Donald Trump has ordered U.S. special forces commanders to draw up a plan for the invasion of Greenland
-- but is being resisted by senior military figures.
Sources say that the policy 'hawks' around the US President,
led by political adviser #Stephen #Miller, have been so emboldened by the success of the operation to capture Venezuela's leader Nicolas Maduro that they want to move quickly to seize the island before Russia or China makes a move.
British diplomats believe that Trump is also motivated by a desire to distract American voters from the performance of the US economy before the mid-term elections later this year,
after which he could lose control of Congress to the Democrats.
According to sources,Trump has asked the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) to prepare the invasion plan,
but it is being resisted by the joint chiefs of staff on the grounds that it would be illegal
- and would not be supported by Congress.
One source said: 馃挜'They have tried to #distract #Trump by talking about less controversial measures,
such as intercepting Russian 'ghost' ships
- a clandestine network of hundreds of vessels operated by Moscow to evade Western sanctions
- 馃敟or launching a strike on Iran.'
Diplomats have war-gamed what they describe as an 'escalatory scenario' under which Trump uses force or 'political coercion' to sever Greenland's links to Denmark.
One diplomatic cable describes the 'worst-case' scenario as leading to 鈿狅笍'the destruction of Nato from the inside'.
It adds: 馃憠'Some European officials suspect this is the #real #aim of the hardline MAGA faction around Trump.
Since Congress would not allow Trump to exit Nato, occupying Greenland could force the Europeans to abandon Nato.
If Trump wants to end Nato, this might be the most convenient way to do it.'
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15452323/Donald-Trump-orders-army-chiefs-plan-invade-Greenland-President.html