Americans say they aren’t an Arctic nation. This must change: Commentary

As the holiday season approaches, I look forward to my family’s central Pennsylvania gatherings. They are rambunctious and festive and always a little naive. Undoubtedly, someone will ask me about my Arctic studies, and I will tell them to the best of my ability what’s going on.

During the conversation, someone will say, “I’ve always wanted to pet a penguin.” And another will chime in with, say, “I’ve always wanted to race a dogsled.” Happens every year. I then gently remind them that penguins don’t live in the Arctic and agree that dogsledding is cool.

The U.S. is an Arctic nation, but unless you live in Alaska – as my family can attest – no one believes it.

The latest poll on Arctic sentiment found that most Americans disagree with the statement that “the United States is an Arctic nation with broad and fundamental interests in the Arctic region.” Yes, Alaska accounts for less than 1% of the U.S. population. But that doesn’t mean it should be shunned by the rest of the country.

It’s not just about geography

This sentiment must change. The U.S. is an Arctic nation due to Alaska’s geography, but this is not the only reason. And the sooner the rest of the country realizes we have a dog on this sled, the better the chances of the U.S. achieving its strategic goal of a “peaceful, stable, prosperous, and cooperative” Arctic region.

During the Cold War, the Arctic held significant importance for the U.S. Maine was the front line for situational awareness through the Greenland, Iceland, and U.K. gap for Soviet surface and subsurface activity.

In the aftermath of the Soviet Union’s collapse, Maine was decimated by the Base Realignment and Closure process. This effectively shut down every active-duty military base in Maine, sparing only Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and the Air National Guard’s 101st Air Refueling Wing in my hometown of Bangor.

‘Whole of country’ approach

Now, as the Arctic operational environment re-intensifies, significant changes are occurring, and the U.S. must adopt a “whole of country” approach to the region.

Recent news about the United States investing in icebreakers and Alaska’s Arctic infrastructure is good news. The Quebec-based Davie shipbuilding is setting up operations in Louisiana to help the U.S. build icebreakers. Those maritime craftsmen will be building ships to sail in the worst sea conditions on earth in the comfort of the warm Louisiana weather.

The Icelandic steamship company, Eimskip – in cooperation with the state of Maine – has invested heavily in Portland’s container port to create a regional logistics hub. Portland’s International Marine Terminal is the only one of its kind in Maine. Since the initial investment in 2013, the facility has grown to include a state-of-the-art cargo port, cold-storage facility, and rail yard that ships products throughout New England and the Mid-Atlantic states.

The positive economic impact on Maine’s economy is hard to estimate. However, Iceland’s lack of a standing military and small coast guard force is a concern for economic security on and around the island.

In “Iceland’s Policy on Matters Concerning the Arctic Region,” there are calls for several initiatives, including stronger monitoring and safer transport by sea, search and rescue resources; enhanced ability to respond to accidental pollution incidents; and peaceful resolution of diplomatic and legal disputes. All while an overwhelming number of Icelanders oppose the militarization of their country. For a country like the U.S., which too often answers concerns like these with its military, this paradox is confusing.

Increased Arctic presence

Presence capacity is needed in the Arctic, and our Canadian partners are aggressively building the Harry DeWolf-class ice cutters to meet this need. However, they are experiencing complications with the new ship. If needed, the U.S. should be prepared to assist in responding to the vastness of Canada’s responsibilities throughout the archipelago.

For example, on Sept. 7 the Dutch-flagged freighter, Thamesburg, ran aground in the Franklin Strait. The 1A-ice class ship was carrying carbon blocks from Lianyungang, China, to Baie-Comeau, Canada (Quebec).  Thankfully, there were no injuries or environmental damage. The Canadian response took nine hours to get to the site. It doesn’t take much creativity to imagine what might have happened if there had been an oil leak or serious injuries.

In the midst of all of this activity, a cautionary note. The Arctic climate is changing rapidly, and scientific efforts to understand and model this change must continue. Recent recissions of climate change science funding are a little short-sighted, like planning a golf outing without checking the weather.

More importantly, people live in the Arctic and to them it is home. Anything done there “must align with Indigenous governance, not override it.” Their ancient system of stewardship offers lessons in long-term thinking about environmental legacy and responsibility to future generations. While it may seem like the rest of the world is racing to the Arctic, the region’s Indigenous Communities have already crossed the finish line and know more about the race than we do.

Like, they know penguins don’t live in the Arctic. They also know it takes all the dogs pulling together to complete a dogsled race.

Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Darryl W. Lyon is a University of Maine Interdisciplinary Doctoral student focusing on Arctic Security in the Atlantic High North. As the Maine National Guard’s High North Action Officer, Darryl played a pivotal role in creating and developing the National Guard Arctic Interest Council.