Bakotopia

An Even Colder War?

Russia’s planting of their country’s national flag in the depths of the polar ice caps has caused uneasiness with the United States and other countries vying for territorial claim to the seabed of the Artic. Though Russia’s claim to this territory appears unjustified, the United States has no more natural entitlement to what lies under the North Pole than Russia. Perhaps even Canada, Denmark, and Norway, who are also contending for territory in the Artic, have claim to the seabed. There is no doubt about it, however, that this action has caused talk of reigniting Cold War, and maybe even World War, attitudes.

In 1909, an American by the name of Robert Edwin Peary claimed to be the first person to reach the North Pole, allegedly placing the American flag in the location. In 2007, Russian technology allowed travel thousands of feet beneath polar ice. Russia proved their ability to reach below and beyond by symbolically planting the Russian flag on the ocean floor. Russia’s actions would be no more controversial than Peary's feat in 1909 if the territory was not suddenly up for auction to whatever state has the best "scientifically" supported claim to the territory.

So why is the North Pole of any significance anyway? It is important for the same reason that any region in today’s international arena becomes valuable: oil, gas, and other natural resources. This last grab for territory may prove more serious than it appears as states including the U.S., Russia, Canada, the UK, Denmark (via Greenland) Norway, France, Brazil, and Australia are sending scientists, national guards, and anyone they can find to protect their claims.

The debate has continued to make its way into the news. An American submariner by the name of Alfred S. McLaren made sure the world knew he had been a part of the plans that led to Moscow's underwater exploration. The U.S. was sure to prove their involvement in the dives, even if no Americans were in fact on the dive or a part of the actual planning. Portrayal of the Russians as sneaky, plan stealing "bears" of the artic is not a beneficial way to deal with Russia's new found confidence in the world arena, or keep the Cold War in the past.

Competition between the United States and Russia is old news, simply morphing from the space race to a deep-sea oil spree. However, this potential reemergence of Cold War tactics has the possibility of affecting other states hoping for a piece of the Arctic's oil rich pie, and perhaps escalating into worldwide conflict. Is the planting of a national flag really something to get upset about in the 21st century?