US - Greenland Crisis Thread

[Tonitrus]

The American "forces" there are probably just an undermanned (we usually always are, in balance of the missions required) US Air/Space Force unit supporting a Cold War-era early warning station.  None of the personnel there would be at all effective in taking over Greenland. 

Well, if they ever get serious about this, the first move will be to beef up that base.

Doubtful...it is pretty remote, even for Greenland.  I expect any invasion would just be some Marines taking over Nuuk and Trump declaring victory.

[Valmy]

It doesn't even make any damn sense from a security standpoint. Like Denmark or an independent Greenland wouldn't be willing to do almost anything we asked them from a security standpoint.

[The Minsky Moment]

It doesn't even make any damn sense from a security standpoint. Like Denmark or an independent Greenland wouldn't be willing to do almost anything we asked them from a security standpoint.

Well they would have . . .

But that is really what it so insane about this.  Denmark was historically one of the most reliable pro-US allies in NATO.  If we wanted to expand security presence in Greenland, or develop strategic resources, or anything else within reason, all we had to do was ask.

[PJL]

The only way this makes sense to me is that it's not Greenland/NATO, or about rare earth minerals & security against Russia, but something to justify Trump getting war powers and declaring stuff like martial law in the US and a way to distract from stuff like the Epstein files.

[Oexmelin]

I think people underestimate the sheer power of attraction that displays of force have for these people, and for many others as well. Especially these days.

[The Brain]

How quickly could Denmark push through independence for Greenland?

[Jacob]

What's your reasoning here? I'm not sure I follow.

[Valmy]

What's your reasoning here? I'm not sure I follow.

Presumably so Denmark doesn't have to defend it.

[Threviel]

The only way for the Europeans, or Denmark itself perhaps, to stop a military takeover of Greenland is to position a defensive force there, say a company of infantry and a frigate. The hope being that the Americans will see reason and not attack.

If the US invades they'll trivially defeat the contingent, but it is going to cost NATO blood to do it. 200 drowned Danish sailors and a dozen dead soldiers is going to kill NATO dead immediately. Even more if it's German and French troops dying. 

But of course, military positioning inside of NATO will also kill NATO, just slower.

It's something like a chicken race. I for one hope that the Europeans stand firm and together and sends a European task force over there. The sooner we rid ourselves of the Americans the better, they are a dead weight on our free society.

[Crazy_Ivan80]

Maybe offer the Americans stationed in Europe asylum?

[Jacob]

Maybe offer the Americans stationed in Europe asylum?

 

[Jacob]

Presumably so Denmark doesn't have to defend it.

I get the logic, but to me it really comes across as a complete surrender. I mean, it may be that a Sudetenland surrender for "peace in our time" is the right move in a grand strategic sense, but it might also signal weakness and readiness to be exploited further in a way that could backfire.

[Norgy]

I see some kind of summit meeting is agreed.

While I find headlines more like poorly written jokes or the beginning of a deeply dystopian series nowadays, I still refuse to countenance that even Donald Trump's band of bandits would throw away everything in this strange gamble.

[Valmy]

I still refuse to countenance that even Donald Trump's band of bandits would throw away everything in this strange gamble.

Me to. I have a hard time believing it.

But he has managed to cross those lines of unbelievability several times. I thought this guy was total scum, the human embodyment of everything I hated about the United States, prior to him ever running for President or leading some weird Obama birther movement. But somehow he still manages to shock and amaze me at what a piece of shit he is.

So it might happen.

[The Brain]

Presumably so Denmark doesn't have to defend it.

I get the logic, but to me it really comes across as a complete surrender. I mean, it may be that a Sudetenland surrender for "peace in our time" is the right move in a grand strategic sense, but it might also signal weakness and readiness to be exploited further in a way that could backfire.

Surrender is such an ugly word. Deft maneuvering sounds better.