Why Greenland Matters to the United States, and Why Some People Are Sceptical

8 January 2026

Paul Francis

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Greenland has become an increasingly prominent part of global geopolitical discussion, particularly in relation to the United States. On the surface, the interest can appear puzzling. Greenland has a small population, harsh conditions, and limited infrastructure. Yet for Washington, it represents one of the most strategically significant territories in the world.

Snow-covered mountains and rocky peaks rise above a deep blue sea, under a clear sky, creating a serene and majestic landscape.

At the same time, recent events elsewhere have led many observers to question whether security alone explains American interest in regions rich in natural resources. Greenland now sits at the intersection of strategic necessity and public scepticism.

Greenland’s strategic importance to US security

The primary and most consistently stated reason for US interest in Greenland is security.

Greenland occupies a crucial geographic position between North America and Europe. It sits along the shortest route for ballistic missiles travelling between Russia and the United States. This makes it essential for early warning systems and missile defence.

The US has maintained a military presence in Greenland since the Second World War. Today, Pituffik Space Base plays a key role in monitoring missile launches, tracking satellites, and supporting NATO defence architecture. These systems are designed to protect not only the United States but also its allies.

As Arctic ice continues to melt, the region is becoming more accessible to military and commercial activity. Russia has expanded its Arctic bases, and China has declared itself a near-Arctic state. From Washington’s perspective, maintaining influence in Greenland helps prevent rivals from gaining a foothold in a region that directly affects North Atlantic security.

The Arctic, climate change, and future competition

Climate change has transformed Greenland’s relevance. What was once largely inaccessible is now opening up.

New shipping routes could shorten trade paths between Asia, Europe, and North America. Scientific research, undersea cables, and surveillance infrastructure are all becoming more viable. Greenland’s location places it at the centre of these emerging routes.

For the United States, this makes Greenland less of a remote territory and more of a forward position in an increasingly contested region.

Red Mobil barrel secured with ropes on wood structure, against a cloudy sky. Blue pipes and rusty metal bar in background.

Oil and resource speculation as a secondary factor

While security dominates official policy discussions, resource speculation is often raised as an additional reason for interest in Greenland.

Greenland is believed to hold potential offshore oil and gas reserves, as well as deposits of rare earth elements, lithium, graphite, and other critical minerals. These materials are essential for electronics, renewable energy systems, and defence technologies.

It is important to note that Greenland currently restricts new oil and gas exploration licences, largely due to environmental concerns. Large-scale extraction remains difficult, expensive, and politically sensitive.

For the United States, oil is not a strategic necessity in Greenland. The country is already one of the world’s largest oil producers. However, critical minerals are a longer-term concern. The US remains heavily dependent on foreign supply chains, particularly from China, for many of these materials.

This makes Greenland attractive as a potential future partner rather than an immediate resource solution.

Why scepticism exists

Despite official explanations, scepticism persists, and not without reason.

In recent years, the United States has taken highly visible actions elsewhere that involved control over oil production and transport. These actions have reinforced a long-standing public perception that resource interests sometimes sit beneath security justifications.

The Iraq War remains a powerful reference point. Although the official rationale focused on weapons and security threats, the protection and control of oil fields became a defining feature of the conflict in the public imagination. That perception continues to shape how many people interpret US foreign policy today.

More recently, actions involving sanctions, tanker seizures, and control of oil revenues in other regions have revived these concerns. When military or economic pressure coincides with resource-rich territories, scepticism follows.

Against this backdrop, even legitimate security interests can be viewed through a lens of historical mistrust.

Greenland is not Iraq, but history shapes perception

Greenland differs significantly from past conflict zones. It is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, a NATO ally. The United States does not dispute Danish sovereignty and has repeatedly stated that Greenland’s future must be decided by its people.

US engagement in Greenland has focused on diplomacy, scientific cooperation, and defence partnerships rather than intervention. There has been no military conflict, no occupation, and no attempt to forcibly extract resources.

However, history matters. Public opinion is shaped not only by current actions but by patterns over time. When people see strategic interest combined with resource potential, they naturally draw comparisons.

Denmark’s role as a stabilising factor

Denmark plays a crucial role in shaping how Greenland is engaged internationally. As the sovereign state responsible for defence and foreign policy, Denmark ensures that US involvement occurs within established legal and diplomatic frameworks.

This partnership reduces the likelihood of unilateral action and helps keep Greenland’s development aligned with environmental standards and local governance.

The broader reality

Greenland’s importance to the United States is real, and it is primarily rooted in geography and defence. Resource speculation exists, but it is not the driving force behind current policy.

At the same time, scepticism is understandable. History has taught many people to question official narratives when strategic interests and natural resources overlap.

The truth lies in the tension between these two realities. Greenland matters because of where it is, what it enables, and what it may one day provide. How it is treated will determine whether it becomes a model of cooperation or another chapter in a long story of mistrust.

Greenland is not a prize to be taken, but a partner to be engaged. Whether that distinction holds in the long term will depend not just on policy statements, but on actions.

In a world shaped by climate change, great power competition, and historical memory, even legitimate interests must contend with the weight of the past.

