Germany planning ‘Arctic Sentry’ Nato mission to protect Greenland

Bismarck

Germany is planning to set up a joint Nato operation in the Arctic in an effort to dissuade Donald Trump from annexing Greenland.

The “Arctic Sentry” mission to monitor threats in the region could be modelled on Nato’s “Baltic Sentry” operation, which started last year to monitor threats and protect infrastructure in the Baltic Sea, sources told Bloomberg.

Mr Trump has threatened to forcibly take control of the mineral-rich island that is a territory of Denmark, a Nato member.

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Former MI6 chief says Trump should be given control of Greenland in the interests of ‘European security’

A former MI6 chief has expressed support for Donald Trump as he believes the US president obtaining control of Greenland is in the interests of ‘European security’.

Sir Richard Dearlove, the ex-head of Britain’s intelligence agency, said there was a ‘strong argument’ for the US to have Greenland in a bid to deter Chinese threats.

The 80-year-old has urged Denmark to lease the territory to the Americans for a hundred years in a bid to strengthen security in Europe.

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Trump: We’ll make Greenland deal ‘the easy way or the hard way’

President Trump said the US would “do something with Greenland whether they like it or not”, following reports his administration was considering offering lump-sum payments of up to $100,000 to its citizens to persuade them to join the United States.

Trump has repeatedly threatened to annex the semi-autonomous Danish territory, which he claims is “needed” by the US for national security purposes and to prevent China or Russia from taking it.

The White House has declined to rule out the use of military force to acquire Greenland, but Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, has insisted the president’s “first option” remains a diplomatic alternative.

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A U.S. takeover of Greenland could be ‘shattering of NATO,’ warns Canada’s former military commander

As U.S. President Donald Trump insists his country needs Greenland for security purposes, Canada’s former top soldier is warning that a U.S. takeover of the area could spell the end of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

“We have no history of one NATO partner seizing territory from another,” said retired general Wayne Eyre, formerly Canada’s chief of the defence staff, in an interview with CBC’s The House. “I share the Danish assessment that yes, this could be the shattering of NATO, much to [Russian President Vladimir] Putin’s delight.”


I’m pretty sure “Shattering NATO” is a Feature not a Bug to Trump.

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Is Greenland more important than Nato to Trump?

PRESIDENT Trump already has military confrontations with Iran, Venezuela, Cuba, Russia and China. Does he also want one with the rest of Nato over Greenland?

Greenland is the world’s largest island, (just) contiguous with Canada, and geographically part of North America. It was colonised by Denmark in the tenth century but the Norse settlements, which farmed sheep and cattle, died out during the mini-ice age of the medieval period, not long before the rediscovery of America by Columbus.

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Greenlanders use Trump threats to push for independence from Denmark

Cranky Greenlanders

Greenlanders are using Donald Trump’s threats to take the world’s biggest island by force to push for independence from Denmark.

The Arctic territory’s main opposition party has described the current situation a “window of opportunity”, claiming that Mr Trump’s renewed push to acquire Greenland could help accelerate a breakaway.

Juno Berthelsen, an MP and foreign policy spokesman for the leading opposition party Naleraq, said: “We’ve been seeking independence for many years now, and there’s a window of opportunity here for us, where we could actually go into a dialogue about concrete steps we can take to better Greenlandic people’s lives.”

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Showdown Expected as U.S. Plans European Visit About Greenland

In justifying his desire to ‘take’ Greenland, Donald Trump effectively dismissed Europe’s militaristic capabilities, saying—in capitals, of course—“I DOUBT NATO WOULD BE THERE FOR US IF WE REALLY NEEDED THEM.”

Washington insists it needs the island for security, an issue which it clearly doesn’t trust Europe to keep a handle on, and is currently not ruling out military intervention.

Europe’s continued release of statements in support of Denmark’s control of Greenland comes in spite of the fact leaders would rather the matter was settled by others, suggesting that they are well aware of their own weaknesses.

