US Attack on Venezuela Fuels Fears of Potential Greenland Takeover.

The latest American strike in Venezuela and the detention of its president have renewed unease regarding America's designs on the Arctic territory. Members of the ex-president's political movement have reportedly turned their attention to the resource-rich island following the operations in South America.

Provocative Messages and Official Outrage

Merely hours after the initiation of the Caracas operation, a well-known right-wing podcaster, who is married to a senior presidential aide, posted a suggestive map. The graphic showed Greenland draped with the American flag, with the single-word caption: "COMING."

This blatant suggestion to absorb the resource-abundant region, which is a member of the NATO alliance, provoked immediate and firm condemnation from Denmark's officials.

"Denmark and the US are close allies and should continue to cooperate as such. American security is also the Arctic's and Denmark’s security," declared the Danish ambassador to the United States. "The Kingdom of Denmark and the US work together to guarantee security in the North."

The ambassador further highlighted that Denmark had significantly increased its defence spending recently, earmarking a substantial sum expressly for Arctic and regional security. "Furthermore, we expect full respect for the sovereign borders of the Kingdom of Denmark," he added.

Political Moves and Strategic Interests

The situation were additionally complicated by the recent naming of a Southern governor as a representative to Greenland. The appointee had publicly thanked the commander-in-chief, stating it was an "privilege" to work in a volunteer role to "bring Greenland into the US."

Following the military action in Venezuela, this envoy praised the administration's decisive move, linking it to the wider "war on drugs."

Since returning to office, the US president has repeatedly unnerved transatlantic partners with his expressed interest in Greenland. The island is considered vitally important for national security and future mineral exploitation. It currently houses the most northerly US military base.

Refusing to Rule Out Force

In a significant television interview, the president declined to rule out the resorting to armed action to acquire Greenland. This position comes amid growing global rivalry in the polar region. "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 look after, and we’ll value them... But we need that for international security."

Growing Tensions and Indigenous Resistance

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

The leaders of both Greenland issued a joint and forceful rebuke: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You cannot take over other countries."

Surveys in Greenland reveals a nuanced sentiment. While a vast majority of the island's residents desire self-rule from Copenhagen, there is simultaneously scant desire to join the United States. The territory has had the option to declare independence for over a decade.

Expert Assessment: A Credible Scenario?

Some analysts are now re-evaluating the likelihood of such a action. One thinktank analyst focusing in military analysis admitted she had previously dismissed the rhetoric but was "currently not so sure."

"It wouldn't be that hard for the US to deploy a few hundred or a few thousand troops inside of Greenland, and it's unclear to me who could intervene about it," she concluded.