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And the Winner of the Scramble for the Arctic Is…New Russia Printer friendly page Print This
By Dallas Darling
Submitted by Author
Wednesday, May 17, 2017

If he who controls the past controls the present, then surely the nation that controls the future controls the present. In its annual even commemorating the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, New Russia consequently just sent a message about the petroleum-mineral rich Arctic and new shipping lanes. Along with showcasing their air-defense and mechanized vehicles that can operate in subzero temperatures, their Artic naval fleet is years ahead of other countries. What’s more, New Russia by far has the most to gain in an era of Climate Change and global warming, already proposing that the Arctic (which is an ocean) someday be renamed the Russian Ocean.

Finding Life and Valuable Resources Where None Thought Existed
While massive amounts of Arctic ice continue to melt, causing mid and lower latitude nations and coastal areas to undergo erosion and disappear, Russian climatologists project their northern landmass in the Artic Circle will become more suitable for settlement. Known as the albedo effect, the absorption of heat will also allow easier access to rich energy and mineral deposits, like gold and zinc, and 90 billion barrels of on - and offshore oil. Besides extracting more fish, a Northeast/Northwest Passage has emerged too, creating a water highway linking East and West. Indeed, cargo traveling through the Arctic is 40 percent shorter than if it had gone through the Panama Canal.

Preparing for a Thawing Cold War
As Climate Change heats up claims over Arctic sovereignty, New Russia has prepared for future wars. Along with sub-zero weapons, its outpaced competitors by building state-of-the-art icebreakers that can punch through thick ice. (Compare this to the Polar Star, the last remaining U.S. heavy icebreaker built in 1970.)(1) Its also slated to launch more icebreaking ships armed with cruise missiles. Sub-zero armed amphibious craft, manned by an Arctic army of 155,000. will be backed by thousands of tanks, jets and ships to guard its energy gateway-Murmansk. Meanwhile, six new military bases are being constructed,
including the reopening of mothballed Cold War installations with renovated airstrips.

Geopolitical Destinies Belong to Those Who Plan for the Future
Although the region contains parts of Canada, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Iceland, the U.S. (Alaska), and Denmark-Greenland, New Russia will not be denied their place in the Artic Sun or Circle. Indeed, they have a history of defeating foreign empires like Nazi Germany with their “winter warfare” and cold warrior strategies. They also overcame a pre-NATO Alliance (Operation Archangel) of Britain, France, the U.S., and Canada. And while President Donald Trump was right to tweet that “Russia must be laughing up their sleeves watching as the U.S. tear itself apart over a Democrat EXCUSE for losing the election,”(2) don’t be surprised that the real laugh might be on him someday too.

Reversal of Fortune But Not of Fate
Foreign ministers of New Russia just visited the White House, meeting with President Trump and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. They also attended the Arctic Council meeting in Alaska and wreath-laying ceremony to honor the Lend-Lease memorial. As the dual nature of the Arctic’s potentially terrifying forces recede, at least for New Russia, the Lend-Lease program, which sent millions of dollars’ worth of military aid to the Soviets during World War Two, might someday be reversed. To be sure, Climate Change is a game changer, some of Moscow’s political and military strategists thinking that by the end of this century New Russia and the Arctic’s destinies will finally intertwine.

The word arctic, after all, comes from the Greek "arktikos," which is a reference to the Ursa Major constellation and, just like Russia, means “near the bear.”



Dallas Darling is the author of Politics 501: An A-Z Reading on Conscientious Political Thought and Action, Some Nations Above God: 52 Weekly Reflections On Modern-Day Imperialism, Militarism, And Consumerism in the Context of John‘s Apocalyptic Vision, and The Other Side Of Christianity: Reflections on Faith, Politics, Spirituality, History, and Peace. He is a correspondent for www.worldnews.com.



Notes:
(1) Marshall, Tim. “Prisoners of Geography.” New York, New York: Scribner Publishers, 2015., p. 251.

(2) “Trump: Russians ‘Laughing’ Over Dems Tying Election Loss to Comey,” by Todd Beamon. May 11, 2017.



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