Erik O'Brien: Rising Geopolitical Tensions in the Arctic
Abstract
The Arctic circle is one of the most uniquely contested areas on the planet. The list of competing stakeholders is seemingly endless. The reasons for this competition surrounding the Arctic are equally endless. Some of the most prominent issue focuses of nations competing for control over the region are natural resources, territory, security, and trade. Each of those factors can be expanded to cover almost the entire scope of competing national interests. The United States of America faces many new challenges and hurdles in this increasingly tense climate of international relations as we move forward into the new decade. The two most powerful adversaries the US faces in this ever-evolving struggle for power are of course China and Russia. Both nations have tended to strategically compete with US as has been proven time and time again over the last century. This building tension in the Arctic is no different. The United States, Russia, and China are locked into a geopolitical game of chess to determine who can gain the most power in the Arctic. There are many other nations with goals and ambitions for the region, however this struggle between the three largest is the most concerning, as it may someday reach a boiling point of conflict. As resources are discovered, sea lanes open in the ice, and nations posture for potential overreach of their competition, the potential for the dynamic situation to reach its boiling point increases. The major question at hand is simple, yet the answer is infinitely complex. How can the US protect its national interests in the arctic despite constant pressure and competition from major external forces? For this question to be answered effectively through policy there are many things that must happen. Above all, the US must rise to the challenge of mitigating tension and protecting its national interests in the Arctic through decisive policymaking and diplomacy.
