Obama to Call for More Icebreakers in Arctic as U.S. Seeks Foothold

Source

President Obama on Tuesday will propose speeding the acquisition and building of new Coast Guard icebreakers that can operate year-round in the nation’s polar regions, part of an effort to close the gap between the United States and other nations, especially Russia, in a global competition to gain a foothold in the rapidly changing Arctic.

On the second day of a three-day trip to Alaska to highlight the challenge of climate change and call for a worldwide effort to address its root causes, Mr. Obama’s proposals will touch on one of its most profound effects. The retreat of Arctic sea ice has created opportunities for shipping, tourism, mineral exploration and fishing — and with it, a rush of marine traffic that is bringing new difficulties.

“Arctic ecosystems are among the most pristine and understudied in the world, meaning increased commercial activity comes with significant risks to the environment,” the White House said in a fact sheet issued in advance of an announcement by Mr. Obama in Seward, where he planned to hike to Exit Glacier on Tuesday and tour Kenai Fjords National Park by boat.

So...we are ramping up for production of new icebreakers in the Arctic....I find this completely ironic based on the reasons why they say the Arctic is changing. Isn't it a bit odd that pristine Arctic ecosystems that are already changing because of climate change (which they say is brought about or hastened by humans because of destroying natural resources) are on the horizon for anyone to go to check out MORE natural resources? So lets take the most pristine area in the world and screw it up to right? Nice!

The aging Coast Guard fleet is not keeping pace with the challenge, the administration acknowledged, noting that the service has the equivalent of just two “fully functional” heavy icebreakers at its disposal, down from seven during World War II. Russia, by contrast, has 41 of the vessels, with plans for 11 more. China unveiled a refurbished icebreaker in 2012 and is building another.

Mr. Obama will propose speeding up the acquisition of a replacement icebreaker that had been planned for 2022, setting a new date of 2020, the White House said. He will also propose that planning begin on the construction of new ones, asking Congress to provide “sufficient resources” to fund them.

LOL...this quote had me rolling. So, Russia has 41 icebreakers with another 11 on the way and Obama plans to build 1 by 2020 and thwart Russia's efforts in the Arctic? Is this some super Coast Guard mega-icebreaker he is planning on having built? I mean the article says the US only has 2, yes 2, working icebreakers at this time....so how is 1 more going to do anything against 52 of them?

This is a SMH moment for me.....

a reply to: Vasa Croe

The ice isn't melting fast enough, so we'll just break it up to get this party started quicker.

a reply to: Vasa Croe

I volunteer they start by using his big mouth.

originally posted by: soulpowertothendegree
a reply to: Vasa Croe

I volunteer they start by using his big mouth.

Or his hot air?

originally posted by: KawRider9
a reply to: Vasa Croe

The ice isn't melting fast enough, so we'll just break it up to get this party started quicker.

Exactly.....I mean climate change is definitely not happening fast enough and the Arctic is WAY too pristine for the Earth, so lets go ahead and jack it up too right?

a reply to: Vasa Croe

The retreat of Arctic sea ice has created opportunities for shipping, tourism, mineral exploration and fishing — and with it, a rush of marine traffic that is bringing new difficulties.

Since the ice is retreating, they can drill into the sea floor for oil. The Russians have a jump on that game with over fifty ice breakers. The US has some 6 or 7.

Now Obama wants to use the military to open new territory for the corporations? How about Big Oil pays for the ice breakers themselves?

Because its the Russians…

article

a reply to: Vasa Croe

Can't humanity leave just one area of this planet alone? Not every piece of land and sea needs a damm dollar sign attached to it.

Can't the leaders of the world respect our planet just a little bit? Why can't we just make the entire area and surrounding waterways a global reserve? Tourism and controlled sport fishing and hunting that coexists with nature.

The exploitation of the planet for money is disgusting. Does anyone in charge think with their soul anymore?

originally posted by: intrptr
a reply to: Vasa Croe

The retreat of Arctic sea ice has created opportunities for shipping, tourism, mineral exploration and fishing — and with it, a rush of marine traffic that is bringing new difficulties.

