Why should you care about whether the U.S. is properly funding icebreakers at the Arctic? Well, let's consider a few reasons.
First, the Coast Guard's isn't just sending ships to cruise through obscenely beautiful, alien-like uber-cold landscapes for funsies.
First, the Coast Guard's isn't just sending ships to cruise through obscenely beautiful, alien-like uber-cold landscapes for funsies.
They're gathering scientific data so they can understand how the landscape is changing and how that impacts people far away. The ships also serve as a crucial SOS/rescue service. These vessels respond to oil spills in that vast wilderness. Imagine it totally unchecked.
Next, how about national security? If you're concerned about Russia's growing influence in the world, but don't care about icebreakers - consider this - Russia has 40 icebreakers in its polar fleet. 40. We have 2. Their icebreakers are fully functional and ready to dom. transport
You can read more about Russia's designs- and directly from Putin, here: arctic.ru/analitic/20170…
Note that Vladimir Putin says, from an economic standpoint, having a well-funded, well-tended fleet is "critically important."
Note that Vladimir Putin says, from an economic standpoint, having a well-funded, well-tended fleet is "critically important."
"Especially so if the climate is going to change. Despite a cold spell in Moscow, the global warming trend will continue, meaning that the navigation period in the Arctic zone will get longer." - Putin
"In turn, this means that the Northern Sea Route will be used much more actively than now. The navigation period will go from the current one or two months to four and even five months." - Putin, again
Climate change and national security go hand-in-hand. This isn't a crackpot, fake news concept. This is what we like to call in the biz, "logic."
