Nanook!

This is coolbert:

Here, thanks to the tip from ISRIA.

"Canada starts Operation Nanook 09, a military exercise to confirm sovereignty over its arctic territory"

The Canadian military, flexing muscles in the far north, planning for the future, testing doctrine, tactics, concepts, etc. Right NOW, as we speak!

"The main objective is 'to ensure the monitoring of Canada’s territory and aerial and maritime approaches, including in the Arctic, in order to detect threats to safety and security'"

An integral part of Nanook will be the Canadian Rangers. Locals, experts at living in the harsh and unforgiving arctic environment! One important task of the Rangers will be to guard exercise participants - - particularly from attack by PREDATORS! That predator being the polar bear. The great white bear of the north, always ravenously hungry, looking for "lunch", and posing a grave danger to anyone in the vicinity. Nanook is the Eskimo [Inuit] name for the polar bear!!

"On the ground, the Arctic-survival-skilled Canadian Rangers will act as guides, experts on the land, and provide predator control."

Rangers armed with the ancient and venerable but very effective for arctic military operations - - the SMLE rifle!!

Also an integral part of this Canadian far-north military exercise are those Victoria class submarines, diesel powered, that have recently become part of the Canadian inventory? Canada did for a time "toy" with the idea of building their own indigenous nuclear submarine force, ideally suited for operations under the ice, but nixed the idea, rather going with diesel subs of modern superior design instead.

SSK Victoria Class Long-Range Patrol Submarine, Canada

It is not only the desire on the part of the Canadians for continued dominion over the 19,000 islands of the Arctic archipelago or the desire to possess the "riches" that exists [?] on the bottom of the Arctic Ocean that extends northward of Canadian boundaries that motivates the Canadians! Other factors for a Canadian military presence in the far north include now and have included for some time:

1. "the United States . . . has refused to concede that the Northwest Passage, which snakes more than a thousand miles through Canada's Arctic islands, constitutes Canadian internal waters."

"a future Canadian Government might bar passage [to the Northwest Passage] to the United States Navy."

2. "The Canadians say that another reason for the Arctic patrols is concern that Soviet nuclear submarines could pass beneath the ice to the Arctic waters off Canada before launching a missile attack on the United States."

What is being suggested here? That American and Soviet/Russian nuclear attack/missile firing submarines are already operating in Canadian waters, under the ice, violating purported Canadian territorial waters, even in peace time, an egregious offense!? Either are operating now, or the possibility exists!

Anyhow, as I have said before, the Arctic is getting warm both literally and figuratively!!

coolbert.