined to rule out the use of armed action to acquire Greenland. This position comes during growing 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 "very small amount of people, which we’ll look after, and we’ll cherish them... But we need that for global security."

Growing Friction and Local Resistance

In reaction to this constant "drumbeat" of threats, Danish security agency took the extraordinary step last month of labelling the United States as a "security risk."

The prime ministers of both Greenland delivered a unified and forceful statement: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You must not annex other countries."

Surveys in Greenland reveals a nuanced picture. While a overwhelming percentage of the territory's residents desire independence from Copenhagen, there is also little to no desire to become part of the United States. The territory has had the legal right to seek sovereignty for over a decade.

Analyst View: A Credible Scenario?

Some experts are now re-evaluating the likelihood of such a move. One thinktank director focusing in military analysis admitted she had previously dismissed the rhetoric 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 not clear to me which power could do anything about it," she observed.