Sisimiut, Greenland, and its Avannaata Qimusseru dog-sled race was about to be placed on a world tick box must see when all was lost! America’s Second Lady, Usha Vance wouldn’t be attending in any case. No reports as to how the huskies took the news could possibly be confirmed but it surely appears that a majority of householders were quite pleased. Mrs Vance’s schedule was then modified. She would now accompany her husband Vice-President JD Vance, to the United States Space Force Base at Pituffik within the far north of Greenland.
Until a few years ago, Pituffik was called Thule Air Base. It lies some 750 miles north of the Arctic Circle and provides missile warning and space surveillance. When the Vances were being shown round Pituffik, the temperature peaked at a balmy minus 18C, in regards to the same degree of heat the couple were more likely to enjoy had they visited Sisimiut, or Nuuk, Greenland’s capital. The country, being an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark, was simply reflecting the coolness felt and expressed by their fellow Danish residents.
Forewarned that the mood of the natives might turn ugly, the Vice-President duly delivered a somewhat abrasive speech aimed toward Copenhagen. Reported by many news outlets, America’s Raw Story Media quoted a senior White House official predicting that “JD” would attack, something like: “Unfortunately, Danish leaders have spent many years mistreating the Greenland people, treating them like second class residents and allowing infrastructure on the island to fall into disrepair.”
Germany’s DPA reported the VP to again emphasise Denmark’s neglect of security and its underinvestment: ” … that has to alter. Because it hasn’t modified, that is why President Trump’s policy in Greenland is what it’s … Denmark has not kept pace with military spending that will keep the bottom, US troops and the people of Greenland protected” from possible incursions from the likes of the Chinese and Russians.
The Vice-President’s tone was softer than that of his boss back in Washington. Possibly a stiffening of resolve for the young “JD”. The Don bluntly stated: “We need Greenland, very importantly for international security. We must have Greenland. It’s not a matter of, ‘Do you’re thinking that we are able to do without it?’ We cannot.” With Chinese and Russian ships “throughout Greenland”, the President claimed that Denmark couldn’t be trusted to administer the high-stakes situation.
I actually have to confess that I just like the Vice-President and positively throughout his discuss with the Pituffik base personnel he got here over as more stable, balanced and focused than his boss. He claimed that the bottom was less secure than it was 30 or 40 years ago and that not only Denmark but America’s European allies had not kept pace in military spending to the extent that it and so they must have done.
Quite tellingly he made the purpose that, “Part of getting good relations is showing your strength when you may have to,” and we want to get up and stop pretending that the Russians and Chinese should not occupied with Greenland.
Whilst accepting that the US., President Trump and he himself have come under persistent attack from Denmark, American policy was primarily concerned with “our shared security” and that it was consistent with policy followed throughout President Trump’s first administration. In a nutshell, the people of Greenland would keep all of the autonomy that they’ve at present however the administration would change; it could now be from Washington because Denmark simply is not as much as the duty (and there isn’t any way that the Russians or Chinese, who’re pondering of becoming an “Arctic Power”, are going to be allowed to attack America from a vulnerable north).
Protecting the world’s biggest island with a reasonably inhospitable, difficult environment is at all times going to be an enormous task beyond the resources of a small country if it ever comes under threat – that can’t be denied. Yet surely an ally shouldn’t be presented with a take it or leave it poke in the attention? There surely ought to be, no, must be discussions between Washington and Copenhagen, quite outwith NATO. Somewhat courtesy and consideration could be higher than exposing any differences there could also be between America and its allies to the enemy.
Denmark and Greenland are a part of an even bigger picture in how America, and I might say a big majority of its population, views its NATO allies relating to pulling their weight on matters of defence – all of the heavy lifting is America’s. It’s been fifty years or more within the making but it surely has taken a mercantilist, isolationist president (he was under no circumstances the primary to precise concerns) to most very bluntly and aggressively act on his position. All the signals were there during his first term – when he was weaker. There ought to be no surprises in regards to the approach he takes now that he thinks himself omnipotent.
Is Pituffik that big a deal? Strategically, most definitely. Is the threat real? I’m afraid so. Here are a number of figures – the figures in brackets is the subsequent nearest NATO base in North America, the Canadian Forces Base in Goose Bay, Labrador. The Pituffik base is 1,871 (2,951) miles to Murmansk; 2,236 (3,288) miles to Arkhangelsk; 2,392 (3,207) miles to Saint Petersburg; and a pair of,761 (3,596) miles to Moscow. By way of comparison, London to Halifax, Nova Scotia is 2,876 miles. And the Canadian base in Labrador presently appears to be a small training unit – but that could be a matter that President Trump should take up with Prime Minister Mark Carney of Canada.
America’s NATO allies let slip and have done so for the past thirty years. I believe that they have the message and try to buck up, Denmark included. A less confrontational approach would surely pay dividends. Denmark does deserve higher!
