NATO Cooperation in the Arctic

Does NATO do enough in the Arctic region to contain Russia and its Chinese partner?

Is this sufficient to increase NATO capabilities in the Arctic?

On the military side of NATO, the establishment in 2019 of NATO Joint Force Command Norfolk (JFC NF) is important because it brings most of NATO’s Arctic activity under one command. The command is also staffed with many officers from the Arctic states, thus serving as an integration hub for the states in question, as well as other allies who operate in the Arctic, such as the UK and the Netherlands. JFC NF is also responsible for NATO’s Regional Plan Northwest, which covers the north Atlantic Ocean, the Arctic and the Nordic region. Allied operations and exercises in the High North are therefore often related to this plan in one way or the other.

To me, that's close but no cigar. Yes, the Arctic is included in JFC NF. But it is not exclusively focused on mastering that region and its unique challenges. Is America's Nordic Bridge initiative carved out of NORTHCOM and bringing other entities in to better coordinate Arctic missions enough?

I'd like to see the Joint Expeditionary Command (JEF) shed members on the eastern front, add Canada, and be the element that focuses its NATO members on Arctic operations.

And if America sets up POLARCOM, America could better contribute to and coordinate with NATO's JEF members in the Arctic to face China-supported Russia.

Then, JFC NF could narrow its scope to the North Atlantic and sub-Arctic Nordic region.

NOTE: TDR Winter War of 2022 coverage continues here.

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NOTE: Map from NOAA.

Twenty-five Years After Realizing We Were at War With Jihadis

It has been 25 years since jihadis forced Americans to realize jihadis were waging war on us.

 

I address the day we could no longer deny we were at war and the quarter century since then here:

So yes, the war goes on. Some complain it is an “endless war.” As if it is our fault our jihadi enemies are persistent in their belief they must kill us and our civilization. If the war is endless it is not our fault. Which is all the more reason we must fight the war by killing our enemies and rewarding the elements of Islam that would rather reform Islam, and win the very long war[.]

NOTE: TDR Winter War of 2022 coverage continues here.

NOTE: You may also like to read my posts on Substack, at The Dignified Rant: Evolved. Go ahead and subscribe to it. It's the right thing to do!

NOTE: Photo by Julien Maculan on Unsplash  

Will Canada Defend its North?

While Canada has fixated on demonizing America over trade issues, Russia looms over Canada's ill-defended Arctic border.

Sure, Lake Ontario America was humorous. But the Canadians have lost their minds. This is not a good time to joke around. We need to speak softly and refrain from making sudden moves. But this is an excellent point about Canada facing an actual threat:

In Canada, with the second-longest Arctic coastline, the “Our North, Strong and Free” declaration has to be underpinned by effective policy. 

I've long wanted Canada to bolster its Arctic defenses:

Canada has my enduring thanks for fighting and dying at our side in Afghanistan. It was a rare NATO ally who did that even under Article V. So if Canada revives defense spending primarily to safeguard the northern Pacific and Atlantic as well as the Arctic? Great!  

It seems that Canada is theoretically in agreement, We could complement that effort by establishing POLARCOM. 

Maybe we could motivate the Canadians by sailing an Amphibious Readiness Group around Hudson America Bay.

NOTE: TDR Winter War of 2022 coverage continues here.

NOTE: You may also like to read my posts on Substack, at The Dignified Rant: Evolved. Go ahead and subscribe to it. It's the right thing to do!

NOTE: Map from here.

Who Controls the Hormuz Strait?

Iran loudly claims to control the Hormuz Strait. Our media largely parrots that claim. In fact, Iran has no control and limited ability to interdict traffic. America has some control and the ability to interdict traffic.

I've been saying for quite some time in Weekend Data Dumps that official statistics of ships moving through the Strait of Hormuz don't reflect the reality of American forces shepherding ships through Omani territorial waters with their beacons turned off ("dark transits"), making them invisible to those who count. And to the Iranians who want to shoot at them, of course.

Well:

An average of 8.6 million barrels of oil a day have been flowing through the Strait of Hormuz — more than previously reported, maritime analyst firm Kpler confirmed in a new update that matches estimates from the Trump administration.

Even I was unwilling to say it was that much. Just that some was getting out. And combined with increased pipeline and truck transport plus reduced demand, enough was getting out to get by. 

At some point when oil is delivered the statistics can be modified to show that a tanker had to transit the strait X days earlier.

Mind you, the pre-war  level was 21.6 million barrels per day. But in a couple years, pipelines might allow all the Arab states to fully bypass Hormuz.

