While the U.S. is distracted by North Korea and the Middle East, Russia is quietly developing Siberia and laying claim to large areas under the North Polar ice pack. The have built three huge military airfields in Siberia. They are running a large diameter natural gas pipeline from Siberia down to China to market the natural gas from Siberia. They are in the process of extending the railroad to the Bering Sea. They say they want to build a railroad tunnel under the Bering Sea. The other alternative is they want to develop the area next to the U.S. for political and strategic purposes.
The Obama administration believed that the Arctic should not have any development in it. That would be nice except it gives the Russians the ability to explore and develop the area without U.S. competition. Last summer a huge cruise ship went through the North West Passage. There will be accidents and disasters that require a immediate response. Even China wants to get involved in the arctic. Several years ago, a Chinese company wanted to buy a large privately owned island off the north coast of Norway for a tourist resort. The government of Norway declined.
The U.S. imports 80 percent or more of 19 strategic minerals and metals including rare earths, tungsten, manganese and cobalt. Of the 19 strategic metals and minerals, 16 come from China. If the U.S. got in a trade war with China and they cut off the U.S. supply of rare earth metals, the electric car manufacturers would shut down. The vast resources of Alaska need to be developed and this will take a extensive rail system that is connected to the Canadian rail system. The amount of money spent in the Middle East for one year would be enough to build a regional rail system and connect it to the Canadian rail system.
President Trump is looking for infrastructure projects to stimulate the economy and developing the arctic regional rail system would have both economic and strategic value. It would be a legacy to the Trump administration. I am a former Alaska resident and committed to the responsible development of natural resources.
James Fritz,
Port Townsend, Washington