Europe checkmated; what of Danish Greenland?
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Once you travel on the back of a tiger, you won't know when it will turn hostile. You can scare people or brag about your strength by showing the tiger, but when it reveals its true nature, it will be you who is at the mercy of the beast. Europe has literally reached that point. Really, a checkmate. To antagonize the all-weather friend of Europe is suicidal, and to kneel before the demand of Big Brother is also self-destructive. Europeans now face a crisis, one that was never seen before. Trade tariffs are the latest threat from the US.
Europe and the US acted like a block under the shield of NATO, an alliance formed since the Second World War. The shared values and culture kept the alliance united, and all members have common interests in interfering with the affairs of other countries and even attacking them. NATO countries supported the US wars in Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan, Syria, and Iran. It is all his master's voice; that was all for Europe. Now the US is setting its eyes on Europe itself. A leopard can't change its spots.
The imperialistic interests of America are loud and clear. That country cannot survive without wars or arms sales. Now it has turned to its own allies, which is what stunned the Europeans. The bloc showed its indignation and protest, but to no avail. Big Brother is unyielding. If you are not conceding, we will impose tariffs. The warnings of President Trump are unambigous.
US President Donald Trump is unpredictable and unhinged. He has utter disdain for international law, and he acts according to his own whims and fancies. Hence, normal diplomatic negotiations and deals may not be enough to tame Trump. He is an asymmetrical fighter, as CNN puts it. In that case, Europe has to wait for the worst, or has to evolve tactics that can bring down a person who believes in his own realities.
What China did in the trade war with the US is worth noticing. The communist regime imposed reciprocal tariffs on US imports and diverted the supply chain to other countries. Moreover, the country established new trade deals with Latin American and Southeast Asian countries. In effect, the Chinese economy was able to survive the impact of the US trade war. Evidently, the US was forced to reverse the decision.
This is what Europeans are now mulling over. If the US is going ahead with imposing tariffs on Denmark and several other European countries, the EU is preparing to hit back with retaliatory tariffs on 90 billion Euros worth of American imports. Indeed, it would affect both America and European countries. But the conciliatory tone has no place in Trumpian equations. That's why the Europeans plan to take the toughest route.
This time, Trump is more emphatic and vociferous with an increased zest since he toppled Nicholas Maduro, the President of Venezuela. The Danish dispensation and other Europeans know well that if the US opts for a military operation to annex Greenland, there is nothing that Europe can do. They can’t stand up to the US force. It's highly unlikely that Germany or Britain would deploy its forces in Greenland to defend the Danish property.
Why Greenland matters
Greenland, a vast island with a population of 57,000 people, is mainly a land of ice. Two-thirds of the land lies under the Arctic Circle. But the territory has rare earth minerals, highly useful to electric vehicles, batteries, and smartphones. These untapped natural treasures are one of the attractions of this island.
Indeed, Russia and China are also vying to extract a slice of the Greenland pie. Both these countries sent expeditions to Greenland to explore the possibilities of mining minerals.
The other reason may be the real estate development potential. If the melting of ice continues due to global warming, it will open new shipping routes and military corridors. The US can reach closer to its adversary, Russia, if the situation warrants.
Speculation is also high that the US is mulling expanding its military base under the pretext of national security. The same narrative, Trump always gives for the US attacks on other countries. This time, he says China and Russia have covered all over the island and it poses a potential security threat to the US - an allegation still to be verified. Indeed, the presence of Russia and China is there for sure. But to allege that it's for regional dominance is an unverified claim.
The island offers an ideal place for the US to develop its ballistic missile defence system. Currently, the US military presence is minimal and has no vast base, with only 142 US service members permanently stationed there.
Greenland was a Danish colony for years and is now a semi-autonomous territory under Denmark. Actually, the people of Greenland do not want to be aligned either with Denmark or with America, but to remain independent, as per the surveys.
What Next
The possibility of an invasion by the US is unlikely. In the worst-case scenario, Denmark and NATO would allow more US troops in the region or grant the territory for the missile defence development. A deal that allows more power to the US in Greenland may be hammered out in the coming days. Europe still has to evolve a strategy to counter the US and is divided in its approach towards the US. France is vociferous, but the UK is wavering. Hungary supports Trump. Denmark is weak. It can’t defend itself without the help of others. The entire bloc is facing a monumental crisis.
