I try not to exercise my political ideas in these brief articles and I have no intention of starting now. However, having spent time in Greenland in winter and summer, I might just clarify what can only be either false impressions or lack of interest. First, Greenland became important in the early days of the cold war. In 1955 when I visited in the early nuclear age, we were concerned about an air attack that would affect us with utter destruction from the Soviet Union before we could stop it. So the US and Canada established a DEWline, short for Distant Early Warning. The system was an elaborate radar system designed for detecting bombers early enough to do something about them.
It didn’t take long for the Dewline to become obsolete when the bomber threat was replaced with missiles. The radar became almost useless so other methods were necessary. Today, we have satellites that do the warning much more effectively than ground radar or even radar airplanes were capable of.
Consider also that life in Greenland in winter was unimaginable misery. Temperatures of 40 or 50 degress below zero were common. 50 mph winds were also common. Life for the military running the radar systems was miserable. Morale was a serious problem. I remember when I was a weather officer stationed at Dover AFB, I was alerted to go overseas to Lajes AFS in the Azores. One of my weather colleagues stationed in Alabama was alerted to go to Thule AFB in Greenland. He called me and begged me to change with him. He had just gotten married and the tour was one year but without bringing a spouse. Lajes on the other hand allowed serving 18 months or if you brought a wife, 24 months. Having experienced life at Thule, there was no way I would change with him. I also made it a point not to tell him how bad it actually was.
You have to consider in addition to the misery of the military stationed there, the expense of running the radar systems and the cost of supporting the personnel was enoumous. Morale, food, supplies, continuous maintenance was a big drain. We downsized quickly. Although we still have a base at Thule, it is a miniscule operation compared to the 1950’s.
So, the political question now which has been answered with government bullshit is whether Greenland is necessary to the national security of the US and Canada. The obvious answer which anyone who knows the situation, is that Greenland has absolutely no effect on our national security. If, as has been proposed, China or Russia might take it over, their difficulties are enormous and we could stop it if it were to happen. Any suggestion that we need Greenland is a sick joke.