By HP Wilder, Watertown Post

WATERTOWN, N.Y. – As Russian President Vladimir Putin makes headlines over his bold comments about Greenland’s strategic importance, the conversation in the United States shouldn’t be about what Russia wants—it should be about what we should do.

The truth is simple: Greenland is the key to securing the Arctic, controlling vital shipping lanes, and tapping into some of the world’s richest deposits of rare earth minerals. And with tensions between NATO and Russia escalating in the Arctic, there’s never been a better time to talk about bringing Greenland into the American family—once and for all.

A Logical Next Step for U.S. Security

Putin’s remarks, which practically telegraph Moscow’s interest in Greenland, should be a wake-up call. The island’s geographic position is a natural extension of U.S. defense. Thule Air Base in northwest Greenland already gives us a foothold, but relying on a single installation is a gamble when Russian bombers, submarines, and hypersonic missile platforms continue to push northward.

Annexation—or at least stronger U.S. control—would lock down the Arctic in a way no treaty or handshake ever could.

What It Means for Fort Drum

For Northern New Yorkers, this isn’t just some far-off foreign policy issue. Fort Drum, home to the 10th Mountain Division, could become the training and logistical hub for Arctic operations if Greenland came under U.S. control.

Soldiers stationed at Drum already train for cold-weather warfare in conditions similar to Greenland’s rugged terrain.
A Greenland annexation would likely expand Arctic rotation deployments, meaning more jobs, more investment, and more attention to our region as the tip of America’s Arctic spear.
Local contractors and businesses could see new defense spending flow into Jefferson County as equipment, winter gear, and support services ramp up to meet the mission.

Imagine Watertown becoming the nerve center of America’s newest frontier—where soldiers trained on Tug Hill snowpack deploy straight to Greenland to keep Putin’s Arctic ambitions in check.

Economic and National Interest

Greenland isn’t just ice and mountains—it’s sitting on billions of dollars in rare earth minerals essential for everything from smartphones to advanced weapons systems. Right now, China controls the lion’s share of the world’s rare earth market. Owning Greenland would bring much of that power back under the Stars and Stripes.

If Russia or China move first, America risks being boxed out of the Arctic entirely. Annexation now is not just a power play—it’s survival in the 21st-century resource war.

The Bottom Line

It’s time to stop acting shy about Greenland. The U.S. tried to buy it once—President Truman in 1946 and President Trump more recently. Now, with Putin’s words ringing like a challenge, we should stop talking about buying and start talking about bringing it home.

And when that day comes, you can bet Fort Drum and Northern New York will be ready. After all, if anyone knows how to fight in the cold, it’s the men and women who train right here in the North Country.