Khaberni - The British newspaper Daily Mail revealed, citing informed sources, that US President Donald Trump ordered the leaders of the special operations forces to develop a plan to invade Greenland, in a move that was met with strong opposition from top US military leaders.
According to the newspaper, Trump asked the Joint Special Operations Command to prepare the invasion plan, but the Joint Chiefs of Staff opposed the idea, warning of its legal and political repercussions, and the possibility that it could lead to a severe crisis within NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization).
The sources reported that military leaders tried to divert Trump's attention to less controversial options, such as intercepting what is known as the Russian "shadow fleet" used to evade Western sanctions, or carrying out a military strike against Iran.
A diplomatic source told the newspaper that the generals believe that the Greenland plan is "illegal" and would not be supported by Congress, and they are trying to spare the United States its consequences by offering other military alternatives.
Midterm Elections
The Daily Mail added that close advisers to Trump, led by political adviser Stephen Miller, encouraged the president to proceed after what they described as the successful operation of arresting Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, considering that a quick move in Greenland was necessary before any potential Russian or Chinese action.
Over the past weekend, the United States launched a military attack on targets in the Venezuelan capital Caracas, resulting in the kidnapping of Maduro and his wife and their transfer to New York, where they were charged with "narcoterrorism" among others.
The newspaper cited British diplomats as believing that Trump is also driven by a desire to divert American voters' attention from the economic performance ahead of the midterm elections, in which Republicans may lose control of Congress.
Deploying military force
Simultaneously, The Telegraph reported that Britain is discussing with its European allies the possibility of deploying a military force in Greenland, aimed at protecting the Arctic.
It mentioned that British officials met with counterparts from European countries including Germany and France, to discuss preliminary plans that could involve deploying soldiers, warships, and aircraft, as part of deterring what London describes as the escalating Russian and Chinese military presence in the region.
The newspaper explained that European countries hope that strengthening their military presence in the Arctic will convince Trump to back down from his ambition to annex Greenland, while it quoted a British government source as stating that London shares Washington's concerns over "increasing Russian aggression" in the north, but differs with it about the approach.
Diplomatic cables, according to the Daily Mail, discussed an "escalatory scenario" where Trump might use force or "political coercion" to sever Greenland's ties with Denmark, describing the worst-case scenarios as potentially leading to "the destruction of NATO from within."
Conversely, the cables spoke of a "settlement scenario" where Denmark would allow the United States full military access to Greenland, barring any Russian or Chinese influence, and placing the existing US presence on a clearer legal basis.
A diplomatic source told the newspaper that some US military leaders describe Trump's plan as "crazy and illegal," adding "they try to manage him as if they were dealing with a five-year-old child, by steering him away from the idea by offering other alternatives."