More … Greenland should hold talks with the US without Denmark, opposition leader says

COPENHAGEN, Jan 8 (Reuters) – Greenland should hold direct talks with the U.S. government without Denmark, a Greenlandic opposition leader told Reuters, as the Arctic island weighs how to respond to President Donald Trump’s renewed push to bring it under U.S. control.

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Denmark ‘will shoot first and ask questions later’ over Greenland

Danish soldiers will be required to shoot first and ask questions later if the United States invades Greenland, under the army’s rules of engagement.

On Wednesday, the Danish defence ministry confirmed the existence of a 1952 rule requiring soldiers to “immediately” counter-attack invading forces without awaiting orders.

The defence ministry also said that the rule “remains in force” when asked about its status by Berlingske, a centre-Right Danish newspaper.

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What would a US takeover of Greenland look like? Four options examined

After Donald Trump’s audacious attack on Venezuela, the prospect of American incursion into the Arctic territory, long mooted, seems more plausible

Delivering his state of the union speech last year, President Trump ruminated about the seizure of more than 800,000 square miles of territory from a Nato ally.

The “incredible people of Greenland”, he told Congress in March, had every right to determine their own future, and if they were to decide that this future lay within the United States, so much the better.

“We need it, really, for international world security,” Trump added. “One way or the other, we’re going to get it.”


I suspect a lot of  TDS is motivated by the fact Trump reminds entire nations they are unable to police their own streets.

Careful what you wish for.

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Why does Trump want Greenland and what could it mean for Nato?

The White House says Donald Trump and his close advisers are discussing options for taking over Greenland, as the US president continues to argue it would benefit his nation’s security.

His demands have been rejected by the island’s leaders and by Nato member Denmark, of which Greenland is a semi-autonomous territory.

Where is Greenland and why does it matter to Trump?


Ouch.

h/t Lenny S

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Canada’s Indigenous governor general & 1st Minister set to rack up the expenses on Greenland junket as Trump renews talk of annexing it

RCMP code named “Charge It!”

TORONTO (AP) — Canada’s Indigenous governor general and its foreign minister will visit Greenland in early February, Prime Minister Mark Carney said Tuesday.

The visit comes as U.S. President Donald Trump renewed his call for the U.S. to take control of Greenland, the Inuit self-governing territory of the kingdom of Denmark. Trump has also previously talked about making Canada the 51st state

Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand and Governor General Mary Simon, who is of Inuk descent, are expected to open a consulate in Nuuk, Greenland.

For what purpose beyond shopping?

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US discussing options to acquire Greenland, including use of military, says White House

US President Donald Trump has been discussing “a range of options” to acquire Greenland, including use of the military, the White House said.

In a statement, the White House told the BBC that acquiring Greenland was a “national security priority”.

It comes after Trump repeated over the weekend that the US “needed” Greenland – a semi-autonomous region of fellow Nato member Denmark – for security reasons.

Update: Rubio Tells Lawmakers Trump Wants to Buy Greenland

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has told lawmakers that President Trump plans to buy Greenland rather than invade it, while Mr. Trump has asked aides to give him an updated plan for acquiring the territory, U.S. officials said on Tuesday.

Mr. Rubio made his remarks in a briefing on Monday with lawmakers from the main armed services and foreign policy committees in both chambers of Congress. The same day, Mr. Trump told aides to deliver an updated plan.

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Danish PM Says if Trump Annexes Greenland it Will Be End of NATO

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has warned that if the United States forcibly annexes Greenland, it would result in the collapse of the American-led NATO military alliance.

That’s what Trump wants.

h/t Mauser

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Trump sets sights on Greenland

Donald Trump has signalled Greenland is in his sights with Nicolas Maduro, the Venezuelan dictator, captured and preparing to face an American courtroom.

“We do need Greenland, absolutely,” he told The Atlantic magazine, adding that the Danish territory was “surrounded by Russian and Chinese ships”.

He said officials in his administration would decide what happened with Greenland, which Mr Trump has claimed the US must annex for its security.

Oops …

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