U.S. Steps Up Greenland Spying --- Intelligence push shows seriousness of Trump's designs on the Arctic island

 

"The U.S. is stepping up its intelligence-gathering efforts regarding Greenland, drawing America's spying apparatus into President Trump's campaign to take over the island, according to two people familiar with the effort.

Several high-ranking officials under Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard issued a "collection emphasis message" to intelligence agency heads last week directing them to learn more about Greenland's independence movement and attitudes toward U.S. resource extraction on the island.

The classified message also asked agencies -- whose tools include surveillance satellites, communications intercepts, and spies on the ground -- to identify people in Greenland and Denmark who support U.S. objectives for the island.

The directive is one of the first concrete steps Trump's administration has taken toward fulfilling the president's oft-stated desire to acquire Greenland.

A collection emphasis message helps set intelligence agency priorities, directing resources and attention to high-interest targets. The Greenland order -- which went to agencies including the Central Intelligence Agency, Defense Intelligence Agency, and National Security Agency -- underscores the administration's apparent commitment to seeking control of the self-governing island, which today forms part of the kingdom of Denmark, a NATO member and decadeslong ally.

National Security Council spokesman James Hewitt said the White House doesn't comment on intelligence matters, but noted "the president has been very clear that the U.S. is concerned about the security of Greenland and the Arctic."

In a statement, Gabbard said: "The Wall Street Journal should be ashamed of aiding deep state actors who seek to undermine the President by politicizing and leaking classified information. They are breaking the law and undermining our nation's security and democracy."

The Danish Embassy in Washington declined to comment, and the prime minister of Greenland didn't respond to a request for comment.

The Arctic island of some 56,000 people hasn't historically been a key target for U.S. intelligence collection, according to a former U.S. intelligence official and a former senior intelligence officer focused on Europe.

"Intelligence collection resources are inherently limited," the former intelligence official said, meaning they have typically been pointed toward "perceived threats, not allied countries."

Trump has repeatedly emphasized his determination to purchase, annex, or conquer Greenland's 836,000 square miles of territory -- to the consternation of Denmark and many Greenlanders.

"We need Greenland for national security and even international security, and we're working with everybody involved to try and get it," Trump said in a joint address to Congress in March. "One way or the other, we're going to get it."

Vice President JD Vance, then-national security adviser Mike Waltz and Secretary of Energy Chris Wright traveled to Greenland in late March, sparking outrage from Danish leaders and Greenlandic residents.

The visit puts "completely unacceptable pressure on Greenland, Greenlandic politicians and the Greenlandic population," as well as on Denmark, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told Danish television in advance of the delegation.

"President Trump is serious," she said. "He wants Greenland."

Asked by NBC News in an interview that aired Sunday whether he would rule out seizing Greenland by force, Trump demurred.

"I don't rule it out," he said. "I don't say I'm going to do it, but I don't rule out anything. No, not there. We need Greenland very badly. Greenland is a very small amount of people, which we'll take care of, and we'll cherish them, and all of that. But we need that for international security."

The island is home to substantial deposits of rare-earth minerals necessary for the production of everything from electric vehicles to wind turbines, as well as untapped oil and natural gas reserves -- though actually mining those underground assets has proven logistically difficult.” [1]

It seems like some people in Lithuania need to polish their skis. The Greek islands are too close. Argentina is the best.

1.  U.S. Steps Up Greenland Spying --- Intelligence push shows seriousness of Trump's designs on the Arctic island. Long, Katherine; Ward, Alexander.  Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y.. 07 May 2025: A1.

Vokietija iškelia lyderį po vieno nesėkmingo balsavimo --- Antrojo turo poreikis patvirtinti Merzą kancleriu kelia pavojų jo darbotvarkei

„BERLYNAS -- Antradienį Vokietijos parlamentas balsavo už Friedricho Merzo paskyrimą šalies kancleriu, tačiau įstatymų leidėjams pirmą kartą pokario istorijoje prireikė antrojo turo, todėl kilo klausimų dėl naujosios vyriausybės gebėjimo įgyvendinti savo ambicingą politikos darbotvarkę.

 

Pirmasis balsavimas žlugo, nepaisant to, kad Merzo siūloma koalicija turėjo gana patogią 12 vietų daugumą. Kadangi balsavimas yra slaptas ir nepasireiškė joks prieštaraujantis asmuo, neaišku, kodėl keliolika konservatorių siūlomos koalicijos narių iš pradžių jo nepalaikė.

 

Galiausiai naujojo kanclerio prisaikdinimas buvo atidėtas tik kelioms valandoms, tačiau chaotiškas valdžios perdavimas yra daugiau, nei paprasta gėda.

 

Merzas pažadėjo atkurti Vokietijos lyderystę Europoje, užbaigti lėtai įsisenėjusią imigracijos krizę, kuri apnuodijo Europos politiką, ir atgaivinti trečią pagal dydį pasaulio ekonomiką, kuri vos augo nuo laikotarpio iki COVID-19 pandemijos.

