US is fighting Iran. Nato allies are preparing to fight US

Amid its conflict with Iran, the US is seemingly becoming isolated due to President Donald Trump's choices. Back home, there has been a pushback from within Republican ranks and ordinary Americans, including his own MAGA base. Now, its closest Nato partners are also keeping their distance. In fact, Denmark even prepared for a war with the US forces.

Denmark's public broadcaster DR reported that a month before the US went into a full-fledged war with Iran, Danish forces were preparing for a possible American invasion of Greenland. They were ready to blow up key airport runways to prevent US aircraft from landing and had even carried blood supplies to treat wounded soldiers.

The public broadcaster spoke to 12 top sources in the Danish government, military and European allies. The operation was kept as a top secret. France, Germany, Norway and Sweden reportedly assisted Denmark. The dozen sources included officials from these European countries.

A small force of soldiers from these countries flew to Greenland's capital Nuuk and the airport at Kangerlussuaq. Danish aircraft and a French naval ship moved into the North Atlantic. Officially, the naval ship came for joint military exercises, labelled "Operation Arctic Endurance". However, in reality, DR said, the troops were there to raise the cost of any US invasion.

Unlike how Trump mocked Greenland saying its defences are 2 dog sleds, a Danish defence source told Denmark's public broadcaster, "The US would have to carry out a hostile act to get Greenland."

The Danish defence ministry did not comment on the BBC's queries related to the development.

Two European officials were later quoted by The Financial Times who confirmed the developments.

WHY WAS A NATO MEMBER PREPARED TO FIGHT THE US?

The answer is: Trump's actions. Trump has long said he wants to "buy" or take control of Greenland, calling it vital for American security.

Greenland is a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark. Both countries are Nato members. Yet Trump kept repeating that "we need Greenland" and claimed, without proof, that Russian and Chinese ships were everywhere around it.

Things got worse after US forces carried out a lightning operation in Venezuela on January 3, and seized President Nicolas Maduro.

The very next day, Trump told reporters he would deal with Greenland "in about two months".

A high-ranking Danish security source told DR: "When Trump keeps saying he wants to take over Greenland, and then what happened in Venezuela happened, we had to take all scenarios seriously."

"After Venezuela, Americans thought they could walk on water," a European official told the Financial Times. Soon after Trump's threat, nearly all major European militaries rallied behind Denmark.

A NATO ALLY PREPARED FOR THE WORST BECAUSE OF TRUMP

US Representative Mike Levin, who represents California's 49th district, posted a strongly worded message on social media after the DR report came out.

"This is truly insane, and it should be front page news across America," he wrote. "Denmark secretly deployed soldiers to Greenland prepared to blow up airport runways to stop a US invasion. They brought blood supplies to treat the wounded. France, Germany, Norway, and Sweden quietly coordinated against us. This was not a drill. This was our closest allies preparing to fight Americans."

Levin went on, saying, "Nato allies. Countries whose soldiers have fought and died alongside ours for decades. They looked at this president and decided they had to prepare for the worst. Fewer allies does not make America great. It makes us more isolated, more vulnerable, and it hands Russia and China exactly what they have always wanted: an America abandoned by its friends."

NATO NOT SUPPORTING US ANYMORE?

Trump appealed directly to Nato leaders for support in the Persian Gulf. European countries refused. Japan and Australia, key partners in the Indo-Pacific, also decided not to send naval forces to the region despite the energy crisis that has occurred due to the blocking of Strait of Hormuz.

Critics have affirmed that the conflict was pushed by Israel, and America's traditional friends in Europe have refused to join the "unnecessary war". Americans have referred to the war in Iran as "Trump's War".

The fact that a Nato ally with a tiny force that could never match the might of the US military, was still prepared to fight speaks volumes.

Today, as the war rages in Iran, even America's closest friends now see Washington's actions as nonsensical.

On January 21, Trump told the World Economic Forum in Davos that he would not use force in Greenland, and a few days later, he instead called for "immediate negotiations". But the damage to America's image had already been done — from the snows of Greenland to the waters of the Persian Gulf. The Iran war has only reinforced it.

- Ends

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