Canada occupies Denmark
Don't Canadians know that occupations always fail? Besides, Greenland is really Norwegian territory, as it was a part of the kingdom of Norway in the Middle Ages, with a significant Norse settlement dating from the age when Leiv Eriksson arrived in Canada. It went to Denmark in the aftermath of the Napoleonic wars, as the negotiators didn't know enough history. Perhaps we should declare a Holy War and get it back? Jihad for Greenland!Canada occupies Denmark
Foreign troops haven't occupied Danish territory since 1946, when Soviet troops withdrew from the Baltic island of Bornholm, nearly a year after the end of WWII hostilities. Now, however, a new threat to the nation's sovereignty is rising, says Josef Motzfeldt, vice president of Greenland's Home Rule. Motzfeldt is up in arms over the unannounced visit of Canadian Defence Minister to Hans Island, a tiny Arctic island located in the Kennedy Channel between Greenland, a part of the Danish commonwealth, and Canada, reports national broadcaster DR. 'When someone unfairly tries to exercise their influence on the island, which is claimed by both Greenland/Denmark and Canada, I can't interpret the action as anything but occupation,' said Motzfeldt. Hans Island is claimed by both countries and is often visited by each country's naval forces, who make symbolic gestures such as the raising of flags, in order to prove sovereignty. Graham's visit, according to Canadian press, was a move to strengthen Canadian claims to the island. Motzfeldt said the visit highlighted the need for an international solution to the dispute. According to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, a country can claim disputed areas as its own if it is geologically connected to them. Despite the bellicose Canadian action, Motzfeldt sought a more amicable solution to the conflict over the island's ownership. 'Scientists must determine on (geological, ed.) grounds which nations can claim Hans Island,' said Motzfeldt. Danish and Canadian diplomats have taken Motzfeldt's claim in stride and have thus far kept the conflict to a war of words. After the Danish embassy in Ottawa was informed of Graham's visit a week after it took place, the Danish Foreign Ministry said that it planned to file an official protest with the Canadian ambassador in Copenhagen. Peter Taksøe-Jensen, the head of the Danish Foreign Ministry's legal service, said he and the Canadian ambassador agreed that the matter was a case of 'agreeing to disagree' and that though a solution would eventually be found, it would likey be later rather than sooner, as both countries had more pressing affairs elsewhere, reported DR.
posted by Unknown @ 12:55 PM
8 Comments:
I think the Greenland Radio made a 1st april gag about it. Claiming that all male greenlanders between 18 and 35 were being drafted to participate in the defence of the island :D Guess more than one of them choked on the beer when they heard it.
Why can't they just take it to the World Court? Multilateral legitimacy, I've heard, is very important.
That reminds me of when I called for the liberation of Occupied Greece ... sort of. On second thought ... Occupied Greece
If I were Danish, I wouldn't sweat it. Canada is pretty pathetic these days, militarily speaking.
"If I were Danish, I wouldn't sweat it. Canada is pretty pathetic these days, militarily speaking.
"
Well so is Denmark´s, and the little good equipment we got like F 16´s and Leopard tanks, how the hell are we supposed to get it all over there with proper escort ? :)
Thomas:
No problem. I'm Canadian - just line some of your Inuit (Eskimos) with spears and march in - they'll be better equiped than the Canadian military.
Hiya from Canada...
I think we should fight over the island.
No, no, wait, hear me out...
The ownership is officially undecided (and has been since 1973) and it's almost exactly half way between Greenland and Canada (a little closer to our side, but we'll ignore that).
Both Denmark and Canada have put people (and flags, and all that) on the island to establish a claim. You say canada occupies Denmark, and when you did it our papers said Denmark invaded Canada.
Let's give the warmongers in our respective media their war...
Here's the plan:
We put a big plastic ball in the middle of the island.
Then we each take six or so of our best troops and have them wear those sumo wrestling suits. Picture here: http://www.iwantoneofthose.com/SUMSUI_KITS.htm
Then, each side tries to push the ball off the island - Canada will push east, and Denmark will push west.
Whoever pushes the ball into the ocean on the other side wins the island.
We'll cover the war with full media - the advertising revenue will pay for the costs of flying a crew up there.
How does that sound to you in Denmark?
Oh, d'uh, I suppose I should have looked at your blog more closely - I now realize that you're from Norway...
I suppose if I'm going to declare war, I should really address it to the right country...
Heh. Sorry about that.
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