Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: Watching the US closing in on its Arctic island territory, Denmark’s Defence Ministry has said that its troops must open fire without waiting for any orders if America tries to capture Greenland by force, Danish media platform Berlingske reported.
The ministry said that soldiers are required to uphold a Nazi-era rule to “immediately take up the fight” against any foreign force threatening Danish territory, the media reports said.
The warning comes as the US has been hinting at a military action or purchase plan for Greenland. Denmark controls Greenland and has rejected ideas from Trump about buying or taking the island.
What was the Nazi-era rule?
In 1952, Denmark made a rule for its army, permitting soldiers to fight right away if their country is under attack from foreign forces. They do not need to wait for orders from senior officers or for a formal war announcement.
The rule initially came into existence in 1940, when Nazi Germany attacked Denmark. At that time, communication systems failed, and many soldiers did not know what to do. The rule is still in force today, the Danish defence ministry stressed.
Greenland for national security: Trump
The US President has repeatedly claimed that Greenland is crucial for America’s “national security.” Following its military operation on Venezuela’s capital Caracas, and capture of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, Trump last week repeated his calls for a US takeover of the island, which is rich in minerals.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, he said, “”t’s so strategic right now. Greenland is covered with Russian and Chinese ships all over the place. We need Greenland from the standpoint of national security, and Denmark is not going to be able to do it.”
Frederiksen has rejected Trump’s remarks, saying he has “no right to annex” Greenland. She said Denmark already gives the US broad access to the island under existing security agreements.
Trump’s new targets
Apart from Greenland, at least 10 Latin American countries are also under Trump’s scanner, including Cuba, Colombia, and Mexico. He has issued veiled warnings to these nations to control ‘drug flows,’ or risk facing consequences similar to those imposed on Venezuela.