Pacific Spirit Marine Institute
Russia Playing War Games Over The North Pole. The next ‘Great Game’ Has Started without all of the players.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
There may be as many as 8 Russian ice breakers patrolling the frozen waters of the Arctic. There are weekly reports of Russian aircraft over-flying the North Pole, simulating strikes on ‘enemy bases and shipping.’
Simulating strikes on enemy bases has to pain Prime Minister Stephen Harper like a raw nerve in a bad tooth. In August 2007 Harper announced that Canadian Forces would develop a northern army training base at Resolute and a deepwater port at Nanisivik, on Baffin Island. The plan to protect Canadian Sovereignty includes the procurement of 6 to 8 Arctic/Offshore Patrol Ships, the first is expected in 2013.
Too little too late?
Russia operates 7 nuclear-powered icebreaker and the worlds largest nuclear-powered icebreaker ‘50 Years of Victory’ which is able to cut through 9.5 feet thick ice. In 2007 Russia had 18 total icebreakers.
Meanwhile the United States needs to figure out how to protect American interests in the Arctic with its two most powerful icebreakers nearing the end of their lives. In 2007 when both of them were sitting at a dock in Seattle, one manned by a skeleton crew, and one that is leased out to the National Science Foundation exclusively for research.
Of course it’s not a matter of having everyone’s ships in the same place at the same time, in a icebreaker face-off, but it’s difficult to understand how Canada or the U.S. will play catch-up in the ‘Great Game’ when it is obvious they find themselves suddenly in a match they didn’t expect for perhaps decades.
It might be a little difficult to assert sovereignty or authority showing up at the battle field waving a set of plans and good intentions. In fact some of these plans are still attached to the drawing board making logistics of even waving the plan more difficult.
It looks as though the Russians have been playing a strategic game of chess while while the U.S. was playing with their Wii’s and Canada was artfully sketching out plans.
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© 2009, Pacific Spirit Marine Institute.
Russia Playing War Games Over The North Pole. The next ‘Great Game’ Has Started without all of the players.