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Leeroy Jenkins at 20: The Accidental Battle Cry That Changed the Internet

Paul Francis
Jun 4, 2025
4 min read

It’s hard to believe, but it has now been two decades since a single battle cry, half panicked and half heroic, echoed through the digital halls of the internet and permanently lodged itself in pop culture. “Leeeeeroy Jenkins!” may not mean much to the uninitiated, but for millions of gamers and meme historians alike, it marks a turning point in online comedy, gaming culture, and the very nature of viral fame.

Hero in armor raises fist, shouting "LEEROY JENKINS!" amid skeletal warriors. Fiery sky with meteors and swords in a dramatic scene.

The iconic video that spawned the phrase was first posted online on 11 May 2005, back when YouTube was still in its infancy and Facebook was only just expanding beyond university campuses. Despite the limited channels of the time, the clip travelled fast. It didn’t just go viral. It became one of the earliest and most beloved internet memes, its reach eventually stretching far beyond the gaming world.

To understand why a man screaming his own name before ruining a virtual raid became internet legend, we need to look at where it all began: inside a game called World of Warcraft.

The World Behind the War Cry

World of Warcraft, often referred to as WoW, launched in November 2004 and quickly became a global phenomenon. It was a massive multiplayer online role-playing game, a genre where thousands of players could share the same virtual world, exploring, fighting monsters, and going on epic quests. Created by Blizzard Entertainment, WoW allowed players to step into the fantasy world of Azeroth, a realm filled with dragons, demons, ancient ruins, and warring factions.

What made WoW so popular was not just the scope of its world but the way it brought players together. Whether you were a night elf rogue sneaking through forests or a human paladin defending distant kingdoms, you were rarely alone. Players formed guilds, teamed up for challenging dungeons, and spent countless hours building their characters. It combined storytelling, strategy, social interaction and just the right amount of chaos.

By the time the Leeroy Jenkins video emerged in May 2005, WoW had already attracted millions of players. It was well on its way to becoming the most successful online game of its era.

The Birth of a Legend

The video that turned Leeroy Jenkins into a household name started, fittingly, in one of WoW’s dungeons. A guild named PALS FOR LIFE had gathered to tackle a high-level raid called Upper Blackrock Spire. The recording shows the group standing at the entrance to a particularly tricky room, methodically discussing strategy and calculating their chances of survival.

Midway through the discussion, one player who had stepped away from his keyboard returned and, seemingly unaware of the plan, charged into the room shouting his own name. “Leeeeeroy Jenkins!” he yelled, before vanishing into battle.

The group fell into disarray. Someone let out a desperate “Oh my God, he just ran in,” and what followed was a complete failure. Monsters overwhelmed them. Players panicked. The whole carefully planned mission collapsed in seconds. As the dust settled, Leeroy offered a final comment. “At least I have chicken.”

At first glance, the clip looked like a simple recording of a failed raid. In reality, it was a staged sketch meant to poke fun at the overly serious tone of raid planning. But it was so convincing, and so perfectly timed, that viewers around the world assumed it was genuine. The humour, the chaos, and the strangely relatable energy of Leeroy’s impulsive charge made it instantly shareable.

From Obscure Joke to Global Meme

Within days of its release, the video had spread across gaming forums, email chains and message boards. It became a punchline, a catchphrase, and a cultural reference point. Even people who had never played WoW started recognising the name.

The gaming community embraced Leeroy Jenkins as a kind of folk hero. He represented every player who had ever rushed into a fight without reading the instructions, every teammate who pressed the wrong button, and every friend who ruined the plan in the funniest possible way.

Person in a gray t-shirt and light pants holds a microphone on a stage with a blue background, conveying a serious mood. — Ben Schulz

Blizzard, the creators of WoW, soon acknowledged the meme inside the game itself. They added a special achievement titled “Leeeeeeeeeeeeeroy!” for players who managed to recreate the infamous charge. At WoW fan events, Leeroy’s name was shouted from the crowd. The man behind the voice, Ben Schulz, became a minor celebrity, appearing at conventions and giving interviews about his unexpected internet fame.

The meme’s reach didn’t stop at gaming. Leeroy Jenkins was referenced on shows like South Park and The Daily Show. In 2010, Marvel Comics paid tribute in a Deadpool issue, where the wisecracking anti-hero screamed “Leeroy Jenkins!” as he hurled himself into battle. Even Jeopardy! once featured Leeroy as a clue.

Leeroy Jenkins, A Lasting Legacy

What made the Leeroy Jenkins meme so enduring was its timing. It arrived just as the internet was beginning to change. YouTube was new, social media was growing, and people were starting to realise how quickly a funny clip could become a global joke. Leeroy was part of a generation of early internet content that spread by word of mouth, shared not through algorithms but by sheer amusement.

Today, gaming videos are a thriving industry. Streamers, content creators and esports professionals fill platforms like Twitch and YouTube with carefully edited highlights and monetised commentary. But back in 2005, it was a different world. Leeroy Jenkins wasn’t planned for fame. That spontaneity is part of what still makes it so memorable.

As the meme turns twenty, it has taken its place in the history books of internet culture. The graphics may look dated now, and the audio may be grainy, but the spirit of it all lives on. It’s a reminder that sometimes, chaos is funny. Sometimes, charging in blindly is more fun than waiting for the perfect plan. And sometimes, shouting your own name is enough to make history.

So here’s to Leeroy. Twenty years later, we still haven’t forgotten.