US Military Operation on Venezuela Raises Fears of Potential Greenland Acquisition.

Recent American bombardment in the South American nation and the detention of its president have sparked worry regarding Washington's designs on the Arctic territory. Followers of the former president's base have allegedly set their sights on the strategically important landmass following the operations in South America.

Inflammatory Posts and Official Outrage

Only hours after the commencement of the Venezuelan operation, a well-known conservative commentator, who is married to a high-ranking White House adviser, posted a suggestive map. The picture depicted Greenland covered in the stars and stripes, with the cryptic caption: "COMING."

This overt suggestion to annex the mineral-rich region, which is a part of the NATO alliance, triggered swift and firm condemnation from Denmark's officials.

"Denmark and the US are close allies and should keep work together as such. US security is equally Greenland’s and Denmark’s security," declared the Danish ambassador to the United States. "The Kingdom of Denmark and the US collaborate to ensure security in the North."

The diplomat additionally pointed out that Denmark had substantially increased its military budget this year, earmarking a substantial sum expressly for Northern and regional security. "Furthermore, we expect complete respect for the sovereign borders of the our realm," he emphasized.

Political Moves and Strategic Goals

The tensions were additionally complicated by the recent appointment of a Southern governor as a representative to Greenland. The governor had publicly thanked the commander-in-chief, saying it was an "honour" to work in a unpaid role to "bring Greenland into the US."

Following the military action in Venezuela, this envoy praised the president's decisive move, connecting it to the broader "fight against narcotics."

Ever since assuming office, the US president has repeatedly unnerved transatlantic partners with his expressed interest in Greenland. The territory is considered critically strategic for defence and future resource extraction. It already houses the most northerly US air base.

Leaving the Door Open to Force

In a significant media appearance, the president refused to exclude the resorting to military force to gain control of Greenland. This position comes amid 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 stated.

He described Greenland as having a "very small amount of people, which we’ll take care of, and we’ll value them... But we need that for global security."

Mounting Friction and Local Resistance

In response to this persistent "rhetoric" of threats, Denmark's security agency took the extraordinary step last month of labelling the United States as a "security risk."

The prime ministers of Denmark and Greenland issued a unified and stern rebuke: "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 overwhelming percentage of the territory's residents seek independence from Copenhagen, there is simultaneously little to no appetite to become part of the United States. The island has had the legal right to seek sovereignty for over a decade.

Expert View: A Credible Scenario?

Military analysts are now re-evaluating the possibility of such a move. One policy director focusing in military analysis conceded she had once dismissed the rhetoric but was "now not so sure."

"It wouldn't be that hard for the US to deploy a couple hundred or a couple thousand troops on Greenland, and it's not clear to me which power could do anything about it," she observed.