Impending multi-national Polar region access gap!

[KRonn]

Given the squabbles between Canada and Denmark over fishing rights, I think it was, I can imagine the squabbling over claims here, which involves huge amounts of  resources!   

http://news.bostonherald.com/news/opinion/op_ed/view/20091211polar_opposites_heat_up/srvc=news&position=also

Polar opposites heat up

While the Climaterati caucus over cappuccinos in Copenhagen about polar bear habitat and the fate of small island nations from rising sea levels, there are other possible climate change implications, too - those of the security kind.

In fact, we're already seeing them in the Arctic.

By many accounts, much of the Arctic sea ice is melting following a three-decade trend. But while the geographic North Pole belongs to no one, the area around it may hold as much as 20 percent of the world's undiscovered, technically-recoverable natural resources.

hat's good news, but who owns it?

Circumpolar nations (the U.S., Russia, Canada, Norway and Denmark) are clamoring to claim the vast untapped ocean floor under the disappearing ice - even the transit lanes through it.

Problem is there are overlapping claims, especially involving the potentially-rich Lomonosov Ridge, a 1,200-mile long undersea mountain range.

The five Arctic Ocean-bordering states have promised to play nice, but they're also gearing up for rough seas, particularly Russia.

In 2007, Russian mini-subs planted a titanium flag on the sea bed near the North Pole at a depth of nearly 14,000 feet, claiming for Moscow a territory the size of France, Germany and Italy combined.

While some saw the flag-planting as little more than a geopolitical stunt, the Russians are serious about it, which isn't surprising considering energy's central role in Moscow's re-emergence as a global power.

(Russia is the world's No. 1 producer of natural gas; No. 2 exporter of oil.)

In 2008, Moscow's ships, subs, icebreakers and bombers started flexing muscle in the Arctic - perhaps the first time since the Soviet Union's fall in the early 1990s.

But the Russians aren't the only ones gearing up for possible Arctic action. Canada's another.

Canadians are making Arctic claims and plans for a deep-sea port, a military base and ice-breaking ships to conduct patrols in the High North.

Ottawa also asserts sovereignty over the Northwest Passage, a route offering the quickest, potentially year-round sea route between Asia and Europe, eliminating the Panama Canal's limits.

We make claim to the Arctic through Alaska. But Washington disputes some territory with our northern neighbor, as well as the Northwest Passage's status, which Ottawa sees as an internal, not international, waterway.

The Scandinavians are scrambling, too. Denmark claims parts of the Arctic via Greenland. Beyond oil/gas, Norway is unnerved due to Russia's heightened, Cold War-like military activity in the north.

[Josquius]

Someone should really get one of their subs in the area to swing by the Russian flag and knock it over.

[The Brain]

Russia is the world's No. 1 producer of natural gas

Ed!

[Grey Fox]

And that is why I think Canada spending money in Afghanistan is a waste of our resources. We have bigger frozen fishes to fry.

[Tonitrus]

And that is why I think Canada spending money in Afghanistan is a waste of our resources. We have bigger frozen fishes to fry.

Except you still need to placate us for when the Russians sink your icebreaker, and misfire their ICBM onto Watson Lake.

[Barrister]

And that is why I think Canada spending money in Afghanistan is a waste of our resources. We have bigger frozen fishes to fry.

Except you still need to placate us for when the Russians sink your icebreaker, and misfire their ICBM onto Watson Lake.

Please do.

[Grey Fox]

Fair point Toni.

[Darth Wagtaros]

Know that our claims are backed by nuclear weapons!

[Tonitrus]

And that is why I think Canada spending money in Afghanistan is a waste of our resources. We have bigger frozen fishes to fry.

Except you still need to placate us for when the Russians sink your icebreaker, and misfire their ICBM onto Watson Lake.

Please do.

I quick-edited from my original "Halifax" just for you. 

[Barrister]

And that is why I think Canada spending money in Afghanistan is a waste of our resources. We have bigger frozen fishes to fry.

Except you still need to placate us for when the Russians sink your icebreaker, and misfire their ICBM onto Watson Lake.

Please do.

I quick-edited from my original "Halifax" just for you. 

[Ed Anger]

Russia is the world's No. 1 producer of natural gas

Ed!

*burp*

[KRonn]

So, I see that Russia and Norway are two of the antagonists in this future issue. Now maybe it makes sense that a Russian missile.... "mis-fired"... near Norway, resulting in that unique light show!  Hah! Maybe no coincidence!   

Hmm... I wonder if the Canadians have noticed any sneak Danish or US subs sneaking around, planting flags? Roll the Eddie Izzard comedy routine... "Have you got a flag?"   

[Valdemar]

Up until a few years ago the skirmish btw DEN and CAN over Hans Islands was quite civilised.

We'd swing by in an arctic patrol ship or by dog sledge, plant our flag and leave an note and a bottle of snaps or some other liquor for whomever came next.

Then the Canadians would do the same, albeit a tad less frequently as they didn't have arctic naval capacity without the aid of the US 

Thus exchanging liquor and flags every two or three years...

That however changed over the last few years

V

[Josquius]

Up until a few years ago the skirmish btw DEN and CAN over Hans Islands was quite civilised.

We'd swing by in an arctic patrol ship or by dog sledge, plant our flag and leave an note and a bottle of snaps or some other liquor for whomever came next.

Then the Canadians would do the same, albeit a tad less frequently as they didn't have arctic naval capacity without the aid of the US 

Thus exchanging liquor and flags every two or three years...

That however changed over the last few years

V

You can only afford to leave a few beers?

[Mr.Penguin]

Up until a few years ago the skirmish btw DEN and CAN over Hans Islands was quite civilised.

We'd swing by in an arctic patrol ship or by dog sledge, plant our flag and leave an note and a bottle of snaps or some other liquor for whomever came next.

Then the Canadians would do the same, albeit a tad less frequently as they didn't have arctic naval capacity without the aid of the US 

Thus exchanging liquor and flags every two or three years...

That however changed over the last few years

V

Well, the Canadian needed at national rallying point. And claiming that the Evil Danes was trying to take over the arctic, was just the ticket. Ofcourse the fact that the disagreement over Hans Ø was more than 30 years old at the time didnt really matter...