I think it’s time for a summary.

Denmark is preparing to host an exercise in Greenland. The timing of that exercise is certainly aimed at sending a message. What is happening now is that the various planning staffs are deploying. This means very small numbers from allies that will participate.

Thus Sweden is sending a dozen, the French and Dutch a few people, the UK one planner, the Norwegians an contingent and, despite Canada’s somewhat less then categorical denials, a potential Canadian presence as a planning measure. In the interim, the Danes are deploying more to Greenland as an obvious signal.

While this is an exercise, it sends a blatant message to Washington. First, the Danes are more than capable of deploying significant military resources to Greenland. Second, it will not need to do so alone and third, alliance solidarity, at least in the northern NATO states, is solid.

I fear that Washington is making a serious miscalculation. It assumes that Europe is weak & divided. It assumes that it has exclusive access to capable military forces. And it assumes that the Danes won’t defend Greenland, should it - surreally - come to that. Hubris is a terrible thing.