NEWSLINK: “The Arctic as the next battleground? Don’t count on it” – Asia Times/Richard A. Bitzinger

“… as tensions between Russia and the West also grow, where might conflict between these two camps break out? … Global warming … raises the specter that the Arctic might become a new zone for conflict, as the polar icecap recedes and the area becomes more accessible. In the first place, competition for natural resources in the region is increasing. The Arctic is believed to contain up to 25% of the world’s remaining oil and gas reserves, estimated to be worth as much as US$20 trillion. … [and] the Arctic is being viewed as a possible alternative sea route for commercial shipping …”