"Getty Images US President Donald Trump would not "land on Greenland and take it by force", Lord Mandelson has said. The former UK ambassador to the US told the BBC he admired Trump's "directness" in political talks but said he was not a "fool", and advisers would remind him taking Greenland would "spell real danger" for the US national interest."
"There has been growing focus during Trump's term on how the semi-autonomous Danish territory is run, with Trump on Saturday saying the US needed to "own" Greenland to stop Russia and China from doing so, and would achieve it "the easy way" or "the hard way". Denmark and Greenland say the territory is not for sale, with Denmark warning military action would spell the end of the Nato military alliance."
"Sparsely populated, Greenland's location between North America and the Arctic makes it ideally placed for missile early warning systems and for monitoring vessels in the region. Trump has repeatedly maintained that Greenland is vital to US national security, claiming without evidence that it was "covered with Russian and Chinese ships all over the place". His focus on the territory returned after a commando raid on the Venezuelan capital Caracas last week seized president Nicolas Maduro and his wife and killed dozens of people."
Lord Mandelson said Donald Trump would not use military force to seize Greenland and that advisers would warn him that taking Greenland would spell real danger for US national interests. Trump stated the United States needed control of Greenland to prevent Russian and Chinese influence and suggested acquisition could come by the easy way or the hard way. Denmark and Greenland say the territory is not for sale and warned any military attempt would threaten the NATO alliance. A Danish poll found 38% of Danes think the US might invade. Greenland's Arctic location makes it valuable for missile early warning and maritime monitoring.
Read at www.bbc.com
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