With the news that the Arctic may be increasingly free of ice, there have been several policy statements in recent weeks regarding U.S. policy in the region.
The day before President Bush left office, he issued a statement regarding U.S. policy in the Arctic (reported in Washington Post here). The statement was published on the White House website, but appears to be under review.
Per the Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard's statement:
The retreat of annual sea ice has created new areas of open water where the Coast Guard has statutory responsibilities. The new policy is recognition of changing conditions in the Arctic region and the implications for our Nation. This directive will guide our current operational activities in the region and guide the allocation of current and future resources to meet mission demands.
For some overview materials, here are some resources. A Coast Guard officer published a great essay on the geo-political and strategic issues in the Arctic region in Joint Forces Quarterly. Heritage published a report available here.
Definitely one to watch. The Northwest Passage has been a storied navigational opportunity for centuries. With transportation costs being driven by increasingly volatile oil prices, shorter navigational routes are in high demand. Sending commercial ships to the Arctic seems inevitable, so the international community should tackle the policy issues sooner rather than later.
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