How could the current push for Greenland’s independence change things?
An independence movement has recently
gained traction in Greenland, boosted by revelations of misconduct by Danish authorities during the previous century, including an involuntary
birth control campaign imposed on Greenlandic women in the 1960s and 70s.
Under a 2009 agreement with Denmark, Greenland can hold an independence referendum, a prospect the prime minister Múte Egede hinted at during his new year address last Friday.
"The history and current conditions have shown that our cooperation with the Kingdom of Denmark has not succeeded in creating full equality," Egede said.
While it is currently unclear whether an independent Greenland may seek NATO membership, many experts point towards the example of Iceland, which became a NATO member after gaining independence from Denmark.
The potential economic fallout makes independence less attractive for some - the territory remains deeply reliant on Danish government funding, which amounts to some €600 million per year.
But the US could see an opportunity to offer economic support to an independent Greenland in exchange for more influence over the territory.
...600 million absolute chicken feed to the US they could up this ten fold and not even notice it