NOTE: TDR Winter War of 2022 coverage continues here.

NOTE: You may also like to read my posts on Substack, at The Dignified Rant: Evolved. Go ahead and subscribe to it. It's the right thing to do!

NOTE: Photo from the article.

The Great White North and a Let's Do It Foreign Policy

I hope that Canada and the United States sort out our trade differences before they seriously affect our defense relationship. We need each other militarily and economically, but leaders can do stupid things. Lord knows I've seen how Canadians since 2016 have whipped themselves into anti-U.S. hysteria. 

This sums it up:

In broad terms, Canada’s relationship with the U.S. has two dimensions: economic and military. The U.S. is attempting to adjust the former but not the latter. The Trump administration is increasing economic pressure on Canada through tariffs, as it has with the rest of the world, which has naturally introduced tension into the relationship. At this point, the tension is reaching a point that it may affect the military dimension as well.

America has real trade grievances with Canada over how Canada tariffs American exports and allows other nations to bypass our tariffs. But the military dimensions of our relationship should keep the trade disputes from getting out of hand. 

We assume Canada knows we need each other so we can push hard. But I don't assume Canada will not do something really futile and stupid just to spite America--and damn the cost to Canada (which will be blamed on America, of course). I mean, by doing something more harmful than stoking Canadian anger at America to suppress secessionist movements in Quebec and Alberta.

Let's remember we are friends and allies, shall we?

NOTE: TDR Winter War of 2022 coverage continues here.

NOTE: You may also like to read my posts on Substack, at The Dignified Rant: Evolved. Go ahead and subscribe to it. It's the right thing to do!

The Winter War of 2022 Misses a Chance

 

It is false compassion to reduce the rate of your losses by refusing to energetically conduct a counteroffensive and suffer a higher casualty rate if you forfeit a chance to end a war quickly only to condemn your troops and civilians to a lower rate of casualties for years on end. Did Ukraine miss its chance to exploit Russian weakness in the first half of 2026?

Head on over to Substack for the essay. I decided to publish this series there. But you can always get the link here on TDR.

NOTE: ISW updates continue here.

NOTE: Also, I put war-related links and commentary in the Weekend Data Dump on Substack. You may read my posts on Substack, at The Dignified Rant: Evolved.

Weekend Data Dump

The Weekend Data Dump is a compilation of short entries about the previous week’s defense and national security news that I found interesting. I couldn’t possibly comment on everything in my news flow or delve into everything that interests me. So most news that interests me doesn’t make the cut for a post. The rest go in the data dump. Enjoy!

HOP ON OVER AND READ IT! On the bright side, you can comment on Substack!

In case you missed it on Substack: American Western Hemisphere Foreign Policy

In case you missed it on Substack: "Blood and Guts" Putin Seeks Glory

In case you missed it on Substack: Make the Gulf Arabian Again

In case you missed it on Substack: Competing Distractions in the Great PACOM Game

Help me out by subscribing on Substack and by liking and sharing posts. I occasionally post short data dump-type items (or not-so-short) on my Substack "Notes" section.

Porcupines are Never Enough

So-called "porcupine" weapons will not save Taiwan when the PLA lands. And I'm not confident the Taiwanese people could sustain armed resistance in the face of occupation.

I'm not against Taiwan preparing to resist occupation, but it's probably futile. And I'm fully on board the critique of porcupine fixations:

If and when the People's Liberation Army breaches the outer defensive ring, establishes coastal lodgments, and imposes a total blockade, Taiwan's standoff systems will be rapidly expended, neutralized by precision bombardment, or starved of fuel and parts. Without an organized, decentralized civil-military underground ready to execute resistance operations, the island's defense will collapse into rapid paralysis. True deterrence by denial requires more than anti-ship missiles. It demands an island-wide resistance architecture grounded in Unconventional Warfare doctrine. 

Don't rely on a porcupine defense. It will kill you. 

I think Taiwan is divided enough politically over China that resistance could be brutally suppressed by China using cooperative locals who might see PLA occupation as an opportunity. And if the PLA is running a counter-insurgency campaign, how long will resistance last when they realize Force Design Marines aren't going to liberate them?

Not that resistance training and organization wouldn't be helpful. It would raise spirits during an invasion and bolster the will to win the conventional campaign. But the priority should be driving the PLA into the sea.

NOTE: TDR Winter War of 2022 coverage continues here.

NOTE: You may also like to read my posts on Substack, at The Dignified Rant: Evolved. Go ahead and subscribe to it. It's the right thing to do!

NOTE: Image--which is awesome--from the article.