What a week it’s been. And after having digested it and read tons of bright articles, I come here with two specific take aways: first one is for France to open the door for UK to rejoin the European family, second is to remind US to not be obsessed by Greenland and not overlook threats from Russia and China on Alaska’s side, whilst Europe needs to build serious plans to take care of Groenland.

But first of all, for those who have not listened to it I can only encourage you to take 15mn and listen to the best speech made in Davos, the one from Prime Minister of Canada Mark Carney:

The general outcome of all the constructive contributions to Davos (excluding the all over the place arrogant and wrong one from « Don » of course) is that it is time for middle powers like Canada, Britain, France, Germany or Nordis countries to diversify their strategy, « hedge » their risk ie don’t put all your eggs in the same (American) basket and make new bets and investments!

This could take many forms. Could be for Canada to strengthen further links with Europe, to build some with China or India. Could be for Nordics countries to cooperate with one another to weight as much alltogether as big European countries ; and this is exactly what they are doing.

Yet there is another link which I think we have a special interest into rebuilding which is the one between UK and Europe. It happens that I was travelling to the UK this week and took the time to read in the train the famous « FT Weekend » ie FInancial Times weekend editions. And – strangely enough for a French – as a lover of Great-Britain I was impressed by the number of articles (see at bottom) pleading in favour of redevelopping links between UK and Europe. And I was even more impressed, and even sad actually, to see the many comments on how France is in effect blocking this effort, eg. requesting massive fees / costs for UK to benefit from the Europe defence AFE funding program.
Sure the Brits are often harsh after the French. Yet for knowing both sides of the Channels, in this case I feel they are serious and Europe has a chance to become stronger with the massive inputs that UK can bring on defence, financial and political matters.

So the message here is for my fellow citizens doing politics to be part of the solution and not part of the problem.

My second and last topic is to echo & share a smart anlysis done by the excellent « The Economist »: The main threat in the artic from Russia and China is not on Groenland but on Alaska. ie not on the Atlantic side but on the Pacific one.

The point is not that there is no threats on Groenland. But as you can read below in the extract, out of 95 foreign planes incursions in American North airspace, 91 out of 91 where on the Pacific side.
And guess what, American capabilities to defend this region are close to none with former air bases from the cold war having been dismantled

« America has much to do to make its north-western flank secure. Although it has lots of advanced fighters and other forces in Alaska, its surface fleet doesn’t venture into the Arctic. Its coastguard has just two icebreakers in the area, compared with Russia’s 40 or more. The nearest American deepwater port to the Bering Strait, a vital passage, is more than 700 nautical miles (1,296km) to the south. Air bases sit far back. To intercept planes in the air-defence identification zone, American fighters must often fly 1,500 nautical miles or more, refuelling repeatedly in mid-air. That is like taking off from London to check on a plane over Tenerife. »

« America needs better infrastructure. It should rebuild its disused base on Adak and refurbish the current one at Shemya, both in the Aleutian Islands. It should also expand the airport at Deadhorse in the north and accelerate improvements to the port at Nome near the Bering Strait. »

The Google Eart view below (thank you Google) reminds us of the obvious: USA main artic connection with Russia, and China behind, is on the right (West), not on the left (East) side!

Worth mentionning that for once American did soemthing pragmatic in buying half a dozen of icebreakers to Finland as the gap between American and Russian capabilities in the field is currently1 to 20 (3 for US vs 50 for Russia).
Interesting to hear that in this domain like in many other ones Europe has capabillities that US does not have and badly need. Good to take note!
https://www.highnorthnews.com/en/us-signs-contracts-foreign-and-domestic-builders-finally-launch-long-delayed-icebreaker-fleet

A few of the articles in last weekend Financial Times, echoing the Brits views, dilemmas and hopes after Davos (and after all the mess that the toxic Don has created in the last 12 months)

And yet more reading in the Economist, for the subscribers only I’m afraid. Just to give a flavour of titles and headlines!

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