'Going to require even more of the alliance's attention in the coming years'

United Press International
Published: Aug. 18, 2009 at 12:39 PM

OTTAWA, Aug. 18 (UPI) -- It has all the trappings of the Cold War except
a vituperative war of words, or dark hints of Armageddon. Canada's show
of military might north of its icy shores is a flag-waving exercise to
assert not only Canadian sovereignty but also NATO's rights over the
arctic territory. The audience? Russian military in their full
paraphernalia of hardware, also engaged in more or less similar pursuits.

Of all the nations currently ensconced in the arctic, Russia is the only
power outside NATO or Western alliances. It is the only arctic neighbor
Canada has had angry exchanges with in recent months.

At a NATO meeting in Iceland in January, former NATO chief Jaap de Hoop
Scheffer warned, "The High North is going to require even more of the
Alliance's attention in the coming years. As the ice-cap decreases, the
possibility increases of extracting the High North's mineral wealth and
energy deposits." He said NATO already had agreed on "a number of
guiding principles for NATO's role in energy security" for Europe and
the Western Hemisphere at large.

"The Arctic has become one of Canada's top priorities" since it defined
a new Northern Strategy of stepped-up involvement in the north, says
ISRIA.com political consultancy. And according to Global Research,
Montreal, Canadian actions represent not only Canada's own concerns but
also American and NATO aims in the arctic.

The buildup of tensions is not a quirky development. As the arctic
north's apparently vast resources come under increasing scrutiny, lines
are being drawn between the competing nations, in particular between
Russia and all the others.

Eight nations have interests in the arctic region -- Canada, Denmark
through its control over Greenland, Finland, Iceland, Norway, the
Russian Federation, Sweden and the United States.

"Global warming combined with the increasing demand for shorter trade
routes, fossil fuels, and minerals made the Arctic an interest of
strategic significance, not only for Canada but for all the countries in
the area," said an ISRIA report.

This year's Canadian military maneuvers, Operation Nanook 09, which end
Aug. 28, were termed "a military exercise to confirm sovereignty over
its Arctic territory." Canadian defense authorities said Nanook 09, one
of three exercises this year, "will see the Canadian Forces demonstrate
a visible presence in the eastern Arctic with sea, land and air forces
operating in the Baffin Island region."

It said the exercise would include "sovereignty patrolling, a military
exercise, and a whole-of-government exercise." Officials said that would
involve more troop deployments and expansion of Canadian presence with
on-site training and patrols.

Canada wants to demonstrate it is fully capable of controlling its
northern territory and warding off Russian advances. Senior Canadian
government leaders exchanged heated words with Russian counterparts
after accusing Russia of bullying and airspace violations.

Canadian officials warned Moscow they would counter any Russian
incursions with superior -- albeit American -- air power.

Everything that happens in the arctic can potentially impact Canada's
national security, say analysts. The arctic represents 40 percent of
Canada's landmass, and more than 36,000 islands in the Arctic
Archipelago hold about 13,000 Canadian citizens.

Critics of Prime Minister Stephen Harper have urged restraint on
ministers engaged in inflammatory attacks on Russia, lest things get out
of hand, Cold War-style.

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