Finally A Mainstream Media Article On America's Poor Starting Pole Position In The Arctic Race

ASSOCIATED PRESS AND AOL CARRY ARTICLE ON U.S. LACK OF ARCTIC CAPABILITIES

Canadian Ice Breakers Working On a Joint U.S. / Canada Arctic Research Project. Photo Credit: U.S. Army

Editor's Note: For nearly two years now we have been writing, publishing, and linking to articles explaining what is at stake in the High Arctic, What U.S. interests are, the international controversies, and the failure of the United States to react and respond. Yesterday, just in time for the new year the Associated Press distributed an article by Deb Riechmann on our lack of clout in the Arctic. It was picked up and published by AOL. We are pleased to link you to this rare general media account on this subject.

Nations vie for clout in Arctic; US far from lead

Jan 1st 2014 7:21AMBy DEB RIECHMANN 

Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The U.S. is racing to keep pace with stepped-up activity in the once sleepy Arctic frontier, but it is far from being in the lead.

Nations across the world are hurrying to stake claims to the Arctic's resources, which might be home to 13 percent of the world's undiscovered oil and 30 percent of its untapped natural gas. There are emerging fisheries and hidden minerals. Cruise liners filled with tourists are sailing the Arctic's frigid waters in increasing numbers. Cargo traffic along the Northern Sea Route, one of two shortcuts across the top of the Earth in summer, is on the rise.

The U.S., which takes over the two-year rotating chairmanship of the eight-nation Arctic Council in 2015, has not ignored the Arctic, but critics say the U.S. is lagging behind the other seven: Russia, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, Canada and Denmark, through the semiautonomous territory of Greenland. '

To read the entire article click on the headline or this link:http://www.aol.com/article/2014/01/01/nations-vie-for-clout-in-arctic-us-far-from-lead/20798548/ 

PHOTO U.S. COAST GUARD: CGC HEALY (WAGB-20), THE COAST GUARD's ONLY READY AND FULLY FUNCTIONAL ICE BREAKER

Photo: U.S. Coast Guard: CGC POLAR SEA, CGC POLAR STAR
Editors' note: The above linked article indicates that the United States operates three government ice breakers. Actually we can operate only one. The CGC POLAR SEA and the CGC POLSAR STAR depicted above were build in 1977, have seen heavy usage and were originally scheduled for scrapping in 2012. Basically one has been able to rise to occasional service and the other is basically used for parts.