Has Clinton been reading her FP?
Here’s a clip from the number one item on Foreign Policy‘s 2009 "Stories You Missed," the opening of Arctic sea lanes to international commercial traffic: Scientists’ latest observations suggest that the Arctic might be largely ice-free during the summer within the next decade. The environmental consequences — increased flooding in coastal regions around the world ...
Here's a clip from the number one item on Foreign Policy's 2009 "Stories You Missed," the opening of Arctic sea lanes to international commercial traffic:
Scientists' latest observations suggest that the Arctic might be largely ice-free during the summer within the next decade. The environmental consequences -- increased flooding in coastal regions around the world and extinction of local animal species -- are well known. But the thaw also opens possibilities for geopolitical competition. Russia has literally planted its flag beneath the Arctic ice, staking a claim to newly accessible natural resources, much to the consternation of the other northern states. The newly opened route will also benefit Russia by bringing new business to its eastern ports. With the scramble for the Arctic's riches heating up, even peaceful Canada has been holding war games to prepare for possible military confrontation.
Here's Secretary of State Hillary Clinton telling Newsweek about some issues that are "neither urgent nor important today might become one or the other by next year or the year after".
Here’s a clip from the number one item on Foreign Policy‘s 2009 "Stories You Missed," the opening of Arctic sea lanes to international commercial traffic:
Scientists’ latest observations suggest that the Arctic might be largely ice-free during the summer within the next decade. The environmental consequences — increased flooding in coastal regions around the world and extinction of local animal species — are well known. But the thaw also opens possibilities for geopolitical competition. Russia has literally planted its flag beneath the Arctic ice, staking a claim to newly accessible natural resources, much to the consternation of the other northern states. The newly opened route will also benefit Russia by bringing new business to its eastern ports. With the scramble for the Arctic’s riches heating up, even peaceful Canada has been holding war games to prepare for possible military confrontation.
Here’s Secretary of State Hillary Clinton telling Newsweek about some issues that are "neither urgent nor important today might become one or the other by next year or the year after".
An area that we’re beginning to pay attention to, which is not in the headlines, is the Arctic. With the melting of the ice, with sea lanes opening that were never there before, or only-seasonal lanes becoming more all-weather, with five countries ringing the Arctic, which is an ocean, not a land mass like Antarctica. With Russia saying that they are going to have an expedition next year to plant their flag on the North Pole. With Canada saying, "No, you’d better not." This is an area that we have to pay real attention to, but it’s not an area that I get called about by reporters or have to answer questions about at the White House yet.
You heard it here first.
Joshua Keating was an associate editor at Foreign Policy. Twitter: @joshuakeating
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