The upcoming Polar War(s)
The Daily Mail has a nice layman’s overview of the political/military ramifications of the gradual melting of the polar ice caps, and the presence of large untapped oil reserves underneath them.
With billions of barrels of oil and a former superpower’s hurt pride at stake, it looks like the battle for the North Pole is ever more likely to be fought not by teams of lawyers, but the old-fashioned way, with a clash of Cold War hardware.
One may entertain the notion that the North Pole may become the next Middle East: A spot in the globe largely unknown and uncared about – until significant energy reserves are located on it.
(Hat Tip: Kobus)