GIUK

(GIUK)

What a horrible sound ! What is this, someone puking ? GIUK. There goes dinner. Or it is an acronym: Greenland-Iceland-United Kingdom. Add the word "Gap" and one gets the idea. The GIUK Gap is a line of ocean floor sensors called SOSUS. In essence, these are a line of hydrophones that are so sensitive that noise from Soviet submarines were detected before they departed their North Cape bases. During the Cold War, it would not be un-common for any Soviet SSN/SSBN to have an American shadow. 


Greenland is the first link in this chain. In addition to its own SOSUS contribution, Thule Air Base re-named Pituffik,  is the northern most American outpost. Over its history, it was a forward station for the Strategic Air Command where B-52 Stratofortress flew CROME DOME missions (when SAC aircraft orbited the periphery of Soviet territory prepared to fly to their targets when ordered). Lastly, Pituffik is one of three BMEWS (ballistic missile early warning systems),


The American presence in Greenland is already substantial. Whether the Island becomes a U.S. Protectorate remains to be seen but what will be re-quired is exclusive rights to minerals and freedom of navigation. What will be critical is that neither China nor Russia have the same access. With the Peoples' Republic dominance in rare minerals, there is the hope that Greenland could secure the balance.


What of the Danes ? In an old South Park episode, when Canada went on strike, it was the Danes who volunteered to be the new Canadians, because it was also cold in Denmark, and no-one knew where Denmark was to begin with. How Copenhagen reacts to Trump overtures is the most interesting aspect of this acquisition.


At his core Donald Trump is a deal maker and the triangle of Washington, Copenhagen, and Nuuk and everybody involved should have something to gain. A few weeks ago, the reality of map changes was addressed. Going forward, future prints of Greenland will change from "Den" to "U.S." Or Greenland could be on its own.

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