 

Praėjus šešiems mėnesiams po to, kai Olafo Scholzo vyriausybė žlugo, praradusi daugumą parlamente, Berlyno partneriai laukė naujo lyderio, kuris perims vadžias.

 

Europa dar nesuformulavo atsakymo į prezidento Trumpo pastangas užbaigti konfliktą Ukrainoje.

 

Tikimasi, kad Vokietija, būdama viena didžiausių pasaulyje eksportuotojų, bus stiprus balsas diskusijoje apie tai, kaip reaguoti į Trumpo siūlomus tarifus, kurių įgyvendinimas dabar sustabdytas iki vasaros.

 

Vyriausybė yra pasiruošusi parodyti, kad gali atkurti parlamentinę drausmę savo gretose ir užtikrinti, kad ji galėtų priimti teisės aktus, kad ir kokie prieštaringi ar ambicingi jie būtų, sakė Ursula Munch, Politinio švietimo akademijos Tutcinge, pietų Vokietijoje, direktorė.

 

„Pasitikėjimas politikais ir vyriausybe jau yra mažas, ir tai nepadės jo atkurti“, – sakė ji. „Tikiuosi, kad žvilgsnis į bedugnę turėjo katarsinį poveikį įstatymų leidėjams.“

 

Po kelių dienų kilimo Vokietijos akcijų indeksas DAX 40 po pirmojo balsavimo krito daugiau, nei 1 %, nors vėliau atgavo dalį nuostolių.

 

Nuo vasario mėnesio, kai Merzas laimėjo rinkimus, jis įveikė visas kliūtis, kurios galėjo sužlugdyti jo pastangas suformuoti vyriausybę.

 

Konstitucijos pertvarka, atverianti kelią vieno trilijono eurų gynybos ir infrastruktūros išlaidų planui, kuris prilygsta maždaug 1,37 trilijono dolerių, kovo mėnesį gavo reikiamą dviejų trečdalių abiejų parlamento rūmų daugumą.

 

Tada Merzas sudarė 144 puslapių koalicijos susitarimą su centro kairės Socialdemokratų partija.

 

Galiausiai jis suklupo paskutiniame etape, kuris istoriškai buvo tik iškilmingas formalumas.

 

Jo koalicijos lyderiai buvo taip nustebinti „ne“ balsavimu pirmajame ture, kad turėjo pasikonsultuoti su parlamento teisės departamentu, kad sužinotų, ar tą pačią dieną galima surengti antrą balsavimą.

 

Pastaraisiais mėnesiais Merzas daugeliui sukėlė nerimą. Jo sprendimas prieš rinkimus, padedant kraštutinių dešiniųjų partijai „Alternatyva Vokietijai“ (AfD), prastumti parlamente antiimigracinį įstatymo projektą sukėlė didelius protestus tarp kairiųjų ir centro kairiųjų.

 

Jo konservatyvus kursas ir sprendimai dėl personalo taip pat atstūmė kai kuriuos nuosaikius buvusios kanclerės Angelos Merkel sąjungininkus.

 

Viena iš Berlyne sklandančių teorijų teigia, kad dėl šių susikaupusių nuoskaudų kai kurie koalicijos įstatymų leidėjai pirmajame ture atsisakė paremti jį, nesitikėdami, kad tai sužlugdys rinkimų rezultatus. Merzas antrajame ture gavo beveik visišką sąjungininkų įstatymų leidėjų paramą.

 

Andreas Rodderis, istorijos profesorius ir konservatyvaus analitinio centro „Denkfabrik R21“ vadovas, teigė, kad fiasko taip pat atspindi didėjantį įstatymų leidėjų nusivylimą, kad Vokietijai nuo 2005 m. beveik be perstojo vadovauja kairiųjų ir dešiniųjų koalicijos.

 

„Manėme, kad turime stabilumą, bet iš tikrųjų jis tapo nejudrumu“, – sakė jis. „Tikri politiniai pokyčiai nebevyksta.“

 

Vokietijoje ir beveik visoje Europoje centristai prarado pozicijas antiisteblišmentinėms ir populistinėms partijoms tiek kairėje, tiek dešinėje. Dėl kilusio susiskaldymo centristinėms partijoms sunkiau suformuoti stabilias vyriausybes. Prancūzija, Vokietijos vakarinė kaimynė, jau kelerius metus turi mažumos vyriausybę.

 

Apklausų grupės „Forsa“ vadovas Manfredas Gullneris teigė, kad rinkimų drama gali būti naudinga AfD, kuri kai kuriose apklausose aplenkė Merzo Krikščionių demokratų sąjungą. „Kai griūva tai, kas anksčiau buvo patikima sistema, laimi tie, kurie nori ją sunaikinti“, – sakė jis.

