Yikes!
NATO member Denmark has responded rather swiftly to the rapidly circulating rumors regarding the apparent increase in American intelligence gathering efforts across the Arctic island of Greenland.
As reported by Politico, several Danish leaders have expressed doubt regarding the seriousness of the Trump administration’s apparent increase in surveillance efforts of the Arctic island.
Reportedly, the intelligence communities of the United States are following through with gathering information that aligns with Trump’s interest in the enormous land mass, though this follow through has been met with a stiff rebuke from the leading NATO member.
Denmark’s Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen, for instance, was highly skeptical of the relative threat of any enhanced American intelligence gathering efforts, as the United States is considered “a friend of Europe and Denmark.
“We’re strong allies within NATO, and I will not be able to imagine that one NATO country could take a part of another NATO country … I don’t think that this is a serious discussion,” Poulsen asserted.
To be fair, surveillance is not necessarily synonymous with “discussion.”
“We are, together with Greenland and the Faroe Islands, the Kingdom of Denmark, and the U.S. cannot take a part of this kingdom,” Poulsen added.
Greenland’s deputy prime minister, Múte Bourup Egede, also concurred with Poulsen.
“We are ready to talk with the Americans. But we are not a property. Greenland belongs to the Greenlandic people,” Egede declared.
Naturally, Greenland is home to quite a few precious minerals, which serves as a substantial motivation for American interest.
“We have 27 critical minerals out of the 35 the EU wants. But there’s been too much blah-blah-blah – we need action, we need growth in our country, and [if] either the EU or the U.S. wants our critical materials, they need to talk with us,” Egede added.
Translation: The Danes may be open to a deal, hence the “talk with us” remark.
And, as if to make that possibility even clearer, Egede proceeded to state that a decision very well could be made – it just could not be made without Denmark.
“Nothing [will be decided] about us without us,” Egede asserted.
Hm. Well, that is one way to temper what was a fairly strong rebuke.
Apparently, a good deal can make even the most contentious discussions a tad more amenable.
However, Denmark’s foreign minister, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, reiterated the position of Poulsen without alluding to any potential deal.
“It worries me greatly because we do not spy on friends,” Rasmussen asserted.
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen also declared that “you cannot spy against an ally.”
Which direction will the American intelligence gathering operations ultimately go?
It is difficult to say, though it is quite clear that the Trump administration is intent on reinforcing national security objectives in the Arctic region.
During a speech to Congress in March, Trump proclaimed that national security in the region was critically important – not just for the United States, but also for the world as a whole.
“We need Greenland for national security and even international security, and we’re working with everybody involved to try and get it. But we need it really for international, for world security, and I think we’re going to get it … It’s a very small population, but a very, very large piece of land. And very, very important for military security,” Trump proclaimed.
During the same speech, Trump also issued a succinct, albeit explicit, statement.
“One way or the other, we’re going to get it,” Trump intoned.
Then Egede – the Danish stakeholder who alluded to a potential deal – may well have the most realistic outlook of all.
Especially in terms of realism in international politics, which has increasingly dominated geopolitical relations.
“Realists consider the principal actors in the international arena to be states, which are concerned with their own security, act in pursuit of their own national interests, and struggle for power,” Stanford details.
On that note, Trump, along with Egede, clearly exhibit realism.
Author: Jane Jones
