Denmark's Ministry of Defense is preparing to take a hard line, ordering that any hostile activities on Greenland can be fired upon, including those by the U.S. military without prior notice!

Recently, Denmark's Ministry of Defense and the Defense Command confirmed to the media Berlingske that a standing order from 1952 is still in effect — meaning that Danish soldiers stationed on Greenland have the right to respond with force against "any hostile activity" on the island, even actions carried out by the U.S. military without prior notification.

After all, the U.S. and Denmark are NATO allies, and the Thule Air Base on Greenland has been one of the most important strategic outposts for the U.S. in the Arctic since the Cold War. Despite the long-term U.S. presence, its legal status is based on the 1951 Denmark-U.S. Defense Agreement, which clearly requires the U.S. to obtain prior approval from the Danish government before conducting military activities beyond routine operations.

This 1952 order was formulated shortly after the above agreement was signed. It is not aimed at any specific country, but rather establishes a basic principle: Greenland, as an inseparable part of the Kingdom of Denmark, has its territorial integrity safeguarded by the Danish armed forces. Any unauthorized action deemed "hostile" — regardless of who it comes from — could trigger a defensive use of force. The term "hostile activity" is broadly defined, including unauthorized military deployments, reconnaissance flights, ground operations, and even secret construction projects.

Danish relies on U.S. military protection, but also fears that Greenland might be taken away. This time, Denmark is not emphasizing the need to expel U.S. troops, but rather reiterating the rules: cooperation is acceptable, but must follow the rules. In other words, this is not about attacking U.S. troops, but "governing the territory according to law." If the U.S. military were to forcibly seize Greenland, it might be seen by the local Danish commander as a violation of the agreement, thereby triggering the measures authorized by the order.

This statement may have varying impacts. It may serve as a deterrent to the U.S. military, preventing the White House from misjudging that Denmark would not take action; however, if the U.S. military were to act, would Denmark dare to actually open fire?

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1853717792584716/

Statement: The article represents the personal views of the author.