US Arctic military plans kept secret from Denmark, Greenland
The US is reportedly preparing a more aggressive presence of its own in the Arctic, upgrading its northernmost military base.
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US Military personnel practiced digging trenches, setting up outposts, and conducting combat maneuvers. (NYTIMES)
Danish newspaper Berlingske reported, on Monday, that the US plans to invest billions in Arctic defense, including modernizing its Thule Air Base in Greenland, citing an American military report. The report detailed that neither Denmark nor Greenland had been informed of the plans.
Washington has given the go-ahead for "significant investments" in its northernmost outpost, citing Russia's "increasingly aggressive" behavior, the report added.
The report went on to say that the money would be used to upgrade aging infrastructure at Thule, citing a statement from the US Air Force.
No further information has been provided, and the US embassy in Copenhagen is said to have declined to comment.
The plans, according to Berlingske, surprised both the Danish parliament and the Greenlandic government, because the US is supposed to "consult and inform" both about any significant changes to its military operations in Greenland, a Danish autonomous territory.
Pipaluk Lynge Rasmussen, a chairman of the foreign and security committee in the Greenlandic parliament, was quoted as saying: “This is our country, so we want to know when something is happening.”
Despite Denmark bolstering its NATO contributions and pushing to take part in the EU defense policy, the US seemingly remains unwilling to trust its European allies.
The reports come shortly after the US Navy and Marine Corps announced plans to conduct more operations in the Arctic.
Air Force General Glen D. VanHerck, commander of US Northern Command and North American Aerospace, claimed earlier this month that, in light of increased activity in the region by Russia and China, the Arctic now plays a central role in the US deterrence strategy.
It is worth mentioning that Thule air base is located on the world's largest island, about 1207 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle and 1522 kilometers north of the North Pole. Initially, it was established to protect Danish colonies on Greenland from German invasion during WWII. It has primarily been used as an advanced warning system to detect and track ballistic missiles in recent years.
