Territory: Greenland
Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2026 12:31 pm
So in law school we learned 4 ways to approach a case:
1. Mechanical Jurisprudence. “Just read the treaty, man.”
1951 Defense Agreement = gospel.
Danish sovereignty = fixed.
Greenland autonomy = binding.
If Russia or China meddle, flip to the right page and follow the instructions. No improv, no vibes.
2. Legal Realism. “Do what actually works.”
COFA the place (compact of free association).
U.S. gets Arctic access and early‑warning systems. Denmark gets stability. Greenland gets autonomy + investment. Everyone gets what they want without blowing up sovereignty. Recognize that law will bend to security reality anyway. Better to conduct the bend than pretend doctrine controls outcomes.
3. CRT. “Center Greenland, not the great powers.”
Acknowledge the colonial history. Reparative obligations for Denmark. Greenlandic agency first. International law isn’t neutral. It’s power in a trench coat.
4. Nihilism. “Greenland is a shape on a map.”
States act as if treaties matter because they need stories. Sovereignty is a vibe. The Arctic ‘competition’ is a narrative states tell themselves. Nothing matters because climate change or AI will get us before the shipping lanes do.
Which one are you?
1. Mechanical Jurisprudence. “Just read the treaty, man.”
1951 Defense Agreement = gospel.
Danish sovereignty = fixed.
Greenland autonomy = binding.
If Russia or China meddle, flip to the right page and follow the instructions. No improv, no vibes.
2. Legal Realism. “Do what actually works.”
COFA the place (compact of free association).
U.S. gets Arctic access and early‑warning systems. Denmark gets stability. Greenland gets autonomy + investment. Everyone gets what they want without blowing up sovereignty. Recognize that law will bend to security reality anyway. Better to conduct the bend than pretend doctrine controls outcomes.
3. CRT. “Center Greenland, not the great powers.”
Acknowledge the colonial history. Reparative obligations for Denmark. Greenlandic agency first. International law isn’t neutral. It’s power in a trench coat.
4. Nihilism. “Greenland is a shape on a map.”
States act as if treaties matter because they need stories. Sovereignty is a vibe. The Arctic ‘competition’ is a narrative states tell themselves. Nothing matters because climate change or AI will get us before the shipping lanes do.
Which one are you?