Great power competition heats up in the thawing Arctic, and the US must respond
By: Bradley Bowman and Maj. Scott Adamson  
Russia and China have been busy in a rapidly changing Arctic, and America seems to have barely noticed. Focused elsewhere, the U.S. now finds itself ill-prepared to compete in the thawing, resource-rich arena that also offers adversaries avenues of approach to the American homeland.
If America is going to compete effectively against Russia and China, Washington must recognize that the competition is playing out in the Arctic too — and act accordingly.
Rising interest and activity in the Arctic largely coincide with the ongoing retreat of sea ice. Correspondingly, vessel traffic in waters north of the Bering Strait has increased 128 percent over the last decade.
https://www.defensenews.com/opinion/commentary/2020/09/23/great-power-competition-heats-up-in-the-thawing-arctic-and-the-us-must-respond/