Since the ice is retreating, they can drill into the sea floor for oil. The Russians have a jump on that game with over fifty ice breakers. The US has some 6 or 7.

Now Obama wants to use the military to open new territory for the corporations? How about Big Oil pays for the ice breakers themselves?

Because its the Russians…

article

Guess this brings a new meaning to "Cold War"......

a reply to: Vasa Croe

The fewer vessels of anyone's flag or type, messing about up there in the Arctic, the better for the environment there, and by extension, the better for the human race. Hands off!

a reply to: Vasa Croe

Well his perfect capped teeth would be more efficient, his hot air will only create more methane gases exacerbating the global warming.

Pretty cool, but long, "think tank" paper on this battle between Russia and the US for the Arctic if anyone cares to read. It is a PDF link for those that care.....

This paper seeks to determine whether Russia
is really a revisionist power in the Arctic, or
whether it is interested in regional stability and
international cooperation in the High North.

Source

originally posted by: Vasa Croe
I mean the article says the US only has 2, yes 2, working icebreakers at this time....so how is 1 more going to do anything against 52 of them?

Becasue the bow is going to be fabricated from the internal material of politician's craniums. You could hit these rockheads with a pile driver and not leave a dent.

a reply to: Vasa Croe

I mean, c'mon, WTF Team America??

Really?

Lets break it down for the taxpayers, since you are gonna pay for crap you will never see.

1 x Icebreaker = $75+ Million (depending on spec)
Annual maintenance / surveys = $700,000
Annual Wages x 17+ = $2,000,000
Annual Port facilities and agency fees = $50,000
Fuel @ $500/m3 (todays price) - average vessel burns 50m3/DAY full steaming / 20m3 running standby, average capacity 1000m3 = $500,000/month = $6,000,000/year.
Annual Total cost for 1 vessel (excluding vessel construction value and unforeseens) = $8,700,000

So, $75 million x number of vessels (one off cost) + $8.7 million/year to maintain to statutory operational compliance.

Imagine that sort of cash being injected into, ohhhh, I dunno, Jobs, infrastructure, education and health?

Or, the US government can go look at seals and ice - tough call.

a reply to: Sublimecraft

Please don't do the maths anymore. I now want to club a baby seal...

I'm kidding about the seal, but damn, that's a lot of dough!

Sounds like we have another candidate for the French Mistral-class ships. The Russians ordered them originaly with a special requirement : an ice-breaker nose.

I thought there was no ice ?
Can someone please get Al G
on the line ?

a reply to: Vasa Croe

At some point, it will become painfully obvious that the
"Global Warming" "Climate Change" hoax was perpetrated
on the masses as a means to gain control over more resources
and for the purpose of wealth redistribution. From the people
to the Government and the MIC.

We are getting near that point. This article is illumination along those lines.
They have been in the Arctic for a long while, keeping the guard.

www.darpa.mil...
cimsec.org...


S&F

originally posted by: KawRider9
a reply to: Vasa Croe

The ice isn't melting fast enough, so we'll just break it up to get this party started quicker.

Good point! Everyone knows that ice melts faster when it's disturbed and fractured.

This is an Area Russia has dominated in manufacturing, the building of massive Ice breakers. I was just watching a show yesterday about the 3 whales that were stranded, eventually the Russians came in and had to break up a massive frozen sea wall of Ice about 35 feet high in the air and around 50 feet deep, I couldnt believe they actually broke up the Ice wall. Amazing, something the US should definetly look into more Ice breakers.

originally posted by: Vasa Croe

originally posted by: intrptr
a reply to: Vasa Croe

The retreat of Arctic sea ice has created opportunities for shipping, tourism, mineral exploration and fishing — and with it, a rush of marine traffic that is bringing new difficulties.

Since the ice is retreating, they can drill into the sea floor for oil. The Russians have a jump on that game with over fifty ice breakers. The US has some 6 or 7.

Now Obama wants to use the military to open new territory for the corporations? How about Big Oil pays for the ice breakers themselves?

Because its the Russians…

article

Guess this brings a new meaning to "Cold War"……

History frowns upon opening too many fronts. Now we're going to conquer the Arctic, too…