The first sign will be that when Denmark pulls out of the treaties and tells US to leave they will just ignore them. This will show that Denmark doesn’t really control the territory. That’s why Denmark didn’t do it yet. As long as it’s just talk they can keep pretending they can somehow defend themselves.
What US can do to prove they actually have taken the territory is to stage some confrontation, for example start mining there without permission. Will Denmark shoot the miners? Will they send police? Military? What if US military defends the miners? Clearly Denmark will not “shoot first and ask questions later” in this situation but US can show they have effectively taken over.
In the end it really depends on what US want’s to achieve here. If they just want resources proving that they can access them at will would be enough,if they want to use if for military operation they just have to prove Denmark can’t kick them out, if they want to control their economy (which I doubt) they will have to kick out Danish administration and force citizens to pay taxes to IRS and if they want to humiliate EU they just have to change it on the maps and show that EU can’t do anything about it.
Counterpoint. How will the US know they have taken Greenland. What will be different?
Resource and mineral rights.
The first sign will be that when Denmark pulls out of the treaties and tells US to leave they will just ignore them. This will show that Denmark doesn’t really control the territory. That’s why Denmark didn’t do it yet. As long as it’s just talk they can keep pretending they can somehow defend themselves.
What US can do to prove they actually have taken the territory is to stage some confrontation, for example start mining there without permission. Will Denmark shoot the miners? Will they send police? Military? What if US military defends the miners? Clearly Denmark will not “shoot first and ask questions later” in this situation but US can show they have effectively taken over.
In the end it really depends on what US want’s to achieve here. If they just want resources proving that they can access them at will would be enough,if they want to use if for military operation they just have to prove Denmark can’t kick them out, if they want to control their economy (which I doubt) they will have to kick out Danish administration and force citizens to pay taxes to IRS and if they want to humiliate EU they just have to change it on the maps and show that EU can’t do anything about it.