Bush asserts US sea power over Arctic straits

In his final days in power, President George W. Bush asserted U.S. military "sea power" over the oil-rich Arctic on Monday.

The White House formally released the text of a sweeping new directive on the Arctic, two years in the making, just eight days before Barack Obama is to be sworn in as the 44th U.S. president.

"The United States is an Arctic nation, with varied and compelling interests in the region," the new policy states, including "broad and fundamental national security interests . . . and is prepared to operate either independently or in conjunction with other states to safeguard these interests."

Quite interesting as well that the new policy calls for Senate ratification of the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, the legal framework for activities in much of the Arctic. The United States is not yet a party.

Full text from the White House website
National Security Presidential Directive ...


There might be some discussions, not only with Canada and Russia, in the future - if Obama doesn't release a different Directive.