 

Prieš pat antrąjį balsavimą AfD įstatymų leidėjas Berndas Baumannas Parlamentui sakė: „Ši vyriausybė buvo pradėta, kaip nestabili ir ji liks nestabili. Tai paskutinis dalykas, kurio šaliai reikia.“

 

Merzo užsienio kelionių planai, kurie anksčiau buvo abejotini, vėl grįžo į vėžes, o trečiadienį numatyti vizitai į Paryžių ir Varšuvą ir  kelionė į Ukrainą artimiausiomis dienomis.“ [1]

 

Nesijaudinkite, Merzas statys koncentracijos stovyklas AfD nariams. Vokietija turi daug patirties, sprendžiant tokias mažas problemas.

 

1.  Germany Elevates Leader After Vote Fails Once --- Need for second round to confirm Merz as chancellor puts agenda at risk. Bertrand, Benoit.  Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y.. 07 May 2025: A1.

Germany Elevates Leader After Vote Fails Once --- Need for second round to confirm Merz as chancellor puts agenda at risk

"BERLIN -- Germany's Parliament voted on Tuesday to make Friedrich Merz the country's chancellor, but lawmakers needed a second round for the first time in the nation's postwar history, raising questions about the new government's ability to enact its ambitious policy agenda.

The failure of the first vote came despite Merz's proposed coalition holding a relatively comfortable 12-seat majority. Since the vote is secret and no dissenter has come forward, it isn't clear why a dozen members of the conservative's proposed coalition didn't initially back him.

In the end, the new chancellor's swearing in was only postponed for a few hours, but the chaotic transfer of power is more than a simple embarrassment.

Merz has pledged to rebuild Germany's leadership in Europe, end a slow-burn immigration crisis that has poisoned European politics, and reboot the world's third-largest economy, which has barely grown since before the Covid-19 pandemic.

Six months after Olaf Scholz's government collapsed after losing its parliamentary majority, Berlin's partners have been waiting for a new leader to take the reins.

Europe has yet to formulate a response to President Trump's efforts to end the conflict in Ukraine.

As one of the world's largest exporters, Germany is also expected to be a strong voice in the discussion about how to respond to Trump's proposed tariffs, whose implementation is now suspended until the summer.

The government is on notice to show that it can restore parliamentary discipline in its own ranks and ensure that it can pass legislation, however controversial or ambitious, said Ursula Munch, director of the Academy for Political Education in Tutzing, in southern Germany.

"Trust in politicians and the government is already low and this won't help to re-establish it," she said. "Hopefully, staring into the abyss will have had a cathartic effect on lawmakers."

Following days of gains, Germany's blue-chip DAX 40 stock index fell more than 1% after the first vote, though it later recouped some of its losses.

Since Merz won the election in February, he had passed every hurdle that could have torpedoed his effort to form a government.

A constitutional overhaul paving the way for a one-trillion-euro defense- and infrastructure-spending plan, the equivalent of about $1.37 trillion, got the required two-thirds majority of both houses of Parliament in March.

Merz then clinched a 144-page coalition agreement with the center-left Social Democratic Party.

In the end, he stumbled at the last step -- one that had historically been a ceremonial formality.

Leaders of his coalition were so surprised by the "no" vote in the first round that they had to consult with Parliament's legal department to find out whether a second vote could be held the same day.

Merz has ruffled many feathers in recent months. His decision to push an anti-immigration motion through Parliament with the help of the far-right Alternative for Germany, or AfD, ahead of the election sparked hefty protests among the left and center-left.

His conservative course and personnel decisions have also alienated some moderate allies of former Chancellor Angela Merkel.

One theory making the rounds in Berlin is that these accumulated grudges led some coalition lawmakers to withhold their support in the first round, not expecting this would torpedo the vote. Merz got almost full support from allied lawmakers in the second round.

Andreas Rodder, a history professor and head of the conservative think tank Denkfabrik R21, said the fiasco also reflected mounting frustration among lawmakers that Germany has been led by left-right coalitions almost without interruption since 2005.

"We thought we had stability, but in fact it's become immobility," he said. "Real political change is no longer happening."

In Germany and almost all across Europe, centrists have lost ground to antiestablishment and populist parties on the left and the right. The ensuing fragmentation has made it harder for centrist parties to form stable governments. France, Germany's western neighbor, has had a minority government for several years.

Manfred Gullner, head of the Forsa polling group, said the voting drama could play into the hands of the AfD, which has overtaken Merz's Christian Democratic Union in some polls. "When what used to be a reliable system breaks down, then the winners are those who want to destroy the system," he said.

Speaking just before the second vote, Bernd Baumann, an AfD lawmaker, told Parliament: "This government was started as unstable and it will remain unstable. That is the last thing the country needs."

Merz's foreign-travel plans, once in doubt, were back on track, with visits to Paris and Warsaw scheduled for Wednesday, followed by a trip to Ukraine in the coming days.” [1]

No worry, Merz will build concentration camps for AfD. Germany has a lot of experience in solving such small problems.

1.  Germany Elevates Leader After Vote Fails Once --- Need for second round to confirm Merz as chancellor puts agenda at risk. Bertrand, Benoit.  Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y.. 07 May 2025: A1.