This “permanent control” language is deeply alarming. Any agreement about Greenland’s future has to be led by Greenlanders themselves — not framed as a trophy in great-power politics or a blank cheque for military dominance. Denmark’s and Greenland’s leaders should be pressed for full transparency: what exactly did they agree to, how does it protect Greenlandic sovereignty and Inuit rights, and what legal safeguards prevent future overreach? We should also reject the false choice that it’s either U.S. bases or Chinese/Russian influence. The real response is multilateral cooperation centered on climate resilience, Indigenous self-determination, environmental protections, and socially useful investment — housing, health, education and sustainable jobs — not another permanent military footprint. Militarising the Arctic only raises tensions and risks sidelining the people who live there and bear the brunt of climate change. Hold every government to account: consent, transparency, and concrete benefits for Greenlanders must come first.